I have been using a voice activated recorder to check what has been going on in my house during the day when I'm not here. I actually have two - a Sony and an Olympus. I just tested both of them yesterday and found that they really don't pick up everything being said. For some reason, they seem to pick up one conversation but then will miss the next conversation a few minutes later, even though it was spoken at the same level.

I have found some rather expensive ones being sold online but then I have seen reviews for some of them and they don't sound much better. Has anyone used a recorder that they could recommend? I did order a microphone in hopes that that would help but haven't received it yet.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Shadows

Shadows, is your goal to record phone conversation? If it is.. You need a cheap little device found at radio shack to actually attach it to the phone line. The conversation will be crystal clear, and you hear both sides.

Justkeeptrying,

I originally wanted to record the phone conversations (well, really just find out if there were any phone conversations), but I found out I could pick up little bits of information from my husband talking to himself while he was working from home on the computer. The only problem is, it seems as though the voice activation part of the recorder cuts in and out so doesn't always pick up everything. I'm gone for 8 - 9 hours at a time so really didn't want to record the whole day.

I hate to spend a lot of money on another one to find it is doing the same thing.

Shadows

For recording phone conversations, RadioShack has one that plugs into an unused phone jack, and it records both sides of the conversation in full. You just plug it in behind furniture in an unused phone jack.

As far as recording conversation in the home, I think that would be very difficult.

What else is going on?

Yes, believer is right. The Radio Shack recorder is VERY good. And it's inexpensive. But you need to make sure you have a recorder for the jacks on the device. If you need a recorder as well as the recording device, have them open it so you can check.

We have one that we've had to use twice in events unrelated to H's A.

Shadows, The recorders you have are fine. You just need to connector found at radio shack. It will connect the phone line to the mic of the recorder. It will only active when the phone rings or dials out.

Connection details in Spying101.

-JKT

H is working from home a lot and actually is on vacation this week, so I'm having a hard time posting here.

The problem is that the recorder seems to not pick up parts of his rambling to himself. It's not phone conversations - it's just him talking to himself while working on the computer or just thinking aloud. It's pretty bad when this is how you learn what someone is thinking after you've been married to them for almost 35 years.

I had been using a recorder that seemed to be doing okay picking up things. I got to where I didn't want to erase that one because of things recorded on it so bought another one. This one didn't seem to be picking up as much but I thought maybe there was nothing to pick up. Then, I tested it out myself and it was not recording everything I said. I did order an external microphone and am hoping that will help but I thought maybe a better recorder would solve the problem.

Shadows