Olympus DS-150 Digital Voice Recorder

by Olympus

Product Details

Product Manual [696kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00000JYVW
• Item model number: DS-150
• Batteries: 2 AAA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,411 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The handy Olympus DS-150 digital voice recorder can slip easily into your pocket, purse, or briefcase. It stores up to 160 minutes of dictation and features PC connectivity and IBM ViaVoice voice-recognition software.

To set up the DS-150, you first insert two AAA batteries, then program the date and time to ensure that each message receives the correct date/time stamp when you record a message. Recording messages can be done in one of two modes: standard play (SP) or long play (LP). While LP offers more recording time, SP offers better quality, though both modes produce excellent results at a range of volumes. We also found that the quality was best when the recorder was held about 12 inches from the source.

The DS-150 has two folders that can each hold up to 99 messages. When you no longer need messages, you can erase them one at a time or erase an entire folder. It can also connect to your PC via a serial cable and convert spoken words into digital text using the included IBM ViaVoice software. With this feature, you can turn any dictation into an instant memo.

You can also make hands-free recordings with the DS-150's VCVA (variable-control voice actuator). With the VCVA turned on, the DS-150 begins recording when the microphone detects your voice and stops recording when you stop talking. This means you won't waste memory by recording silence when you pause during dictation, although you may lose brief moments of sound as the recorder starts and stops.

All in all, with its many features, PC connectivity, slim design, and easy-to-read LCD, we found the lightweight Olympus DS-150 digital voice recorder to be quite a nice device. --Megan Dugan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very Poor Sonics, Overly Complex User Interface, September 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Olympus DS-150 Digital Voice Recorder (Office Product)

I highly recommend the Sony or Radio Shack digital recorder product lines (even those priced under $50). They are extremely easy to use with quite acceptable sonics; and when compared from a price/performance perspective they are far superior to that of my DS 150 digital.

The complex "wheel-driven" menu user interface of the DS 150 is klunky at best (and confusing when accidently depressed which is quite easy to do), not designed for internet time, and the miniture play and shuffle keys are not well suited for human finger manipulation (the tactile feel, in particular, is missing which causes use problems). The sonics (both play and record) are poor from a price/performance perspective, and this was simply not expected from an Olympus high-end product.

I do not recommend purchase of the Olympus DS 150 (I already replaced it with a Sony digital, and use a small Optimus digital while jogging for its simple user interface). If you are still considering the DS 150 for purchase, however, I highly recommend that you first give it a shakedown cruise in a real store (trial it as you would expect to use it) -- buyer beware.

110 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my first digital recorder, I like it a lot., January 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Olympus DS-150 Digital Voice Recorder (Office Product)

This is my first digital recorder - the earlier ones seemed to be more like toys with too little storage for practical use. One thing that sold me on the DS-150 was not having to worry about storage capacity or deleting messages earlier than I might want in order to free space. My voice sounds like my voice when I play it back. Controls are easy to use with one exception - erasing messages - that control could be laid out a little better so that you don't have to look at the unit when erasing a message - no big deal except if you're driving.

I use mine for all kinds of things: recording thoughts, insights, or forgotten to-dos while driving, movie times, directions to businesses, song album titles or other info that I hear on TV/Radio that I want to take note of to look into, private dry runs of speeches or presentations I'm going to make, capturing serial numbers from equipment where its hard enough to see it while you are on the floor let alone write it down in an ackward position.

I've been very pleased with mine and use it daily. I have not connected it to my computer yet, but plan to give that a shot too.

It will be great when this technology merges with personal organizers, each of which has its advantages. The easiest way of entering information you want to recall is certainly using speech. For quick notes or ideas, using this type of recorder is much quicker than having to write on paper or with a stylus. It's especially useful while driving when you can't write easily/safely. Not as useful in public places where its more intimidating to be seen talking to yourself!

This is a great way to capture those insights, ideas, and thoughts that come to us before they escape. The ability to pause recordings by voice activation or manually (my preference) makes it useful for building lists or general brainstorming where you want to say something and then think some before adding more. And of course, unlike a mini-cassette recorder it is easy to clean up old messages one at a time since they are stored as individual messages as well as having two folders to choose between in filing them.

To me though, the key thing that makes this a successful product is good voice quality and enough storage capacity that you don't really have to worry about how much time you have left available. I do think some of the controls / function layouts could be improved further by Olympus, but not a major gripe. Doesn't seem to eat batteries and automatically powers down when not in use.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just hope you do not need tech support., June 24, 2000

By 

J. Dassaro "Dassaro Imaging Photography" (Tennessee, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Olympus DS-150 Digital Voice Recorder (Office Product)

I like the recorder a lot, but I will not restate what has already been said regarding functionality. However, just make sure you lock the DSS software in a safety deposit box. Olympus tech support is horrible. I lost the software (yes, my fault) and called tech support to see where I could download it. They had no idea, and blatantly stated that they did not have time for a "non-tech" issue. Called another support number, the service rep had no idea why I would need the software to record and suggested that I use the DSS lite software (which is just for playing the files, not interfacing).

Long story short, four weeks later, no software. If anyone knows where I can get a copy (I was told it is freely distributed), please let me know.