Sony ICD-B500 Digital Voice Recorder with 256 MB Built-in Flash Memory

by Sony

Product Details

• Item Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000N29LAU
• Item model number: ICDB500
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,602 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 9, 2006

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Sony ICD-B500 digital voice recorder is a portable note taker with 256 MB of flash memory--double the capacity of its predecessor. This model provides up to 150 hours of recording time in LP mode. It offers comprehensive recording capabilities in any situation, and a large LCD and single-function buttons on the front and 250-milliwatt speaker output make it easy to use. Features include:

• 256MB² Built-in Flash Memory: Available on the integrated circuit chip which may be recorded over and used again.
• Over 150¹ Hours of Recording Time: LP mode gives you plenty of time to record everything you need and the integrated circuit chip lets you continually record over and use again.
• 3 Recording Modes¹: Choose the quality of recording depending on how much time you need. LP Mode 150h 15m, SP Mode 81h 15m and HQ Mode 30h 25m.
• 4 Message Folders: Separate your lists all in one place. The 4 message folders can be used for different applications, such as business memos, correspondence, personal reminders, and more.
• Large LCD Display: Easily shows the number of messages recorded, recording length, date, time, and battery power remaining.
• Voice Operated Recording (VOR): Save valuable recording time. VOR stops the recording during silent pauses then begins recording again without missing a single syllable thanks to the Digital Buffer.
• Add-Recording: Insert and add additional information to any message without affecting the original file.
• Single Function Buttons on the Front Make the Unit Easier to Use: Easily Access any of the functions on the Digital voice recorder using the ergonomic buttons that make controlling the unit easier then ever.
• 250mW Speaker Output: Provides increased speaker output for clear listening of your recorded files.
• Selectable Microphone Sensitivity (Hi/Lo): Record different situations from group meetings to individual lists easily and more effectively.
• Date and Time Stamp: Lets you see what day and time you recorded a message on.

<sup>1. Approximate recording times. Battery life will vary based on product settings, usage patterns, environment and battery conditions.
2. User available memory=250,904,576 bytes, a portion of which is used for data management functions.</sup>

Product Description

Compact Slim Design --- Makes it is easier then ever to have a recorder on hand to capture the next great idea. 256MB Flash Based DVR

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good points and bad points, August 1, 2007

By 

dm "danmc15" (rochester, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony ICD-B500 Digital Voice Recorder with 256 MB Built-in Flash Memory (Office Product)

I've only had this for a few days, but my intial reactions are:

Very compact and fairly easy to use.

Good price for a Sony product.

The instruction manual is a mess and needs to be totally re-written and re-organized.

Would be nice if it came with a carrying case, even if a cheap, basic one. I bought a cheap cell phone case to house it in.

Sound quality is good; with the mic at high level I find it picks up too much background noise but at low level it's pretty good.

After using this for a couple of months, further comments are that it does what I want it to do, but one more complaint is that it takes 9 button pushes to change folders. To navigate between folders should be easy, they make it complex.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for recording interviews, October 28, 2007

By 

R. Lerner "FirstWays blogger" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony ICD-B500 Digital Voice Recorder with 256 MB Built-in Flash Memory (Office Product)

As a journalist who uses the Sony ICD-B500, I can tell you I'm super happy with it. It's not going to make podcast-quality sound files, or even upload into your computer, but it does exactly what it says it will -- it records interviews with good enough clarity to transcribe later. I used this recently to do an interview with a soft-spoken guy at a crowded party, and the recording came out just fine. There was background noise, but he was perfectly audible. In my experience, this is a bargain digital recorder that's of solid, reliable quality. It's not a top-of-the-line model, but it is perfect for my needs.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little gimmicky, July 15, 2007

By 

R. Ratner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony ICD-B500 Digital Voice Recorder with 256 MB Built-in Flash Memory (Office Product)

The recorder has good sound and it is easy to start recording. Setting up a folder and inserting recordings into that folder is not intuitively obvious. In fact, all the features are not intuitive. You have to read the manual which is not well organized.

However, once you get the hang of it it's a good recorder.