Sony ICD-P17 Digital Voice Recorder with USB Connectivity

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [582kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 1.8 x 4.1 inches ; 1 pounds
• 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: B00009N6VP
• Item model number: ICDP17
• Batteries: 2 AAA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,780 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 8, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Sony's slim ICD-P17 portable digital voice recorder gives you up to 278 minutes of recording time using its 16 MB of built-in flash memory. Other key features include USB 1.1 connectivity for easy hookup with your PC and speedy data transfer, overwrite functionality, and five different message files with up to 99 messages per file. The recorder is compatible with Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, Me, and XP.

Overwrite is a professional dictation feature that lets you listen through the last correct word of a recording in playback, then--at the press of the record button--pick up from that point with additional content. All the dictation from that point is automatically erased and replaced with the new dictation.

With the author-name function, your name can be part of the file structure so that every dictation includes your name. You can activate this function using the supplied Digital Voice Editor software when the ICD-P17 is connected to your PC via the USB cable.

Other features include an informative LCD, a built-in microphone (with high/low mic sensitivity), a built-in playback speaker, add-recording (resumes recording from the end of a given message; not available during overwrite), alarm-play (which lets you to record a message and then set a date and time for it to automatically play), a battery-saving hold switch, and jacks for an external earphone and an external microphone. The unit derives 10 hours of recording (8 playback) from two AAA batteries (supplied).

What's in the Box
Voice recorder, software CD, two AAA batteries, a USB cable, and a user's manual.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

117 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ideal for students, August 29, 2003

By 

NutMac "NutMac" (Mountain View, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sony ICD-P17 Digital Voice Recorder with USB Connectivity (Office Product)

Pros:
- Large 278 minutes recording capacity at the highest (and only) recording quality mode
- Good recording quality
- Lightweight, but feels substantial
- Small learning curve
- Informative LCD display

Cons:
- Does not include software for Mac OS X
- Play/stop toggle button is not very tactile
- Memory not expandable
- No carrying case, batteries not included

After looking at digital voice recorders in similar price range and feature sets (USB connectivity, long recording time), I chose the Sony ICD-P17. While it's not among the smallest recorders out there (Olympus takes that honor), it has a *usable* recording capacity of 4 hours and 38 minutes (keep in mind that each recording takes up minimum of 9 seconds worth of space). The ICD-P17 has one and only one recording mode (mono 150 to 3,500 Hz), optimized for 16 MB flash memory capacity. Almost all other recorders specify the LP (long play) recording capacity, which in most cases sound poor. Their SP (short play) recording capacity is often less than half the LP capacity.

The ICD-P17 is not tiny (about as tall as an average-sized palm and about half-an-inch thick), but it fits comfortably in anyone's palm. Located at the top side are connectors for external microphone and earphone.

To the right side are record/stop and pause buttons, rewind/play/stop/forward toggle switch, hold slider (sliding up disables buttons and turns off LCD), volume knob, and USB connector.

Located on the front face are microphone, speaker, LCD display, folder button to toggle between 5 folders (each folder can have up to 99 recordings), divide button for dividing/combining recordings, display button to toggle between elapsed time/remaining time/date/time, menu button, microphone sensitivity button (high for quiet environment, low for noisy environment), and erase and stop buttons.

The ICD-P17 takes two 2 AAA batteries (not included), which are good for about 10 hours of recording and about 8 hours of playback. Included are USB cable and Digital Voice Editor 2 software that runs on Windows. Connect it to your PC's USB port and you can download recordings for archival purpose (or convert them to MP3 or WAV format). Since ICD-P17 is a USB 1.1 device, transferring 1-hour worth of recording will take 36 secoonds or so.

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Unit for the Money - By FAR, March 30, 2004

By 

Eric Antonow (Palo Alto, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony ICD-P17 Digital Voice Recorder with USB Connectivity (Office Product)

I've had the last two versions of this voice recorder (lost the first one) and have watched the features evolve...as well as my use of them. This is by far the best value for the money. At this point the higher end Sony VRs haven't created the incremental value to make it worth it. The cheaper VRs (Sony's and others) leave out features that you will probably regret if you're using this for any lecture records, interviews, notetaking, interviews, etc. Here's my take:

1. you will want to transfer the recordings

You WILL want to archive something, email it, or you just clear out some space in memory but haven't listened to/transcribed what you last recorded. If you buy a VR that has no means of getting the files off, I'm pretty confident you'll find yourself frustrated within the first few weeks. The only exception might be if you're just logging a bunch of little personal notes. I have a memory stick version, which simply means it's a less easy (more expensive) device to transfer the files than this USB model. USB is the right solution by far at this stage in the game and it allows you to get the data off from almost any computer...the alternative is dragging around a 6-in-1 card reader if you need to transfer something in a pinch.

2. this recording time is plenty

This is more that 4 hrs of recording time. Even in very intensive use (multiple, sequential interviews) I've never run out. Given that the transfer to computer is so easy and quick, you simply get in the habit of moving this file(s) after your recording. You're not losing anything by not having removable/upgradeable media.

3. good usability on the device

They've simplified things from the earlier models -- buttons and function are B+ intuitive (it's no ipod, but close). Key functions are well thought out and not-so-obvious ones are also there. Comfortable, lightweight form factor means you can slip it into a sports coat, small purse, shirt pocket (it will slip out if you lean over, trust me). It's solid state and 'throw it in the briefcase tough'.

4. mic/device is best for proximate recording

Dictation, lectures (if you can put it on the podium or near a speaker), songwriting, etc. Other folks have noted that meetings can be a little muddled. Agreed. Sound quality is VERY GOOD for this kind of recording. Listening through the speaker is fine for general use, but you'll get a notably better sound of you use even a cheap earphone.

5. get rechargables

If you do any regular recording (say, more than 2x per month) you'll end up spending more that you realize if you don't. Sony makes a great set for their digital cameras that seemingly last forever.

6. ignore transcription/speech-to-print software

As much as I'd want this to work, it just doesn't seem to cut it. I've trained ViaVoice (more than 3 hrs) and played with Dragon, and even-learned-to-talk-so-the-computer-can-understand-me-more-clearly. Useless. No time savings correcting things, and you appropriately feel like a idiot for make a simple thing way to complex. I wish it was different, but I think most reviewers for these packages will agree.

OVERALL: You'll probably have some regrets if downgrade for this unit and you'll probably be frustrated with units that are more expensive -- the more expensive ones are a bit overstuffed with some odd features. This is right about where the device should be. Good luck, enjoy, hope this is helpful.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Audio quality leaves a lot to be desired, October 19, 2003

By 

R. J. Beilstein (North Syracuse, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony ICD-P17 Digital Voice Recorder with USB Connectivity (Office Product)

This is a nice-looking little recorder, and it is certainly cheaper than the $150 Sony ICDST10, but the audio, while generally OK for dictation, is, in my opinion, just not good enough for recording meetings or lectures. The ICDP17's audio quality is approximately the same as the Sony ICDST10 in "LP" mode. The difference between this unit and the Sony ICDST10 is that the ICDST10 will record around two hours of VERY good audio (in "SP" mode, using Sony's LPEC Codec), or a bit over five and a half hours in "LP" mode (compared to a little over four and a half hours for the ICDP17). The Sony ICDMS515 has even better sound quality (and with Memory Sticks available up to 256MB, can record hours and hours of audio), but at $250 (not counting the extra you'll spend to upgrade the woefully inadequate 8MB Memory Stick Sony includes), this is way out of the ICDP17's price range. In my opinion, $150 for the Sony ICDST10 is a much better deal than $99 for the ICDP17.