On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 21:26:40 -0400, you wrote: >One problem I am having is finding a device that has large function buttons >on the device as I have large hands and developing neuropathy issues and >need to be able to differentiate the feel or touch in between the buttons.
I think the Milestone 311 would suit you perfectly. It uses SD memory which can hold quite a bit of compressed data before you have to change one out for a fresh one. I'm sure one 2gb card could hold an entire day of recordings that you could drop onto your computer at the end of class every day. Regarding the buttons, not only are they large--somewhere between the size of an American penny and nickel, but they also have well-sculpted symbology (x, left arrow, right arrow, dot, plain) that I'm sure you would be able to feel, and even if you can't, or at some future time are no longer able to, the position of the buttons really tell you what their functions are once you learn the unit. The one thing you may not like about the Milestone is it's very lightweight and small. You may wish to have something in your hand that's a little chunkier. If that's the case, the Edirol R09 would probably suit you well. The differences between the Milestone and the R09 are many. The R09 has two microphones mounted on its top, as it was made primarily for professional field recording. The Milestone has one microphone on it but has the capability to record in stereo through its earphone jack in line mode (using powered external microphones). The Milestone's software is all voice-guided; the R09 has no such capability but the structure of the menus is very easily learned and predictable. The USB connectivity on both units is seamless--you plug it in, bing-bing, it appears as a drive on your Windows system in My Computer or Windows Explorer. If you want, you can get an external card reader and pop the memory card right out of either unit and put it into the reader, then plug that into your computer. The advantage of this is that you don't have to mess with more USB cables, and I have to tell you, the connectors on the other end that go into either the R09 or the Milestone are quite small. This is not to say they would easily break, but if you're having trouble with manipulating small things, then memory card swapping and external card readers might be a better alternative for you personally than the USB approach. Just turn off the unit's power, pop the card, insert it into the reader, then plug that directly into your computer and you're all set. My big complaint about the Milestone is that it only has three volume settings--too loud, loud enough I guess, and too soft. The Edirol's volume control has 30 clicks to it, and oh yes, I forgot, the Edirol has a separately settable record volume or an AGC which can be switched on or off via a back panel control. The Milestone's record level is all automatic. Both the Milestone and the Edirol R09 use SD memory cards. The Edirol can take up to a 2gb card. I'm not sure even if they come larger than that, or if they do, whether the Milestone can take a card larger than 2gb, but what makes me the happiest is that now I have three devices--the Milestone, the Edirol, and my Trio Palm 700 (Verizon Wireless's latest Pocket PC smartphone) all of which, o happy day, use the same kind of memory card! When I got the Edirol R1 last year, I admit to having been stupid and not having done my homework about memory cards and such. Now I have a device which is (A) no longer made, (B) which I can't get rid of for anywhere near the price I paid for it, and (C) which uses a memory card type for which I have no other use. Live and learn, I guess. The price for the Milestone 311 or the Edirol R09 is four hundred dollars, plus or minus locally available discounts, if any. You can get the Milestone from Independent Living Aids. I bought mine at the recent ACB National Convention right from the ILA booth. The Edirol is available from lots of retail places, and some of the blindness-product folks like Jerry Richer have begun carrying it as well. I got mine from B and H Photo Video,a local supplier near me in Manhattan. Warning: If you purchase the Edirol R09, there's a really nice-sounding case you can order for it which holds the main unit and has a pocket for accessories like microphones and things, but the case has been on back order for almost three months now, and I'm despairing of ever seeing it. That's another thing they didn't think through fully with the Milestone. It has no carrying case at all, just a neck strap that attaches via spring clip to a dangling thing on the bottom. Having them both, do I use them both? Absolutely. If I need to remind myself of something, I'll reach for the Milestone. If I want to talk with someone interview style and record it, I'll use the Edirol. I wouldn't leave the house without both, but that's just me. Your mileage (and usage) may vary. _______________________________________________ PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other lists we offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com
