Omnicron Electronics VLR RECORDER User Manual
A
AUTOMATIC VOICE LOGGING
RECORDER
standard speed models VLR-1 and VLR-1CT
one quarter speed models VLR-4 and VLR-4CT
one eighth speed models VLR-8 and VLR-8CT
OWNER’S REFERENCE MANUAL
5K07028099 K-2000
FEATURES
The Omnicron VLR recorder
is a versatile solid-state unit
featuring voice-activated recording.
This feature permits you to record
conversations without having to
turn the recorder on
and off manually. You can make
recordings directly from the built-in
microphone, or you can use an optional interface coupler or cable to
connect the recorder to telephone
or radio circuits.
Other important features include
an end-of-tape alarm, review and
cue capability, digital tape counter,
and monitor while recording. The
VLR-4 and VLR-8 recorders include slow speed drive circuitry.
The VLR-4 provides up to four
hours of recording time on each
side of a tape. The VLR-8 provides
up to 8 hours per side. Automatic
level control recording assures the
best performance with reduced
back-ground noise and distortion.
A second recording channel for
use with the Omnicron Talking
Clock can be found on models
VLR-1CT, VLR-4CT, and VLR-8CT.
The clock provides documentation
of the time and date each recording takes place.
When you reach the end of tape
in either play, record, fast-forward,
or fast-rewind, the function keys
will pop up turning the power off.
If the End-Of-Tape Alarm switch
is ON, the recorder will emit a continuous beep tone from its speaker
whenever all function keys (Play,
Review, and Cue)
are up.
PREPARATION FOR USE
AC POWER
The recorder uses standard 120volt 60 Hz AC power. On the bottom of your recorder you will find
the AC power cord storage compartment. Remove the cord and
plug it into an AC outlet.
BATTERY POWER
The recorder uses six C-size
cells. To install batteries, remove
the lid of the battery compartment
which is on the bottom of the recorder. Insert the six batteries
to match the polarity of the “+”
and “-” symbols shown inside of
the battery compart ment. After the
batteries are installed and seated
correctly, replace the battery compartment lid.
Incorrectly inserted batteries will
not work and could cause damage
to the batteries and the recorder.
The recorder will trickle charge rechargeable batteries and a built-in
relay will automatically switch over
to battery power whenever AC
power is lost. Non rechargeable
batteries should be removed prior
to operating the recorder on AC
power.
Batteries are not required for
operation on AC power.
CASSETTE INSERTION
Open the cover of the cassette
compartment by depressing the
STOP-EJECT key. Insert the cassette with the tape edge toward
you and the full reel to the left.
Now close the cover and the
recorder is ready to operate.
OPERATION
GENERAL
You control all tape mechanism
functions with the push buttons.
The tape will stop, and power
is off when all buttons are up.
Depressing one of the PLAY,
REVIEW (rewind), or CUE (fastforward) buttons turns on the
power and places the tape recorder into the selected mode.
You can stop the tape by pushing
the STOP-EJECT key. Depress
this key again to eject the cassette. The recorder has an aut omatic power-off circuit. When you
reach the end of tape, the buttons
will pop-up and power will turn off.
A tape COUNTER helps you
quickly locate recorded material for
playback. Depress the button next
to the counter to reset the numerals to “000”.
RECORDING
When recording, the tape drive
motor will run only when audio is
present at one of the recorder's
audio input sources. You can use
either the built-in microphone, an
external microphone, or an auxiliary audio source. You will aut omatically turn off the built-in microphone when you use either
the external microphone jack
(MIC), or the auxiliary input jack
(AUX). Audio fed into the CLOCK
jack on recorders with the CT
option goes directly to the time
track on the recording head and
will not start the recorder's voice
activation circuit. You must depress both the RECORD and the
PLAY keys for the recorder to be
in the RECORD mode.
RECORD LEVEL
ADJUSTMENT
On the bottom of the recorder
you will find the record level control. You may increase the record
level and make weak sounds
louder by turning this control
clockwise. If you set the control
too high, your recordings could
be distorted and the recorder will
boost background noise excessively. Line up the blade of a small
screwdriver with the slot in the
control. Adjust it up or down as required for the best sound quality.
DO NOT FORCE THE CONTROL.
To set the level correctly, watch
the Record Level
indicator light. When you are recording, set the record level adjustment only as high as required
to cause the red light to come on
during voice peaks. If the light
does not flash during convers ations, the record level is too low.
If it is on continuously, the record
level is too high.
1
CASSETTE INSERTION
Before inserting a cassette, take
up any slack in the tape by insert ing a pencil into the hub of the cassette and turning it a few times.
Press the STOP/EJECT key to
open the cassette door. Insert the
cassette into the chamber with the
exposed edge of the tape facing
you and the full reel to your left.
Close the door by pressing downward until it latches shut.
To remove a cassette, press the
STOP/EJECT button once to stop
the recorder. Press the button a
second time to open the cassette
door.
RECORDING WITH BUILT-IN
MICROPHONE
Insert a tape and simultaneously
depress both the RECORD and
PLAY keys. The tape will begin
to move, and the machine will be
recording. The recorder will continue
to record as long as there is sufficient audio in the amplifier to trigger
the voice-activation circuit.
It stops after it is quiet for a few
seconds and starts recording when
you speak within a few feet of the
microphone.
The volume control is inoperative
in the record mode. The MONITOR
function should be off (MONITOR
key UP) to prevent feedback during
microphone recording. To end the
recording, depress the STOP/
EJECT key. Depress this key a
second time to EJECT the cassette. If you reach the end of the
tape while recording, the recorder
will shut off and the PLAY and
RECORD buttons will pop up.
RECORDING WITH
EXTERNAL
MICROPHONE
Plug a suitable microphone
(such as the OMNICRON RMC-8 or
PZ-2LA) into the MIC or MIC and
REM jacks on the left side of the
recorder. The large jack (MIC) is the
microphone circuit. It is also used
to connect other low level audio
sources to the recorder.
The small jack next to the MIC
jack is the remote switch circuit
(REM). When the remote jack is
used, the tape will not move in the
RECORD mode unless the external
remote switching circuit is on. The
voice activation circuit also must
have sufficient audio to start the
motor. Operate the recorder as described in the instructions for builtin microphone recording.
Increase or decrease the record
level as nec essary.
RECORDING FROM OTHER
SOURCES: RADIO, PHONE,
ETC.
Your recorder receives audio either by placing a microphone near
the speaker of your audio source, or
by connecting directly
to the speaker or audio output of
the device you wish to monitor. If
possible, use a direct connection
to prevent unnecessary noise
pickup. A direct connection also will
produce clearer recordings.
Most telephone and some twoway radio installations require the
use of an interface coupler or
adapter (such as the TSA-3,
LIC-390, or LIC-100) between
the recorder and the audio circuit.
Couplers provide isolation and
a balanced line input. They also
help to prevent the noise on telephone lines from reaching the
recorder between conversations.
Check with your Omnicron dealer or
telephone company to see if you
require a coupler for your application. Do not connect the recorder
directly to telephone lines without
a coupler. Improper operation of
both your recorder and the telephone circuit could result. The recorder could also be damaged.
An accessory patch cord is available (AUX-6S) for use if you will be
connecting the recorder to your audio source without a coupler. It has
a miniature phone plug on one end
to match the auxiliary
audio input jack on the recorder
(AUX) and spade lugs on the other
end. It is six feet long. You can
shorten or lengthen it if necessary.
The spade lugs can be changed, if
required, to match the audio connections on your signal source
(two-way radio, tone alert receiver,
scanner, tape recorder, pocket
pager, etc.). The cable may be
special ordered to match your
specific application.
VOICE ACTIVATION
SENSITIVITY
If the recorder does not record
weak conversations properly after
adjusting the RECORD LEVEL, you
can adjust the recorder so it will be
more sensitive and start recording
with weaker sound levels by turning
the ACTIVATE SENSITIVITY control
clockwise. You will find this screw
driver adjustment on the bottom of
the recorder. You can also adjust
this control to make the recorder
less sensitive if it runs with noise
that is weaker than the normal conversation level. To make the voice
activation less sensitive, turn the
control counter-clockwise with a
small screwdriver.
Adjusting the ACTIVATE SENSITIVITY control too far in the
clockwise direction can turn off the
voice activation circuit. This will
cause the unit to run continuously
when it is in the record mode.
Adjusting the control too far in the
counter-clockwise direction will
cause the recorder to remain
stopped in the record mode even
if there are loud sounds in the amplifier. DO NOT FORCE THE
CONTROL.
Since the sensitivity of the voice
activation circuit is also affected
by the setting of the record level
adjustment, you should adjust the
record level for best sound quality.
Then adjust the ACTIVATE SENSITIVITY if necessary to insure that
the recorder does not run when it
should be stopped, or if it stops
when it should be recording.
2
Loading...