[tom mckinney]

This Summer I'm going to Peru. I need to store a mass of bird calls and songs onto a portable device to take with me. I'm thinking iPod/MP3 player kind of thing... Any advice on models, necessary storage capacity etcetera greatly appreciated. Cost is relatively important (ie cheap = good) but all suggestions and personal experiences welcome.

Cheers,

Tom

[griffin]

Originally Posted by tom mckinney

This Summer I'm going to Peru. I need to store a mass of bird calls and songs onto a portable device to take with me. I'm thinking iPod/MP3 player kind of thing... Any advice on models, necessary storage capacity etcetera greatly appreciated. Cost is relatively important (ie cheap = good) but all suggestions and personal experiences welcome.

Cheers,

Tom

Geezo Macca no-one helping ya out !

Stick with the Creative Zen Touch ( or similar model ) you know it makes sense. Can I get a copy of your Pat Metheny backing now please..

Grif

[tom mckinney]

Hey Grif,

Creative Zen on the shopping list. Pat Metheny on the way too...

[Edward woodwood]

wildsounds are very good Tom

Duncan will give al the low down

James Eaton is quite up on the technology too...

I have an Archos 20 GB machine which is more than adequate but needs an external speaker (as do all mp3 players) Battery life is the problem but if used only for the real skulkers you should be okay until you can recharge...

Tim

[POP]

Originally Posted by tom mckinney

This Summer I'm going to Peru. I need to store a mass of bird calls and songs onto a portable device to take with me. I'm thinking iPod/MP3 player kind of thing... Any advice on models, necessary storage capacity etcetera greatly appreciated. Cost is relatively important (ie cheap = good) but all suggestions and personal experiences welcome.

Cheers,

Tom

Tom if you get in touch with Pieter at Wild Sounds in Salthouse he will help you,with what you require.

POP

[griffin]

Originally Posted by tom mckinney

Hey Grif,

Creative Zen on the shopping list. Pat Metheny on the way too...

Cheers Tom,

I notice Currys had that model in the paper the other day £149. That is what I paid on amazon about 8 months ago. I am sure you can record with it if you buy the FM controller thingy. Don't know how good it would be for sonograms though, what with serious compression. I have not tried myself. Sounds like it will be the trip of a lifetime, or hopefully one of many more !

G:Rif

[James Eaton]

Hi Tom.

Will you just be storing vocalisations and using that as playback, or do you intend to record vocalisations too? This will limit you if you say yes to both, as MP3 players aren't to useful for recording (frequency levels no good to record). However, if it is just for a few calls to take out, then take your pick from the MP3 market. I guess people have preferences, but it shouldn't make a huge difference which one you go for, shop around and seach for the ideal one. Just a normal walkman type is fine, battery life will be good then.

Regarding storage size, check the file size of your recordings and work out a storage size from this. But get a much bigger one for future use I guess. Try to get one with a big LCD display, last thing you want is to be in the forest trying to read whats on the screen as opposed to keeping your eye on the bird. Try to get one thats backlit too, again, obvious reasons.

Like the others, give Wildsounds a call, they can be useful for information, but for just playing a few calls, not much advice is needed.

[tom mckinney]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I'm going to go for the Creative Zen that Grif suggested. I know Duncan at Wildsounds, but I think I'm sorted for all the calls I need. I will be recording as well, but I have a mini-disc player & mic for that. I want the MP3 for swatting up whilst travelling between places and a bit of responsible, ethically and environmentally acceptable tape luring!

Cheers,

Tom