Looking for programmable digital voice or sound recorder which will record based on a date/time

[eldiiener]

I don't know of any pro-audio recorders with timer functions, but several have remote control options -- either wired or via bluetooth.

But oddly enough this is exactly what a video recorder would do. When I had a hifi video connected to the rest of my hifi system I would tune the hifi into the station that I wanted to record and then program times on the video to capture the programme that I wanted to hear.

A quick search brings up plenty of Android apps that offer this feature.

I admit I have never thought of my cellphone, motog6 running Android, as a reliable digital voice/sound recorder. When I listen to sound on my cellphone it is really, really bad compared to even the few fairly simple digital voice recorders I have bought in the past. So I do not think my cellphone can really serve the purpose I need, which is a fairly accurate recording of sound where I live. I guess there is still a hug divide between computerized cellphones and digital voice/sound recorders, although I admit that I was hoping that divide had been closed by companies putting out sound recording devices by now.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Plenty of broadcast journalists now use mobile phones as high-quality voice recorders -- but usually by connecting a decent mic rather than using the internal one(s).

I know timed recording seems a simple facility, and in many ways it is... but it's just not something for which there's great demand in the audio world. There are plentiful applications in still cameras and for videos, obviously, but not so much for audio where mic placement relative to the recorded subject is critical.

I think a video recorder with a versatile timing facility might provide the solution you are looking for...

Alternatively, if this is for noise monitoring purposes, professional (calibrated) sound level measuring equipment usually has time-stamped logging facilities. You probably wouldn't want to buy as it's very expensive, but this kind of equipment can be hired from specialist companies. If you do want to buy, the least expensive I am aware of is the NTI Acoustilyser system.

H

[James Perrett]

There are plenty of audio interfaces that will work with phones so it looks like the best solution would be to combine an suitable audio interface (like the Zoom U22 as an example) with with a cheap Android smart phone.

However, if this is for noise monitoring purposes you may need some way to calibrate the system.

[resistorman]

I am not looking for spyware and I am not "spying" on other people's conversations.

Even so, that is the world where you’ll find that sort of recorder, so you may have to buy from Q’s lab

[eldiiener]

Plenty of broadcast journalists now use mobile phones as high-quality voice recorders -- but usually by connecting a decent mic rather than using the internal one(s).

I know timed recording seems a simple facility, and in many ways it is... but it's just not something for which there's great demand in the audio world. There are plentiful applications in still cameras and for videos, obviously, but not so much for audio where mic placement relative to the recorded subject is critical.

I think a video recorder with a versatile timing facility might provide the solution you are looking for...

Alternatively, if this is for noise monitoring purposes, professional (calibrated) sound level measuring equipment usually has time-stamped logging facilities. You probably wouldn't want to buy as it's very expensive, but this kind of equipment can be hired from specialist companies. If you do want to buy, the least expensive I am aware of is the NTI Acoustilyser system.

H

Thanks ! I will look into getting an external mic for my cellphone with some software which can drive it to record at specific times and for specific durations. Looking at NTI's web site the Acoustilyser is not listed as a product.

[eldiiener]

There are plenty of audio interfaces that will work with phones so it looks like the best solution would be to combine an suitable audio interface (like the Zoom U22 as an example) with with a cheap Android smart phone.

However, if this is for noise monitoring purposes you may need some way to calibrate the system.

I have a moto g6 Android cellphone. I guess the thing to do is to look for some sort of audio interface and corresponding software to turn my cellphone into a recording device which can automatically record at specific times and for specific durations. I have no experience with cellphone audio interfaces so i will just have to investigate things and come up with what I want. Your Zoom U22 does not say it works with Android so I will keep looking.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Apologies; it appears to have been replaced by the XL2

https://www.nti-audio.com/en/products/xl2-sound-level-meter

[James Perrett]

Your Zoom U22 does not say it works with Android so I will keep looking.

The Zoom U44 definitely works with Android devices (although I've only been able to record in mono with mine so far) so I would be very surprised if the U22 didn't.