Urgent - How to Adjust Iriver IFP899 Recording Levels - Terrible Overall Setup Experience
- From: "Mika Pyyhkala" <pyyhkala@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 20:51:47 -0500
Hi,
I recently got an Iriver IFP899, and I cannot figure out how to set the
recording level and the monitoring level, are these two different things?
Also I have had a terrible experience as a blind person getting the unit
configured. I was able to record mono voice files using the built in mic
myself just by reading and listening to some podcasts and talking to 1-2
other Iriver users.
However, I was not able to:
*Set the device to Line In/External Microphone mode;
*Tell it I wanted to record in stereo, and set sampling rate, etc.;
and
*Set the recording levels.
I also tried to get three different sighted people to help me with it:
Experience 1, Roommate: Could not figure out how to set the device to record
in line in mode. Even after you set this in the control menu, there are
additional modes that you must select which were not obvfious;
Experience 2, Radio Shack: I took the device to a local Radio Shack where I
have bought some electronic equipment. They looked at it, and also were not
able to set it to line in recording mode. Again, they made adjustments in
the control menu, but there is some other place in the interface where you
must switch it from internal mic to line in external mic mode;
Experience 3, Roomates Girlfriend: Finally I got the manual out, and I
worked on it with my roomates girlfriend. After a frustrating series of
steps, we were able to get it to switch to line in mode, though we don't
know really how we did it. She followed the instruction manual, and read
the screen, and still it took several tries and the process was not clear.
I asked her "what the trick was," and she didn't know.
Still we are unable to set the recording levels, and it is recording very
softly for both a bi noral mics, as well as a power microphone. My roomates
girlfriend was unable to see anything in the screen talking about recording
levels.
Given that 3 sighted people of average or greater intelligence could not
figure out how to make a simple change on the device (changing it from
internal mic to external source/mic recording) I would suggest that the user
interface leaves a lot to be desired.
I was surprised that so many blindcasters like the Iriver given this. It
seems like maybe you could get it to work, but you would have to sit down
with an intelligent sighted person perhaps for 2-3 hours, and map out all
the menus and memorize how many key presses are needed for the functions you
need to do.
I suppose the device is somewhat accessible if after you configure it you
don't need to make any changes.
But if you buy one of these (now you must get it on Ebay because the IFP899
is discontinued) you may need to spend a good deal of time with a sighted
person getting it set up. And the later models are even less accessible?
And you will probably need to find a person who is good with gadgets and
reading manuals that are unclear.
If I am missing something please let me know. I suppose there is a good
market for someone to make a top to bottom tutorial for the blind on the
Iriver.
Have other people who are blind had a similar problem getting this device
configured, or am I missing something and in fact there is some
straightforward way for me to adjust all of these settings.
Thanks...
I'll now go and read the manual some more, or have a drink :).
-Mika
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