0ur opinion:

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0lympus Digital Voice Recorder. This 0lympus Digital Voice Recorder features a fast/slow playback with jog-dial navigation. 0lympus Voice Recorder is compatible through direct USB PC link. This Digital Voice Recorder has three recording modes with four folders, 25 hours of recording/play on 2AA batteries (included). lncludes connection cables. 8 hours recording time.

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The 0lympus VN-480PC Voice Recorder provides over 8 hours recording time, convenient PC compatibility, voice activation mode for hands-free recording and simple-to-use thumbpad navigation to help make it the perfect audio solution for recording lectures at school, conversations with friends, major and minor tasks, and everything in-between. lt offers USB connectivity, enabling you to transfer files to almost any PC to edit, email, and/or archive your files. lndex your recordings so you can quickly locate important audio, and organize and/or store up to 100 files in each of four folders.

Features include:

• Up to 8 hours (480 minutes) of recording time in LP mode.
• Convenient PC link for quick and easy downloading of audio files to a PC.
• 4 folders (3 file folders plus a schedule folder).
• Thumb-pad navigation makes it easy to access various features.
• Quick, easy file management.
• 3 recording modes (HQ, LP and SP).
• Alarm Playback Function.
• LCD display shows date, time, battery life and more.
• Voice Activation.
• Timer recording lets you set the start and end times for a recording so it can be captured automatically.
• Earphone and Microphone Jacks for versatility.
• Fast playback.
• Two AAA batteries provide up to 25 hours of continuous operation.
• Compact size makes it fit comfortably in hand or pocket.
• Metal clip for hands-free recording.

What's in the Box
VN-480PC voice recorder, two AAA batteries, USB cable, Digital Wave Player Software (CD-R0M), user's manual.

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Buyer's feedback: - * vn series connect to pc's ...
It turns out that the Olympus instructions omit the second part of installing the drivers that allow download. I found instructions on another site.

1) Install the software from the CD.

2) LEAVE THE CD IN THE DRIVE FOR THE FIRST CONNECTION

3) Connect the VN device. If the Windows "found new hardware" routine comes up automatically, then just work through that. Choose "automatic" when it asks where to look for the drivers.

4) If the "found new hardware" doesn't come up automatically, use the "add new hardware" feature in the control panel.

5) My installer found two different possible infs - one was the VNUSB the other was oem... Use the one that is highlighted by the installer, which for me was not the VNUSB

6) The hardware installer will complete as usual and recognize the device.

It still has a clunky file and folder structure, but will do for voice recording.

Michael

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Buyer's feedback: - Just awful
1. Olympus doesn't provide drivers online. Why not? It's not like they have any value if you haven't purchased the player already.

2. The VN series is evidently not compatible with Windows Vista. It won't let me reinstall the drivers.

3. The forced file hierarchy (A, B, C groups) is dumb and causes problems. Why can't I just plug it in and drag/drop your files in Windows Explorer?

4. When you speak, S's pop even when you're a couple of feet away.

I wish I had purchased another brand.

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Buyer's feedback: - * I bought it for the PC connectivity and Olympus won't support it ...
If you go to Olympus' website, you'd expect to find the driver for this DVR, but no...not Olympuss. Spend your money on a product that is supported...always. It's easy to google and see if they support their stuff. If support is the most difficult thing about them, there is a reason.

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Buyer's feedback: - Nice Outside, Ugly Inside -ZERO Star if there is one
I document meetings at work so we got an Olympus VN-480-PC Digital Voice Recorder at work. It did not last one day before I got an "ERR" message. It never worked again. We returned it and will never get one ever.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Voice recorder fine, but PC drivers don't work ...
If you can get the driver for this to install on Windows XP Pro, you're a better man than I. The CD software seems to install OK but then when you connect the recorder to the PC with the USB cable, the PC wants to install a driver manually. If you tell Windows not to install the driver (since, I thought, it was already installed off the CD), Windows doesn't recognize the recorder and the Digital Wave player software doesn't see any of the files on the recorder. On the other hand, if you do tell Windows to install the driver and manually point it to the VNUSB.INF file on the CD, it comes back with an error message and the Digital Wave player software still doesn't see the recorder. This is what it did on my PC at work; on my PC at home, results were even worse--it froze that PC so I couldn't even shut it down normally, but had to hit the reset button. It's been several years since I've seen a driver this kludgey.