Recording your lectures. Recommend some good hardware

[Cyc]

So, I'm thinking of recording my lectures this year. I also want a device I can take high quality sound samples with.

Has anyone ever recorded lectures? If so, share your experience with this process. I'm looking not just for hardware recommendations, but also at how effective you found this method for studying.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

I don't record lectures, but I have an RCA (model VR5320R) digital handheld recorder I got at Wall-Mart for around 20-30 bucks. It has a USB plug built-in so you can plug it into your computer and the software that comes with it will convert your recordings to MP3 so you can edit and listen to them through your computer speakers. It's a pretty cool little device.

 

[Ds]

I pay'd this chick to copy notes from the professor each morning while I slept in.
worked out great!

 

[Cyc]

That's the thing. I don't take notes. I stopped after I figured out how ineffective it was. Even when I did take them, they were useless because when I went back to read them, it was all point-form nonsense that didn't do much to reinforce the bigger picture. Maybe it's just my learning style, but I found taking notes, worthless. I certainly wouldn't get anything from someone else's. The only reason I even bring a pencil to class is to do exercises or course evaluations.

For me, a digital recorder will help capture the essence of the lecture (minus the visual, unfortunately) and allow me to take in the material as the teacher meant to present it, rather than my bastardized and easily forgettable version of it.

Thanks for the suggestion, JA. How did you find the sound quality? Easily discernible?

 

[Jerry Atrick]

Thanks for the suggestion, JA. How did you find the sound quality? Easily discernible?

It's worked fine for up close interviewing and such, but like I said, I've never used it to record a lecture where someone was standing a considerable distance away.

If money is no issue, you can easily spend $200-$300 on a professional recorder that has all sorts of bells and whistles: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/portable-field-recorders

 

[navycross]

Check out the livescribe smartpen. At my campus you can rent (free of course). Records the lecture, and digitalizes (is that the right word?) your notes. You can watch a video about all its features. But if you don't want to take notes just get a recorder just make sure you dont sit in the back (especially in lecture halls) or ask your professor if you can place it on their desk for the duration of the lecture. As for effectiveness I found it helps better in less visual classes like history or psychology (less diagrams ect.).