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VN-3100PC > Frequently Asked Questions

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What are the specifications for this model?

What are the main features of this model?
Which computer operating systems support the VN-3100PC ?
What is C ELP?
I already have Digital Wave Player installed on my computer because it came with an earlier model of the VN-Series that I
purchased. However, audio files from the VN-3100PC won't download to my computer. Why not?
C an I save my files to an audio C D?
How much recording time is available in the VN-3100PC ?
How is the VN-3100PC turned off?
How is the recording volume controlled?
How is the playback volume controlled?
C an playback speed be controlled?
What are Index Marks?
How can I format the VN-3100PC ?
What is VC VA?
How are files erased from the VN-3100PC ?
How does the TIMER function work?
How does the ALARM function work?
How are folders created and renamed in Digital Wave Player?
How are files renamed in Digital Wave Player?

Contact Us

What are the specifications for this model?

Olympus VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder
Olympus VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder

Product Number 141892

Shipping date: August 2006
Box Contents
VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder
USB 2.0 C able (C B-USB4)
Two AAA Alkaline Batteries
C D-ROM: Digital Wave Player v.2.1
Instruction Manual
Warranty C ard

Specifications
Model

VN-3100PC

Recording Format

C ELP, ADPC M (WAVE)

Recording Media

128 MB built-in Flash memory

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Recording Media

128 MB built-in Flash memory

Recording Time

XHQ mode: 5 hours 40 minutes

HQ mode: 11 hours 40 minutes
SP mode: 23 hours 30 minutes
LP mode: 71 hours 40 minutes

C ard Format

n/a

Input Level

-70 dBv

PC Interface

USB

LC D

23 x 25 mm

LED

2 colors (red = record/transfer, green = playback)

Folder Messages

4 folders, 100 messages per folder

Sampling Frequency

XHQ mode: 16.0 kHz

HQ mode: 16.0 kHz
SP mode: 12.0 kHz
LP mode: 7.0 kHz

Overall Frequency
Response

XHQ mode: 300 - 7,200 Hz

HQ mode: 300 - 7,200 Hz
SP Mode: 300 - 5,400 Hz
LP Mode: 300 - 3,100 Hz

LP Mode

Yes

Voice Activation

Available, Switchable ON/OFF

Demographic Data Input

n/a

Practical Maximum Output

120 mW

Write Protection

n/a

Speaker

Built-in 28 mm round dynamic speaker

Microphone

Built-in condenser microphone (monaural)

Microphone Jack

3.5 mm mini-jack, impedance 2 kohms

Earphone Jack

3.5 mm mini-jack, impedance 8 ohms

Power Supply

2 AAA Alkaline or 2 AAA NiMH batteries (BR-401)

External Power Supply

n/a

Battery Life

Alkaline: Approx. 25 hours

NiMH: Approx. 15 hours

Size

4" x 1.54" x .77" (101.6 x 39.1 x 19.6 mm) excluding protrusions

Weight

2.2 oz (62.3 g) including alkaline batteries

OS Supported

Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Professional, Windows Home Edition, Windows Vista* and Windows
7*
*Requires Digital Wave Player v.2.1.4 or later; 64-bit edition also requires this driver. See readme for details.

C PU

Intel Pentium 166 MHz or faster

Sound Board

C reative Labs Sound Blaster 16 or 100% compatible sound card

Video C ard and Display

800 x 600 pixels or more, 256 colors or more

USB Port

One free port

Audio Output

Earphone output or speakers

What are the main features of this model?

The Olympus VN-3100PC digital voice recorder is part of a new generation of VN-Series recorders that employ C ELP (C ode Excited Linear
Prediction) technology to extend recording capacity. The four recording quality modes provide options for recording high-quality sound files
or expanding the memory capacity by using a lower-quality recording mode. The VN-3100PC also has options for setting an alarm or
configuring the recorder to automatically record unattended for a pre-set time period. The microphone and earphone jacks allow the use of
audio accessories.
The bundled Digital Wave Player software and USB cable enable the downloading of audio files to a computer, where they can be managed
and archived. The Digital Wave Player software supports the renaming of audio files and the creation of custom folders for archiving files.

Which computer operating systems support the VN-3100PC ?

Out of the box, this recorder and its bundled Digital Wave Player software are compatible with 32-bit editions of Windows 2000
Professional, Windows XP Professional and Windows Home Edition.
After downloading and installing Digital Wave Player v.2.1.4, the recorder and software can also be used with 32-bit versions of Windows
Vista and Windows 7.
C ompatibility with 64-bit editions of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 requires this driver. Please review the readme for details.
This recorder is not compatible with Macintosh operating systems.

What is C ELP?
C ode Excited Linear Prediction (C ELP) is an audio technology initially developed for use in cell phones. C ELP works by comparing incoming
sound signals to a model of human voice phonetics and saving the difference as an error report. When playing back the file, the error report
data is compared to the model to reconstruct the recording. The benefit is a very detailed file that employs lower bit rates and lower
sampling frequencies, resulting in a more efficient use of the flash memory of the recorder.

I already have Digital Wave Player installed on my computer because it came with an earlier model of the VN-Series that I purchased.
However, audio files from the VN-3100PC won't download to my computer. Why not?
Because of the C ELP technology employed in the VN-3100PC , it is necessary to use the bundled Digital Wave Player version 2.1 software to
download and manage files. To check which version is installed on your computer, look in the Digital Wave Player menu under Help and
About Digital Wave Player.

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Digital Wave Player version 2.1 is backward compatible with the VN-120PC through the VN-960PC and also with the VN-2100PC . Digital
Wave Player v. 2.1.3 is required for Windows Vista compatibility.

C an I save my files to an audio C D?

Audio files from VN-Series digital voice recorders cannot be saved to an audio C D for playback in a music player. This is because the 4-bit
bit depth used to expand the memory capacity in the recorder cannot be converted into a format with the file properties necessary to create
an audio C D. The files can be saved to a data C D that can be played on a computer using the bundled Digital Wave Player version 2.1
software.

How much recording time is available in the VN-3100PC ?

The length of the potential recording time available in the VN-3100PC is governed by the recording quality mode that is selected. C ELP
(C ode Excited Linear Prediction) technology has dramatically increased the recording capacity of the VN-3100PC compared to earlier
generations of the VN-Series Olympus digital voice recorders.
An XHQ (Extra High Quality) mode recording uses more memory than an LP (Long Play) quality mode recording because the XHQ mode
makes a more-detailed digital record and uses more memory than does the LP mode.
The table below shows the approximate maximum dictation recording times possible in the VN-3100PC in the different quality modes:

Quality Mode Maximum Dictation Recording Time

XHQ mode

5 hours 40 minutes

HQ mode

11 hours 40 minutes

SP mode

23 hours 30 minutes

LP mode

71 hours 40 minutes

How is the VN-3100PC turned off?

The [HOLD] switch is the power ON/OFF switch on the VN-3100PC . It is recommended to set the [HOLD] switch to HOLD when replacing the
batteries to preserve the time and date settings.

How is the recording volume controlled?

The VN-3100PC always records at 100% volume level to prevent accidentally recording with the volume set too low.
The recorder has two microphone sensitivity levels:
LOW is a low sensitvity level used for close-up recording.
HIGH is a high sensitvity level used in conference or lecture situations.
Microphone sensitvity is set in the recorder Menu. The function is identified by an icon that looks like a microphone.

How is the playback volume controlled?

The playback volume is controlled during playback using the [+] (plus) and [-] (minus) buttons on the four-way keybpad on the recorder's
face. Pressing [+] increases the playback volume. Pressing [-] reduces the playback volume.

C an playback speed be controlled?

Pressing the [PLAY] button during playback changes the playback speed to -25% normal speed. SLOW appears on the LC D screen during
slow playback. Pressing the [PLAY] button a second time changes the playback speed to +50% normal speed. FAST appears on the LC D
screen during fast playback. Pressing the [STOP] button stops the playback and resets the recorder to normal playback speed.

What are Index Marks?

Index Marks are digital tags that can be inserted while recording or during playback. They are used to skip forward or backward in
recordings to pre-selected points. Up to 10 Index Marks can be added to a single file. They are entered by pressing the [FOLDER/INDEX]
button on the recorder.
Index Marks embedded in files are displayed in Digital Wave Player in the Time Axis indicator in the Playback C ontroller window. They
appear as red triangles.

How can I format the VN-3100PC ?

The VN-3100PC is formatted using the CLEAR function. Using the CLEAR function erases the time and date settings as well as all of the files,
so be certain the files are saved elsewhere before clearing the recorder. The procedure is as follows:
1. Hold the [STOP] button and [ERASE] button simultaneously for 3 seconds or longer.
2. Press the [FF] or [REW] button to select YES.
3. Press the [PLAY] button. The recorder will be formatted.
In some instances, using the CLEAR function will reset the recorder if it is performing erratically. Files deleted using the CLEAR function
cannot be retrieved.

What is VC VA?
Variable C ontrol Voice Actuator (VC VA) is a function that configures the recorder to record automatically only when sound is detected at a
pre-set level, and stop when the sound drops below the threshold level. The purpose of the function is to eliminate "dead air" during
recordings, thereby conserving memory and shortening file times.

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recordings, thereby conserving memory and shortening file times.
VC VA is enabled in the recorder menu.

How are files erased from the VN-3100PC ?

Individual selected files or the entire contents of a selected folder can be erased from the VN-3100PC .
To erase a selected file:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Press
Press
Press
Press

the
the
the
the

[REW]or [FF] button to select the file.

[ERASE] button.
[REW] or [FF] button to select YES.
[PLAY] button.

To erase the contents of a folder:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Press
Press
Press
Press

the
the
the
the

[REW] or [FF] button to select the folder.

[ERASE] button twice.
[REW] or [FF] button to select YES.
[PLAY] button.

Erased files cannot be retrieved.

How does the TIMER function work?

The TIMER function enables the recorder to automatically record unattended for a pre-set time period. To program the recorder for timer
recording, do the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Open the recorder's menu by pressing the [DISP/MENU] button for 3 seconds.
Using the [+] or [-] buttons on the 4-way keypad, scroll down to TIMER.
SET flashes on the LC D screen. Press the [PLAY] button.
Enter the recording start time by setting the hour with the [+] or [-] buttons. Press the [FF] button to select the minutes setting, and

set the minutes using the [+] or [-] buttons.

5. Enter the recording end time by setting the hour with the [+] or [-] buttons. Press the [FF] button to select the minutes setting, and
set the minutes using the [+] or [-] buttons.
The [HOLD] switch must be in the power ON position. When the timer recording is finished the settings will be erased.
To disable the function, return to the TIMER function in the menu, set it to OFF, and press the [PLAY] button. This operation also deletes the
start time and end time settings.

How does the ALARM function work?

The ALARM function can be set to play back an audio file at a pre-determined time. This means the VN-3100PC can be used for audio
reminders or as a travel alarm. An alarm setting must be attached to a particular file in a particular folder. The recorder does not have to be
set to the folder being used--when the alarm time comes, the recorder finds the file.
To set an alarm:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Select or record a message file to be linked to the alarm

Open the Menu by pressing the [DISP/MENU] button for 3 seconds
Using the [+] or [-] buttons scroll to the ALARM menu icon (looks like a dot with double-parentheses around it).
SET flashes on the LC D screen. Press the [PLAY] button.
Enter the alarm time by setting the hour with the [+] or [-] buttons. Press the [FF] button to select the minutes setting, and set the
minutes using the [+] or [-] button.
6. Press the [PLAY] button to set the time.
When the alarm goes off, it will beep for 5 minutes or until any button is pressed to play the recording. The alarm will sound even if the
[HOLD] switch is in the power OFF position. The alarm will sound daily until the ALARM function is set to OFF.

How are folders created and renamed in Digital Wave Player?

Digital Wave Player allows you to create and rename folders and sub-folders within its storage hierarchy in order to facilitate efficient
management of large numbers of audio files.
In the example below, Folder B has been divided into a series of sub-folders. Able and baker are sub-folders of Folder B. Charlie is a
sub-folder of baker.

Sub-folders can be named with up to 20 characters. Spaces are allowed, but some characters--such as backslash, ampersand, and colon-may not be employed because they serve other functions in computer languages. Using purely numeric naming models may create
problems when archiving audio files, therefore alphabetical or alphanumeric combinations are recommended.
To rename a folder, right-click on it, then left-click Rename Folder and overwrite the folder name.
To create a new folder or sub-folder, right-click on the folder and then left-click on Create Folder. In the Create New Folder dialog box,
type in the new folder name and click OK.

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How are files renamed in Digital Wave Player?

Files can be renamed in Digital Wave Player with up to 17 characters. Renaming a file with more than 17 characters will render the file
unplayable. Spaces are allowed, but some characters--such as backslash, ampersand, and colon--may not be employed because they serve
other functions in computer languages. Using purely numeric naming models may create problems when archiving audio files, therefore
alphabetical or alphanumeric combinations are recommended.
To rename a file, right-click on it, then left-click on Rename File and overwrite the file name. Optionally, you may instead highlight the file,
select Rename File in the Edit menu, and overwrite the file name.

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