Troubleshooting Guide VR1

Is the switch turned on when you plug it in to your computer? If so, it will not be recognized. You need to make sure that the switch is turned off first, and that way the recorder will show up as a flash drive.

On Windows 10, Groove Player is limited when it comes to codecs.

We suggest using VLC Media Player or Windows Media Player. That will work for you.

Please let us know how it goes.

REFORMAT THE RECORDER

1. Copy all the files in the USB Recorder off onto your computer into a folder, naming it: Recorder Backup.

2. Check to see if you have the following folders: a. SetTime b. Record (if not, please create one)

3. Format the recorder selecting FAT32.

4. Copy all the files inside the Recorder Backup onto the recorder. DO NOT copy the entire folder called Recorder Backup, but rather the contents of this folder. Make sure the 2 folders mentioned in point #2 above are present.

5. Go into the SetTime folder and run the .exe file within the extracted folder. The file name is called SetTime.exe.

6. Physically remove the recorder and use the recorder to record something.

7. After you are finished recording, switch it off and plug it back into a computer.

8. Check the Record folder to see if the recorded file is there. Try playing it back using Windows Media Player or VLC Media Player.

Everything should be working perfectly by now. If not, please get in touch with dB9PRO Customer Support through your Amazon account or our website or Facebook page.

If you have a Mac computer, you can find the details on how to reformat on page 24 of this eBook.

About the time-stamping on Mac – this is an optional feature.

Unfortunately, the SetTime application on the device is a Windows only application – which was developed by a 3rd party.

We are in the process of developing our own Macspecific app, but it is not yet ready.

We apologize for the inconvenience. We hope to have it ready really soon.

The workaround would be to run it under Parallel Desktops for Mac or via Bootcamp – or use a PC.

The other option would be to name the file itself based on the event – say – “Birthdayparty-Today’sdate” – something of the sort.

However, as a recorder, the device will still work with recordings and playback would be via VLC Media Player on a Mac.

Please let us know if you need further help.

Please use VLC Media Player for MAC (free to install). This software has all the needed codecs to play your recordings back. One thing to keep in mind is – even if you install VLC Media Player successfully, you do need to make sure that you are using it to play your files back and not iTunes, or you will get an error. You may also use Quicktime Player on Mac.

 In your computer, go to the drive called ‘Record’ and inside that you have a folder called ‘Record’ too.

The wav files should be in that folder.

If you do not find the files there, please get in touch with us with your Operating System and we can assist you further.

We have recently changed the way the reset switch works. You simply need to push gently into the reset slot and feel for the button.

Once you find it, press it and let go – just like you would with any button.

Sometimes the reset process may need to be done a few times.

Here is how you know if it’s working:

The LED will glow briefly and go off when you press the reset button.

Thank you for letting us know. Have you tried different USB ports or a different computer? Please also try to reset it again. If after multiple attempts, it still does not respond, please contact us and we will try to resolve your problem immediately.

Sorry to hear that.

Did you get in touch with Amazon customer service?

Since all our products are fulfilled by Amazon, they take care of orders, payments, shipping and all logistics.

They do require that customers contact them first to sort out any shipping issues.

We are always here to help with technical problems.

However, if you contact Amazon and then it doesn’t get resolved, please feel free to get in touch with us, so that we can follow up on it.

For us, every customer is important and we want to help you get your unit working as quickly as possible.

Please contact our customer support with answers to the following questions:

1. What OS are you using on your computer?

2. Is the device being recognized when you plug it in to your computer?

3. Does it record at all when you switch it ON?

4. What is the problem with the device when you say it is not working? Please could you describe a bit more?

5. Is the battery charged fully? Typically a 75-90 min stint plugged into the USB port should be okay for full charge.

Please be assured that we are always here to assist you if you need any help. If the unit is defective, we would be happy to send you a replacement. Please do remember to register for your product warranty. The instructions are on a card in the tinbox. Our warranty is valid for 1 year from the purchase of the product.

This is why we recommend registering for the warranty, so that you continue to receive support, even after the Amazon return period has run out.

REFORMAT THE RECORDER

1. Copy all the files in the USB Recorder off onto your computer into a folder, naming it: Recorder Backup.

2. Check to see if you have the following folders: a. SetTime b. Record (if not, please create one)

3. Format the recorder selecting FAT32.

4. Copy all the files inside the Recorder Backup onto the recorder. DO NOT copy the entire folder called Recorder Backup, but rather the contents of this folder. Make sure the 2 folders mentioned in point #2 above are present.

5. Go into the SetTime folder and run the .exe file within the extracted folder. The file name is called SetTime.exe.

6. Physically remove the recorder and use the recorder to record something.

7. After you are finished recording, switch it off and plug it back into a computer.

8. Check the Record folder to see if the recorded file is there. Try playing it back using Windows Media Player or VLC Media Player.

Everything should be working perfectly by now. If not, please get in touch with our Customer Support through your Amazon account or our website or Facebook page.

Please let us know how it goes.

The eBook is typically sent to your Amazon-registered email address within 48 hours of your purchase. It may have landed in your spam folder. If you have checked that and you still could not find the email, please contact us through your Amazon account or through our website and we would be happy to resend it.

The battery typically lasts 7-10 hours on a full charge. At the same time, like any battery, the charge will reduce over time according to the life of the battery.

 The recorder has 2 modes: passive (as a flash drive) and active (as a recorder). When it is in flash drive mode, you can copy data to and from it. This is like any other flash drive.

However, when you switch the recorder ON, then it switches to a different mode, where it acts differently.
While the audio is being recorded, the data is being ‘saved’ temporarily, almost like RAM on a computer – and is only saved as a file when you switch it OFF. When you are in recorder mode, the device stops completely functioning as a flash drive. For this reason, it will not be recognized as a USB device if you plug it in to a computer with the switch ON. Neither can you charge the device when the switch is ON.

Since these 2 modes are so different, switching between them takes a few seconds. This is the reason for the delay in starting to record.
You can only start recording once the light goes off completely.

Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing when the battery is fully charged. However, if you plug it in to charge for 180 minutes at most, you can assume that it is charged fully. Usually if there is charge present in the device, then the LED will glow blue when plugged in. This does not necessarily mean that the unit is fully charged; it simply indicates there is charge in the battery – sort of like a battery icon on a phone, which shows one or two blips even if the battery is low.

The typical working range is about 10-14 feet. However, depending on the acoustics of the environment you are in, it could be more. We have had reports of students capturing audio very clearly at even 20 feet away. However, if the room or area you are recording the audio in is very noisy or has a lot of ambient reverb, clarity of the recordings maybe affected. This is one reason we suggest doing a small test recording if you are doing a very critical recording and checking what you capture.

Our recorders are compatible with Chromebooks.

You will need VLC Media Player for Chrome (free to download and install) to play the recorded files back.

Deleting a recording is simple.

1. Simply plug the recorder into your computer. Look for the drive called “Record” (or the recorder will show up as a removable drive).

2. You will find your recordings within a folder called “Record”.

3. Go into the drive and simply delete the files the way you would normally do with any other folder.

In the box you have 2 lanyards.

For the one which is longer, simply take the thread end of the lanyard and push it into the hole which is located on the side of the switch. You will see there is a hole that goes through to the side next to it. You’ll need something sharp – like a needle, to simply pull the thread part through once you have it pushed into that hole, and then you can pull it through and pull the other end of the lanyard through the thread loop to make a knot.

For the smaller lanyard, you need to use the metal part to go through the same set of holes (as in a keychain), so that the metal ring is connected to the recorder and the lanyard side is hanging free.

If you password protected certain files themselves, using a third party software, that would work. But if you do that with the entire drive itself, the drive cannot be written to in recording mode. This means that you might not be able to record with it while encrypted.

Unfortunately, with this model of recorder, we do not have any way of knowing when the battery is low. But since the battery lasts 10 to 12 hrs on a full charge, it’s a good idea to simply plug it in and charge it a bit more whenever you do get the chance, keeping in mind that even a few minutes will charge the recorder for a bit longer.

The mic on this audio recorder is pretty sensitive and it will pick up any sounds (including the mic rubbing against the shirt during movements) – that’s what it is meant to do. However, we suggest keeping it in something that’s not likely to move and will be perfectly still while recording is in progress – like a bag, a pencil pouch, etc., so that it does not pick up rustling sounds.

We normally suggest 10-15 ft away is a good distance, but it depends on the acoustics of the room. If there is a lot of ambient reverb, the further away you go, the more muffled the audio will sound.

However, that said, we have had good reports from students using them for lectures.

To be safe, we recommend charging it for around 60 min (if the blue light is coming on). The blue light does not necessarily indicate full charge. It just shows there is some charge in the device, but it does not show how much charge is left either.

 Yes, they can. However, there is a special compression codec applied to the .wav files that are created on your recorder when you record. This is done to save space.
Here is the process we recommend if you want to burn the recordings to a CD:

1. Use VLC Media Player to convert files to .wav (uncompressed, PCM format). You can also use a service like convertfiles.com and make sure that they are saved as uncompressed wav files.

2. Load the newly converted files into a CD burning program and choose the format of the CD you want (data or audio).

3. If you choose ‘audio CD’, it will be playable on a CD player and a computer. If you select ‘data CD’, then you can only play it on a computer.

No, your dB9PRO recorder is not voice activated. They will record everything once switched on and will continue recording until they are switched off.

 If you register for your warranty at our website, you have a 1 year warranty from the date of purchase. You will need your order ID from Amazon, which looks something like this: 002-1204550-12890483 in your Amazon dashboard.

As far as contacting us is concerned, the instructions are in the tinbox on a card.

You may also contact us via our Facebook page.

Usually if there is a problem with your unit, you must get in touch with our customer support with the following details:

1. What OS you are using on your computer.

2. Tell us if the device being recognized when you plug it in to your computer.

3. Does it record at all when you switch it ON?

4. What is the problem with the device when you say it is not working? Please could you describe a bit more?

5. Is the battery charged fully? Typically a 75-90 min stint plugged into the USB port should be okay for full charge.

Our customer support will go through a step-by-step troubleshooting process. If the unit is determined to be defective, we would be happy to replace your unit – provided it is still under warranty.

Yes, you can. Chances are that, if you use a phone charger, the device will charge faster than with a USB port on a computer, so we suggest leaving it plugged in upto 60 min at the most. Again, chargers have different specifications, so we cannot endorse this and cannot take responsibility for anything going wrong if there is a problem.

Still, that said, in general, if the recorder is not getting too hot and you don’t leave it plugged in for hours on end unattended, (and if the charger has no faults), it should be fine in most cases.

Sorry, this function is not present in this model. You can use VLC Media Player on any computer OS (Windows, Mac or Chrome) and play the files back easily.

Nothing alarming will happen, but the recorder will not be recognized by your computer and will not charge. Please always plug the recorder into your computer USB port with the switch OFF.

Yes, that is possible. Here is what you should do in order to make this happen.

1. Simply make sure the switch is ON in recording mode, and the light should be off completely.

2. Then, plug the voice recorder into the USB port of your computer (or phone charger) and let it charge. You will not see a light glowing during this process, but the recorder battery will continue to be charged and the recording will continue.

3. Once you are done, simply pull out the recorder physically from the USB port (without ejecting), switch it OFF and then after you wait for 4-5 seconds, you can plug it back into the computer USB port to access the files.

If you had no file on the recorder before, you will now find a new file corresponding to the length and the time of the recording that you made during the charging process.

Please note that you cannot access files on your computer if the switch is ON.

We hope this little tip helps you get more out of the recorder.

Initially, when you put the switch ON, the recorder is switching modes from flash drive mode to recorder mode. The LED light will glow steadily for a while and then blink a few times and then it will go off completely. You can start recording once the light goes off completely.
The recorder operates silently and there is no noise when it records.

No, this is not a voice activated recorder. It will record continuously until it is switched off.