I purchased a Sony digital recorder. This article discusses the level of difficulty experienced learning to operate the recorder, a description of the location of the buttons on the recorder and the functions the buttons serve for operating the recorder.

I purchased a Sony Digital Flash Recorder ICD PX312 from Amazon for forty-eight dollars and fifty cents.

The reason I purchased the recorder is to have a method of recording important information such as names, phone numbers, addresses, and appointment dates. Therefore, I was interested mainly in learning to record a message, open a folder and place a recording in the folder. The digital recorder purchased is designed with four folders that recordings can be placed into allowing a user to organize information. The storage capacity/memory is two GB.

Difficulty Learning to Use Recorder:

The difficulty learning to use the recorder was mostly caused by the time and effort needed to review the recorder with a sighted friend reading the instructions. Then, becoming familiar with the feel of the recorder, it’s shape and the buttons on the recorder.

Once, I understood the operating instructions of the recorder, using the recorder to record and save a message was simple. The beeping sounds of the recorder makes operation easier.

Process of Learning How to Use the Recorder and an Explanation of the Functions of the Buttons:

Using a sighted friend, I reviewed the name and location of the buttons on the recorder. The process began by holding the recorder in my right hand with the digital display screen at the top. Starting from the top left-hand side of the recorder moving down the outer left side the first button located is the “power” button.

Power Button:

The power button is the only button on the left-hand side of the recorder. The button must be pulled down and held for a second to turn the power on and then pulled down and held again for another second to turn the power off. The power button has a spring effect that moves the power button back to the start position when released after being pulled down and held. The power button also has a prevent operation or button lock function that prevents accidental operation when the recorder is not in use although, the power is still on. Pushing the button upwards as far as possible turns on the lock mode.

Folders button:

Right under the display screen on the left hand side is the folders button. The folders button is one of three buttons side by side under the display screen. The other two buttons) middle and right-hand side) buttons are used for display screen operations that are inaccessible to me (requires some vision for use).

Play and stop button:

Located below the folders button and display screen approximately half-way down the recorder. The button is one of two large buttons side by side. The play/pause button is on the left and a dot/bump can be felt in the middle of the button.
**The Stop/Pause button also functions as the “enter” key.

Record button:

Located in the middle of the recorder below the display screen next to the stop/play/pause button (right hand side). The button has an indented feel. The record button for my purpose is only used for recording messages.

Three buttons located under the play/pause and record buttons:

1. The fast forward button (left-hand side) is the first of three buttons side by side located under the pause/stop and record buttons. The button increases forward speed of a recording and cycles through the list of recordings when the folders menu is opened.

2. The middle button is the stop recording button.

3. The rewind button is on the right hand side and is also used to cycle through recordings when folders menu is open.

Right hand side buttons (four buttons Top to bottom):

1. The erase button (indented button) is located right above the first raised button (the volume button) on the right hand side. To use the erase feature first, push the erase button and listen to the file that plays. If the recording that plays is the one you want to erase then, push the rewind button to move the erase selection from “No” to “Yes”. Finally, push the stop/enter button and the recording is erased.

2. The volume button is the first raised button on the right side. The button feels uneven (high at the ends and low in the middle). Push the top of the button to increase the volume and bottom to decrease the volume.

3. The AB button is a button used for transferring information from recorder to computer.

4. The noise cut button removes background noise from a recording. Push up to turn on and down to turn off. Feels like the power button.

The T-button (small circular button under the rewind button) if pushed places a place marker in a recording at the stopping point.

Editor’s note:
I could record and file a message four hours after receiving the recorder.
I receive no form of payment for writing this article.