Olympus WS-300M User manual

DIGITAL VOICE
RECORDER
WS-320M
WS-310M
WS-300M
Thank you for purchasing an Olympus
Digital Voice Recorder.
Please read these instructions for information
about using the product correctly and safely.
Keep the instructions handy for future reference.
To ensure successful recordings, we recommend that
you test the record function and volume before use.
E N
INSTRUCTIONS
INSTRUCTIONS
MODE D’EMPLOI
INSTRUCCIONES
EN
FR
ES

2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ...................................... 2
Safe and Proper Usage ............................. 4
General Precautions .................................. 4
1 Getting Started
Main Features ............................................ 6
Identification of Parts ................................. 8
Inserting Battery ...................................... 10
Power Supply .......................................... 11
Setting Time/Date (Time&Date) .............. 12
Switching Between the Voice Recorder and
Music Player ...................................... 14
2 When Using the Recorder as a
Voice Recorder
Recording ................................................ 15
Using the Variable Control
Voice Actuator (VCVA) ...................... 18
Recording Modes (Rec Mode) ................ 20
Microphone Sensitivity (Mic Sense) ........ 21
Recording from External Microphone
or Other Devices ............................... 22
Playing ..................................................... 24
Continuous Playback (All Play) ............... 28
Repeat Playback ..................................... 29
Auto Backspace Review (Back Space) ..... 31
Index Marks ............................................. 32
Locking Files (Lock) ................................ 34
LCD Display Information ......................... 36
Menu List (VOICE mode) ........................ 38
3 Using the Recorder on Your PC
Saving Files in Your PC ........................... 40
Operating Environment ........................... 41
Connecting to Your PC ............................ 42
4 Using the Recorder as a
Music Player
Using the Recorder as a Music Player ... 44
Using Windows Media Player ................. 44
Window Names ....................................... 45
Copying Music from CD .......................... 47
Transferring Music File to the Recorder .... 48
About the Music Folders ......................... 51

3
Music Playback ........................................ 53
Selecting Play Mode (Play Mode) ........... 58
Repeat Playback (Repeat) ...................... 59
Random Playback (Random) .................. 60
Increasing the WOW Effect (WOW) ........ 61
Selecting Equalizer (EQ) ......................... 63
Moving the Tracks (Move) ....................... 66
Menu List (MUSIC mode) ........................ 68
5 Feature Common to the Voice
Recorder and Music Player
Erasing ..................................................... 70
Hold.......................................................... 73
Menu Setting Method .............................. 74
System Sounds (Beep) ........................... 76
Backlight (Backlight) ................................ 77
LCD Contrast Adjustment (Contrast) ...... 78
Formatting the Recorder (Format) .......... 79
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
6 Other Practical Use Methods
Using as External Memory
of the Computer ............................... 81
7 Other Information
Alarm Message List ................................. 82
Troubleshooting ....................................... 83
Accessories (optional) ............................. 84
Specifications .......................................... 85
Technical Assistance and Support .......... 87

4
Safe and Proper
Usage
Before using your new recorder, read this
manual carefully to ensure that you know
how to operate it safely and correctly. Keep
this manual in an easily accessible
location for future reference.
• The warning symbols indicate important safety
related information. To protect yourself and others
from personal injury or damage to property, it is
essential that you always read the warnings and
information provided.
General Precautions
●Do not leave the recorder in hot,
humid locations such as inside a
closed automobile under direct
sunlight or on the beach in the
summer.
●Do not store the recorder in places
exposed to excessive moisture or
dust.
●Do not use organic solvents such as
alcohol and lacquer thinner to clean
the unit.
●Do not place the recorder on top of
or near electric appliances such as
TVs or refrigerators.
●Avoid recording or playing back near
cellular phones or other wireless
equipment, as they may cause
interference and noise. If you
experience noise, move to another
place, or move the recorder further
away from such equipment.
●Avoid sand or dirt. These can cause
irreparable damage.
●Avoid strong vibrations or shocks.
●Do not disassemble, repair or modify
the unit yourself.

5
Battery
Warning
•Battery should never be exposed to
flame, heated, short-circuited or
disassembled.
•Do not attempt to recharge alkaline,
lithium or any other non-rechargeable
battery.
•Never use any battery with a torn or
cracked outer cover.
•Keep battery out of the reach of
children.
•If you notice anything unusual when
using this product such as abnormal
noise, heat, smoke, or a burning odor.
1remove the battery immediately while
being careful not to be injured.
2call your dealer or local Olympus
representative for service.
●Do not operate the unit while
operating a vehicle (such as a bicycle,
motorcycle, or car).
●Keep the unit out of the reach of
children.
<Warning regarding data loss>
Recorded content in memory may be
destroyed or erased by operating
mistakes, unit malfunction, or during
repair work.
It is recommended to back up and save
important content to other media such as
a computer hard disk.
ecautions

6
1
Main Features of the Digital
Voice Recorder
●The recorder stores highly compressed
WMA format voice messages in integrated
flash memory. (☞P.15)
●By using the built-in stereo microphone, a stereo
recording mode, which is ST HQ (Stereo High
Quality), and 3 types of monaural recording
modes, which are HQ (High Quality), SP
(Standard Playback), and LP (Long Playback)
can be selected. (☞P.20)
Recording time
•WS-320M (1 GB)*1
ST HQ mode: 35 hours 25 minutes
HQ mode: 70 hours 50 minutes
SP mode: 139 hours 30 minutes
LP mode: 277 hours 20 minutes
•WS-310M (512 MB)*1
ST HQ mode: 17 hours 40 minutes
HQ mode: 35 hours 20 minutes
SP mode: 69 hours 30 minutes
LP mode: 138 hours 15 minutes
•WS-300M (256 MB)*1
ST HQ mode: 8 hours 45 minutes
HQ mode: 17 hours 30 minutes
SP mode: 34 hours 35 minutes
LP mode: 68 hours 45 minutes
This product is equipped with the following
features.
●Dual function recorder as a Digital Voice
Recorder and a Digital Music Player.
(☞P.15,44)
●Connecting this recorder directly to the
USB port links up with your PC. The data
can be transferred or saved without USB
cable or driver software. (☞P.42)
●This USB storage class support recorder
can be utilized as external memory to read
and save the data. (☞P.81)
•By connecting the computer with the USB,
pictures, text data, etc. can be saved, and
utilized to carry data.
●It has a backlight full-dot display (LCD
display screen). (☞P.9)
1Getting Started
Main Features
Main Features

7
1
Main Features
●The five folders can hold 199 files each,
for the maximum of 995 recordings.
(☞P.15)
●It has a built-in Variable Control Voice
Actuator (VCVA) function. (☞P.18)
●You can insert or delete index marks.*2
(☞P.32)
●The playback speed can be controlled as
preferred. (☞P.25)
Main Features of the Digital
Music Player
●You can play back music files in WMA and
MP3 format. (☞P.53)
Playback time
WS-320M (1 GB): 13 hours 20minutes to
45hours 20 minutes
WS-310M (512 MB): 6 hours 40minutes to
22hours 40 minutes
WS-300M (256 MB): 3 hours 20minutes to
11hours 20 minutes
●Has built-in WOW. (☞P.61)
●You can change the playback equalizer
settings. (☞P.63)
*1 Available recording time may be shorter if many
short recordings are made. (The displayed
available recording time and recorded time are
approximate indications.)
*2 For WMA files, these functions are only
available for files recorded with this recorder
or the IC recorders from Olympus.
IBM and PC/AT are the trademarks or registered
trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Microsoft, Windows and Windows Media are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
WOW, SRS and symbol are trademarks of SRS
Labs, Inc.
WOW technology is incorporated under license from
SRS Labs, Inc.
MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology licensed
from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson.
Other product and brand names mentioned herein
may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective owners.

8
1
1EAR (Earphone) jack
2MIC (Microphone) jack
3Built-in stereo microphone (R)
4REC (Record) button
5STOP button
6PLAY button
7Built-in speaker
8USB terminal
9VOL (+) button
09button
!VOL (–) button
@FOLDER/INDEX button
#ERASE button
$OK button
%0button
^Display (LCD panel)
&Built-in stereo microphone (L)
*Record/Play indicator light
(Strap hole
)USB access indicator light
-HOLD switch
=Mode (VOICE/MUSIC) switch
qBattery cover
wRELEASE (Release) button
Identification of Parts
Identification of Parts
4
5
6
7
8
3
^
&
*12
)
(
-
=
w
q
%
$
#
0
!
@
9
Main unit
Battery compartment

9
1
1Folder indicator
2Battery indicator
3Microphone sensitivity indicator
4VCVA (Variable Control Voice
Actuator) indicator
5Stereo indicator
6Memory remaining indicator (E/F bar)
7Record mode indicator
8Erase lock indicator
9Total number of recorded files in
the folder
Identification of Parts
Display (LCD Panel)
VOICE mode display MUSIC mode display
The display appears when recording. The display appears when indicating a file.
0Current file number
!Character information display
@Folder name indicator
#Title and artist name indicator
$Play position bar indicator
%Current music file number
^Total number of recorded music
files in the folder
&Character information display

10
1
3
2
Inserting Battery
1
Lightly press down on the arrow and slide the battery
cover open.
2
Insert size-AAA alkaline battery, observing the correct
polarity.
3
Close the battery cover completely.
Replacing the Battery
The battery indicator on the display changes as the battery loses
power.
➜➜
When appears on the display, replace the battery as soon as
possible.
When the battery is too weak, the recorder shuts down and “Battery
Low”appears on the display. AAA alkaline battery is recommended.
....................................................................................................................................................
Notes
•Be sure to stop the recorder before replacing the battery. Unloading the battery while the recorder is in use
may corrupt the file. If you are recording into a file and the battery runs out, you will lose your currently
recorded file because the file header will not be able to close. It is crucial to change the battery once you
see only one hash mark in the battery indicator.
•If it takes longer than 1 hour to replace the dead battery, you may have to reset the time when you load a
fresh battery (☞P.12).
•Remove the battery if you are not going to use the recorder for an extended period of time.
1
Inserting Battery
An optional Ni-MH rechargeable battery from Olympus can be
used for the recorder (☞P.84).
Ni-MH Rechargeable Battery

11
1
Power Supply
When the recorder is not used, setting it to HOLD turns off the recorder, suppressing the
consumption of the battery to a minimum.
Even if the power is turned off, the existing data, settings of each mode, and clock setting will be
maintained. To turn the power on, cancel the HOLD switch.
Turning Off the Power
Move the HOLD switch to the
HOLD position while the recorder
is not in operation.
After “Hold”is displayed, flashing for
2 seconds, the display will turn off.
Turning On the Power
Release the HOLD switch of the
recorder.
Power Supply
If the recorder is stopped/not used for over 5 minutes after it is turned on, it goes into standby
(power-save) mode, and the display shuts off. To exit standby mode and turn on the display,
press any button.
Standby Mode and Display Shut Off

12
1If you set the date and time beforehand, the information when the file is recorded is automatically
stored for each file. Setting the date and time beforehand enables easier file management.
Setting Time/Date (Time&Date)
Setting Time/Date (Time&Date)
1
Press the 9or 0button to
select the item to set.
Select the item from “hour”, “minute”, “year”
“month”and “day”with a flashing point.
2
Press the +or –button to set.
Follow the same steps by pressing the 9
or 0button to select the next item, and
press the + or –button to set.
3
Press the OK button to complete
the setup screen.
The clock will start from the set date and
time. Press the OK button according to the
time signal.
•You can choose between 12 and 24 hour
display by pressing the FOLDER/INDEX
button while setting the hour and minute.
Example: 5:45 P.M.
5:45 PM ←→ 17:45
(Initial setting)
The hour indicator will flash automatically when you load a battery
before using the recorder for the first time, or after the recorder
hasn’t been used for a long time. Proceed from step 1.
1
2
3

13
1
Setting Time/Date (Time&Date)
Changing the Time/Date
.....................................................................................................................................................
Note
•If you press the OK button during the setup operation, the recorder will save the items that were set to that
point..
1
Press the +or –button in the sub
menu screen, and select the
“Time&Date”.
See ☞P.38, 68, 75 regarding the sub
menu.
2
Press the OK or 9button.
The Time/Date screen appears. The hour
indicator flashes, indicating the start of
the Time/Date setup process.
Follow the same steps starting at step 1 in “Setting Time/Date”
(☞P.12).
2
1
•You can choose the order of the year, month, day by pressing
the FOLDER/INDEX button while setting them.
Example: August 14, 2005
4
Press the STOP button to close the menu.
4
8M14D2005Y
(Initial setting)
2005Y8M14D14D8M2005Y

14
1
Switching Between the Voice Recorder and
Music Player
This device can be used as a voice recorder or as a music player.
Switching Between the Voice Recorder and Music Player
Using the mode switch, choose between VOICE and MUSIC
option.
VOICE: For recording or playing back voice files.
MUSIC: For listening to music files.
Set the mode switch to VOICE before operating the recorder.
Set the mode switch to MUSIC before operating the recorder.
Convenient features that can be used with both the Voice Recorder and Music Player.
Meaning of icons in this manual

15
2
Recording
The recorder provides five folders, A, B, C, Dand E, and each message recorded in a
folder is saved as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file. These five folders can be selectively
used to distinguish the kind of recording; for example, Folder Amight be used to store private
information, while Folder Bmight be dedicated to holding business information. Up to 199
messages can be recorded per folder.
Recording
2When Using the Recorder as a Voice Recorder
1
Press the FOLDER button to
choose a folder.
aCurrent folder
bCurrent file number
cTotal number of recorded files in the
folder
2
Press the REC button to start
recording.
The record/play indicator light glows red.
Turn the built-in stereo microphone in the
direction to be recorded. The display
changes depending on the recording
mode (☞P.20).
dCurrent recording mode
eRecording time
fMemory remaining indicator (E/F bar)
(The bar indicates remaining memory)
gLevel meter (varies according to the sound
volume being recorded)
3
Press the STOP button to stop
recording.
You can change the display patterns (☞P.36). The displays indicated
in this manual are default.
Display in the stereo
recording mode
Display in the monaural
recording mode
1
2
3

16
2
Recording
Notes
•To ensure recording from the beginning, start speaking after you see the red record/play indicator light on.
•A beep will sound when remaining recording time reaches 60 seconds, 30 seconds, and 10 seconds while
recording.
•When remaining recording time is less than 60 seconds, the record/play indicator light starts flashing in red.
When the recording time is decreasing to 30 or 10 seconds, the light flashes faster.
•“Memory Full”or “Folder Full”will be displayed when the memory or folder capacity is full. Delete any
unnecessary files before recording any further (☞P.70).
Recording
Pause
Press the REC button while recording.
➥“Rec Pause”will flash on the display.
•The recorder will time out after 1 hour when left in
“Rec Pause”.
Resume Recording
Press the REC button again.
➥Recording will resume at the point of
interruption.

17
2
Recording
Listening While Audio is Recorded (Recording Monitor)
If you start recording after inserting the earphone into the EAR jack
on the recorder, you can hear the sound being recorded. The sound
volume on the recording monitor can be adjusted by pressing the
VOL (+) or VOL (–) button.
Connect the earphone to the EAR jack on the recorder
➥After recording is started, you can hear the sound being recorded
through the earphone. If the earphone is connected, no sound
will come from the speaker.
..........................................................................................................
Notes
•Recording level cannot be controlled using the volume button.
•When using the earphones, do NOT set the volume too high. Listening at
very high volume may lead to hearing loss.
To EAR
(earphone)
jack

18
2
Using the Variable Control Voice Actuator
(VCVA)
Using the Variable Control Voice Actuator (VCVA)
1
Press and hold the OK button for
1 second or longer.
The menu opens (☞P.38, 74).
2
Press the +or –button to choose
“VCVA”.
3
Press the OK or 9button.
The VCVA setup process begins.
4
Press the +or –button to choose
between “On”and “Off”.
On: Will start recording in VCVA mode.
Off: Will resume recording in normal
mode.
5
Press the OK or 0button to
complete the setup screen.
6
Press the STOP or 0button to
close the menu.
When “On”is selected, a VCVA indication
will be displayed on the screen.
aVCVA (Variable Control Voice Actuator)
indicator
When the microphone senses that sounds have reached a preset threshold volume level, the
built-in Variable Control Voice Actuator (VCVA) starts recording automatically, and stops when
the volume drops below the threshold level.
The VCVA feature extends recording time and conserves memory by stopping recording during
silent periods, which helps the playback to be more efficient.
1
3
2
6
4
5
6

19
2
Using the Variable Control Voice Actuator (VCVA)
7
7
Press the REC button to start
recording.
When the sound volume is lower than the
preset threshold sound level, recording
automatically stops after 1 sec
approximately, and “Standby”flashes on
the display. The record/play indicator light
glows red when recording starts and
flashes when recording pauses.
Adjust the Start/Stop Actuation Level
Press the 9or 0button to
adjust the pause sound level during
recording.
The VCVA level can be set to any of 15
different values. The higher the value, the
more sensitive the recorder to sounds. At the
highest value, even the faintest sound will
activate recording.
The VCVA pause sound level can be
adjusted according to the ambient
(background) noise.
aLevel meter (varies according to the sound
volume being recorded)
bStart level (moves to the right/left according to
the set level)
......................................................................................................................................................
Notes
•The start/stop actuation level also varies depending on the selected microphone sensitivity mode (☞P.21).
•If the starting level is not adjusted within 2 seconds, the display will return to the previous.
•If the surrounding noise is loud, the starting sensitivity of the VCVA can be adjusted according to the
recording situation.
•To ensure successful recordings, prior testing and adjustment of the start/stop actuation level is
recommended.
eActuator

20
2
......................................................................................................................................................
Notes
•When a meeting and lecture is to be recorded clearly, set other than LP mode to record.
•When the monaural microphone is inserted into the microphone jack in ST HQ mode, the sound will be
recorded only in the L channel.
Recording Modes (Rec Mode)
Recording Modes (Rec Mode)
1
Press and hold the OK button for
1 second or longer.
“Rec Mode”will be displayed on the
screen (☞P.38, 74).
2
Press the OK or 9button.
The recording mode setup process
begins.
3
Press the +or –button to choose
from “ST HQ”, “HQ”, “SP”and
“LP”.
4
Press the OK or 0button to
complete the setup screen.
5
Press the STOP or 0button to
close the menu.
aRecord mode indicator
1
2
3
5
5
4
The recording mode can be chosen from ST HQ (stereo high quality sound recording), HQ (high
quality sound recording), SP (standard recording), and LP (long-term recording).