Aiwa announces digital voice recorder/camera combo!
By
Mike Tomkins
(Friday, October 26, 2001 - 14:49 EDT)
IC-DP200 'Eye Recorder' now shipping in Japan offers 260 minutes of audio or 200 VGA images in a small package...
Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer Aiwa Co. Ltd. has announced a new combination digital voice recorder / digital camera unit for the Japanese market, the IC-DP200 'Eye Recorder'. Now shipping at a cost of ¥29,800 (US$242), the device is fairly small and slim at 115mm x 42mm x 20mm (you can visualise that as the same height as 3Com's Palm V-series PDA, half the width and double the thickness). It weighs a very light 86 grams / 3 ounces including batteries, and features 16MB of memory which can store up to 60 minutes of high quality ADPCM audio, 260 minutes of low quality G.729 audio, or 200 images.
The camera portion of the device features a 310,000 pixel CMOS image sensor, which should equate to an image size of roughly 640 x 480 pixels (VGA), although Aiwa doesn't state the exact size in their specifications. A fixed focal length lens (focal length unspecified) with a minimum focusing distance of 70cm and a separate optical viewfinder accompany this. The device has no preview/review LCD display...
The audio portion of the IC-DP200 includes a 28mm speaker for audio playback, an LCD info display to show a time counter and battery life / storage remaining, jacks for external microphone and headset, and a built-in monaural electret condenser microphone. An SLSS function automatically monitors audio levels, and starts/stops recording during periods of silence. Date and time of each clip are recorded, and there are also scan playback / skip / search / pause / erase functions which can be applied to one of two audio 'files' in the unit, each of which can contain up to 100 individual messages.
Power for the device comes from 2 AAA (LR03) alkaline disposable batteries, and battery life is rated at 14 hours of audio recording or 10 hours of audio playback. A USB port allows images and audio data to be transferred to a PC running Windows 98, 98SE, ME or 2000...
Targeted at business users in their 20s to 40s, Aiwa plans an initial monthly production run of 2,500 units. The IC-DP200 comes with a USB cable, PC link software, 2 AAA Alkaline disposable batteries, a carrying case and hand strap. No plans have been announced to sell the device outside Japan at this time...
Source:
Aiwa Co. Ltd.
Thanks to
Harish Diwanh
for this item!
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Original Source Press Release:
| AIWA IS FIRST JAPANESE MAKER TO INTRODUCE IC RECORDER WITH DIGITAL CAMERA TOKYO - Aiwa Co., Ltd. has become the first Japanese maker to introduce an IC recorder with digital camera, the IC-DP200.
Aiwa designed a fully digital device incorporating two handy products - an IC recorder and digital camera - in one compact unit. With the IC-DP200, users can record images as well as voice/sound. Both the sound and images are stored as digital data. These data can be easily edited on a PC with a USB connection to one's computer. The IC-DP200 is thus an extremely convenient IC recorder for people requiring an accurate record of a business trip, interview, exhibition, lecture, and so on, using the digital sound and images. Aiwa targets business users in their 20s to 40s as main purchasers of the IC-DP200.
The IC-DP200 offers an impressive range of features: maximum of 260 minutes of digital sound recording or maximum of 200 images thanks to its 16MB built-in memory; G.729 recording format that is noise tolerant and ideal for LP mode recording; kit for connecting to PC (USB cable, PC link software) is supplied so that users can instantly hook up the IC-DP200 to their PCs and edit the data; dual-file system allows sound to be recorded in either one of the two files (up to 100 message per file) according to contents; and compact design with excellent portability and operability.
Model: IC-DP200
Suggested retail price: ¥29,800 (excluding tax)
Initial launch: October 21
Production volume: 2,500 units (initial monthly production)
Main Features
<IC recorder> - Maximum 260 minutes of digital recording and dual-file recording system (up to 100 messages in each file): The IC-DP200 can record up to 260 minutes in long-play (LP) mode and 60 minutes in high-quality (HQ) mode. Dual-file system allows separate recording of business and personal messages, with each of the two files holding up to 100 messages.
- G.729 sound recording format (in LP mode) offers excellent noise tolerance.: The IC-DP200 uses the G.729 format in the LP mode, which is commonly employed in mobile phones. The ADPCM format, which is a low-compression type and ensures high-quality sound, is used in the HQ mode.
- SLSS function automatically starts or stops recording by sensing the background sound level.
- Scan playback/skip/search/pause/erase (one message/one file all) functions
Date and time are recorded. - Index function
- Built-in 28mm-diameter speaker for easy monitoring of recorded contents
- Time counter and record remaining time are displayed.
<Digital camera> - 310,000-pixel CMOS image sensor: The IC-DP200 uses a compact CMOS sensor that offers high power savings as an image component. It allows shots from 70cm to infinite.
- Maximum 200 images can be recorded.
<General> - USB terminal for easy connection with PC
- USB cable and PC link software are supplied.
- Compact, lightweight design for excellent portability and operability: The IC-DP200 offers excellent portability as it's only 42W x 115H x 20D (mm) and weighs approx. 86g (including batteries). What's more, the cross button at the center of the unit enhances its excellent operability.
- Easy-to-see LCD panel
- 3-point battery life display
- Japanese display for easy operation
- Silver color
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