Menneisyys
04-07-2007, 09:41 AM
Anyone that has read the Windows Mobile Audio Recording Bible (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/menneisyys/112005SoundRecorderApps.asp) knows Audio Recorder by Resco, one of the best audio recorder solutions for Windows Mobile.
Resco has just released a public beta of the brand new version of the application. It’s available here (http://www.resco.net/pocketpc/audiorecorder_beta/default.asp) and certainly worth checking out if you like Resco Audio Recorder and want something better.
http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4AudioRecMain.bmp.png
You can read the official “what’s news” list at the above-linked page. Here, I “only” elaborate on MY real-world, unbiased benchmarks and pros/cons list. I give special attention to providing a side-by-side comparison to PMRecorder (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=513&c=1&page=1&more=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single), the best, free automated call recorder solution for Windows Mobile.
This also means you’ll want to read the PMRecorder article (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=513&c=1&page=1&more=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single), the Windows Mobile Audio Recording Bible (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/menneisyys/112005SoundRecorderApps.asp) and, with the MP3 playback CPU usage benchmarks, the Windows Mobile Multimedia Players’ CPU usage Bible (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1656&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) to fully understand this review; I don’t explain everything from the basics here. Also note that the pros/cons list only discusses the changes between the previous and the current version.
CPU usage benchmarks
MP3 playback and equalizer (again, please see THIS (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1656&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) for more info):
At my test Dell Axim x51v A12 running at 208 MHz, in background: ~11% CPU cycles
In foreground: ~23%, with (from the app) switched off screen too!
Equalizer: ~42.5% (also in background; meaning four times higher CPU usage! Really bad!)
Recording:
“HQ” MP3: ~100%, default LQ 11 kHz (but 56 kbps!) MP3: ~50% on the 273 MHz HTC Wizard
Speex (32 kHz q3 18 kbps): 71% on the 273 and 85% on the 236 MHz HTC Wizard; at 195 MHz, useless. Add the in-call overhead to this and you'll understand why there's some small stuttering when auto-recording calls with slower PPC’s (even at 273 MHz with the HTC Wizard, which is originally equipped with a 195 MHz TI OMAP CPU) with quality speech codecs like this. (Haven't tested this at even higher CPU frequencies.)
Universal, 520 MHz: 39%
PPC2k2, 206 MHz StrongARM iPAQ 3660 running at 236 MHz: default 8k/q1/14kbps OGG ok (but NOT at 206 MHz); 18 kbps Speex not even then (let alone the standard 206 MHz!)
The changes
There are a lot of them; I've listed most of them in the pros/cons lists. In addition to them, for example the file conversion / export (Tools / Save As) could be mentioned, which has been restructured; now, instead of being presented the traditional format setting screen (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAud3Export1.bmp.png) (two or, depending on the output format (whether it allows for quality settings), three drop-down lists) and, after clicking Export, the traditional file save dialog (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAud3Export2.bmp.png) where you can supply the filename and path. Now, this has completely been changed (1 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAR4ToolsSaveAs1.bmp.png) 2 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAR4ToolsSaveAs2.bmp.png) 3 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAR4ToolsSaveAs3.bmp.png)).
Note that this is just one of the subtle changes - there are a LOT of them. See the lists below.
The good
Phone call recording capabilities with time/date and caller name/number in the filename (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4PhoneRec.bmp.png); at a much better quality/size ratio (when you use Speex) than the two predefined modes (low-quality GSM and storage-hungry PCM) of PMRecorder (note my CPU use-, foreground operation- and location-specific suffix-related remarks in the Cons section though!)
The date / time settings in the filename can be much more thoroughly set than in previous version, where only date and time could be set and you couldn’t separately specify year / month / day / hour / minute (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4DateTImeInNames.bmp.png) (still no seconds); also supports creating folders based on the date (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4FolderDate.bmp.png). For example, the screenshot above shows recording with the “%Y-%M-%D-%h-%m-“ filename setting (note that 001 (002 etc.) is auto-added to files started to be recorded in the same minute as a previous one. This is for avoiding overwriting files.).
Support for ancient Pocket PC 2002 OS; what is more, unlike with the previous version, it also supports Speex and OGG on it (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4AudioRecPPc2k2.bmp.png)! (Not that a 206 MHz StrongARM iPAQ would be able to record into these formats without problems; with Speex, not even at 236 MHz.)
Clock counter doesn’t seem to stop at 9:99:99 (that is, at 10 hours) – this may be handy with extremely long recordings. (Previous versions were also able to record even longer recordings, but their counter stopped at 10 hours)
Dynamic CPU load checking upon recording to see whether the recording will have in any kind of stuttering. This is much more dynamically adaptable to the current CPU load (because of other processes) than the old, static approach, where you could to make static tests upon selecting the target format.
Now, unlike ALL the alternatives (except for the built-in Notes), it allows for one-button recording. And it's astonishingly quick at it! The time needed to start recording after shortly (it's sufficient) pressing the assigned hardware button (it only needs to be done from inside Resco, not in the system-level Settings/Button applet!) can be as low as 2 seconds with the simplest WAV and RAF outputs. With more dedicate outputs, it's slightly higher; with, for speech, the most recommended Speex it's 2.5 seconds and with the otherwise, in the current "quality" level (see the cons section!) not at all recommended MP3 output, 3.8s. All measured on a Dell Axim x51v (A12 ROM), where it only takes the built-in Notes 0.9s to indeed start recording. Let me point out that some of the alternatives need even three times more time to start recording (see for example Audacity Personal DVR (Digital Voice Recorder) (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1658&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1), which needs seven seconds for this on exactly the same machine!).
Note that you MUST assign a recording-related hardware button for one-button recording to work. Otherwise, the “Recording / Use record button to launch Audio Recorder and start recording (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4UseRecordButton.bmp.png)” in Options can't be checked. To do this, go to the Buttons tab and assign any button (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudio4StartRecButton1.bmp.png). Then, you will already be able to enable one-button recording by checking in the above-mentioned checkbox (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudio4StartRecButton2.bmp.png).
I also recommend checking in the two upper checkboxes in the Recording tab so that you can hear when the recording starts and, when you use a button to stop it, stops. Especially the former (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudio4StartRecButton3.bmp.png) will really help in knowing when you can start speaking. This is because Resco needs some time to load and start recording. With the additional, discrete beep at the beginning of the recording is certainly welcome - it helps a lot in your knowing when you can start speaking.
Unlike with PMRecorder, post-processing isn’t needed to convert recordings to a standard format – they’re already standardized, with only the filename having date- and caller/called-related info
As with previous versions, low CPU usage when playing back MP3’s (but NOT when using the equalizer!)
Equalizer with presets (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4PEq.bmp.png)
More streamlined (simpler and more logical) Options dialogs
The file context menus are a direct replica of those of Resco File Explorer; in addition to standard stuff like Copy / Move to, they even contain Send To. This means it’s much easier to do file copying / sending stuff from inside the new version than from previous ones.
There is another brand new addition, a sleep timer (Tools / Sleep), should you plan to use the app as a player (which is highly preferred as its CPU usage, while playing back MP3, is very low).
As opposed to PMRecorder, Resco doesn’t need to be explicitly started because it registers itself in the system. This has several consequences:
it has about an order less memory consumption (not that PMRecorder’s 500k would be THAT high) – about 50k
even better, the operating system doesn’t shut down the task when it deems to be necessary. This is a BIG advantage over PMRecorder!
you don’t need to make sure Resco is started by, say, putting a link to \Windows\Startup; also, you don’t need minimize the task upon booting. And, of course, it won’t be visible in the active task list either.
The bad
Still uselessly low-quality MP3 codec (can’t be compared to that of NoteM or ViTO’s SoundExplorer); furthermore, it’s taking 100% CPU time even at 624 MHz (as opposed to previous versions) at better(?) quality settings (44 kHz/48 and 96 kbps). It’s acceptable with the standard low-quality setting, though, but, even then, using NoteM or SoundExplorer is far more preferable.
While playing back, animation (which doubles CPU usage) can’t be disabled and it’s active even when you use the built-in screen off; it’s only when you send the app in the background that it stops working (and consuming CPU cycles)
File association doesn’t work
Speex playback is still buggy: overlaps the first ~28 minutes to the rest and, therefore, needs another player (Foobar2000, for example) to correctly play back longer clips
The current build doesn't play RAF files (not that they'd be THAT important)
The current build can't convert OGG files to anything else
Usingg the equalizer results in four-fold CPU usage and is, therefore, not recommended (try using hardware-level equalizers - see my earlier articles); the developer promises it'll look into the problem
Still no AVRCP support; developer promises it for both later versions of the app and Resco Radio
When there’re home/mobile etc. suffixes in a number (for example, /H for home, /M for mobile etc) as can be seen in here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4-SlashSuffixesProblem.png) (see the /H at the end of the (for the most part hidden) number), Resco won’t be able to create a file. Of course, this isn’t a problem when there are no such suffixes in the incoming/outgoing number OR you have a contact name for the number (and the contact name doesn’t contain characters like these, I suppose). BTW, as can also be seen in the example screenshot (see the two call recordings in the recording list), private incoming calls aren’t named, as one would expect (and as is the case with PMRecorder). The developer promises a fix.
Resco is brought to the foreground upon recording calls. While you can switch back to Phone to be able to, say, use the keypad, this may be a nuisance. (Note that the red phone button (hang up a call) certainly works when Resco is actively in the foreground.) The developer promises a fix.
Doesn’t support the PDAudio card any more, it seems (not that the PDAudio would be THAT common, particularly now that it's, to my knowledge, discontinued).
Verdict
The best (if you don't take the bad MP3 coder into account) have been made even better. Highly recommended, particularly if you don't need the equalizer / MP3 recording / RAF playback and want a really decent phone conversation recorder. It blows PMRecorder, the, so far, best phone call autorecorder application out of water easily, particularly because you can be absolutely sure all the time it will record your calls without having to manually make sure it will.
Resco has just released a public beta of the brand new version of the application. It’s available here (http://www.resco.net/pocketpc/audiorecorder_beta/default.asp) and certainly worth checking out if you like Resco Audio Recorder and want something better.
http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4AudioRecMain.bmp.png
You can read the official “what’s news” list at the above-linked page. Here, I “only” elaborate on MY real-world, unbiased benchmarks and pros/cons list. I give special attention to providing a side-by-side comparison to PMRecorder (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=513&c=1&page=1&more=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single), the best, free automated call recorder solution for Windows Mobile.
This also means you’ll want to read the PMRecorder article (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=513&c=1&page=1&more=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single), the Windows Mobile Audio Recording Bible (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/menneisyys/112005SoundRecorderApps.asp) and, with the MP3 playback CPU usage benchmarks, the Windows Mobile Multimedia Players’ CPU usage Bible (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1656&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) to fully understand this review; I don’t explain everything from the basics here. Also note that the pros/cons list only discusses the changes between the previous and the current version.
CPU usage benchmarks
MP3 playback and equalizer (again, please see THIS (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1656&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) for more info):
At my test Dell Axim x51v A12 running at 208 MHz, in background: ~11% CPU cycles
In foreground: ~23%, with (from the app) switched off screen too!
Equalizer: ~42.5% (also in background; meaning four times higher CPU usage! Really bad!)
Recording:
“HQ” MP3: ~100%, default LQ 11 kHz (but 56 kbps!) MP3: ~50% on the 273 MHz HTC Wizard
Speex (32 kHz q3 18 kbps): 71% on the 273 and 85% on the 236 MHz HTC Wizard; at 195 MHz, useless. Add the in-call overhead to this and you'll understand why there's some small stuttering when auto-recording calls with slower PPC’s (even at 273 MHz with the HTC Wizard, which is originally equipped with a 195 MHz TI OMAP CPU) with quality speech codecs like this. (Haven't tested this at even higher CPU frequencies.)
Universal, 520 MHz: 39%
PPC2k2, 206 MHz StrongARM iPAQ 3660 running at 236 MHz: default 8k/q1/14kbps OGG ok (but NOT at 206 MHz); 18 kbps Speex not even then (let alone the standard 206 MHz!)
The changes
There are a lot of them; I've listed most of them in the pros/cons lists. In addition to them, for example the file conversion / export (Tools / Save As) could be mentioned, which has been restructured; now, instead of being presented the traditional format setting screen (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAud3Export1.bmp.png) (two or, depending on the output format (whether it allows for quality settings), three drop-down lists) and, after clicking Export, the traditional file save dialog (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAud3Export2.bmp.png) where you can supply the filename and path. Now, this has completely been changed (1 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAR4ToolsSaveAs1.bmp.png) 2 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAR4ToolsSaveAs2.bmp.png) 3 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAR4ToolsSaveAs3.bmp.png)).
Note that this is just one of the subtle changes - there are a LOT of them. See the lists below.
The good
Phone call recording capabilities with time/date and caller name/number in the filename (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4PhoneRec.bmp.png); at a much better quality/size ratio (when you use Speex) than the two predefined modes (low-quality GSM and storage-hungry PCM) of PMRecorder (note my CPU use-, foreground operation- and location-specific suffix-related remarks in the Cons section though!)
The date / time settings in the filename can be much more thoroughly set than in previous version, where only date and time could be set and you couldn’t separately specify year / month / day / hour / minute (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4DateTImeInNames.bmp.png) (still no seconds); also supports creating folders based on the date (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4FolderDate.bmp.png). For example, the screenshot above shows recording with the “%Y-%M-%D-%h-%m-“ filename setting (note that 001 (002 etc.) is auto-added to files started to be recorded in the same minute as a previous one. This is for avoiding overwriting files.).
Support for ancient Pocket PC 2002 OS; what is more, unlike with the previous version, it also supports Speex and OGG on it (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4AudioRecPPc2k2.bmp.png)! (Not that a 206 MHz StrongARM iPAQ would be able to record into these formats without problems; with Speex, not even at 236 MHz.)
Clock counter doesn’t seem to stop at 9:99:99 (that is, at 10 hours) – this may be handy with extremely long recordings. (Previous versions were also able to record even longer recordings, but their counter stopped at 10 hours)
Dynamic CPU load checking upon recording to see whether the recording will have in any kind of stuttering. This is much more dynamically adaptable to the current CPU load (because of other processes) than the old, static approach, where you could to make static tests upon selecting the target format.
Now, unlike ALL the alternatives (except for the built-in Notes), it allows for one-button recording. And it's astonishingly quick at it! The time needed to start recording after shortly (it's sufficient) pressing the assigned hardware button (it only needs to be done from inside Resco, not in the system-level Settings/Button applet!) can be as low as 2 seconds with the simplest WAV and RAF outputs. With more dedicate outputs, it's slightly higher; with, for speech, the most recommended Speex it's 2.5 seconds and with the otherwise, in the current "quality" level (see the cons section!) not at all recommended MP3 output, 3.8s. All measured on a Dell Axim x51v (A12 ROM), where it only takes the built-in Notes 0.9s to indeed start recording. Let me point out that some of the alternatives need even three times more time to start recording (see for example Audacity Personal DVR (Digital Voice Recorder) (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1658&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1), which needs seven seconds for this on exactly the same machine!).
Note that you MUST assign a recording-related hardware button for one-button recording to work. Otherwise, the “Recording / Use record button to launch Audio Recorder and start recording (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4UseRecordButton.bmp.png)” in Options can't be checked. To do this, go to the Buttons tab and assign any button (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudio4StartRecButton1.bmp.png). Then, you will already be able to enable one-button recording by checking in the above-mentioned checkbox (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudio4StartRecButton2.bmp.png).
I also recommend checking in the two upper checkboxes in the Recording tab so that you can hear when the recording starts and, when you use a button to stop it, stops. Especially the former (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudio4StartRecButton3.bmp.png) will really help in knowing when you can start speaking. This is because Resco needs some time to load and start recording. With the additional, discrete beep at the beginning of the recording is certainly welcome - it helps a lot in your knowing when you can start speaking.
Unlike with PMRecorder, post-processing isn’t needed to convert recordings to a standard format – they’re already standardized, with only the filename having date- and caller/called-related info
As with previous versions, low CPU usage when playing back MP3’s (but NOT when using the equalizer!)
Equalizer with presets (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/RescoAudRec4PEq.bmp.png)
More streamlined (simpler and more logical) Options dialogs
The file context menus are a direct replica of those of Resco File Explorer; in addition to standard stuff like Copy / Move to, they even contain Send To. This means it’s much easier to do file copying / sending stuff from inside the new version than from previous ones.
There is another brand new addition, a sleep timer (Tools / Sleep), should you plan to use the app as a player (which is highly preferred as its CPU usage, while playing back MP3, is very low).
As opposed to PMRecorder, Resco doesn’t need to be explicitly started because it registers itself in the system. This has several consequences:
it has about an order less memory consumption (not that PMRecorder’s 500k would be THAT high) – about 50k
even better, the operating system doesn’t shut down the task when it deems to be necessary. This is a BIG advantage over PMRecorder!
you don’t need to make sure Resco is started by, say, putting a link to \Windows\Startup; also, you don’t need minimize the task upon booting. And, of course, it won’t be visible in the active task list either.
The bad
Still uselessly low-quality MP3 codec (can’t be compared to that of NoteM or ViTO’s SoundExplorer); furthermore, it’s taking 100% CPU time even at 624 MHz (as opposed to previous versions) at better(?) quality settings (44 kHz/48 and 96 kbps). It’s acceptable with the standard low-quality setting, though, but, even then, using NoteM or SoundExplorer is far more preferable.
While playing back, animation (which doubles CPU usage) can’t be disabled and it’s active even when you use the built-in screen off; it’s only when you send the app in the background that it stops working (and consuming CPU cycles)
File association doesn’t work
Speex playback is still buggy: overlaps the first ~28 minutes to the rest and, therefore, needs another player (Foobar2000, for example) to correctly play back longer clips
The current build doesn't play RAF files (not that they'd be THAT important)
The current build can't convert OGG files to anything else
Usingg the equalizer results in four-fold CPU usage and is, therefore, not recommended (try using hardware-level equalizers - see my earlier articles); the developer promises it'll look into the problem
Still no AVRCP support; developer promises it for both later versions of the app and Resco Radio
When there’re home/mobile etc. suffixes in a number (for example, /H for home, /M for mobile etc) as can be seen in here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/042007RescoAudio4/Resco4-SlashSuffixesProblem.png) (see the /H at the end of the (for the most part hidden) number), Resco won’t be able to create a file. Of course, this isn’t a problem when there are no such suffixes in the incoming/outgoing number OR you have a contact name for the number (and the contact name doesn’t contain characters like these, I suppose). BTW, as can also be seen in the example screenshot (see the two call recordings in the recording list), private incoming calls aren’t named, as one would expect (and as is the case with PMRecorder). The developer promises a fix.
Resco is brought to the foreground upon recording calls. While you can switch back to Phone to be able to, say, use the keypad, this may be a nuisance. (Note that the red phone button (hang up a call) certainly works when Resco is actively in the foreground.) The developer promises a fix.
Doesn’t support the PDAudio card any more, it seems (not that the PDAudio would be THAT common, particularly now that it's, to my knowledge, discontinued).
Verdict
The best (if you don't take the bad MP3 coder into account) have been made even better. Highly recommended, particularly if you don't need the equalizer / MP3 recording / RAF playback and want a really decent phone conversation recorder. It blows PMRecorder, the, so far, best phone call autorecorder application out of water easily, particularly because you can be absolutely sure all the time it will record your calls without having to manually make sure it will.