4-1164.fm Page 1 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Cat. No. 14-1164 OWNER’S MANUAL Please read before using this equipment.
14-1164.fm Page 2 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM FEATURES Your Optimus Micro-37 Voice-Activated Microcassette Tape Recorder is ideal for quick note-taking. Its ultra-small size makes it easy to slip into a pocket or briefcase. You can use it at school, at business conferences, for dictation in the office, or anywhere on the go! You can start recording manually or set the recorder so sound activates recording.
14-1164.fm Page 3 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM External Microphone Jack — lets you use an external microphone, so you can extend your recording range. Earphone Jack — lets you use an optional earphone to listen to a tape privately. Quick Record — lets you instantly change from playback to record. Tape Speed Switch — lets you record at normal or slow speed. Slow speed gives you twice the normal recording time.
14-1164.fm Page 4 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM We recommend you write your recorder’s serial number here. The number is inside the recorder’s battery compartment.
14-1164.fm Page 5 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM CONTENTS Preparation ............................................ 6 Before You Begin ............................. 6 Connecting to Power ....................... 6 Using Batteries ......................... 7 Using AC Power ..................... 10 Using Vehicle Battery Power .. 12 Connecting an Earphone .............. 14 Listening Safely ...................... 15 Traffic Safety ........................... 15 Connecting an External Microphone ...........
14-1164.fm Page 6 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM PREPARATION BEFORE YOU BEGIN To protect the Micro-37 during shipment, a piece of paper is attached to the cassette door. Remove this paper before you use the Micro-37.
14-1164.fm Page 7 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Using Batteries You can use two AA batteries (not supplied) to power your Micro-37. We recommend alkaline batteries, such as RadioShack Cat. No. 23-552. Cautions: • Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type. • Never leave dead or weak batteries in the Micro-37. Batteries can leak chemicals that can destroy electronic circuits.
14-1164.fm Page 8 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Follow these steps to install batteries. FF CUE 1. Slide the battery compartment cover in the direction of the arrow until it stops, then lift up the cover. Caution: The battery compartment cover is attached to the recorder. Do not try to remove it. FF CUE 2. Insert the batteries into the compartment as indicated by the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked inside the compartment. 3.
14-1164.fm Page 9 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Notes: • If the record/battery indicator to the right of the EAR jack does not light or lights dimly during manual recording, replace the batteries. • If you do not plan to use the Micro-37 for several days, or if you plan to use only AC or vehicle battery power, remove the batteries.
14-1164.fm Page 10 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Using AC Power To power the Micro-37 from an AC outlet, you need an AC adapter (not supplied), such as Cat. No. 273-1654B. Cautions: • You must use an AC adapter that supplies 3 volts DC power and delivers at least 200 milliamps. The center tip of the adapter barrel plug must be set to positive, and the plug must properly fit the Micro-37’s DC3V jack. The recommended AC adapter meets these specifications.
14-1164.fm Page 11 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Follow these steps to power the Micro-37 from standard AC power. MIC DC3V Rad ioSn ack 1. Set the AC adapter’s voltage switch to 3V. 2. Attach the 2.35 mm outer diameter/0.7 mm inner diameter barrel plug to the AC adapter’s cord with the tip set to positive (+). 3. Insert the barrel plug into the Micro37’s DC3V jack. This disconnects internal batteries. 4. Plug the other end of the AC adapter into a standard AC outlet.
14-1164.fm Page 12 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Using Vehicle Battery Power To power the Micro-37 from your vehicle’s battery, you need a DC adapter (not supplied), such as Cat. No. 270-1560. Cautions: • You must use a DC adapter that supplies 3 volts DC power and delivers at least 200 milliamps. The center tip of its barrel plug must be set to positive, and the plug must properly fit the Micro-37’s DC3V jack. The recommended DC adapter meets these specifications.
14-1164.fm Page 13 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Follow these steps to power the Micro-37 from your vehicle’s battery. MIC DC3V 1. Set the DC adapter’s voltage switch to 3V. 2. Attach the 2.35 mm outer diameter/0.7 mm inner diameter barrel plug with the tip set to positive (+). 3. Insert the barrel plug into the Micro37’s DC3V jack. This disconnects the internal batteries. 4. Plug the other end of the DC adapter into the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket.
-1164.fm Page 14 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM CONNECTING AN EARPHONE You can use an optional mono earphone with a submini (3/32-inch) plug to listen to a tape in privacy. Notes: • You can also use an earphone to monitor what the recorder picks up through the internal microphone or an external microphone. • Your local RadioShack store carries a wide selection of earphones. Insert the earphone’s plug into the recorder’s EAR jack. The built-in speaker automatically disconnects.
14-1164.fm Page 15 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Listening Safely To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when you use an earphone. • Set the volume to the lowest setting before you begin listening. After you begin listening, adjust the volume to a comfortable listening level. • Do not listen at extremely high volume levels. Extended high-volume listening can lead to permanent hearing loss. • Once you set the volume, do not increase it.
14-1164.fm Page 16 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM CONNECTING AN EXTERNAL MICROPHONE You can use an optional microphone with a submini (3/32-inch) plug to extend the recording range. Your local RadioShack store carries a wide selection of microphones. Insert the microphone’s plug into the recorder’s MIC jack. The built-in microphone automatically disconnects. NORMAL MIC SENS F.PLAY SPEED VOX 2.4 1.
14-1164.fm Page 17 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM OPERATION LOADING A MICROCASSETTE TAPE Note: We recommend MC-60 microcassette tapes for up to 2 hours of recording/ playback time, or MC-90 microcassette tapes for up to 3 hours of recording/playback time. Follow these steps to load a microcassette tape. 1. Use a pencil to turn the cassette’s hub and remove any tape slack. Avoid touching the tape.
14-1164.fm Page 18 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM 2. Lift the latch to open the cassette compartment door. 123 Latch VOICE ACTIVATION 2 SPEED MICRO-37 MICROCASSETTE RECORDER ED MICR MICR O-37 RECO OCASSE RDER TTE ACTIV VOICE 2 S PE ATION 3. Insert the microcassette into the door’s guides so the microcassette’s open edge faces out. Note: An arrow on the cassette compartment shows the tape travel direction. Be sure the tape’s full reel is in the opposite direction from the arrow. 4.
14-1164.fm Page 19 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM RECORDING You can record manually or use voice-activated recording. When you use the voice activating feature, recording begins when the recorder picks up sound and stops a few seconds after the sound stops. Follow these steps to record. 1. Load the microcassette tape. 2. Set SPEED on the side of the recorder as follows: NORMAL MIC SENS F.PLAY SPEED VOX 2.4 1.2 DC3V MIC • To double the tape’s recording/playback time, set SPEED to 1.2.
14-1164.fm Page 20 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM • For better sound quality, set SPEED to 2.4. This setting allows 60 minutes of total recording/playback time on an MC-60 tape, or 90 minutes on an MC-90 tape. 3. Set MIC SENS/VOX as follows: NORMAL MIC SENS F.PLAY SPEED VOX 2.4 1.2 DC3V MIC • To manually start and stop recording, set MIC SENS/VOX to MIC SENS. • To use voice-activated recording, set MIC SENS/VOX to VOX.
14-1164.fm Page 21 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM 4. Press REC to begin recording. Both REC and PLAY lock down, and the record/battery indicator to the right of the EAR jack lights. REV REW VOICE ACTIVATION 2 SPEED MICRO-36 If MIC SENS/VOX is set to MIC SENS, recording begins immediately. If MIC SENS/VOX is set to VOX, recording begins and the record/battery indicator lights steadily only when the recorder picks up sound.
14-1164.fm Page 22 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Note: To pause recording, slide to PAUSE. To resume recording, slide PAUSE/OFF to OFF. PAUSE/OFF 5. If you set MIC SENS/VOX to VOX, adjust VOLUME to set the sound level at which recording begins. The higher the VOLUME setting, the lower the sound level needed to start VOX recording. If you set MIC SENS/VOX to MIC SENS, adjust VOLUME to set the desired monitoring sound level. 6. Press STOP to stop the tape.
14-1164.fm Page 23 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM PLAYING A TAPE 1. Load the microcassette tape. 2. Set SPEED to the speed used when the tape was recorded. 3. To listen to the tape at normal speed, set NORMAL/F.PLAY to NORMAL. To listen to the tape at about 25% faster than normal speed, set NORMAL/F.PLAY to F.PLAY. NORMAL MIC SENS F.PLAY SPEED VOX 2.4 1.2 DC3V MIC 4. Press PLAY.
14-1164.fm Page 24 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM 5. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level. 6. Press STOP to stop playback. Rewinding/Fast-Forwarding REV REW FF CUE Slide REV REW/FF CUE to REV REW to rapidly rewind a tape, or to FF CUE to fast-forward a tape. To slide REV REW/FF CUE to the desired position, press the side of the switch opposite the side marked with the desired direction.
14-1164.fm Page 25 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Caution: To protect the tape-handling parts, press STOP or slide REV REW/FF CUE to the center when the tape reaches the end. If you slide REV REW/FF CUE to REV REW or FF CUE during playback, you can hear the tape at a faster speed as it fast-forwards or rewinds. When you release the switch, the recorder resumes normal playback. QUICK RECORD During playback, you can press REC to go directly to recording without pressing STOP first.
14-1164.fm Page 26 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM USING THE TAPE COUNTER You can use the tape counter to mark locations of specific sections of tape so you can easily return to them. 123 Reset Button VOICE ACTIVATIO N 2 SPEED Press the reset button next to the tape counter to set the counter to 000 at the beginning of a tape. As the tape plays or records, note the counter reading at the position(s) to which you want to return.
14-1164.fm Page 27 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM TAPE TIPS STORING CASSETTE TAPES Do not expose microcassette tapes to high temperatures, high humidity, dust or dirt, or motors, transformers, or other sources with strong magnetic fields. PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL ERASURE Most microcassette tapes have an eraseprotection tab for each side of the tape. To protect your recordings from being accidentally erased or recorded over, use a screwdriver to carefully break off the eraseprotection tabs.
14-1164.fm Page 28 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Caution: Removing the erase-protection tabs does not prevent a tape from being erased by a bulk tape eraser. ERASING A CASSETTE TAPE If you no longer want a recording, you can record over it or erase it. To record over a microcassette tape, be sure the erase-protection tabs are in place. Then simply record as usual. The recorder records over the previous recording. You might prefer to use a bulk tape eraser, such as Cat. No.
14-1164.fm Page 29 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM CARE Your Optimus Micro-37 Voice-Activated Microcassette Tape Recorder is an example of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your recorder so you can enjoy it for years. • Keep the recorder dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids can contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits. • Handle the recorder gently and carefully.
14-1164.fm Page 30 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Modifying or tampering with the recorder’s internal components can cause a malfunction and might invalidate the recorder’s warranty. If your recorder is not operating as it should, take it to your local RadioShack store for assistance. CLEANING THE TAPE-HANDLING PARTS Dirt, dust, or particles of the tape’s coating can accumulate on the tape heads and other parts that the tape touches. This can greatly reduce the performance of the recorder.
14-1164.fm Page 31 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM 3. Use a cotton swab dipped in tape head cleaning solution or denatured alcohol to gently clean the record/playback head, pinch roller, capstan and tape guides. Pinch Roller 2 SPEED MICRO-37 MICROCASSETTE RECORDER Record/Playback Head VOICE ACTIVATION Tape Guides Capstan 4. Press STOP to release the tape-handling parts. Then close the cassette compartment cover and reconnect power.
14-1164.fm Page 32 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM SPECIFICATIONS Tape Type ........................... Microcassette Tracks ........ 2 Tracks, 1 Channel Monaural Drive System ..................... Capstan Drive Tape Speed ... 2.4 cm/sec. (15/16 ips) and 1.2 cm/sec. (15/32 ips) Recording Time (with MC-60 Microcassette): 2.4 cm/sec. ............... 30 min. per side 1.2 cm/sec. ............... 60 min. per side Practical Max. Output .................. 200 mW Frequency Response .........
14-1164.fm Page 33 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Vehicle Battery ............... 12V with DC Adapter (Cat. No. 270-1560) Typical Cassette Recording Time (with Alkaline Batteries) ............. 17 Hours Dimensions (HWD) ....... 4.8 × 2.5 × 0.9 in. (122 × 64 × 24 mm) Weight (with batteries) ....... 5.6 oz. (160 g) Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are subject to change and improvement without notice.
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14-1164.fm Page 35 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM Limited Ninety-Day Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
14-1164.fm Page 36 Wednesday, November 25, 1998 1:20 PM (Continued) New or reconditioned parts and products may be used in the performance of warranty service. Repaired or replaced parts and products are warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the expiration of the warranty period.
