Broken digital voice recorder - there miust be way to retrieve a conversation.

[Stanfordian]

My Olympus VN-5500PC digital voice recorder has broken. In truth it is a rather flimsy item. In the battery compartment there are two AAA batteries. A spring in one of the -terminals to hold the battery has broken off and although the both batteries are still in place a connection has clearly been broken. My dilemma is that I have just recorded an interview that is very important to me. I need to take off the digital voice recorder. But how? Suggestions will be much appreciated. Thank thanks.

[johnb]

If the problem is that one of the battery springs has broken off, leading to that battery not being properly connected, it should be possible to rig something up by inserting something metal to replace the spring - perhaps leaving the battery cover off if need be.

As long as the "something" connects to both where the original spring was fastened and to the bottom of the battery and provides sufficient pressure to maintain the battery connection (at both ends) it should work. Even a paper clip which has been prised open (so that it is sufficiently springy) might work as a temporary measure to enable you to transfer the recording.

[Flay]

Is there not a power input socket?

[Flay]

Is there not a power input socket?

Answering my own question, no there isn't.

The paper clip might work. Good luck!

[Stanfordian]

If the problem is that one of the battery springs has broken off, leading to that battery not being properly connected, it should be possible to rig something up by inserting something metal to replace the spring - perhaps leaving the battery cover off if need be.

As long as the "something" connects to both where the original spring was fastened and to the bottom of the battery and provides sufficient pressure to maintain the battery connection (at both ends) it should work. Even a prised open paper clip which has been prised open (so that it is sufficiently springy) might work as a temporary measure to enable you to transfer the recording.

Hiya Johnb, My recorder is only very small and I think a paper clip would be far too big. I was thinking about rolled up fuse wire or kitchen foil?

[Pabmusic]

If the problem is that one of the battery springs has broken off, leading to that battery not being properly connected, it should be possible to rig something up by inserting something metal to replace the spring - perhaps leaving the battery cover off if need be.

As long as the "something" connects to both where the original spring was fastened and to the bottom of the battery and provides sufficient pressure to maintain the battery connection (at both ends) it should work. Even a prised open paper clip which has been prised open (so that it is sufficiently springy) might work as a temporary measure to enable you to transfer the recording.

How about a ball of tin foil? It works with my Apple wireless keyboard.

[MrGongGong]

This sounds like a very simple job to me if you are familiar with soldering (or know someone who is ) ?
Fuse wire will work much more reliably than tinfoil ...... all you need to do is to get it to work for the short amount of time it takes to retrieve your files........

[johnb]

A small rolled up ball of fuse wired seems a good idea (much better electrical conductivity than foil). The main thing is to make sure it makes a decent contact with where the spring broke off and the bottom of the battery, while applying enough pressure to hold the battery in contact at the other end.

[Stanfordian]

A small rolled up ball of fuse wired seems a good idea (much better electrical conductivity than foil). The main thing is to make sure it makes a decent contact with where the spring broke off and the bottom of the battery, while applying enough pressure to hold the battery in contact at the other end.

Hiya johnb,

I'll try all out this tomorrow when I get home from my Berlin trip. many thanks everyone. I'll let you know how I got on.

[Resurrection Man]

You will need to make sure that there is still some metal left in the battery compartment (that connects through to the rest of the recorder) otherwise there will be nothing for the tinfoil or fuse wire to connect to. If the tin foil/fuse wire doesn't work then you could make up a few leads using these from Maplins....http://www.maplin.co.uk/gold-plated-...le-clips-45708. No soldering required !

If there is nothing left of the connection that is visible from the battery compartment then it will need dis-assembling to get to a connection inside the device. Very happy to do this for you (as is Mr GG, I believe).

EDIT: Looking at the instructions (and assuming that the picture is correct) then am I right in saying that it is one of the small coils that has broken off? From the connector towards the middle of the recorder? if so then you can still use that to give you your 'spring'...get some silver foil and place it between the coil and the metal bit (hopefully) left in the recorder case. Battery then goes in and held against the spring as per normal.

[Stanfordian]

You will need to make sure that there is still some metal left in the battery compartment (that connects through to the rest of the recorder) otherwise there will be nothing for the tinfoil or fuse wire to connect to. If the tin foil/fuse wire doesn't work then you could make up a few leads using these from Maplins....http://www.maplin.co.uk/gold-plated-...le-clips-45708. No soldering required !

If there is nothing left of the connection that is visible from the battery compartment then it will need dis-assembling to get to a connection inside the device. Very happy to do this for you (as is Mr GG, I believe).

EDIT: Looking at the instructions (and assuming that the picture is correct) then am I right in saying that it is one of the small coils that has broken off? From the connector towards the middle of the recorder? if so then you can still use that to give you your 'spring'...get some silver foil and place it between the coil and the metal bit (hopefully) left in the recorder case. Battery then goes in and held against the spring as per normal.

Hiya Resurrection Man, many thanks. When I've got myself unpacked from the time away in Berin I'll try out these suggestions. I have important interview from Berlin on the recorder that I need to take off. My second audio recorder an audio tape recorded didn't work at all.

[Bryn]

Hiya Resurrection Man, many thanks. When I've got myself unpacked from the time away in Berin I'll try out these suggestions. I have important interview from Berlin on the recorder that I need to take off. My second audio recorder an audio tape recorded didn't work at all.

Not a solution to your immediate problem, but once that is sorted I would suggest you investigate pocket recorders that save to an SD or similar card that can be read a computer. There are several such devices available at relatively low cost these days,

[Stanfordian]

Hurray, success! The tiny rolled up section of kitchen foil wedged betwen the AAA battery and the broken spring terminal in the digital voice recorder is going the trick. Thanks all for the suggestions.

[Resurrection Man]

Hurray, success! The tiny rolled up section of kitchen foil wedged betwen the AAA battery and the broken spring terminal in the digital voice recorder is going the trick. Thanks all for the suggestions.

Excellent news !

[teamsaint]

Well done all. I hate seeing all this built in obsolescence, and brilliant to see Stans interview saved.

And " Broken Digital Tape Recorder" will make a great name for a rock group.