Panasonic RR-830 Desktop Cassette Transcriber / Recorder

For the price, this is a very good product overall because it does the job capably. However, if you've used a Dictaphone or other more professional transcriber like I have, you might find the Panasonic a tad chintzy. The footpedal is indeed a relatively cheap plastic job like other reviewers have said. The two less attractive aspects of this product for me is that when you are using the foot pedal and lift your foot to stop the tape and it back spaces a bit, there is a loud 'clunk'. In our quiet office that's a problem, so i have to time my transcribing for when there are fewer people around.
Another issue i have with this one is that the power cord does not disconnect in the back. Having that ability would allow me to more easily put the transcriber away and off my desk when I'm not using it. So i was a little spoiled using the Dictaphone because I didn't have to crawl under my desk to unplug the thing in order to put it away; I could disconnect it from the back of the machine. That may be something for Panasonic to consider adding in future models.

This is a pretty decent beginning transcriber. I don't know how it would hold up for heavy-duty use. The only negative comment I have to make so far is that I feel the description wasn't clear about the variable speed option -- it does not give you a good slow speed option, only faster. I would like something that slows down more than this one does, to save time back-tracking. Other than that, it gets the job done for a decent price. Okay for occasional work.

I'm the Recording Secretary for a small Home Owners Association in a senior community. We needed a new tape recorder for our monthly meetings so I called the Town Clerk to see what kind they use for their Council meetings. She told me about the Panasonic and said they have six in Town Hall they use in different departments. I did have to order a microphone separately from Panasonic. The recorder worked like a charm, picked up everything very clearly and is very easy to use. The only problem I had was locating 90 minute tapes. Most stores in my area carry 60 and 120. I would highly recommend this recorder. I'm very satisfied.

This cassette transcriber works very well and is just what I needed since the "Dragon Naturally Speaking Software" did not help me. This transcriber slows my voice down on the tape and I can then type it. It works great!

The product is excellent. The seller had the product to me within a week I am extremely satisfied.