Optimus Microcassette Recorder 14 1180 User Manual

14-1180.fm Page 1 Thursday, July 1, 1999 4:34 PM  
Cat. No. 14-1180  
OWNER’S MANUAL  
Please read before using this equipment.  
MICRO-32  
Microcassette Tape  
Recorder with Voice  
Activation and Counter  
 
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CONTENTS  
Power Sources ..................................................... 4  
Installing Batteries .......................................... 4  
Using AC Power ............................................. 5  
Using Vehicle Battery Power .......................... 7  
Operation .............................................................. 9  
Loading a Cassette Tape ................................ 9  
Recording ..................................................... 10  
Normal Recording .................................. 11  
Voice Activated Recording .................... 13  
Recording with an External  
Microphone ........................................... 15  
Quick Record ........................................ 15  
Playing a Tape .............................................. 15  
Using Fast-F/Cue and Rew/Review ............. 16  
Digital Tape Counter ..................................... 17  
Using an Earphone ....................................... 18  
Listening Safely ..................................... 18  
Tape Hints ........................................................... 19  
Storing Cassette Tapes ................................ 19  
Preventing Accidental Erasure ..................... 19  
Erasing a Cassette Tape .............................. 20  
Restoring Tape Tension  
and Sound Quality ........................................ 20  
Maintenance ....................................................... 21  
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ................ 22  
Specifications .................................................... 23  
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POWER SOURCES  
You can power the recorder from any of the following  
sources:  
• Two AA batteries  
• AC power (using an AC adapter)  
• Vehicle battery power (using a DC adapter)  
INSTALLING BATTERIES  
You can use two AA batteries (not supplied) to power  
the recorder. For the best performance, we recom-  
mend alkaline batteries, such as RadioShack Cat.  
No. 23-552. You can also use two AA nickel-cadmium  
batteries, such as Cat. No. 23-125, and recharge  
them with a nickel-cadmium charger, such as Cat.  
No. 23-133.  
Follow these steps to install batteries.  
1. Remove the battery compartment cover by slid-  
ing it in the direction of the arrow.  
2. Insert the batteries in the battery compartment,  
+
)
as indicated by the polarity symbols ( and  
inside the compartment.  
Illustration  
3. Replace the cover.  
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Cautions:  
• Use only fresh batteries of the required size and  
type.  
• Remove the batteries if the recorder will not be  
used for a few weeks or more. Batteries can leak  
chemicals and damage the recorder.  
Replace the batteries if the REC/BATT indicator dims  
or does not light.  
USING AC POWER  
You can use an AC adapter, such as Cat. No. 273-  
1654A, to power the recorder from standard AC pow-  
er.  
Caution: You must use an adapter that supplies 3  
volts with the center tip set to positive, delivers the  
300 milliamps the recorder draws, and has a plug that  
correctly fits the recorder’s DC 3V jack. The recom-  
mended adapter meets these requirements. Using an  
adapter that does not meet these specifications could  
seriously damage the recorder or the adapter.  
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Follow these steps to power the recorder from AC  
power.  
1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 3V.  
2. Insert the orange-tipped adapter plug into the  
adapter’s socket. Line up TIP on the socket with  
+ (positive) on the plug.  
3. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into the  
recorder’s DC 3V jack.  
Illustration  
4. Insert the adapter’s other plug into a standard  
AC outlet.  
Illustration  
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USING VEHICLE BATTERY  
POWER  
Using a DC adapter, such as Cat. No. 270-1560A,  
you can power the recorder from your vehicle’s bat-  
tery.  
Cautions:  
• You must use an adapter that supplies 3 volts  
with the center tip set to positive, delivers the  
300 milliamps the recorder draws, and has a  
plug that correctly fits the recorder’s DC 3V jack.  
The recommended adapter meets these require-  
ments. Using an adapter that does not meet  
these specifications could damage the recorder  
or the adapter.  
• Always plug the adapter into the recorder before  
plugging it into the cigarette-lighter socket.  
Always unplug the adapter from the cigarette-  
lighter socket before unplugging it from the  
recorder.  
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Follow these steps to power the recorder from your  
vehicle’s battery.  
1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 3V.  
2. Insert the orange-tipped adapter plug into the  
adapter’s socket. Line up TIP on the socket with  
+ (positive) on the plug.  
3. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into the  
recorder’s DC 3V jack.  
Illustration  
4. Insert the adapter’s large plug into the vehicle’s  
cigarette-lighter socket.  
Illustration  
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OPERATION  
Caution:  
The tape stops and the recorder turns off  
when the tape reaches the end. However, we recom-  
STOP/EJ  
mend that you press  
as soon as possible af-  
ter you finish playing or recording a tape. This  
protects the tape by releasing it from the tape-han-  
dling parts.  
LOADING A CASSETTE TAPE  
Note:  
We recommend MC-60 cassette tapes (Cat.  
No. 44-640) for up to two hours of recording/playback  
time, or MC-90 cassette tapes (Cat. No. 44-644) for  
up to three hours of recording/playback time.  
Follow these steps to load a cassette tape.  
1. Use a pencil to turn the cassette’s hub and  
remove any tape slack. Avoid touching the tape.  
Illustration  
STOP/EJ  
2. Press  
ment.  
to open the cassette compart-  
Illustration  
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3. Slide the cassette into the grooves on the inside  
of the compartment cover, with the side you  
want to play or record on against the cover and  
the exposed tape facing outward.  
Illustration  
4. Close the compartment.  
To unload the tape, press STOP/EJ to stop recording  
or playback, then press STOP/EJ again to open the  
cassette compartment so you can remove the tape.  
RECORDING  
Cautions:  
• Do not change the tape speed while recording.  
You will damage the recorder if you force down  
REC when an erase-protection tab is not in place  
(see “Preventing Accidental Erasure”).  
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Normal Recording  
1. Set VOX to OFF.  
Illustration  
2. Load the cassette tape.  
3. Set TAPE SPEED as follows:  
Illustration  
To 1.2 cm to double the tape’s recording time.  
To 2.4 cm for better sound quality.  
4. Press REC to begin recording. This also pushes  
down PLAY.  
Illustration  
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5. Adjust VOLUME for the microphone sensitivity.  
Minimum to mid-range for dictation  
Mid-range to maximum for recording confer-  
ences  
6. Place the recorder as close to the sound source  
as possible, with nothing between the source  
and the recorder to block the sound.  
Illustration  
7. Press STOP/EJ to stop recording.  
Notes:  
• The built-in automatic level control automatically  
sets the recording level.  
To temporarily stop recording, slide PAUSE to  
ON. To resume recording, slide PAUSE back to  
its original position.  
Illustration  
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Voice Activated Recording  
1. Set the VOX to ON.  
Illustration  
2. Load the cassette tape.  
3. Set TAPE SPEED as follows:  
Illustration  
To 1.2 cm to double the tape’s recording time.  
To 2.4 cm for better sound quality.  
4. Press REC to record. This also pushes down  
PLAY.  
Illustration  
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5. Adjust VOLUME for the microphone sensitivity  
until the sound source’s volume level starts the  
recorder.  
Illustration  
Notes:  
The built-in automatic level control automati-  
cally sets the recording level.  
The first few sounds start the recorder but  
might not be recorded. Say an extra word or  
two to begin recording.  
When the recorder detects silence for 2 to 6  
seconds, recording stops temporarily. When  
the sound resumes, recording continues.  
6. Press STOP/EJ to stop recording.  
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Recording with an External Microphone  
1. Plug an optional external microphone into the  
MIC jack on top of the recorder. The built-in  
microphone is automatically disconnected.  
Note: Your local RadioShack store has a wide  
selection of microphones, designed especially  
for microcassette recorders.  
2. Follow the steps under “Normal Recording” or  
“Voice Activated Recording.”  
Quick Record  
You can go directly from playback to recording by  
pressing REC.  
PLAYING A TAPE  
Follow these steps to play back a cassette tape.  
1. Load the cassette tape.  
2. Set TAPE SPEED to the speed you used when  
you recorded the tape.  
Illustration  
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3. Press PLAY.  
4. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level.  
5. Press STOP/EJ to stop playback.  
Notes:  
To play the other side of the tape, unload it, turn  
it over, and reload it.  
To temporarily stop the tape, slide PAUSE to ON.  
To resume playback, slide PAUSE downward.  
USING FAST-F/CUE  
AND REW/REVIEW  
Press the switch toward FAST-F/CUE to rapidly move  
a tape forward, or toward REW/REVIEW to rapidly  
move a tape backward.  
Illustration  
If you press and hold the switch toward FAST-F/CUE or  
REW/REVIEW during playback, you can hear the tape  
as it fast-forwards or rewinds. When you release the  
switch, the recorder resumes normal playback.  
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If you press and hold the switch toward FAST-F/CUE or  
REW/REVIEW during recording, the REC button re-  
leases. You can hear the tape as it fast-forwards or  
rewinds. When you release the switch, the recorder  
begins normal playback.  
If you press the switch toward FAST-F/CUE or REW/  
REVIEW while the tape is stopped, the tape advances  
or rewinds until you press STOP/EJ.  
Note: When the tape reaches the end, press STOP/EJ  
to release the FAST-F/CUE or REW/REVIEW switch.  
DIGITAL TAPE COUNTER  
1. Load a cassette and rewind it to its beginning.  
2. Press the reset button to reset the tape counter  
to 000.  
Illustration  
3. Make a note of the counter readings at the  
beginning of each selection (during playback  
and recording).  
4. Use the counter readings and the FAST-F/CUE—  
REW/REVIEW switch to quickly locate a desired  
position on the tape.  
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USING AN EARPHONE  
For private listening, plug an optional earphone with a  
1/8-inch plug into the recorder’s EAR jack. This auto-  
matically disconnects the recorder’s internal speaker.  
Illustration  
Note:  
Your local RadioShack store has a wide selec-  
tion of earphones.  
Listening Safely  
To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when  
you use earphones.  
• Set the volume to the lowest setting before you  
begin listening. After you begin listening, adjust  
the volume to a comfortable level.  
• Do not listen at extremely high volume levels.  
Extended high-volume listening can lead to per-  
manent hearing loss.  
• Once you set the volume, do not increase it.  
Over time, your ears adapt to the volume level,  
so a volume level that does not cause discom-  
fort might still damage your hearing.  
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TAPE HINTS  
STORING CASSETTE TAPES  
Do not expose cassette tapes to high temperatures;  
high humidity; dust or dirt; or motors, transformers, or  
other sources of strong magnetic fields.  
PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL  
ERASURE  
Most microcassette tapes have an erase-protection  
tab for each side of the tape. To protect your record-  
ings from being accidentally erased or recorded over,  
use a screwdriver to carefully break off the erase-pro-  
tection tabs. If you later decide to erase or record over  
the tape, place a piece of tape over the holes.  
Illustration  
Caution:  
Removing the erase-protection tabs does  
not prevent a tape from being erased by a bulk tape  
eraser.  
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ERASING A CASSETTE TAPE  
If you no longer want a recording, you can record over  
it or erase it.  
To record over a cassette tape, be sure the erase-  
protection tabs are in place. Then simply record as  
usual. The recorder records over the previous record-  
ing.  
You might prefer to use a bulk tape eraser, such as  
Cat. No. 44-233, which erases both sides of a micro-  
cassette tape in just a few seconds.  
RESTORING TAPE TENSION  
AND SOUND QUALITY  
After you play a cassette tape several times, the tape  
might become tightly wound on the reels. This can  
cause playback sound quality to deteriorate.  
To restore the sound quality, fast-forward the tape  
from the beginning to the end of one side, then com-  
pletely rewind it. Then loosen the tape reels by gently  
tapping each side of the cassette’s outer shell on a flat  
surface.  
Caution:  
Be careful not to damage the cassette when  
tapping it. Do not touch the exposed tape or allow any  
sharp objects near the cassette.  
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MAINTENANCE  
Your Optimus Micro-32 Microcassette Tape Recorder  
with Voice Activation and Counter 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. Drop-  
ping it can damage the circuit boards and case  
and can cause the recorder to work improperly.  
• Use and store the recorder only in normal tem-  
perature environments. Temperature extremes  
can shorten the life of electronic devices and  
distort or melt plastic parts.  
• Keep the recorder away from dust and dirt,  
which can cause premature wear of parts.  
• Wipe the recorder with a damp cloth occasion-  
ally to keep it looking new. Do not use harsh  
chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong deter-  
gents to clean the recorder.  
• Use only fresh batteries of the recommended  
size and type. Always remove old or weak bat-  
teries; they can leak chemicals that destroy elec-  
tronic circuits.  
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Modifying or tampering with the recorder’s internal  
parts can cause a malfunction and might invalidate  
your recorder’s warranty. If your recorder is not oper-  
ating as it should, take it to your local RadioShack  
store for assistance.  
CLEANING THE TAPE-HANDLING  
PARTS  
Clean the tape-handling parts after every 20 hours of  
use.  
With power supplied and the cassette removed, open  
the cassette compartment door. Use a pointed object  
to gently push the erase protection tab sensor to the  
left, and press REC to expose the tape-handling parts.  
Use a cotton swab dipped in tape head cleaning solu-  
tion or denatured alcohol to gently clean the tape-  
handling parts.  
Illustration  
Or, for easier cleaning, use RadioShack’s microcas-  
sette cleaner kit (Cat. No. 44-1168), which includes a  
special cleaning cassette.  
After you finish cleaning, press STOP/EJ.  
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SPECIFICATIONS  
Tape System........... 2-Track Monaural Microcassette  
Tape Speed ....................... 2.4 cm/sec or 1.2 cm/sec  
Recording Time (Total for Both Sides):  
MC-60 ..............................60 min @ 2.4 cm/sec  
120 min @ 1.2 cm/sec  
MC-90 ..............................90 min @ 2.4 cm/sec  
180 min @ 1.2 cm/sec  
Wow and Flutter..........Less than 0.3% @ 2.4 cm/sec  
Erase System .................Permanent Magnet Erasing  
Record System ............................................. DC Bias  
Power Requirements ..................... 2 AA Batteries, or  
120 V AC (With Optional AC Adapter), or  
3 V DC (With Optional DC Adapter)  
Battery Life*:  
Alkaline Batteries ................................12 Hours  
Nickel-Cadmium Batteries.....................9 Hours  
Dimensions (HWD).................. 51/16 × 1 × 25/8 Inches  
(129 × 25.4 × 67 mm)  
Weight...............................................................5.8 oz  
(164 g)  
* Battery life varies depending on temperature,  
usage patterns, and other conditions.  
Specifications are typical; individual units might vary.  
Specifications are subject to change and improve-  
ment without notice.  
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Limited Ninety-Day Warranty  
This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in mate-  
rial and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from the date of pur-  
chase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack  
franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack  
MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, IN-  
CLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICU-  
LAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE  
WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PRO-  
VIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBIL-  
ITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT  
TO ANY LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY  
BY USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY  
BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY  
DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF TIME, DATA,  
PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDEN-  
TAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN AD-  
VISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  
Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or  
the exclusion of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or  
exclusions may not apply to you.  
In the event of a product defect during the warranty period, take the product and  
the RadioShack sales receipt as proof of purchase date to any RadioShack store.  
RadioShack will, at its option, unless otherwise provided by law: (a) correct the  
defect by product repair without charge for parts and labor; (b) replace the prod-  
uct with one of the same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase price. All re-  
placed parts and products, and products on which a refund is made, become the  
property of RadioShack. 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.  
This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to  
acts of God, abuse, accident, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, failure to fol-  
low instructions, improper installation or maintenance, alteration, lightning or  
other incidence of excess voltage or current; (b) any repairs other than those pro-  
vided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as  
fuses or batteries; (d) cosmetic damage; (e) transportation, shipping or insurance  
costs; or (f) costs of product removal, installation, set-up service adjustment or  
reinstallation.  
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights  
which vary from state to state.  
RadioShack Customer Relations, Dept. W,  
100 Throckmorton St., Suite 600, Fort Worth, TX 76102  
3/97  
We Service What We Sell  
RadioShack  
A Division of Tandy Corporation  
Fort Worth, Texas 76102  
7A7  
Printed in Hong Kong  
 

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