New! Forum

We’ve tried to provide answers to the most common questions here. If you have a question that isn’t covered here, please let us know via the Feedback page.

• Can I order by phone or pay by bank transfer?
• Can I connect a pair of loudspeakers or my own headset?
• Can I use rechargeable batteries?
• Can I build my own audio field-guide from CDs and my own recordings?
• Why can’t I use one of the many other digital recorders on the market?
• Will it fit on to my binoculars?
• What if it rains?
• I don’t get on well with computers - will I be able to use it?
• What happens if the batteries run out? Will I lose my recordings?
• How much will it hold?
• Does it use speech recognition technology?
• Can I use it with my laptop and desktop computers?

Can I order by phone or pay by bank transfer?

Certainly. We can’t promise to be available immediately when you call but if you leave your number we’ll get back to you to take your credit card details. You can also transfer money direct to our bank account. Just email us with details of what you want to order and we’ll send you the necessary bank details. In this case, we’ll ship as soon as we can after receiving your payment.

Can I connect a pair of loudspeakers or my own headset?

Yes. Most speakers and headphones have a 3.5mm stereo plug. The RememBird has a 2.5mm mono socket. We provide an adapter lead that will connect the output from RememBird to both speakers giving you more volume than if you simply use a standard 2.5mm to 3.5mm converter lead.

Can I user rechargeable batteries?

Yes - but make sure you have high capacity ones. Until quite recently most rechargeable AAAs only held 250mAh. It’s now possible to buy 1000mAh ones which last almost as long as good disposable ones.

Can I build my own audio field-guide from CDs and my own recordings?

Yes - As of Version 2.0 the PC/Mac software includes a Wizard than helps you to make your own library from CDs, tapes or any other source of WAV or mp3 files. If you have an older version, the application will update itself from our web-site for free when you next use it if you are online at the time. See an example of the Custom Audio field-guide wizard here.

Why can’t I use one of the many other digital recorders on the market?

You can. RememBird’s inventor did so for several years before becoming so frustrated with the way they operated that he designed RememBird. Click here to see the major differences.

Will it fit on to my binoculars?

If you have a modern pair of roof-prism binoculars, it should fit quite well. Click here to see how it fits several of the leading brands. Or you can hang it from the supplied wrist-strap or keep it in your pocket if you don’t like it being attached to your bins.

What if it rains?

The unit is naturally sheltered beneath your bin’s but is also designed to be quite rugged and used in the rain - unlike most other digital recorders. However, you should still try to keep it as dry as you keep your binoculars.

I don’t get on well with computers - will I be able to use it?

The software is designed so that you need to do next to nothing with it. The author has spent many years writing programs for computer-phobes. If you can read e-mail you’re over-qualified for RememBird.

What happens if the battery runs out? Will I lose my recordings?

No. Simply replace the battery. Your recordings are stored in “flash” memory, the same as digital cameras use and won’t be lost just because the battery goes flat. The unit also includes a circuit that lets you change the battery in the field without even having to reset the clock inside the recorder. The recorder uses a standard AAA battery - available just about everywhere.

How much will it hold?

See the Recorder Spec page for the technical details. The built in memory provides enough capacity for several days of normal birding in the field and even the smallest memory card holds enough for two or three days of serious birding by most people - so you shouldn’t need to empty it into your laptop or PC/Mac if you’re off for a bank holiday weekend but if going on a week’s serious birding holiday you might want to buy a larger capacity card or take more than one card with you.

Does it use speech recognition technology?

No - it’s an audio recorder. You can type in additional information as you review the recordings on your PC/Mac but the recorder does not try to interpret what you said. Anyone who has tried speech recognition tools will know that they are not accurate enough yet to give any benefit over manual entry.

Can I use it with my laptop and desktop computers?

Yes - you may install the application on your laptop and desktop. Your recordings and annotations are stored in a single database file which you can copy from one to the other - but be careful not to overwrite the latest one with an older one. Also ensure that the application is closed down before you copy the file. On a PC with default Windows setup, this database file is C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\RememBird\db\RememBird.dat (where “<username>” is the name of the account you logged into Windows with.