The information on this page deals with obtaining and configuring the hardware and software required to record phone calls. Topics include:

• Connecting your Phone to the PC
• Home and Small Office Environments
• Digital Phone Office Environments
• Download and Purchase Dictation Buddy
• Purchase Dictation Buddy and a Phone Call Recording Adaptor Bundle
• Other Devices for Connecting your Phone to your PC
• Testing Your Hardware Setup

Home and Small Office Environments

When recording phone conversations onto a PC, you must have a connection that will route the telephone conversation into the PC's sound card. The CRD-110 recording adaptor from High Criteria will address this requirement in any home environment and in most small offices where analog phones are used.

One side of the CRD-110 recording adaptor has a standard telephone jack connection (RJ11) and must be plugged into an extension of the line to be recorded. The other side of the CRD-110 has a standard 1/8 inch audio jack (male) and must be plugged into the PC's sound card. We recommend that you try both the Line-in and the mic sound card inputs, to determine which provides the best sound quality. Be sure to specify the appropriate input (Line-in or Mic), in the Dictation Buddy View=>Options=>Recording Window.

Because the CRD-110 recording adaptor acts like an extension line, it will hear and record all conversations that take place on the phone line, from any extension. It will also work with cordless phones.

You may order CRD-110 recording adaptors from this web site, at the same time that you purchase your license for Dictation Buddy. Follow this link for more information on the purchase of CRD-110 adaptors with your Dictation Buddy software.

Once the phone to PC connection has been made, Dictation Buddy should be installed and configured. When initially setting up, you must specify either Microphone or Line-in as the recording input source. This must correspond to the socket was chosen for the CRD-110 on the sound card.

Digital Phone Office Environments

In large offices where digital phone systems are in use, we recommend the ACS Recording Jack for connecting your phones into the PC's sound card. In order to use the ACS Recording Jack, your phone must have a wired connection between the base unit and the handset and this wire must have standard base/handset connections. Note that the ACS Recording Jack will not work with a cordless phone or with a phone that does not allow the handset to be unplugged from the base unit.

We recommend that you try both the Line-in and the mic sound card inputs, to determine which provides the best sound quality. Be sure to specify the appropriate input (Line-in or Mic), in the Dictation Buddy View=>Options=>Recording Window.

You may order ACS Recording Jacks from High Criteria Inc. Please contact us for further information on the purchase of ACS Recording Jack devices.

Once the phone to PC connection has been made, Dictation Buddy should be installed and configured. When initially setting up, you must specify either Microphone or Line-in as the recording input source. This must correspond to the socket was chosen for the ACS Recording Jack on the sound card.

Download and Purchase Options

No-cost evaluation copies of Dictation Buddy are available for download by clicking on the following links. The evaluation copies are fully functional versions of the program, that will expire in 30 days. For ongoing product use, you must purchase a Dictation Buddy license.

Dictation Buddy works on Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000 and XP.

Note that the V2.2B release is a maintenance release for V2.2. It contains a number of minor fixes, but does not contain any new features.

The Alternate Currencies link is available, in case you experience any problem with the primary payment link. The Alternate Currencies link uses another payment processing company called ShareIt. ShareIt has offices in both Europe and the U.S. ShareIt accepts the same credit cards as the primary link and offers payments in a number of currencies including Euros and U.S. dollars. You may also purchase multiple licenses using the Alternate Currencies link.

If you pay by credit card using the secure online order form, your license code is instantly e-mailed to you (e-mail address is required). Otherwise, you can mail us a check and have your registration code mailed to you.

Purchase Dictation Buddy Software and Phone Call Recording Adaptor Bundle

High Criteria offers a Dictation Buddy License and a Phone Call Recording Adaptor (for connecting your phone to the sound card on your PC) for sale in a package. The purchase price for the package is $139.95 US, which includes ground shipping anywhere in North America. Follow the link below, to purchase the Bundle online by Credit Card. You will get your registration code instantly by completing our online secure credit card order form (E-mail address is required).

Purchase Dictation Buddy and Phone Call Recording Adaptor
Online by Credit Card.

To Purchase Multiple Software Licenses, you may contact High Criteria by email or call 705-740-0469.

Other Devices for Connecting your Phone to your PC

There are many other devices on the market that can route the telephone conversation into the PC's sound card. Dictation Buddy will work with all of these devices, provided that they direct a clean sound stream to the sound card input jack. Other devices are available from companies like Radio Shack, TTSystems, Dynametric Inc and others. If you want to use any of these other devices, we suggest that you purchase them from a reputable dealer and understand their return policy, prior to actually making a purchase.

Testing Your Hardware Setup

This section describes how you can test your hardware setup, to determine if it is impacting your ability to use Dictation Buddy.

In order to perform this test, you should have a sound card installed in your PC, speakers and you should have an input device, such as:

• a microphone, or
• a telephone, with the appropriate phone connection (see above for details)

You should then connect the input device into either the mic or line-in jack of the sound card.

Testing Using Windows Volume Control

Go to Start==>Programs==>Accessories==>Entertainment==>Volume Control. You should see both the Line-In and Microphone controls in the Volume Control user interface. If not, go to Options==>Properties and specify that the volume controls should be shown for these two input sources. Make sure that neither one of these sources is "Muted".

Send a sound stream from the originating device (mic or call-corder). Adjust the volume on the appropriate device. You should hear the sound stream coming out of the PC's speakers (watch out for feed-back!). If the sound is garbled, try the other sound card input jack (for example, line-in, instead of mic).

If your speakers provide good quality playback through one of the sound card input jacks, then Dictation Buddy will record these sounds. If you cannot obtain good quality playback through either input jack, then there is a problem with your PC's hardware setup. This problem must be resolved before our software can perform viable recording.

Testing Using Windows Sound Recorder

Another way to test your hardware setup, is to use the Windows Sound Recorder. This is an optional application that may have been installed when the Windows Operating System was installed on your PC. If it was installed, you may access it by going to Start==>Programs==>Accessories==>Entertainment==>Sound Recorder. The Windows Sound Recorder will allow you to record for up to one minute. If you are having difficulty with Dictation Buddy, try recording with the Windows Sound Recorder. If you cannot obtain a good quality recording with the Windows Sound Recorder, then there is a problem with your PC's hardware setup. This problem must be resolved before Dictation Buddy can perform viable recording.

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