I recorded a very important hour-long conversation with this cute little Digital Voice Recorder. After downloading the software, all the little trial recordings I did work just FINE. The one big file doesn't play: it just gives me the little error message "bad file format".

It will playback on the machine itself, just not on my COMPUTER, not with the software (and THEREFORE I also can't convert the file to .exe or .wav) I'm stuck with it on the recorder.

Any ideas how to fix the file?

Right click the file, go to "Properties" and under "Type Of File" tell us exactly what it says there.

When I right click on the file from inside the DVM software I don't get the properties option. When I do so from windows explorer it says "VOC file"

And now I think I may have a clue about how I messed this up in the first place. When I first did the software install I had that explorer window open and I right clicked and renamed the file. Then I tried to open it from inside the software and got the bad file message.

Now I just made it worse (YIKES! -- maybe I should RATE myself "just familiar enough to really MESS things up if left on my own" or "only familiar enough to follow directions, but shouldn't be let loose inside a right click") -- from explorer I re-renamed it back to the original name. Now it doesn't even show up in the software! It's still visible when that folder is viewed from explorer, and it still is a VOC file when I right click and look at properties. What exact file did you rename?I renamed a file called "A0000007.VOC" to "AHA081008.VOC" and then to simply "AHA.VOC" It was in a folder "A" on the machine (still is, when I look with explorer.)

The other folders on the machine are "B" "C" "D" and "Setup" Did you actually renamed that file, when it was still on Digital Voice Recorder, or when you moved it to your computer?I actually renamed it using explorer while it was still on the recorder, and it's still there. I haven't yet moved it to the computer. I guess I could copy it to the computer using explorer... shall I? Copy it to your hard drive.
VOC files should open with WinAmp, and dBpoweramp decoder.It won't copy. I get an error saying "cannot copy: the file or directory is corrupted or unreadable"

And now I can no longer find it and play it from the recorder itself.

[Yikes!}Voice recorders and Music players really need to leave the immature room of proprietary software. This sounds just as bad as the Apple format restrictions.


Okay, when you plug the device into your computer, it appears in My Computer, right?
And you are able to browse the folders and see files?

If this audio file isnt important, I would reformat the device if your are unable to read data from it, also make sure that any "Read-Only" switches (or locks) are off.

Also, download this:
http://filehippo.com/download_klite_codec_pack/
This is a codecs pack that should allow your normal players to open just about any audio/video file... Thanks, Zylstra, I share your sentiments!

This is a very important file -- I spent a lot of time, money and airplane travel to have it.

I don't want to lose it -- how can I recover it?

I know no one has posted anything on here for a while, but the product continues to be produced. And, thus, the issue persists (that's how I found out about this forum).

Anyway, I am on my fourth recorder, and all of them have had the "Bad Format" issue. So, I called several telephone support numbers for RCA. Finally, I was referred to the official support line for Digital Voice Recorders (DVR's):

AudioVox (RCA company):
800-894-0956

I spoke to a customer 'support' representative (I'll leave nameless since they only go on first name basis, anyway, without offering any further identifying information). She was helpful to the degree that she admitted there was nothing anyone could do but reformat their recorder.

She said there were a million things that could have created this problem (not safely removing recorder from PC, etc). Of the things that a user could be blamed for, not one I did. Her response was that AudioVox/RCA has no control over this issue and "like a virus" will just happen. Once a file is corrupted, there is NOTHING you can do to retrieve the file.

I asked why they continue to produce the product when they know the problem persists. Her response is that is doesn't happen to 'everybody'. But it's happened to me on every single recorder that I, and colleagues, have purchased, coincidentally.

RCA (AudioVox) is quite aware of the issue. From what I gathered from the customer support person, there is nothing nor anything they will do to fix the persistent problem. If the item is still under warranty, and you have your receipt, you can send copies of everything, pay the shipping and send the product to them. I don't know what happens from there.

In my opinion, the product, when it works, works fantastically well. But if you are depending on these recordings for your livelihood and it starts producing the "Bad File Format" error persistently like it has for me on several recorders, it is a nightmare product since the recordings are far more valuable than the recorder.

Be clear, other than reformatting your recorder and losing all your recorded material, I was told there is nothing I could do if you receive a bad file format error. Nothing.

Sadly, I got the impression that the representative just did not really care.I have the same problem with the bad file format but Mine goes beyond that

made My own thread as ordered This is 3 months old topic.
Start your own thread...