Converting Voice Data Recorder VOC Files to MP3 Files

[RRFaraday]

We represent a local historical society. We purchased an RCA digital voice recorder to record oral history interviews of the elderly people in our community. We quickly found out that VOC files stink. Would prefer to learn how to convert them to WAV or MP3 files and then edit them - cut, clip, excerpt, delete dead spaces, etc. If anyone can find it in their heart to help us please let me know. We're not knowledgeable in audio editing, so please keep that in mind. Is Audacity the tool we need to learn or are we in the wrong spot?

Thank you so much,
Ron from The Greater Pittston Historical Society

[kozikowski]

We quickly found out that VOC files stink.

Probably in the right place, but why do you think they stink? That gets our attention because the quality of the sound is never going to get any better than the capture. You can't open a ratty voice file in Audacity and magically have it sound like Glenn Glen Sound Studios. It doesn't work that way -- and recording "straight" voice is a lot harder than every one thinks. Those NPR radio interviews and PBS specials go to significant extra effort to make the sound come out right.

Install Audacity the normal way and also install the FFMpeg software. FFMpeg is the software that greatly expands Audacity's ability to open different sound files.

http://audacityteam.org/download/windows

I don't remember if there was anything magic about VOC files. Somebody else will jump in.

Koz

[kozikowski]

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=639

Koz

[Gale Andrews]

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=639

That topic gives no answer about converting RCA VOC files (except perhaps on Linux if you can compile source code).

Audacity can import Creative VOC files through libsndfile (that is, without FFmpeg).

Audacity cannot import RCA VOC files even with FFmpeg. It's a proprietary format starting with the header "VCP162_VOC_File".

@RRFaraday: Are you sure the recorder does not have a conversion tool? If not you could try this official RCA converter tool http://download.rcaaudiovideo.com/downl ... _v3.24.exe but it hangs when converting the sample RCA VOC files I have to WAV.

The only "simple" converter I know for sure that will work on a modern system (Mac or Windows) is http://www.bigasoft.com/articles/how-to ... 3-wav.html . It has a five minute file limitation unless you buy it, though.


Gale

[Robert2]

You stand the best chances with the Freemake Free Audio Converter. It supports VOC file conversion. It is available from http://www.freemake.com/free_audio_converter/

You could also have a look at the RCA download page at http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/downloads/ Maybe they have some download available for your particular recorder?

Alternatively, you might want to try your luck with the following free utilities:

http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/voc2wav.zip
http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/twave21.zip
http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/waveit.zip
http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/wham133.zip

[Gale Andrews]

You stand the best chances with the Freemake Free Audio Converter. It supports VOC file conversion. It is available from http://www.freemake.com/free_audio_converter/

You could also have a look at the RCA download page at http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/downloads/ Maybe they have some download available for your particular recorder?

Alternatively, you might want to try your luck with the following free utilities:

http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/voc2wav.zip
http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/twave21.zip
http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/waveit.zip
http://www.musicloops.com/utilities/wham133.zip

Thanks Robert2.

I know voc2wav is a 16-bit application, so will only work on 32-bit Windows, not 64-bit.

Also Freemake doesn't open the RCA VOC files I downloaded from http://www.cybercom.net/~dcoffin/rca/rp5022b_sample.zip . Does it perhaps only open Creative VOC?

Anyway, I've found better solutions now.

devoc32.exe (32-bit so runs on 64-bit Windows): https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=2251e6d0 ... 58488A!412 . You can just drag the VOC file onto the devoc32.exe to convert to WAV.

NCH Switch ("free for home use") also uses a "devoc.exe" and can convert from RCA VOC to WAV on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows. I have not tested the Mac version of Switch.


Gale

[JD4x4]

Don't know if this is still problematic for the o.p., but
the RCA .voc format is not the same as that for Creative Labs.
According to Audiovox (they made the unit for RCA it appears) if you record in HQ mode the files will be in WAV format., and

Also, the Windows RCA Audio file manager can convert the .voc files to .wav and the free download is at:
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/search/?ks ... #downloads

The info on HQ being a wav format came from here:
http://voxrightnow.custhelp.com/app/ans ... kw/RP5022B

Hope this helps. These are nice little recorders for voice, imo.

[Gale Andrews]

the Windows RCA Audio file manager can convert the .voc files to .wav and the free download is at: http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/search/?ks ... #downloads

Does it work for you? It does not understand the RCA VOC files from http://www.cybercom.net/~dcoffin/rca/rp5022b_sample.zip .

I notice the WAV files it offers to produce are 4-bit ADPCM, not standard 16-bit PCM.

Thanks for information on HQ quality.


Gale