I must be the unluckiest person, with recording equipment

Ok, so the sound monitoring equipment broke down, again, a week in my custody.

Using my iPhone doesn't bring about satisfactory results.

My dictaphone machine won't work. Changed batteries, but when pressing play and record, the tape doesn't run. No decent batteries in stock, in case that was the problem.

Lightbulb over head moment. Aha, my old video recorder. Pulled out every bit of the cupboard where last seen, realised it was elsewhere. Pulled bag out triumphantly. Both batteries dead as a dodo, and the power adaptor lead nowhere to be found!!!

During all this time, the bloke out with the bike had the radio going, and I wanted to record it.

Arrgghhhhhhh!!!!! (That's a scream of frustration, in case you hadn't guessed.)

Re: I must be the unluckiest person, with recording equipment

Funny Jazzi when i moved to my current abode, the lass next door a Nurse was similar to yourself, anything technology based just seemed doomed in her hands. Being a sparky i was all her prayers answered.

Her classic was my TV has stopped working, after checking all i could i asked her what she was doing, so going through the motions she used her remote it did nothing.

Removing the back the batteries were leaking everywhere, she had never changed them ever. "Theres your problem sez me", "can i take it back and ask them to replace it sez her".

She spent several months with live wires within 2 feet of her bed after she got someone to alter some switches and did without bedside lights cos he had not a clue. Dread to think what she could have done to mobile phones and computers.

Re: I must be the unluckiest person, with recording equipment

electricity is so safe when all wrapped up isn't it! My daughter in law was cooking some soup on my stove last year - she had filled up the pot to the very top [unbeknown to me!] - it boiled over on an electrical stove - wet the wires beneath and the safety switch kicked in and all electricity in the house shut off - unfortunately this was 6am in the morning and we were then left looking for torches and candles. trouble was all the family were preparing for a plane flight in one hours time!

took me a few hrs to realize what had happened and switch on three quarters of the electricity and let the oven wires dry out without power!

Re: I must be the unluckiest person, with recording equipment

My first wife was like that, anything electrical would break in her custody. Personally my electrical stuff rarely breaks down until well after its use by date (my chest freezer is over 30 years old).

One tip - when you buy a new piece of electronic gear leave it on for 24 hours. If it is going to fail it will most likely fail in that period.

Oh yes, things that are left on all the time generally last longer than things that are turned on and off.

Most equipment has a reliability graph like a bath tub.


When the curve starts to rise at the end of its life you replace it.