Denpa MP38 and Ultradisk DVR-1 recorders

Denpa MP38 and Ultradisk DVR-1 recorders

These two recorders have identical adapters to connect to the phone.



The line connector is removed from the phone and plugged into the adapter and the supplied cable then connects the adapter to the phone. The audio cable connects the adapter to the recorder.

The basic operation of the two recorders is the same. Both need to be turned on by pressing a button for 2-3 seconds. On the Denpa recorder, you have to then press the 'file' button and wait for the file menu to open and then press record. The unbranded one doesn't have this extra step but you just press record.


Both recorders power off if not in use so they have to be turned on each time - before the phone is answered.

The denpa recorder uses 1xAAA battery and can (in thoery) be powered from the USB lead although I couldn't get this to work. The Ultradisk recorder uses 2xAAA batteries and can be powered from the USB lead although the USB functioallity is lost until you disconnect and then reconnect.

Both recorders look like a memory stick to the PC and you can download the recorder file to the PC. Having said that, the Denpa device requires USB 2.0 which is usually only available on later PCs. The Ultradisk works quite happily on USB 1.1.

Both recorders time and date stamp the files (although I haven't yet discoverd how to set the data and time on the Ultradisk - it thinks it is 2006!). Both have voice-activated recording but I don't recommend this as it will lead to conversations being split over several files and will mess up the time and date stamping.

Both are available at under £30.