43-473.fm Page 1 Friday, August 13, 1999 9:21 AM
Cat. No. 43-473
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
TCR-200
Telephone Cassette Recorder
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READ THIS BEFORE
INSTALLATION
Warning: To reduce the risk of
fire or shock hazard, do not ex-
pose this product to rain or mois-
ture.
Each device that you connect to the
phone line draws power from the phone
line. We refer to this power draw as the
device’s ringer equivalence number, or
REN. The REN is on the bottom of your
telephone cassette recorder.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.
!
DO NOT OPEN.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE-
ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC-
ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
If you are using more than one device
on the line, add up all the RENs. If the
total is more than five, your phone might
not ring and your telephone cassette re-
corder might not record. In rural areas, a
total REN of three might impair ringer
operation. If ringer operation is impaired,
disconnect one of the devices from the
line.
This symbol is intended to alert you to
the presence of uninsulated danger-
ous voltage within the product’s enclo-
sure that might be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of elec-
tric shock. Do not open the product’s
case.
This symbol is intended to inform you
that important operating and mainte-
nance instructions are included in the
literature accompanying this product.
FCC STATEMENT
!
Your telephone cassette recorder com-
plies with Part 68 of FCC Rules. You
must, upon request, provide the FCC
registration number and the REN to your
phone company. Both numbers are on
the bottom of your telephone cassette
recorder.
Note: You must not connect your tele-
phone cassette recorder to:
• coin-operated systems
• party-line systems
• most electronic key phone systems
3
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CONTENTS
Preparation .............................................................................................................. 5
Connecting Power .............................................................................................. 5
Using AC Power ........................................................................................... 5
Using Battery Power .................................................................................... 5
Installation ............................................................................................................... 6
Connecting Directly to the Phone Line ............................................................... 6
Connecting to A Phone ....................................................................................... 6
Using an Earphone ............................................................................................. 7
Listening Safely ............................................................................................ 7
Operation ................................................................................................................. 8
Setting the Beep ................................................................................................. 8
Loading a Cassette Tape .................................................................................... 8
Recording a Phone Conversation ....................................................................... 8
Setting the Record Mode ............................................................................. 9
Setting the Sensitivity Level ......................................................................... 9
Setting the Recording Speed ..................................................................... 10
Listening While You Record ....................................................................... 10
Regular Recording ............................................................................................ 10
Playing a Tape .................................................................................................. 11
Fast-Forward and Rewind .......................................................................... 11
Using the Tape Counter ............................................................................. 11
Care and Maintenance .......................................................................................... 12
Tape Tips and Techniques ................................................................................ 13
Preventing Accidental Erasure ................................................................... 13
Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality ............................................... 13
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ............................................................. 14
The FCC Wants You to Know ........................................................................... 14
Lightning ........................................................................................................... 14
4
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PREPARATION
Using Battery Power
CONNECTING POWER
Your telephone cassette recorder can
use four AA batteries (not supplied) for
power. For the best performance and
longest life, we recommend alkaline bat-
teries, such as Cat. No. 23-552.
Using AC Power
You can power your telephone cassette
recorder from AC power using an op-
tional AC adapter, such as RadioShack
Cat. No. 273-1662.
Follow these steps to install batteries.
CAUTION
Caution: You must use a 120V AC/6V
DC adapter that delivers at least 300
milliamps. Its center tip must be set to
negative, and its plug must properly fit
ALWAYS DISCONNEC
LINES FROM THE WA
SERVICING OR DISA
EQUIPMENT, OR REP
+
+
+
+
DC 6V
the TCR-200’s
jack. The recom-
mended adapter meets these require-
ments. Using an adapter that does not
meet these requirements could damage
the telephone cassette recorder or the
adapter.
1. Press the battery compartment
cover’s tab and lift off the cover.
2. Insert the batteries into the compart-
ment, as indicated by the polarity
symbols (+ and –) marked inside the
compartment.
Follow these steps to connect your tele-
phone cassette recorder to AC power.
3. Replace the cover.
MIC
EAR
DC 6V 300ma
TEL
OFF ON
VOX NORM
STD EXT
SPEED
MONITOR
REC MODE
Caution: Do not mix old and new batter-
ies, different types of batteries (stan-
dard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or
rechargeable batteries of different ca-
pacities.
1. Set the AC adapter’s voltage switch
to 6V.
2. Insert the 5.5 mm outer diameter/
2.1 mm inner diameter barrel plug
into the adapter’s cord to read TIP –.
Replace the batteries when the record-
ing indicator dims.
3. Insert the plug into the telephone
DC 6V
cassette recorder’s
jack.
4. Plug the adapter into a standard AC
outlet.
5
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INSTALLATION
You can connect the telephone cassette
recorder directly to the phone line or a
single phone. Select a location for your
telephone cassette recorder that is out
of the way of normal activities.
CONNECTING TO
A PHONE
You can use the supplied handset
adapter to connect the telephone cas-
sette recorder to the same phone you
plan to talk on. When connected this
way, the recorder only records the
phone conversations on that phone.
CONNECTING DIRECTLY
TO THE PHONE LINE
When connected to the phone line, the
recorder records phone conversations
on any phone on that line. Follow these
steps to connect the telephone cassette
recorder to the phone line.
Important: The law in some areas re-
quires that all parties on the phone line
be able to hear a beep indicating the
conversation is being recorded. If you
connect the telephone cassette recorder
to your phone using the supplied dual-
prong cord and handset adapter, all par-
ties on the phone line might not hear a
beep during recording.
MIC
EAR
DC 6V 300ma
TEL
OFF ON
VOX NORM
STD EXT
SPEED
MONITOR
REC MODE
We recommend you check the laws in
your area. If it is unlawful to record with-
out a beep sounding, or if you are un-
sure, connect the telephone cassette
recorder as described in “Connecting Di-
rectly to the Phone Line” to ensure the
beep will sound.
Dual-Prong Cord
1. Plug the supplied dual-prong cord
into the recorder’s TEL jacks.
2. Insert the dual-prong cord’s modular
plug into a modular phone line jack.
Note: The RadioShack Cat. No. 279-
357 adapter might be required for some
installations.
Notes:
• If the phone line jack is not a
modular jack, you must update
the wiring. You can convert the
wiring yourself, using jacks and
adapters available at your local
RadioShack store, or you can let
the phone company update the
wiring for you.
1. Plug the supplied dual-prong cord
into the recorder’s TEL jacks.
2. Insert the dual-prong cord’s modular
plug and the phone’s handset cord
into the handset adapter.
• The USOC number of the jack to
be installed is RJ11C.
6
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H
Handset Cord
MIC
EAR
DC 6V 300mA
TEL
OFF ON
VOX NORM
STD EXT
SPEED
MONITOR
REC MODE
Handset Adapter
MIC
EAR
DC 6V 300ma
OFF ON
VOX NORM
STD EXT
SPEED
MONITOR
REC MODE
d
Dual-Prong Cord
Note: The speaker automatically dis-
connects when you plug in an earphone.
Note: Plug the dual-prong cord’s
plug into the larger modular jack and
the handset cord’s plug into the
smaller jack.
Listening Safely
3. Insert the handset adapter into the
telephone’s modular handset jack.
To protect your hearing, follow these
guidelines when you use an earphone.
Handset Cord
• Do not listen at extremely high vol-
ume levels. Extended high-volume
listening can lead to permanent
hearing loss.
Handset Adapter
• Set the volume to its lowest level
before you begin listening. After you
put on the earphone, adjust the vol-
ume to a comfortable listening level.
MIC
EAR
DC 6V 300ma
OFF ON
VOX NORM
STD EXT
SPEED
MONITOR
REC MODE
Dual-Prong Cord
• Do not increase the volume once
you have established a comfortable
listening level. Over time, your ears
adapt to the volume level, so a vol-
ume level that does not cause dis-
comfort might still damage your
hearing.
USING AN EARPHONE
To connect an earphone (not supplied),
1
insert the earphone’s /8-inch plug into
EAR
the
jack on the back of the tele-
phone cassette recorder. You can find a
wide selection of earphones at your lo-
cal RadioShack store.
7
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OPERATION
2. Press STOP/EJECT to open the cas-
sette compartment door. Put the
cassette in the compartment with
the cassette’s open edge facing you
and the full reel on the left.
SETTING THE BEEP
You can set the telephone cassette re-
corder to beep every 15 seconds while
recording.
Note: You might be legally required to
set BEEP TONE to ON when recording,
so all parties know the conversation is
being recorded. Check the laws in your
area.
3. Close the door.
1. Remove the battery compartment
cover and remove the batteries, if
installed.
Notes:
• You can buy cassettes of varying
lengths at your local RadioShack
store.
2. Set BEEP TONE to ON. The tele-
phone cassette recorder beeps ev-
ery 15 seconds while recording.
ALWAYS DISCONNECT ALL TELEPHONE
SERVICING OR DSASSEMBLNG THIS
EQUIPMENT, OR REPLACING BATTERIES.
• Replace the tape at least once a
year, or more often if it is used
heavily.
+
- - -
DC 6V
---
(UM/SUM-3) X4
+
BEEP TONE
ON
+
OFF
---
+
RECORDING A PHONE
CONVERSATION
3. Replace the batteries and the cover.
You can record both sides of a conver-
sation on any phone connected to the
same phone line as the recorder.
LOADING A CASSETTE
TAPE
1. Set REC MODE, the sensitivity level,
SPEED, and MONITOR to the desired
settings. (See “Setting the Record
Mode” on Page 9, “Setting the Sen-
sitivity Level” on Page 9, “Setting
the Recording Speed” on Page 10,
and “Listening While You Record”
on Page 10.)
Follow these steps to install a cassette
tape (not supplied) in the recorder.
1. Turn the cassette’s hub with a pencil
to take up any tape slack.
8
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2. Press RECORD. Both RECORD and
PLAY lock down. When RECORD is
pressed down, every call made or
received is recorded.
Setting the Record Mode
When REC MODE is set to VOX, the re-
corder begins recording when it receives
sound through the microphone or phone
line, and stops recording when it does
not receive sound for about 5 seconds.
Notes:
• If you set REC MODE to VOX,
when both parties are silent for
about 5 seconds, the recorder
stops recording until someone
starts speaking again.
DC 6V 300mA
STD EXT
VOX NORM
OFF ON
MONITOR
REC MODE
• The VOLUME setting does not
affect the recording level.
Set REC MODE to NORM to record con-
tinuously until the tape reaches the end
or you press STOP/EJECT.
• VU/LEVEL flashes during record-
ing.
Setting the Sensitivity Level
VU
LEVEL
0 0 0
MIC
When you set REC MODE to VOX, you
must set the sensitivity level located on
the bottom of the recorder. H (high) is
the most sensitive setting and requires
only a soft sound to begin recording. L
(low) is the least sensitive setting and
requires a louder sound to begin record-
ing. If the tape does not stop after about
5 seconds of silence, set SENSITIVITY to
TCR-200 VOICE ACTIVATED
TELEPHONE CASSETTE RECORDER
• To temporarily stop recording,
press PAUSE. To resume record-
ing, press PAUSE again.
REVIEW
CUE
PLAY
REWIND
FAST-F
STOP/EJECT
PAUSE
RECORD
M (medium) or L (low).
SENSITIVITY
L
M
H
CAUTION
• If the tape reaches the end during
recording, it automatically
a
releases RECORD and PLAY, and
stops.
ALWAYS DISCONNECT ALL TELEPHONE
LINES FROM THE WALL OUTLETS BEFORE
SERVICING OR DISASSEMBLING THIS
3. To stop recording, press STOP/
EJECT.
9
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Setting the Recording Speed
REGULAR RECORDING
Set SPEED to EXT (extended) to record
at a slower speed and a lower quality
than regular speed, but extend the re-
cording time. Tapes recorded with
SPEED set to EXT must be played back
with the recorder set to EXT.
You can use your telephone cassette re-
corder as a regular cassette recorder for
recording dictation or conversations. For
regular recording, be sure the dual-
prong cord is not plugged in.
Set REC MODE to NORM for continuous
recording, then press RECORD. Both
RECORD and PLAY lock down. Then
speak into the built-in microphone from
a distance of about 12 inches.
Set SPEED to STD (standard) to record
at regular speed. When you record with
SPEED set to STD, you can play back
the tape on this recorder (with SPEED
set to STD) or any other cassette tape
player.
REVIEW
CUE
PLAY
REWIND
FAST-F
STOP/EJECT
PAUSE
RECORD
DC 6V 300mA
STD EXT
VOX NORM
OFF ON
MONITOR
REC MODE
Note: To temporarily stop recording,
press PAUSE. To resume recording,
press PAUSE again.
Listening While You Record
Set MONITOR to ON to listen to a conver-
sation through the telephone cassette
recorder’s speaker as it is being record-
ed. Slide VOLUME to a comfortable lis-
tening level.
To stop recording, press STOP/EJECT.
DC 6V 300mA
STD EXT
VOX NORM
OFF ON
Note: While you record your own phone
conversation, set MONITOR to OFF. Oth-
erwise, it might cause a high-pitched
tone to sound through your telephone
handset or through the telephone cas-
sette recorder’s speaker.
10
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Note: The recorder automatically stops
when it reaches the end of the tape.
PLAYING A TAPE
SPEED
1. Set
to the desired tape
speed (see “Setting the Recording
Speed” on Page 10).
Using the Tape Counter
PLAY
. Playback begins.
2. Press
Note: Press
stop the tape while you play it. Press
You can use the tape counter to mark
positions on a cassette tape during re-
cording or playback. Before you play a
cassette tape, rewind the cassette tape
and press the button to the right of the
tape counter to set it to 000. As the cas-
sette tape moves, the counter advanc-
es. Note the tape counter reading at the
position you want to return to later.
PAUSE
to temporarily
PAUSE
again to resume play.
VOLUME
3. Adjust
to a comfortable lis-
tening level.
STOP/EJECT
4. Press
to stop play. If
the cassette tape plays to the end,
the cassette deck automatically
PLAY
releases
and stops.
VU
LEVEL
0 0 0
MIC
Fast-Forward and Rewind
REVIEW
CUE
PLAY
REWIND
FAST-F
STOP/EJECT
PAUSE
RECORD
TCR-200 VOICE ACTIVATED
TELEPHONE CASSETTE RECORDER
CUE/
When the tape is stopped, press
FAST-F
to wind the tape rapidly forward
REVIEW/REWIND
or
to wind the tape rap-
STOP/EJECT
idly backward. Press
stop the tape.
to
CUE/FAST-F
During play, hold down
or
REVIEW/REWIND
to hear playback as
the tape fast-forwards or rewinds to find
desired locations on a tape quickly.
When you release the button, the tele-
phone cassette recorder returns to nor-
mal speed.
11
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CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Your TCR-200 Telephone Cassette Recorder is an example of superior design and
craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your telephone cas-
sette recorder so you can enjoy it for years.
Keep the telephone cassette recorder dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry im-
mediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electron-
ic circuits.
Use and store the telephone cassette recorder only in normal temper-
ature environments. Temperature extremes can shorten the life of elec-
tronic devices, damage batteries, and distort or melt plastic parts.
Keep the telephone cassette recorder away from dust and dirt, which
can cause premature wear of parts.
Handle the telephone cassette recorder gently and carefully. Dropping
it can damage circuit boards and cases and can cause the telephone
cassette recorder to work improperly.
Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type.
Batteries can leak chemicals that damage your telephone cassette re-
corder’s electronic parts.
Wipe the telephone cassette recorder with a damp cloth occasionally to
keep it looking new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or
strong detergents to clean the telephone cassette recorder.
Modifying or tampering with the telephone cassette recorder’s internal components
can cause a malfunction and might invalidate its warranty and void your FCC authori-
zation to operate it. If your telephone cassette recorder is not performing as it should,
take it to your local RadioShack store for assistance. If the trouble is affecting the
telephone lines, the phone company can ask you to disconnect your cassette record-
er until you have resolved the problem.
12
43-473.fm Page 13 Friday, August 13, 1999 9:21 AM
If you later decide to erase or record
over the tape, you can place a piece of
tape over the holes.
TAPE TIPS AND
TECHNIQUES
The following tips can help you get the
best performance and the longest life
from your telephone cassette recorder.
Tape Over Side A Tab
Note: Do not use endless or C-120 cas-
sette tapes. C-120 tape is very thin and
can tangle easily.
Note: When covering the holes, cover
only the portions that were originally pro-
tected by the plastic tabs.
Preventing Accidental Erasure
Most cassette tapes have two erase-
protection tabs — one for each side of
the tape. When a tab is in place, you can
erase or record on that tape side. When
the tab is not in place, you cannot erase
or record on that side.
Restoring Tape Tension and
Sound Quality
After you play a cassette tape several
times, the tape might become tightly
wound on the cassette reels. This can
cause playback sound quality to deterio-
rate.
To prevent your recordings from being
accidentally erased or recorded over,
carefully break off the erase-protection
tabs using a screwdriver or similar tool.
Side A
To restore the sound quality, fast-for-
ward the tape from the beginning to the
end of one side, then completely rewind
it. Then loosen the tape reels by gently
tapping each side of the cassette’s outer
shell on a flat surface.
Side A Tab
Side B Tab
Caution: Be careful not to damage the
cassette when tapping it. Do not touch
the exposed tape or allow any sharp ob-
jects near the cassette.
13
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Cleaning the Tape-Handling
Parts
THE FCC WANTS YOU TO
KNOW
Dirt, dust, or particles of the tape’s coat-
ing can accumulate on the tape heads
and other parts that the tape touches.
This can greatly reduce the telephone
cassette recorder’s performance. Use
the following cleaning procedure after
about every 20 hours of operation.
In the unlikely event that your telephone
cassette recorder causes problems on
the phone line, the phone company can
disconnect your service. The phone
company attempts to notify you in ad-
vance. If advance notice is not practical,
the phone company notifies you of your
right to file a complaint with the FCC.
1. Remove the batteries and discon-
nect the AC adapter.
Also, the phone company can make
changes to its lines, equipment, opera-
tions, or procedures that could affect the
operation of your telephone cassette re-
corder. The phone company notifies you
of these changes in advance, so you
can take steps to prevent interruption of
your phone service.
2. Open the cassette compartment
door.
3. Hold down the protection tab sensor
in the tape compartment while you
press RECORD to expose the tape-
handling parts.
4. Use a swab dipped in tape head
cleaning solution or denatured alco-
hol to gently clean the record/play
head, pinch roller, capstan, erase
head, and tape guides.
LIGHTNING
Your telephone cassette recorder has
built-in protection circuits to reduce the
risk of damage from surges in phone
and power line current. These protection
circuits meet or exceed FCC require-
ments. However, lightning striking the
phone line or power lines can damage
your telephone cassette recorder.
Tape Guides
Rubber
Pinch Roller
r
Capstan
Recordand
CottonSwab
Erase Heads
5. When you finish cleaning, press
STOP/EJECT and close the compart-
ment.
Lightning damage is not common. Nev-
ertheless, if you live in an area that has
frequent electrical storms, we suggest
that you unplug your telephone cassette
recorder during storms to reduce the
possibility of damage.
Your local RadioShack store carries a
complete line of tape head-cleaning ac-
cessories.
14
43-473.fm Page 15 Friday, August 13, 1999 9:21 AM
NOTES
15
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Limited One-Year Warranty
This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workman-
ship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned
stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, Ra-
dioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING
THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED
IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED
HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RE-
SPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY
LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE OR PERFOR-
MANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY, IN-
CLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS
OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDEN-
TAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion of in-
cidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
In the event of a product defect during the warranty period, take the product and the RadioShack
sales receipt as proof of purchase date to any RadioShack store. RadioShack will, at its option, un-
less otherwise provided by law: (a) correct the defect by product repair without charge for parts and
labor; (b) replace the product with one of the same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase
price. All replaced parts and products, and products on which a refund is made, become the prop-
erty of RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts and products may be used in the performance of
warranty service. Repaired or replaced parts and products are warranted for the remainder of the
original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the
expiration of the warranty period.
This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to acts of God, abuse,
accident, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, failure to follow instructions, improper installation or
maintenance, alteration, lightning or other incidence of excess voltage or current; (b) any repairs
other than those provided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as
fuses or batteries; (d) cosmetic damage; (e) transportation, shipping or insurance costs; or (f) costs
of product removal, installation, set-up service adjustment or reinstallation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from
state to state.
RadioShack Customer Relations, Dept. W, 100 Throckmorton St., Suite 600, Fort Worth, TX 76102
We Service What We Sell
3/97
RadioShack
A Division of Tandy Corporation
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
7A8
Printed in Hong Kong
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