Accessory Review:
C.Crane CC Witness
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

If you’re a communications geek like me, then you’ll appreciate the latest offering from one our favourite electronics company, C.Crane: the CC Witness. In fact, this new hand-held device is much more than a digital MP3 recorder: it’s also a digital recorder/player featuring both AM and FM radio.

Measuring just 2.2 in. W x 4 in. H x 0.6 in. D, and weighing in at just 3.6 oz, the CC Witness is still a heavyweight in the digital recording world. With 2 GB of onboard memory, the CC Witness also provides an additional 16 GB of external memory via an optional SD card. And here’s the best part: the CC Witness is a breeze to use, thanks to C.Crane’s thorough instructional manual.

Utilizing USB 2.0 interface, the CC Witness is compatible with Windows 2000, ME, XP Home or Professional (SP2), Windows Vista (my choice), MAC OS® X version 10.3 or later or PCLinuxOS 2007 with USB 2.0 port (other versions are untested at this time). No specific media player is required by the CC Witness to interface.

C.Crane has recently released new Firmware Version 2.32. This allows one-touch recording, and also enhances its SD Card compatibility.

What amazes me about the CC Witness is its AM and FM radio reception. What else would you expect from the company which brings us the CCRadio plus, and CCRadio-SW?! I was able to pull in a number of distant AM stations during evening talk radio time, and the FM radio provides excellent acoustics.

Recording via the CC Witness is easy. You can record music off the Internet; you can record AM or FM broadcasts internally on the fly; or you can use the Mic/Line input to record from any other device. Charge the CC Witness battery simply by plugging it into the USB port of your computer, or purchase the CC Witness Accessory Kit which includes a charging cradle, AC Adapter and silicone cover for extra protection of this sturdy little performer. A fully-charged battery offers up to 16 hours of playtime, and eight hours of record time. It takes about four hours to recharge the 5v 900mA Lithium-Polymer battery.

The CC Witness uses voice recording in MP3 format (32Kbps-256Kbps). The sound quality, including mono voice recording, is excellent. It features a jack for earphones (stereo earbuds included) or FM antenna (provided), an alarm clock and built-in 3/8-in. stereo speakers. The 2 GB onboard memory records/stores 500-plus songs at 128Kpbs or hundreds of hours of talk at 32Kbps. Other features include: 10 presets in AM/FM; built-in calendar; sleep mode; key lock; 30-step digital volume control; and equalizer modes (Normal, Classic, Live, Pop, Rock, Jazz).

C.Crane lists its MSRP at $229.95 US. I highly recommend the CC Witness for all of the aforementioned purposes. It has already become a welcomed addition to both my office, and my radio shack. I’m sure you fall in love with the CC Witness, too.

For more about the CC Witness and C.Crane, visit www.ccrane.com.