[LAU] Looking for Portable Digital Recorder, on a budget

[The Other]

I've recently received the Zoom H2 Handy Recorder and am very
pleased with the recorder.  So far I've been discovering its features
and making the connections with my computer.

As I posted recently, a very detailed review of the Zoom H2 can be
found at:

http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2007/09/13/review-zoom-h2-surround-recorder.html

And the Owner's manual can be downloaded in PDF format directly from
Zoom at:

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

The H2 works with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and MacOSX 10.2 or later.
 There is an update to the H2's system file for Mac 10.5 (Leopard) at
the Zoom site.

I'm running a linux distribution, openSUSE 10.2 with a 2.6.x kernel.
I am now happy to report that the H2 will recognize the H2 when it is
plugged into a USB port.  I was able to copy files from the H2 to
computer and from computer to H2.  I used Midnight Commander for the
transfers.  It wasn't necessary to use the BlueProton SDHC card reader
to transfer files from the H2 to openSUSE 10.2 and back again.

I'm using ALSA for the sound system/control on openSUSE 10.2.  When I
set the H2 to be a USB mic to the computer, my 'alsamixer' screen did
not recognize the H2.  Something about 'no elems'.  Perhaps someone
knows of a generic USB mic that alsamixer recognizes?

But when I used 'arecord' from the command line with standard CD/wav
settings, I was able to directly record to the computer.

I hope to do some vocal recording soon.

Regards,
"The Other" Stephen Stubbs