There are many different types of spy recorders, which include devices for recording and tracking computer data. A spy recorder can also fall into one of two primary categories: audio recorders and video recorders. An audio recording device, or microphone, will typically be easily concealed or hidden within another object and usually record audio digitally on an internal storage device. Video recorders, or cameras, are also usually designed to remain hidden or concealed in another object, and can either relay the recorded video to an external system or save the data captured by the spy recorder in internal memory such as a digital video recorder (DVR).
A spy recorder is a device that can be used to record audio, video, or other types of data covertly and allow someone to use such data for a wide range of purposes. Certain types of spy recorder can be used to record computer data, such as keylogging software or hardware that tracks input from a keyboard and then records such input or transmits that data to another location. Software can also be installed onto a computer that will monitor the websites visited by a computer user or other activities someone performs on that computer. Some of these programs will even relay this information in real time, allowing a person to see a virtual desktop that shows exactly what someone else is doing on a computer.
One common type of spy recorder is designed for use in capturing and recording audio data, usually called a spy microphone. These devices can be hidden easily or are concealed in different objects, and will typically record hours of audio information on an internal device. This type of spy recorder will usually have a small speaker that allows someone to quickly and easily play back saved audio. Most of these devices can also be connected to secondary hardware, such as a computer or similar system, for playback and saving of the recorded data.
A video spy recorder, or camera, can also typically be easily hidden or concealed within another object, such as a clock, stuffed animal, or video disc player. These hidden cameras will usually either transmit the recorded signal to an external source or save the video on an internal drive or DVR. A video spy recorder will not typically have a monitor to play back recorded video data, since the size of such devices would make this type of display extremely small. Instead, these devices must be connected to a computer or similar system to access the recorded video and view or save such data.