Is there a recording device that I can use to capture sound on set that can then be imported to the computer? The camera I'm using doesn't have a port for an external mic.
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- Thread starter inzaneproduction
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It’s called a DAT deck. If you use any external sound recorder, you’ll need someone dedicated to recording sound and also a boom operator to hold the mike. When shooting, you’ll need to slate every shot so that you can match the timing. After it’s shot, you’ll have to import the sound files separately and then match the audio with the video with the slate clap. Then you can start editing.
I don’t know if portable DAT decks have device control ports like fire wire (I’m not a sound guy), you may have to find another deck that you can import the sound files with, or you could have someone with a DAT control deck import them and burn the files to CD or DVD.
Good Luck!
I don’t know if portable DAT decks have device control ports like fire wire (I’m not a sound guy), you may have to find another deck that you can import the sound files with, or you could have someone with a DAT control deck import them and burn the files to CD or DVD.
Good Luck!
DAT decks are specifically made for the movie set. That's the best sound you're going to get IMHO. Any recording device that turns your sound into a compressed format (MP3, OGG for instance) and you'll lose quality.
We use a laptop computer to capture WAV files. Sounds awesome as long as we can get the mic close enough.
But not as good as with a DAT. Hope this helps.
We use a laptop computer to capture WAV files. Sounds awesome as long as we can get the mic close enough.
But not as good as with a DAT. Hope this helps.I would avoid DATs at all cost personally... they're just out dated...I don't even think they're made anymore... I would preferr to record to laptop with a nice sound interface like an Edirol FA-101 or 66... For my current project I lugged my DAW around and used my aardvark Q10 ...DAT's can only go to 16bit 48khz where most modern pro sound cards can do 24bit 192khz and will sound an awful lot better than a DAT... if you recorded into the standard soundcard on the laptop you simply did it wrong. MiniDisc usuaes ATRAC compression and is lossy so it shouldn't be used at all.
You have to use a professional soundcard though... you can't but them at computer stores but most major music retailers Sam Ash/Guitar Center will have them in the proaudio/recording section.
You have to use a professional soundcard though... you can't but them at computer stores but most major music retailers Sam Ash/Guitar Center will have them in the proaudio/recording section.
For the record.. every form of digital recording utilizes SOME form of compression.. however minute it may be. DAT is compressed, and Minidisc is too, however you do not HAVE to use the ATRAC compression on a minidisc recorder, it just means you'd get less storage on the disc.
The only way to record completely NON compressed audio would be to use an analog recorder (a la the Nagra) but, then we're really talking about "outdated" items...
Also keep in mind that while pro sound cards will record at 24bit 192khz and such... CDs are only 16bit 44khz (not even 48) and unless you are an "audiophile" you'll never hear a difference, and most of 'them' don't either, but claim they do to get a sense of superiority and such.. (I will agree with those who say vinyl sounds better than CDs though, but that is the DJ in my screaming to be let back out)
The only way to record completely NON compressed audio would be to use an analog recorder (a la the Nagra) but, then we're really talking about "outdated" items...
Also keep in mind that while pro sound cards will record at 24bit 192khz and such... CDs are only 16bit 44khz (not even 48) and unless you are an "audiophile" you'll never hear a difference, and most of 'them' don't either, but claim they do to get a sense of superiority and such..
(I will agree with those who say vinyl sounds better than CDs though, but that is the DJ in my screaming to be let back out)
I just finished a feature. We recorded everything on a DAT like I have with my last six movies. 16bit 48khz is what we've always used in FCP and ProTools.zekthedeadcow said:
When the final results is going to be on DVD for the home video market is there really an advantage to recording dialogue tracks at 24bit 192khz?
There's never really any advantage to recording dialogue at 24bit.. it uses a lot more disk space, and it's not like the human voice needs that much bandwidth..
I actually just bought an M-Audio Firewire Solo ($199) for a similiar purpose this weekend. I needed to go do a few audio pickups at a previous location and I didn't want to rent the camera again. The Solo hooks up to my iBook via firewire and lets me plug a balanced mic (I was using an ME66) into my laptop and provides phantom power. Then I can record audio directly into my sound app (I'm using Audacity). Seems to work pretty well. I looked around online and there were a bunch of devices that basically do the same thing. I thought the Edirols looked really nice and M-Audio makes some much nicer ones than the Solo. Solo is nice, but it only has 1 mic input, most other devices I've seen had at least two. I probably would have gotten a better device than the Solo, but I needed it in hurry and it was all I could get easily in a store on the weekend (they sell them at CompUSA), without making a trip into the city. Don't get me wrong though, quality-wise it sounds great, I just would have preferred multiple mic inputs (and maybe a compressor).
A lot of the devices also use USB instead of Firewire. I couldn't really find much info about the advantages of one over the other. I just went with a Firewire device because I had the ports on my Mac. I'd love to hear opinions from other users who work with these types of audio interfaces. Also, a key piece to this setup is having a quiet recorder or laptop (which the iBook is).
A lot of the devices also use USB instead of Firewire. I couldn't really find much info about the advantages of one over the other. I just went with a Firewire device because I had the ports on my Mac. I'd love to hear opinions from other users who work with these types of audio interfaces. Also, a key piece to this setup is having a quiet recorder or laptop (which the iBook is).
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USB vs. firewire.. depends. USB 2.0 is actually much faster than firewire, but there are more video related firewire devices. Most of the newer audio devices that are USB are likely USB 2.0, but I know a lot of it used to be the older slower USB standard.
The benefit to having the highest speed port possible is to get the lowest latency recording. However, there are other factors that will affect the latency; the speed the harddrive can read and write, the speed and amount of available system memory, the speed and amount of available CPU, etc. Good news is, audio requirements are MUCH lower than video, so really any available port should be fine, but personally I would shy away from a slow USB. Go with either firewire or USB 2.0 (but make sure both the device and your laptop/desktop/whatever supports USB 2.0)
Also, don't bother trying to record into a laptop if you're planning to just plug in to the mic input mini-plug jack... at that point you might as well just use the built in mic. Sure it might sound OK, but you'd really be better off with a 'breakout box' like the ones ahab mentioned, or recording to a Nagra, DAT, Flash, or minidisc recorder.
Hope that helps a bit.
The benefit to having the highest speed port possible is to get the lowest latency recording. However, there are other factors that will affect the latency; the speed the harddrive can read and write, the speed and amount of available system memory, the speed and amount of available CPU, etc. Good news is, audio requirements are MUCH lower than video, so really any available port should be fine, but personally I would shy away from a slow USB. Go with either firewire or USB 2.0 (but make sure both the device and your laptop/desktop/whatever supports USB 2.0)
Also, don't bother trying to record into a laptop if you're planning to just plug in to the mic input mini-plug jack... at that point you might as well just use the built in mic. Sure it might sound OK, but you'd really be better off with a 'breakout box' like the ones ahab mentioned, or recording to a Nagra, DAT, Flash, or minidisc recorder.
Hope that helps a bit.
USB 2.0 is "theoretically" faster than firewire 400. This assumes that you have a USB device on a USB 2.0 bus with no other devices on it. If the bus is shared by any devices that are USB 1.1, the whole bus will dumb down to USB 1.1 (which is dirt slow). I've still never gotten transfers as fast over USB 2.0 as I have with my old FW400 devices. I've even edited over FW400, the USB 2.0 wasn't able to handle it. Audio should do just fine over USB (either flavor), but video chokes hard on it (my personal experience).
Likely, however.. if you were using a USB device to record audio to a laptop or whatever "on location" you probably wouldn't have any other USB devices plugged in to worry about it slowing the bus down. 
The human ear cannot detect audio recorded at normal levels, BUT the human ear CAN detect distortion caused by loud or low levels recorded at lower bit rates. 24bit gives you more headroom for ADR and what not. Keyboards with beefy bass can sound better at 24bit too. Recording at 24bit CAN save you from audible distortion in some situations. Bit rate is the detail of AMPLITUDE (AKA volume). 48K vs 44.1K has to do with detail as time advances. If you have lots of disk space then record at 48K X 24bit, otherwise 16 bit.