New digital recorder, your thoughts please? at DVinfo.net

Lowell Bernhardt · September 21st, 2007, 09:52 PM

Hello all.

As I've stated before I'm pretty new to this whole video anything stuff. I'm recording our pastor's sermons at church on my mini DV Sony camcorder. I record from the back of the auditorium and pick up alot of back ground noise and various nosies etc. Today I bought a RCA digital recorder (the type that one would use to take dictation). I'm going to use this recorder to record the audio directly from one of the monitors on stage. The feed to the monitor will be directly from the channel that the pastor's mic is on.

I plan on taking the audio recording and appling it to the time line and syncing it to the video.

So what do you all think? Did I do alright? I figure it will work fine for recording our pastor's voice etc. Do you think this little recorder will work for recording other thinngs as well?

Thanks for all of your imput.
Lowell

TingSern Wong · September 22nd, 2007, 02:32 PM

I don't have technical specs for the RCA digital recorder, but - I would guess it probably store the recorded sounds as MP3 or AAC or equivalent compressed sound format.

Couple of things to look out for if you want to use it in conjunction with your video editor -

a) Make sure the video editor can accept the format that the RCA recorder is producing.

b) If it is very important for you to get lip sync (video with audio) - I would suggest you do some testing ahead of time. Most of these small recorders have inaccurate clocks - and the audio drifts after a while. You might be able to align the first couple of minutes of audio with the video. But - you might not able to do that to the entire footage.

As for "recording other things" - what other things are you thinking about? Consider the frequency response and S/N ratio of that small digital recorder. You can't use that for recording orchestral music - for example. MP3 or AAC compression is fine for pastor's voice - but terrible for orchestral music. There is simply ZERO depth - everything is just "one plane". And I have doubts it will record in stereo either - most likely - it will be just mono recording.

Roger Shore · September 22nd, 2007, 02:43 PM

I use a digital voice recorder for remote audio for video - an Olmypus WS200S - and it performs OK, considering the price. I had sync problems at first, but have overcome them using a procedure I posted here:

http://www.mfbb.net/myvideoproblems/...yvideoproblems

a while ago.

It's a bit long winded, but only needs to be done once, and uses all free programs.

Lowell Bernhardt · September 22nd, 2007, 10:17 PM

Thanks all for the input. The unit came with software that will convert all of the audio files to wav and exe files. As for the "other" things, I may use the audio files to burn CDs of the sermons too and for pod casts from the church website. As well as, for taking dictation notes for my home inspections, etc.

As far as the syncing goes,,,,,,,, I'll try it with the video but if it doesn't work there's not a whole lot lost. I'm just hoping for a little better sound quality for the DVD than that from the mic on the camera. I pick up alot of back ground noise etc, that I'm trying to eliminate.

Thanks for the link I'll look that over before I start!

Lowell

David Errington · September 24th, 2007, 01:00 AM

For recording sermons and the like, I let the lecturn mike pick up the sound, then I record from the PA/mixer into my laptop running Total Recorder as a wav file. The interface to the laptop is an Edirol UA-1X that does the A-D conversion.

I record video on my camcorder (sound too). After capture, I use VegasMS8 to meld together. Some work to get the sound WAV and the vid/aud AVI synced, but for about 30 minute talk the drift is not too bad.

After VMS edit, I mute the camera's sound track, leaving the video and lecturn wav to produce the final render.

Result is great sound and video. The camcorder`s sound is necessary to get a good sync, but can be discarded for the final render.

In theory any method of getting good audio is worth the trouble. Camera mikes get too much ambient noise.

Hope this helps.

TingSern Wong · September 24th, 2007, 01:26 AM

I have using that technique of dedicated sound recorder (I use Sound Devices 722) to record at 24bits, 48khz. I also record the sound from my video (HVX202). Then after editing the sound from 722 using Sound Forge, and downsampling it to 16 bits, I then align the sound track against the video. Finally, remove the video sound track. It is fantastic ...

Brian Boyko · September 26th, 2007, 08:20 PM

I used a Olympus WM-300 to record seperate sound for video once. It worked okay but I had to re-sync every few seconds or so. It got annoying, quick. Additionally, the audio wasn't pro quality - though it was fine for what we were doing.

Mike Quinones · September 26th, 2007, 08:41 PM

Lowell;
I used the Olympus WM-300, and it does a great job. Before I bring it to Premier Pro I will run it thru Adobe Audition Make my CD copies clean up any noise and then bring it to Premier Pro. I also used in church and the people love how my turn arounds time is. Good luck to you.

TingSern Wong · September 26th, 2007, 10:30 PM

Sound Forge audio editor has an excellent noise reduction tool. You select a portion of the sound track for it to sample - and then apply it to the entire audio track. I love it.

Ty Ford · September 27th, 2007, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowell Bernhardt

Thanks all for the input. The unit came with software that will convert all of the audio files to wav and exe files. As for the "other" things, I may use the audio files to burn CDs of the sermons too and for pod casts from the church website. As well as, for taking dictation notes for my home inspections, etc.

As far as the syncing goes,,,,,,,, I'll try it with the video but if it doesn't work there's not a whole lot lost. I'm just hoping for a little better sound quality for the DVD than that from the mic on the camera. I pick up alot of back ground noise etc, that I'm trying to eliminate.

Thanks for the link I'll look that over before I start!

Lowell

Micing speakers usually doesn't produce the best sound. If there is a mixer or wireless receiver. look for a direct jack.

Ty Ford

Hsien Yong · September 28th, 2007, 01:01 AM

Hi Lowell,
What model of Sony video camera are you using?
Maybe you could consider purchasing a Beachtek XLR adaptor for your
camera? www.beachtek.com.

September 21st, 2007, 09:52 PM	#1
Lowell Bernhardt New Boot Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mount Orab, USA Posts: 22	New digital recorder, your thoughts please? Hello all. As I've stated before I'm pretty new to this whole video anything stuff. I'm recording our pastor's sermons at church on my mini DV Sony camcorder. I record from the back of the auditorium and pick up alot of back ground noise and various nosies etc. Today I bought a RCA digital recorder (the type that one would use to take dictation). I'm going to use this recorder to record the audio directly from one of the monitors on stage. The feed to the monitor will be directly from the channel that the pastor's mic is on. I plan on taking the audio recording and appling it to the time line and syncing it to the video. So what do you all think? Did I do alright? I figure it will work fine for recording our pastor's voice etc. Do you think this little recorder will work for recording other thinngs as well? Thanks for all of your imput. Lowell

September 22nd, 2007, 02:32 PM	#2
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	I don't have technical specs for the RCA digital recorder, but - I would guess it probably store the recorded sounds as MP3 or AAC or equivalent compressed sound format. Couple of things to look out for if you want to use it in conjunction with your video editor - a) Make sure the video editor can accept the format that the RCA recorder is producing. b) If it is very important for you to get lip sync (video with audio) - I would suggest you do some testing ahead of time. Most of these small recorders have inaccurate clocks - and the audio drifts after a while. You might be able to align the first couple of minutes of audio with the video. But - you might not able to do that to the entire footage. As for "recording other things" - what other things are you thinking about? Consider the frequency response and S/N ratio of that small digital recorder. You can't use that for recording orchestral music - for example. MP3 or AAC compression is fine for pastor's voice - but terrible for orchestral music. There is simply ZERO depth - everything is just "one plane". And I have doubts it will record in stereo either - most likely - it will be just mono recording.

September 22nd, 2007, 02:43 PM	#3
Roger Shore Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: UK Posts: 113	I use a digital voice recorder for remote audio for video - an Olmypus WS200S - and it performs OK, considering the price. I had sync problems at first, but have overcome them using a procedure I posted here: http://www.mfbb.net/myvideoproblems/...yvideoproblems a while ago. It's a bit long winded, but only needs to be done once, and uses all free programs.

September 22nd, 2007, 10:17 PM	#4
Lowell Bernhardt New Boot Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mount Orab, USA Posts: 22	Thanks all for the input. The unit came with software that will convert all of the audio files to wav and exe files. As for the "other" things, I may use the audio files to burn CDs of the sermons too and for pod casts from the church website. As well as, for taking dictation notes for my home inspections, etc. As far as the syncing goes,,,,,,,, I'll try it with the video but if it doesn't work there's not a whole lot lost. I'm just hoping for a little better sound quality for the DVD than that from the mic on the camera. I pick up alot of back ground noise etc, that I'm trying to eliminate. Thanks for the link I'll look that over before I start! Lowell

September 24th, 2007, 01:00 AM	#5
David Errington Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 26	For recording sermons and the like, I let the lecturn mike pick up the sound, then I record from the PA/mixer into my laptop running Total Recorder as a wav file. The interface to the laptop is an Edirol UA-1X that does the A-D conversion. I record video on my camcorder (sound too). After capture, I use VegasMS8 to meld together. Some work to get the sound WAV and the vid/aud AVI synced, but for about 30 minute talk the drift is not too bad. After VMS edit, I mute the camera's sound track, leaving the video and lecturn wav to produce the final render. Result is great sound and video. The camcorder`s sound is necessary to get a good sync, but can be discarded for the final render. In theory any method of getting good audio is worth the trouble. Camera mikes get too much ambient noise. Hope this helps.

September 24th, 2007, 01:26 AM	#6
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	I have using that technique of dedicated sound recorder (I use Sound Devices 722) to record at 24bits, 48khz. I also record the sound from my video (HVX202). Then after editing the sound from 722 using Sound Forge, and downsampling it to 16 bits, I then align the sound track against the video. Finally, remove the video sound track. It is fantastic ...

September 26th, 2007, 08:20 PM	#7
Brian Boyko Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 773	I used a Olympus WM-300 to record seperate sound for video once. It worked okay but I had to re-sync every few seconds or so. It got annoying, quick. Additionally, the audio wasn't pro quality - though it was fine for what we were doing.

September 26th, 2007, 08:41 PM	#8
Mike Quinones Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Melreso Park IL. Posts: 89	Lowell; I used the Olympus WM-300, and it does a great job. Before I bring it to Premier Pro I will run it thru Adobe Audition Make my CD copies clean up any noise and then bring it to Premier Pro. I also used in church and the people love how my turn arounds time is. Good luck to you.

September 26th, 2007, 10:30 PM	#9
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	Sound Forge audio editor has an excellent noise reduction tool. You select a portion of the sound track for it to sample - and then apply it to the entire audio track. I love it.

September 28th, 2007, 01:01 AM	#11
Hsien Yong Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 111	Hi Lowell, What model of Sony video camera are you using? Maybe you could consider purchasing a Beachtek XLR adaptor for your camera? www.beachtek.com.