Goodness I hope this isn't a stupid question at DVinfo.net

Dare Kent · April 8th, 2006, 11:17 AM

I own a hc1. And I know I've got to find a better solution to recording sound than the onboard mic.

Would this work Tascam 424 MKIII 4-track Recorder? Record to the Tascam and then sync in post? And how exactly would I get the recordings from the recorder to my computer?

What else would I need? Obviously mics, but anything else?

If these are stupid questions, feel free to giggle :) Figuring this sound stuff is hard.

Chris Barcellos · April 8th, 2006, 01:34 PM

I use the a Sony Hi MD for same purpose. In case of Hi MD, using the Sony interface software, you can offload it as a file, and convert it to .wav format for dragging and dropping on a time line.

I am sure the TASCAM (I assume this is digital recordin ) should be similarly convertible, but if not, you can always record to your computer using line in and using a sound recording program such as Acid.

Steve House · April 8th, 2006, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dare Kent

I own a hc1. And I know I've got to find a better solution to recording sound than the onboard mic.

Would this work Tascam 424 MKIII 4-track Recorder? Record to the Tascam and then sync in post? And how exactly would I get the recordings from the recorder to my computer?

What else would I need? Obviously mics, but anything else?

If these are stupid questions, feel free to giggle :) Figuring this sound stuff is hard.

That recorder is an analog cassette recorder and will be very hard to use for sync sound. Analog tape doesn't run at a constant speed - motor speeds vary slightly over time, tape stretches with use, etc. Back in the days of analog film sound a sync pulse from the camera or from a crystal-controlled oscillator was recorded on one track of the tape and that signal was used with special playback equipment to "resolve" the speed in post-production. It's definitely not a process of just lining up the two recordings and letting 'er rip.

If you want to record sync sound to a separate recorder it can certainly be done - it's called "double-system sound" and is done every day in professional productions. But you need to have a sound recorder that is as accurate and consistent in timing as is the video camera - and these days that absolutely means digital. It must be consistent because a difference in playback time of even 1 frame of video, 1/30 of a second, over the length of the shot can introduce a noticable error. There are a wide variety of recorders from the very inexpensve consumer iRivers and miniDisc recorders all the way up to professional DAT (digital tape), compact flash, and hard drive recorders costing from 4 or 5 hundred up to many thousands of dollars that will do the trick. But analog recording just won't do it.

Dare Kent · April 8th, 2006, 03:45 PM

Okay, thanks for the info.

Steve, I noticed you live in Hamilton. That's where I live. The Internet is a small world sometimes :)

Steve House · April 9th, 2006, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dare Kent

Okay, thanks for the info.

Steve, I noticed you live in Hamilton. That's where I live. The Internet is a small world sometimes :)

Indeed it is! <g>

What are your productioin interests and experiences?

Dare Kent · April 9th, 2006, 07:33 AM

I started out as a screenwriter. And then, well I was surprised that Hollywood won't answer the knock at the door.

So I'm now learning to film it myself. I've written a lot of screenplays (http://kaveart.googlepages.com/). Basically I have no producing/filming experience.

I bought a Sony HC1 and I'm discovering filmmaking by the do-it-yourself-learn-from-fixing-your-mistakes method.

What I would love to do it get a group of people together in Hamilton/Toronto, about 6-8 who get together once or twice a month to film short scripts. A social/fun/learning type of thing.

Maybe one of the people can log and capture and then upload the raw film to a spot where the others can download it. And then we each edit the film ourselves and then get together show the films we came up with and discuss why we did what we did.

I think it would be a great learning experience but fun at the same time.

Steve House · April 9th, 2006, 07:40 AM

Could be interesting

Chris Shaeffer · April 9th, 2006, 01:08 PM

A quick warning about recording with iPods, and perhaps other devices like it.

A friend of mine does lectures and presentations all over the place and wanted a quick portable way to record them for podcast and satelite radio programs. He slapped a mic input on his iPod, got a decent lav mic to plug into it and gave it a spin.

When it came to me for post I noticed that every 10 seconds or so, probably when the buffer gets written to the hard drive, there is a burst of electronic noise recorded to the track. Broadband noise- no way to get it out with noise redux software.

Too bad, really. Otherwise the sound quality was quite useable. I'm not sure if other harddrive based portable systems will do the same thing... but we've switched him to mini-disc.

For my part, I bought a beachtech dxa-4 to add XLR inputs to the ol' vx1000. As long as the mic isn't mounted on the camera, or is mounted with a GOOD shock mount, the audio is superb. Lets me set up a better mic closer to the subject and/or use the best shotgun I can afford.

Take care,
Chris

April 8th, 2006, 11:17 AM	#1
Dare Kent New Boot Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 22	Goodness I hope this isn't a stupid question I own a hc1. And I know I've got to find a better solution to recording sound than the onboard mic. Would this work Tascam 424 MKIII 4-track Recorder? Record to the Tascam and then sync in post? And how exactly would I get the recordings from the recorder to my computer? What else would I need? Obviously mics, but anything else? If these are stupid questions, feel free to giggle :) Figuring this sound stuff is hard.

April 8th, 2006, 01:34 PM	#2
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	I use the a Sony Hi MD for same purpose. In case of Hi MD, using the Sony interface software, you can offload it as a file, and convert it to .wav format for dragging and dropping on a time line. I am sure the TASCAM (I assume this is digital recordin ) should be similarly convertible, but if not, you can always record to your computer using line in and using a sound recording program such as Acid. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

April 8th, 2006, 03:45 PM	#4
Dare Kent New Boot Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 22	another idea bites the dust Okay, thanks for the info. Steve, I noticed you live in Hamilton. That's where I live. The Internet is a small world sometimes :)

April 9th, 2006, 07:33 AM	#6
Dare Kent New Boot Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 22	I'm a screenwriter I started out as a screenwriter. And then, well I was surprised that Hollywood won't answer the knock at the door. So I'm now learning to film it myself. I've written a lot of screenplays (http://kaveart.googlepages.com/). Basically I have no producing/filming experience. I bought a Sony HC1 and I'm discovering filmmaking by the do-it-yourself-learn-from-fixing-your-mistakes method. What I would love to do it get a group of people together in Hamilton/Toronto, about 6-8 who get together once or twice a month to film short scripts. A social/fun/learning type of thing. Maybe one of the people can log and capture and then upload the raw film to a spot where the others can download it. And then we each edit the film ourselves and then get together show the films we came up with and discuss why we did what we did. I think it would be a great learning experience but fun at the same time.

April 9th, 2006, 07:40 AM	#7
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	Could be interesting __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

April 9th, 2006, 01:08 PM	#8
Chris Shaeffer Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Big Island, HI Posts: 25	A quick warning about recording with iPods, and perhaps other devices like it. A friend of mine does lectures and presentations all over the place and wanted a quick portable way to record them for podcast and satelite radio programs. He slapped a mic input on his iPod, got a decent lav mic to plug into it and gave it a spin. When it came to me for post I noticed that every 10 seconds or so, probably when the buffer gets written to the hard drive, there is a burst of electronic noise recorded to the track. Broadband noise- no way to get it out with noise redux software. Too bad, really. Otherwise the sound quality was quite useable. I'm not sure if other harddrive based portable systems will do the same thing... but we've switched him to mini-disc. For my part, I bought a beachtech dxa-4 to add XLR inputs to the ol' vx1000. As long as the mic isn't mounted on the camera, or is mounted with a GOOD shock mount, the audio is superb. Lets me set up a better mic closer to the subject and/or use the best shotgun I can afford. Take care, Chris