As part of some video equipment acquisition I received a “MobilePre USB” device, probably circa ~ early 2000? vintage, but I don’t know what I can really use it for. It is obviously intended for an indoor use because it has “feet” and there is no 1/4” tripod mounting screw. It is an earlier model of the current MobilePre USB but appears to have essentially the same features and functions.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/members/john-nantz-albums-audio-gear-picture440-100-8714.jpg


Is the MobilePre intended for studio use?

I’ve got a JuicedLink CX211 that should be arriving shortly and these two items appear to basically do the same thing but the only difference that I can see is that the JuicedLink can be attached to the camera and therefore some adjustments can be done in real time.

[Edit: don't know why the link to the picture won't work. If anyone has some advice I'd be interested. I copied and pasted the BB url in the post and it's all there but for some reason it links to a blank page. The full-sized picture is there but when viewed via the link it turns out white]

If they, in fact, basically do the same thing, then what use can the MobilePre be put to?

I use to have one or those way back when. Prior to Win XP, getting the drivers too work was a pain. It would work fine with a laptop.
Little use with a camera though.

Thanks for the heads up about the software issue. I've got the CD for it and the USB cable but I don't want to load another large file on my computer unless I know there is a use for it.

Getting back to the picture problem. Hopefully this link will work.

Posting the BB url per instructions:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/members/john-nantz-albums-audio-gear.html?

...
Is the MobilePre intended for studio use?

I’ve got a JuicedLink CX211 that should be arriving shortly and these two items appear to basically do the same thing but the only difference that I can see is that the JuicedLink can be attached to the camera and therefore some adjustments can be done in real time.

....
If they, in fact, basically do the same thing, then what use can the MobilePre be put to?

The MobilePre is basically an external sound card for your computer and is really a quite different critter from the Juicedlink. It would be used as the audio interface on your post-production workstation and for recording direct to the computer, usually back in the the studio, though there's nothing wrong with recording direct to the computer for double-system sound in a field scenario such as at a concert where mobility is not an issue. A lot of mixers working on location feature film productions work from a sound cart that carries all their gear and an interface/laptop setup is sometimes used as the primary recorder in that scenario. But since the MobilePre is not a stand-alone device, it's really not a field recording device or mixer unless you're also taking your laptop with you. It does not have an internal battery or power input connector and requires a USB connection from a computer for its power. It's pretty much useless as an XLR->3.5mm adapter for the camera because, in addition to the lack of any way to power it, the camera's 3.5mm input need's a mic level signal while the MobilePre's audio output is line level.

Thanks for the good explanation, Steve. The boldface type really helped, too.

Sounds like it's a keeper then. I've got the USB cord and in the instructions it does mention that it gets it's power from the USB but one needs a good USB source as some are underpowered.

Reading back through the archives I came across a statement that someone made which was to the effect that "he never lets the audio touch the video". For my "dream projects" that I plan on, video on a cruising boat and video of live music performances, generally by soloists, this concept is something I will work on. For the shoot-n-run videos probably not, or not so much, due to time constraints. They only give us 24 hours in a day.