Maybe I missed some threads, but does any of these cameras (i.e. SI-2k)record sound? I haven't read anything about microphone inputs or audio compression. Are we supossed to record sound separately, like in film? Thanks in advance.

The best Audio will be from a dual-system sound configuration, just like Film production!

The SI-2K supports:

* Stereo Mic/Line Level inputs with 16-bit/48Khz sampling

* Audio Recording multiplexed into .AVI (.Mov with QT release)

* Speaker/Headphone output

The audio is input via Intel HD Audio on Core 2 embedded mobo.

Alternatively, you can use an isolated USB Audio Interface with XLR/Preamps and recorded thru its wav interface.

Is there any form of time code implementation?

Would the Edirol R-4 pro (www.edirol.com/products/r4pro/index.html ) be any good as a USB pre amp/mixer or would the 4 channels of audio cause problems. Or even better would the SI-2K accept 4 channels of audio.

As the R-4 is a recorder with timecode as well it should be fine for double system recording but it would be nice (quicker) not to have to sync up in post.

The problem with 4-channels of audio is that the current AVI's only can take a 2-channel mux (Video For Windows limitation), so we'd have to mix-down the 4-channels to 2-channels anyways.

Yes, there is timecode implemented. Right now it's time of day, but we're working on getting the whole gamut of timecode implemented with external LTC timecode syncing.

What about this sound device?

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1901&brandID=4

Can it be useful? Only as audio interface or also as recording device?

Timecode?

I would like to hear some input on which audio intefaces are most popular and which ones we should directly support?

The Samson looks interesting with integrated mics and recording.

To be honest I have never used a USB external device on a set,only ever Firewire and the most popular from my experience and the one I use is the Motu Traveller due to the fact of a 4pin XLR in the side making a true mobile Pro interface on a sound trolley and the fact Mac users are used to it as much as me a PC user is.

Are you going to support Firewire Audio devices in the future ?

I'd be intrested in hearing about others experiences recording with USB devices myself.

Ian,

Our first target is to support a small form factor USB device for portable applications where an external Mic/PreAmp is desired for use with a Notebook (or desktop) being used as the video and audio (2-ch for now)recording system.

Here is one device proposed:

http://www.sounddevices.com/products/mx2master.htm


For dual system sound, the "Spoon" team used the MOTU traveller for a dedicated recording system. There was a recent update on their blog:

http://indiefilmlive.blogspot.com/


MOTU does also have a USB version:

http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/828/

The 828 works fine having used 3 of them to help record 50 odd tracks of a stage show but it isn't mobile for location recording hence the traveler being so usefull, for what we do it must be 12v and if at all possible have a 4 pin XLR in the side for power, now one small unit we have used in a few situations to great effect for 2 channels is the creative Audigy 2 ZS notebook PCMCIA card, we had some situations 2 years ago on a drama where ease of moving was needed but we wanted to try out using a laptop and the end result was very good considering the cost and it not really being a pro unit or at least advertised as such, I'd have no problem if you had a pcmcia slot in the camera at some time in the future, worst problem really is the lack of xlr's but I'm sure a set of tails strapped to the camera would be fine, after all it's not like we don't do that now with xlr's to a 10pin hirose. I'm not sure of the top of my head though if the creative stuff is only ASIO though and I can't remember if you were supporting that to start with or not.

The sound devices USBpre unit is a great choice btw, I'd have no problems with that being a recomended device to use in a basic recording straight to camera situation.

Merci Ari.

I'd like to play with the Samson and maybe I'll order an unit but I'd like to check if could it have any future field use? Or not?

What about this sound device?

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1901&brandID=4

Can it be useful? Only as audio interface or also as recording device?

Timecode?

Mathieu

I will be interested to hear your feedback on this unit and see if you would recommend to others on the forum.

Ari

Three years on, what are the currently recommended mobile sound input devices for SI-2K + laptop?

Something with quality mic preamps with phantom power.

I have used these options with my si2k setup in Toronto:

1. M-Audio Box -USB interface. Work quite well, though we did have one glitch on the last shoot, which made the audio go all 'wobbly'. Very random, was unable to determine what the cause of it was.. luckily the sound guy was recording to a hard drive as a backup just in case.
2. Rhode Microphone - XLR>1/8" Mic jack Setting levels with Windows Microphone controls (not great audio, but usable)
3. Senheisser Wireless mics - XLR>1/8" Mic Jack
4. Recording seperate system to a ZOOM portable recorder.

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I'd think Firewire would be preferred due to the latency introduced by USB devices??

Maybe this:

PreSonus | FireBox Interface | FIREBOX | B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/356702-REG/PreSonus_FIREBOX_FireBox_Interface.html/BI/2187/KBID/2932)

But I do not know if it plays nicely with the Windows' original sound panel, which SI says must be used for their software' sound input?..

I have used the ZOOM portable recorder as a USB stereo input.
There didn't seem to be any latency problems with the recorded (AVI) footage in edit- when checking shots back from the DVR in the field there was a sync issue.

Bridging here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/silicon-imaging-si-2k/290916-force-feeding-audio-into-si-2k-mini.html

SiliconDVR supposedly accepts audio LTC over USB.

Say, my audio playback is by a separate laptop PC that has USB ports of course.

Can I run some affordable software on that audio playback laptop that would feed audio's LTC into the PC running SiliconDVR?

The purpose is to jam SiliconDVR's timecode to audio LTC.

(The really good solution would be to actually record an auxiliary Timecode from audio alongside the TimeOfDay TC that I always use with SiliconDVR. However my NLE does not seem to read auxiliary TCs... Premiere Pro 2.0 here. So it seems that I must record audio LTC into the main TC of the video.)