External mic arrangement at DVinfo.net

Renton Maclachlan · August 27th, 2012, 04:03 AM

You may be interested in the arrangement I've made for using an external mic with myGoPro

Chris Harding · August 27th, 2012, 04:59 AM

That's neat Renton

It, of course, wouldn't be totally waterproof any more but would certainly protect the camera in a light drizzle...What mic are you intending to plug in there??

Chris

Renton Maclachlan · August 27th, 2012, 05:34 AM

Hi Chris.

The case is totally waterproof...though obviously not for underwater (though it could be - I won't try it!), and the mic will not be protected. The right angle jack is a tight fit in the rubber gromit.

Just ordered a couple of elcheapo mics off ebay ...be interesting to see how they go...

Sony ECM-DS70p Mini Microphone Mic for Skype iChat MD | eBay

Mini 3.5mm Flexible Microphone Mic For PC Laptop Skype MSN Internet Telephony | eBay

Chris Harding · August 27th, 2012, 07:26 AM

Hi Renton

Just make sure the mics are self powered!! I bought a neat el-cheapo from Jaycar here and it doesn't work as it's a dynamic mic ..I have always been under the impression that only condenser mics need either a battery or phantom power and dynamic mics work without powered inputs...the Hero didn't like it at all!!!

Let us know how those work?? I shot a wedding 2 weeks ago and used the Hero in the Church and the audio was quite good ..I guess it was because they had a speaker bank about 3 m from the floor and I had the GoPro on a stand just a tad lower and it was in the skeleton case.

Chris

Warren Kawamoto · August 27th, 2012, 10:34 AM

I've yet to hear a decent audio recording from a GoPro. The bitrate is so low that no matter what I did, the audio was pretty much useless.

Renton Maclachlan · August 27th, 2012, 02:42 PM

I'm not look for top notch audio from it. Just better audio...from a mic just outside the case, or a lot closer to the sound source...

Renton Maclachlan · August 27th, 2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Renton

Just make sure the mics are self powered!! I bought a neat el-cheapo from Jaycar here and it doesn't work as it's a dynamic mic ..I have always been under the impression that only condenser mics need either a battery or phantom power and dynamic mics work without powered inputs...the Hero didn't like it at all!! Chris

If they don't work, there's little loss. I've seen some others suggested...but they cost more...

Lynne Whelden · August 27th, 2012, 03:04 PM

Yes, good luck in your experiment. I tried six different mics ranging from $30 to $80 to no avail. You'll discover that unless the audio is constantly LOUD, you're going to get hiss and static. The Hero's preamp, coupled with an AGC that's impossible to control, is always the insurmountable problem.

Allan Black · August 27th, 2012, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warren Kawamoto

I've yet to hear a decent audio recording from a GoPro. The bitrate is so low that no matter what I did, the audio was pretty much useless.

That's right, you need a separate audio recorder to get usable audio .. especially if you're going to match and mate it to 'good' audio from your real camera.

Cheers.

Lynne Whelden · August 27th, 2012, 05:08 PM

Who knows, maybe the ProTune upgrade will address this problem?

Ian Newland · August 27th, 2012, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynne Whelden

Who knows, maybe the ProTune upgrade will address this problem?

Nope, poor audio is hardware based.

Best audio I've had from a GOpro with mic socket is a powered lav, battery is inline.

Dean Sensui · August 28th, 2012, 03:37 AM

I modified a "skeletal" housing by making an adhesive gasket out of 3M's VHB, then covering the openings with transparent packing tape.

The result is a housing that's splash-proof yet allows sounds to get to the GoPro's built-in mics.

Had a problem when inserting GoPro's dessicant strips. I made the mistake of putting them on the sides. They got stuck to the adhesive packing tape, and blocked the sound. So if you do this mod, be sure to keep the dessicant strips on the top and bottom -- not on the sides.

The audio qualtiy overall isn't great. But all I need is a sync reference. The production audio comes from wireless mics feeding a 4-track recorder and the main camera.

Kevin Walsh · August 28th, 2012, 02:36 PM

I plugged a Rode NT3 into my GoPro for a quick test. It doesn't sound that bad to me.

GoPro with Rode NT3

Lynne Whelden · August 28th, 2012, 04:08 PM

The test I'd really like to hear with that Rode NT3 is to simply record "room sound" or "room tone."
See what the AGC does then. Room tone is such a valuable sound to have on hand for editing but it's also very hard to capture. (Same goes for "natural sound," that pervasive outdoor sound of faint wind, or rustling grass, or distant birds and insects. Beautiful audio but oh so hard to get.)

Lynne Whelden · August 29th, 2012, 01:25 PM

Ian...can you mention the brand lapel mic w/ battery that worked for you?
What's your take on why it worked better than others? An inherent noise level that inadvertently served to tamp down the Hero's AGC? A better impedance match?

August 27th, 2012, 04:03 AM	#1
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	External mic arrangement You may be interested in the arrangement I've made for using an external mic with myGoPro Attached Thumbnails

August 27th, 2012, 04:59 AM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: External mic arrangement That's neat Renton It, of course, wouldn't be totally waterproof any more but would certainly protect the camera in a light drizzle...What mic are you intending to plug in there?? Chris

August 27th, 2012, 05:34 AM	#3
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: External mic arrangement Hi Chris. The case is totally waterproof...though obviously not for underwater (though it could be - I won't try it!), and the mic will not be protected. The right angle jack is a tight fit in the rubber gromit. Just ordered a couple of elcheapo mics off ebay ...be interesting to see how they go... Sony ECM-DS70p Mini Microphone Mic for Skype iChat MD \| eBay Mini 3.5mm Flexible Microphone Mic For PC Laptop Skype MSN Internet Telephony \| eBay

August 27th, 2012, 07:26 AM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: External mic arrangement Hi Renton Just make sure the mics are self powered!! I bought a neat el-cheapo from Jaycar here and it doesn't work as it's a dynamic mic ..I have always been under the impression that only condenser mics need either a battery or phantom power and dynamic mics work without powered inputs...the Hero didn't like it at all!!! Let us know how those work?? I shot a wedding 2 weeks ago and used the Hero in the Church and the audio was quite good ..I guess it was because they had a speaker bank about 3 m from the floor and I had the GoPro on a stand just a tad lower and it was in the skeleton case. Chris

August 27th, 2012, 10:34 AM	#5
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Re: External mic arrangement I've yet to hear a decent audio recording from a GoPro. The bitrate is so low that no matter what I did, the audio was pretty much useless.

August 27th, 2012, 02:42 PM	#6
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: External mic arrangement I'm not look for top notch audio from it. Just better audio...from a mic just outside the case, or a lot closer to the sound source...

August 27th, 2012, 03:04 PM	#8
Lynne Whelden Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: williamsport, pa Posts: 604	Re: External mic arrangement Yes, good luck in your experiment. I tried six different mics ranging from $30 to $80 to no avail. You'll discover that unless the audio is constantly LOUD, you're going to get hiss and static. The Hero's preamp, coupled with an AGC that's impossible to control, is always the insurmountable problem.

August 27th, 2012, 05:08 PM	#10
Lynne Whelden Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: williamsport, pa Posts: 604	Re: External mic arrangement Who knows, maybe the ProTune upgrade will address this problem?

August 28th, 2012, 03:37 AM	#12
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Re: External mic arrangement I modified a "skeletal" housing by making an adhesive gasket out of 3M's VHB, then covering the openings with transparent packing tape. The result is a housing that's splash-proof yet allows sounds to get to the GoPro's built-in mics. Had a problem when inserting GoPro's dessicant strips. I made the mistake of putting them on the sides. They got stuck to the adhesive packing tape, and blocked the sound. So if you do this mod, be sure to keep the dessicant strips on the top and bottom -- not on the sides. The audio qualtiy overall isn't great. But all I need is a sync reference. The production audio comes from wireless mics feeding a 4-track recorder and the main camera. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

August 28th, 2012, 02:36 PM	#13
Kevin Walsh Major Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 225	Re: External mic arrangement I plugged a Rode NT3 into my GoPro for a quick test. It doesn't sound that bad to me. GoPro with Rode NT3

August 28th, 2012, 04:08 PM	#14
Lynne Whelden Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: williamsport, pa Posts: 604	Re: External mic arrangement The test I'd really like to hear with that Rode NT3 is to simply record "room sound" or "room tone." See what the AGC does then. Room tone is such a valuable sound to have on hand for editing but it's also very hard to capture. (Same goes for "natural sound," that pervasive outdoor sound of faint wind, or rustling grass, or distant birds and insects. Beautiful audio but oh so hard to get.)

August 29th, 2012, 01:25 PM	#15
Lynne Whelden Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: williamsport, pa Posts: 604	Re: External mic arrangement Ian...can you mention the brand lapel mic w/ battery that worked for you? What's your take on why it worked better than others? An inherent noise level that inadvertently served to tamp down the Hero's AGC? A better impedance match?