Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters?

"Charles Tomaras" wrote ...
> <artware RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote ...
>> I've been researching wireless lav options, and had the thought --
>> and
>> maybe it's a really bad one -- that you could use a tiny 24bit
>> recorder (Zoom H2, MicroTrack, Korg MR1, etc) on the talent instead
>> of
>> a wireless transmitter. Given the preamps, maybe using a powered lav,
>> such as the AT899? Obviously you'd need to leave a lot of headroom
>> since you couldn't adjust the levels.
>>
>> On the plus side, you wouldn't have to worry about RF interference or
>> wireless audio quality, and these recorders are even cheaper than G2
>> transmitters. On the negative side, you're flying blind, and wouldn't
>> know whether you got usable audio until you could download it
>> (yikes).
>> Also, it leaves you with a lot of tracks to sync before you can edit.
>>
>> The whole idea appeals to me, though. I like that the recorders could
>> do double duty as recorders for plant mics. And it would be a relief
>> not to worry about wireless, given the strange RF pulses I get around
>> here.
>>
>> Thoughts?
>
> Zaxcom beat you to it, and they function as wireless transmitters as
> well.
>
> http://www.zaxcom.com/internal_recording.htm

And before Zaxcom, et.al. at the professional end, low-
budget productions (notoriously, wedding videographers,
etc.) have been using MD recorders in the groom's pocket
for years as an alternative to unreliable cheap plastic toy
wireless mics.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

On Dec 30, 7:24 pm, "Charles Tomaras" <toma... DeleteThis @tomaras.com> wrote:

> Zaxcom beat you to it, and they function as wireless transmitters as well.

Yeouch -- at those prices, they better!

I can live without the wireless if it saves me $1600 per mic.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

And even earlier it was the Nagra SN.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

Boy, I wish I could live without wireless mics. I'd be the happiest mixer
on the earth!!!

D.

<artware.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:72f9d6ee-7be2-4a00-b3fe-7b5c6955babb@s19g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> On Dec 30, 7:24 pm, "Charles Tomaras" <toma....DeleteThis@tomaras.com> wrote:
>
>> Zaxcom beat you to it, and they function as wireless transmitters as
>> well.
>
> Yeouch -- at those prices, they better!
>
> I can live without the wireless if it saves me $1600 per mic.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

On Dec 30, 7:53 pm, Billy Sarokin <bigm....RemoveThis@verizon.net> wrote:
> And even earlier it was the Nagra SN.

Oh, great, thanks a lot! I just googled that, and now I have an
entirely irrational desire for one. :)

Good thing it's safely out of my price range...

- ben
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

SNs were "the bomb." Probably be hard to find stock even if you had one.
More prop guys that I know own them than mixers that I know. "After fifteen
seconds, this recording will self-destruct. Good luck Mr. Phelps."

D.

<artware.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:fbc54a1e-3a95-4ba3-b58a-84f7ec05f923@e50g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Dec 30, 7:53 pm, Billy Sarokin <bigm....DeleteThis@verizon.net> wrote:
>> And even earlier it was the Nagra SN.
>
> Oh, great, thanks a lot! I just googled that, and now I have an
> entirely irrational desire for one. :)
>
> Good thing it's safely out of my price range...
>
> - ben
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

Stock-wise, this is 1/8" tape, right? Could you just respool standard
cassette tape?

In other news, I ordered a Zoom H2, based largely on Tim Prebble's
blog post:
http://substation.co.nz/blog/?p=170

I'm anxious to run some tests and see how this fares with a lav...

- ben


On Dec 30, 8:45 pm, "Douglas Tourtelot" <tourte....TakeThisOut@speakeasy.net>
wrote:
> SNs were "the bomb." Probably be hard to find stock even if you had one.
> More prop guys that I know own them than mixers that I know. "After fifteen
> seconds, this recording will self-destruct. Good luck Mr. Phelps."
>
> D.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

On Dec 30, 6:10 pm, "Douglas Tourtelot" <tourte....TakeThisOut@speakeasy.net>
wrote:
> Boy, I wish I could live without wireless mics. I'd be the happiest mixer
> on the earth!!!
>
> D.
>
> <artw....TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:72f9d6ee-7be2-4a00-b3fe-7b5c6955babb@s19g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
>
> > On Dec 30, 7:24 pm, "Charles Tomaras" <toma....TakeThisOut@tomaras.com> wrote:
>
> >> Zaxcom beat you to it, and they function as wireless transmitters as
> >> well.
>
> > Yeouch -- at those prices, they better!
>
> > I can live without the wireless if it saves me $1600 per mic.



SNs were very cool. Yes, we used to rig them on actors back when
wireless gear was really unreliable. Also great for other sorts of
rigs (race cars etc). Loved the hand-crank rewind. My engineer
friend tells me that the original model made for spooks had a mu-metal
body, to keep it from being heard by old-fashioned "bug detection"
equipment. He also said that if you had tried to order one like that
in the 1960s and '70s you would have had a visit from the FBI wanting
to know why you needed it. A friend did most of a low budg mini-DV
doc w/ a mini disc recorder instead of a wireless on his verite
interview subjects. He got tired of syncing up the audio, but it was
way cheaper and more reliable than a cheap-cheap radio mic.

Philip Perkins
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

Sniff,sniff.
LarryF

On Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:10:31 -0800, "Douglas Tourtelot"
<tourtelot.RemoveThis@speakeasy.net> wrote:

>Boy, I wish I could live without wireless mics. I'd be the happiest mixer
>on the earth!!!
>
>D.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

Yea, It's 1/8" tape like used for cassettes (remember those). You want
the tape for the 60 minute cassette loads, NOT 120 minute. Too thin.
For best performance, you will need to calibrate the SN for the tape,
which is not an easy task. If you have a tape duplicating company near
you, they would be a good source for stock.

Good Luck. It's a fun machine.

Stacy Brownrigg, CAS




On Dec 30, 9:00 pm, artw....RemoveThis@gmail.com wrote:
> Stock-wise, this is 1/8" tape, right? Could you just respool standard
> cassette tape?
>
> In other news, I ordered a Zoom H2, based largely on Tim Prebble's
> blog post:http://substation.co.nz/blog/?p=170
>
> I'm anxious to run some tests and see how this fares with a lav...
>
> - ben
>
> On Dec 30, 8:45 pm, "Douglas Tourtelot" <tourte....RemoveThis@speakeasy.net>
> wrote:
>
> > SNs were "the bomb."  Probably be hard to find stock even if you had one.
> > More prop guys that I know own them than mixers that I know.  "After fifteen
> > seconds, this recording will self-destruct.  Good luck Mr. Phelps."
>
> > D.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

I only wish I could buy an NS on a whim!

BTW, does anyone have experience with the AT899? I'm curious to hear
the RAMPS consensus on this mic...

- ben


On Dec 31, 12:19 pm, "Stacy Brownrigg, CAS" <stacyso....RemoveThis@comcast.net>
wrote:
> Yea, It's 1/8" tape like used for cassettes (remember those). You want
> the tape for the 60 minute cassette loads, NOT 120 minute. Too thin.
> For best performance, you will need to calibrate the SN for the tape,
> which is not an easy task. If you have a tape duplicating company near
> you, they would be a good source for stock.
>
> Good Luck. It's a fun machine.
>
> Stacy Brownrigg, CAS
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

> BTW, does anyone have experience with the AT899? I'm curious to hear
> the RAMPS consensus on this mic...

I like these as plant mics- good reach; open, but not too open;
clean.
I use them occasionally on talent for interview-type situations. I
find the cable very stiff and I usually have to tape it in place
unlike other lav cables. I don't think I've ever tried to hide them
on a body.

I prefer the AT830 for on-talent use, hidden and lapel use.
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters? 

On Dec 31 2007, 1:09 am, artw... DeleteThis @gmail.com wrote:
> I've been researching wireless lav options, and had the thought -- and
> maybe it's a really bad one -- that you could use a tiny 24bit
> recorder (Zoom H2, MicroTrack, Korg MR1, etc) on the talent instead of
> a wireless transmitter. Given the preamps, maybe using a powered lav,
> such as the AT899? Obviously you'd need to leave a lot of headroom
> since you couldn't adjust the levels.
>
> On the plus side, you wouldn't have to worry about RF interference or
> wireless audio quality, and these recorders are even cheaper than G2
> transmitters. On the negative side, you're flying blind, and wouldn't
> know whether you got usable audio until you could download it (yikes).
> Also, it leaves you with a lot of tracks to sync before you can edit.
>
> The whole idea appeals to me, though. I like that the recorders could
> do double duty as recorders for plant mics. And it would be a relief
> not to worry about wireless, given the strange RF pulses I get around
> here.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> - ben
>
> P.S. -- Happy new year!

i have an h2 and it's better than a microtrack (imho), even though it
doesn't have the connectors of the mt24/96 it performs well on the
back end of my 302 with the minijack input. it time stamps and can be
operated easily through a protective bag as all the important controls
are push button (including the hold function). shame the display is
not on the side and/or it has no remote control.

this is very small flash recorder (albeit with built in memory, which
goes along with the trend of having good ideas and then realising them
badly):
http://www.soundman.de/dr2_full_de.jpg

they also make binaural mics that could be used as a cheap lav:
http://www.soundman.de/englisch/english.htm

hhb nearly made a very interesting product but instead made this:
http://www.hhb.co.uk/flashmic/index.asp?ReferID=UK

my "if only"s or "sooner or later"s on this are if they'd made a
recorder (with removable memory) that plugs into any xlr o/p mic
they'd be selling these things like hot cakes. possible developments
might have included. timestamping, jam syncing, balanced o/p, phantom/
electret powering, phantom/electret pass through, line or mic i/p,
digital o/p, bluetooth monitoring and remote control we could be using
it to back up any radio transmitter, put discreet channel recording in
front of mixer i/ps and or behind the mixer o/ps.
i suppose i am essentially drifting off thread with an idea for a
sophisticated in line flash recorder that would be a step in very
different direction from the way we currently acquire multichannel
audio and certainly not the design brief that hhb were working to, all
the same, it's no that bigger jump from the flash mic.

dan
 >> Stay informed about: Substituting small recorders for wireless transmitters?