ratbagradio

HiMD discs now stores files, right? The screeds says,"Data files, fav pics and MPEG Movie Clips"..etc. But will the disc handle.avi files?

I luv the Borgness. And with the Velcro on the wrist its like wearing a Dick Tracey watch. As for a clean up...black cable? The complication is that as you pivot your camera you want to have plenty of give in the connections and while I'd like shorter cables I haven't as yet found commercial ones to suit. I'd also like a better microphone mount (on a camera such as mine that has no shoe) and I'm still experimenting with options. I used Velcro there too but found it cracked when I moved the camera and the sound was caught in the audio. But for me I solve a lot of problems of out and about recording of both audio and video. Just on using camera tripods/monopods fro mics -- here area coipel of shots of the way I use small camera tripods to support my microphones. And the way the Ultrapod can be deployed to support cameras ...and mics! Very useful for public meetings to set up mics without dedicated stands..

I've been experimenting with ways to carry my shooting rig around with me so that I can also hook it up to a recorder. I also wanted to run a microphone to the MiniDV camera -- a Canon MD 120. Since I had a HiMD recorder-- Sony MD Walkman MZ NH 700 -- with plug in power microphones to go with it I wanted to integrate the two systems. I also had learnt that if I'm on an "assignment" I needed to record much more audio than I'd videoed. I wanted a system which would enable me to keep the audio recording running while I selectively shot video . I also wanted better audio quality than the inbuilt microphone that came with the camera. And since I podcast audio and videoblog in effect I wanted to get the best out of two separate mediums. I had previously hung all this rig from bags and pouches on my person and it proved very cumbersome and hard to monitor and manipulate -- such as turning either device on or off. But I had been using the Ultrapod monopod for some time and loved it. The Ultrapod is a small, lightweight, folding camera tripod with adjustable ball & socket head and Velcro securing strap. (I've also been using small camera tripods to support my microphones.) So with a bit of Velcro strapping, I combed the lot-- Voila! By rights -- and I've yet to confirm this -- the audio that runs from the HiMD should also be automatically gained before it is taken in as audio on the video as I run the HiMD audio out into the microphone in for the Video camera. VIEW Slideshow of rig here.

I have reviewed all earlier threads of relevance to this topic but I'm still wondering about my present experiments with pairing a inexpensive minidv camcorder with my HiMD. I run a lead from the minidisc to the microphone as you'd do recording any audio. I then run a lead from the earphones jack on the HiMD to the camcorder's mic in jack. That way I record the sound using the microphone I have rather than the camcorder's built in microphone. I also get to use the plug in power mics I own rather than having to purchase a mic with its own power/pre-amp.. I'm assuming that what I'm doing is securing a better quality sound, position my mics selectively for best effect and utilising the HiMD's automatic gain option to level out my audio. I, of course, would have no gain moderation if I just plugged the microphone into my camcorder. But is this actually happening or am I kidding myself. Is "gain" in place as the recording is made and before it is SAVED to the disc? I also find that if I insert a two way plug at the remote controller on the headphones lead I can not only get the 'good' ound into the video recording but I can also plug in a set of earphone to monitor whats' happening sound wise. In effect I have a rig in two parts: video + audio -- working to each other's advantage. In terms of end product is this worth the effort?

Unfortunately you bought the wrong camera. Canon video cameras do offer line in microphones -- I just bought one -- but their latest 'entry level' cameras do not. That means you have to record audio by using the inbuilt microphone which, is real quite good. You can record separately to your HiMD but I gather that if you wanted to sync audio to visual image you need a high level video editing program and a degree of skill. The other problem is that it is easy that way to create video out of sync. Nonetheless you can do a lot with editing video by adding sound files to your visual edit. You can also record voice over on all video editing programs -- such as Movie Maker., which comes free with Windows. A great audio editing program (free) is Audacity. Here's a very simple exercise I shot -- with a still digital camera -- to which I added audio I recorded on Audacity by matching the time line of the audio to the video edit. http://ratbaggy.blogspot.com/2008/11/keir-...n-explodes.html You edit , say 65 seconds of video so you create a sound file 65 seconds long and pair them. I used two tracks in Audacity for that very simple edit -- background noise + voice over -- while I ran the film. I then trimmed and relocated the files to suit. Good sound, I reckon, is the difference between a good and bad videos(not that I know much, I'm very new at video making). Just look at the rubbish that gets posted to YouTube! The high end editing programs offer you a number of audio tracts to lay down so you have more capacity to sync sound with image.` Just one further point: Check the manual. The microphone jacks aren't always easy to find and it could be you missed its location or thought it was for line in or something.. Also check the model's features by doing a web search for it. But if there's no mic in there's no way to plug in a microphone. If you donlt have amanual search yo for your camera and add the word "manual".

I need to record a two day conference in early December and I've learnt before that by using a 1 GB disc I can put the lot on the one unit. However I don;t want to use my own HiMD MZ -- NH700 --so I'm looking to getting a cheap or second hand one. I can get a 6 year old -- MZ-R91 -- but while that has line in and mic jack it's not HiMD is it? So I'm restricted in my use of it, for later editing and sharing via my pc. I could use the special priced -- Sony MZ-NH600 Hi-MD But that hasn't got a AC adaptor for the mains power and no line or mic in. Right? So I'm trying to imagine my basic requirements and see how far my dollar will stretch covering as many as those as I can. I do think I need two minidisc players -- one for at home playing of my discs and another fro recording . But I'm trying to cover thsi other option of have two recorders for general use.

Actually I'm not sure what you do.I assume you are saying that you record separately from the video shoot and sync it later? That may be possible with one shot setup but not if the camera is moving from sequence to sequence. Syncing would be a tad more complicated I'd guess. My point was to record both on the MD and the camcorder at the same time through the minidisc recorder acting as a sort of preamp for the camera. PS: I see where you use Visivox in your recording rig. I do too.

While I know how sample rate can effect the way your do your editing later on after you have imported the audio file -- I'm suggesting that I am simply flushing the audio sound through the MiniDisc en route to the video camera. So the "sound" is as it is rather than being digital or formatted by kHz. I'm tricking the camcorder's audio input. Of course I'd probably lose the later option to edit separate stereo audio channels (I haven't got that far yet) but it's still going to be better audio -- I was hoping -- than audio that had not be 'gained' to level it out. Thats' the point of the hack -- considering that we're talking about single camera and sound operation and me with a limit of two hands and set of ears. Unfortunately so much MD chat is geared to music recording and live recording out and about of people talking and doing stuff is neglected. I think the format rocks at that level and I'm trying to push the envelope. So -- if you can imagine the rig: I've got the camera on tripod (or on a monopod -- a converted extended walking stick/trekking pole that I use.) and attached to my belt or suspended from a strap over my shoulder is a pouch bag which carries the MD recorder. My microphone is either attached to the pod or free moving in my left hand as I operate the camera with the right . The mic's input runs to the MD and from there a cable outlet carries that sound to the camera mic input. I also run earphones from the MD (something I cannot do on my camera). So I advance with MD recording at all times while selectively shooting video. I have the event all on MD as well as a series of video shots and sequences I can deploy later on in an edit.

That may all be true in regard to audio quality but the minidisc doesn't offer the ease that mp3 devices do in regard to platforms like podcasting. If you listen to spoken word podcasts and podcasted radio programs, mp3 players are get up and go/take away essentials. They're great for 'disposable' audio. Why people would want to use them for listening to music amazes me -- the iPod generation will be one made up of retarded ears and it will set 'sound' back a generation at least. Even my teenage kids only listen to mp3 music even at their computer desk. But the main thing: horses for courses. The thing that amazes me so much about the minidisc format is that it's a superb recording device and an audio player -- all in one. And its built like a Rolls Royce. Wow!. There's millions of ignorant people out there I reckon. I've only got the one HiMD but I'm going to get another for playing audio so that I can just keep it plugged into a set of speakers as I build up my collection of music > MD recordings. I get into discussions with community radio folk who reckon they'll give MD the flick for the newer flash recording formats like Edirol. But there's a price issue and a tape issue. And while it is easier to upload your audio to a PC that's what you have to do. In many ways the minidv format in camcorders parallels the minidisc universe and there is a strong push , well advanced, to move beyond the mini-dv format-- despite the video quality and despite the ease of have small archival discs. Theres' this disdain being fostered for tapes or cassettes or discs as the web ether is supposed to supply all our media needs. In fact, what's happened is that the world has be suckered into a fetish with digital squishing as though everything has to be processed through a computer and come out in DVD or CD format to be a 'real' commodity; all your whole collection of music must fit in your pocket (in the off chance that in the space of one day you'll want or need to play all 500 or 5000 or whatever tracks -- and share them with nobody outside a tinny speaker setup with a docking unit)

I have been using my minidisc fro almost two years now recording audio for podcasting. But I've lately begun to explore video and have used the minidisc as a recording source for out and about work -- such as shooting video at a street parade while also recording audio to minidisc. My camera then was simple (still) digital camera set to video mode and I worked with a camera on a monopod and a microphone attached to that. I didn't use the minidisc audio in the hope of syncing it during a later edit -- only for ambiance and voice over interviews. I now own a JVC mini-dv camcorder which has a built in mic socket which takes all my minidisc mikes so there is no need to make use of the minidisc as a recording option to make up for poor sound quality. However... I was wondering if I could still make use of the minidisc player at the same time as I am shooting video. While having a separate audio recording is a handy resource if I want to edit up audio for sharing as mp3 audio, I was wondering if I could harness the minidisc player also as a portable sound unit to compliment my video. I'm especially thinking that since my minidisc player offers automatic gain I'd really like that working for my end video product. The other advantage of using the minidisc to record would be that I would be able to monitor my sound by listening to audio while I shoot video. To achieve this all I need do is route the microphones through the minidisc to the jack on my camcorder by running a lead from the earphone outlet. But I can find no literature on this "hack" -- even though, to me, it seems self evident. Most audio on most DIY videos on platforms like YouTube are awful quality. In fact,web published video's weakest attribute is audio. There's all this bandwidth on the web carrying moving images with rotten sound quality. Of course the downside is that I need to worry about two battery supplies and two discs. but I've found that it's preferable to run the minisdisc on RECORD most of the time and only shoot video with the final edit in mind. That way I don't miss anything that later may be useful. So does anyone knows if a rig such as this would have drawbacks or if other's have reviewed and utilized such a work up before? For those interested in the topic of running audio by yourself there's an interesting book which, as far as I can make out, doesn't mention minidiscs: Audio for Single Camera Operation By Tony Grant (available on the web in preview shots)

I have reviewed the excellent discussion on Using minidisc for video production http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showt...=11869&st=0 I intend to use a rig with a monopod: digital camera on top (trekking pole with camera attached with a Ultrapod)and a minidisc microphone strapped further down the pole. This setup seems very mobile to me and it main failing is that i won't have a pan left and right lever to spin the pole on its axis. But I have a couple of questions -- musings really: Would that be a reasonable location for mic pickup? At least I wont get camera hand noise. So long as I supported the monopod I can get both voideo and audio with the one tool.When I want to mark my shot for later syncing is it reasonable to replace the clapper board (or a simple hand clap) with a finger snap made with one hand placed in front of the lens ? Thats' all I'd have you see: one hand. Are there other options I don't know about -- tricks I can use to mark the video with sound cues and the audio with video ones?In post production editing-- I use Audacity -- are there any syncing tricks worth knowing? I video edit with Movie Maker and indulge in the free software.

When using Audacity to record from my minisdisc (rather than upload the files and convert to wav then import into Audacity -- before having to rearrange the sequence) I use an iMic. Works fine every time by simply plugging in the AUDIO out on the MD and the Mic input on iMic. When not using the iMic I've learnt that the best way to import MD audio files into Audacity is to do one MD converted file at a time otherwise I get completely lost by the rearranging of sequence and labels. Since my recoding sesiosn may leave with up to 15 files to handle slowly slowly file by file seems the best approach --c checking the sequencing each time. I import a new WAV file. I haven't yet worked out how to label a MD file either in the machine or in Sonic Stage so that by the time it reaches Audacity I can still trust the labeling.

It seems to me that if you used smaller capacity mini discs you wouldn't lose so much audio in the one collapse -- especially if you were recording to very high quality. I'd never record live to a 1GB disc for instance as I never trust the capacity of the machine to write the audio for very long periods of time. That way if it fails I am sure to lose all. The problem you face I suspect will be the same with any device that is run on batteries. Essentially any recording is as long or as secure as the batteries collective life. I've had drop outs on minidisc and on mp3 recorders --simply because I underestimated the battery's reserve. As for options the new Edirol is praised but, I point out that your problem may be recording protocol and I guess will be the same with another recording tool. The other associated complication with other devices I feel is that unless you want to store your audio on your computer or burn it to CD you won't have a ready means to store your collection as easy to review as the minidisc. I even find that when you're recording a lot of material I fill up my computer's reserve very quickly and unless I burn the audio to CD or squish it to mp3 I cannot simply empty the next disc into the pc. I'm sure that's problem with other devices too. But of course with the mini disc -- no worries! -- you have discs! So I'd think tahts' a real plus with the format. (EG: For quality recordings on Edirol you'll be stuck with huge wav files. where you gonna put those? Betyter sound that the MD -- very little compression -- but what to do with them if you wanted to archive the audio?) I know it's not a great interface but the minidisc does offer a battery icon which visually suggests how much energy is left. Thats' a lot better than many mp3 devices (which give a quality that is unlikely to suit recording animal sounds in the field) but no battery monitor. But hey! my heart goes out to you. But I'm still a bit confused how you could lose all your audio in a write. I'd have thought you'd only lose the stuff that was just recorded. If you do buy another device it is also good practice -- and I do it with my interviews -- to use two devices to do the recording. I often supplement my minidisc recorder with an iRiver ftp (no longer made -- but it takes minidisc plug in power microphones)so I have an option if the primary recording source fails. One tip though: don't use a portable pc/laptop as a recording device as they can be notoriously fickle and podcasters -- like me -- are often warned against them in the field. Again you'll have a battery problem. So my suggested solution: get another minidisc and record to two at the same time.Fool proof. with such a backup.And for crucial recording sessions always use fresh long life (not recharged) batteries. You are not alone in the universe....

I got into minidisc because I was seeking a format to record for podcasting. So I'm into live recording -- interviews and events. Most of my audio input is via podcasts I subscribe to.All of these are talk based. I usually listen to these on a portable mp3 player (iRiver) while out and about --such as when commuting, walking the dog, gardening or bicycling,etc. Since I don't drive there's no regular access to a car radio so I get my music from CDs often at an evening and at home. However, my CD player is dying and I was trying to work out what my next audio move should be. It struck me that if I got a set of portable ( PC style) speakers all I need do is plug my mp3 player into the speakers and listen to music or speech that way. Since minidiscs have made me a bit of an audio snob (and I know how much squishing is involved to create shareable mp3 files) I'm not interested in listening to music audio in mp3 format -- at least not without earphones. So I, of course -- for the first time -- ripped a few CDs to HiMD and am delighted with the result. It was so easy to do! I never went that way before as I always uploaded/re-recorded my audio from the player to the pc. Now I can simply move my small pair of speakers ( for the moment an inexpensive pair from Logitech) around the house and plug them into the mains. Then as my mood takes me I insert my mp3 or my minidisc player and listen to my preference. It then struck me that if I get myself a Sony CD Walkman I can plug three devices variously into the one set of speakers. iPod is into this with all their docking accessories. Blah! But I'm aware of no similar attempt to package these -- 3 -- audio options around the one set of speakers. It's not rocket science -- and as much as I know the money investment can be settled on where it matters: the speakers as the rest is simply portable plug-in hardware. Since this seems a sort of self evident concoction -- has any one constructed any sort of furniture/unit -- preferably portable so a hybrid setup like this could be moved about?

Thats' true but if he also plugs the MD into Sonic Stage he can monitor where's he's at in the transfer/recording. SS will tell him how much more there is yet to play. It's a handy hack I find -- rather than waiting on Audacity to record out to a flat line or sit there listening. I like to set it and forget it with a few check backs if I know my expected time line. SS also enables you to select /stop/pause what you want to record visually without touching the MD player itself. Another attribute well worth investing in is an iMic -- so that you get a higher quality recording without the pc's sound floor to worry about. Plug "line out" into iMic's record port. Voila!