Need minidisc for filming

[TheCase]

Hi,

I am looking for an external audio device for filming as my camera does not have an input for mics. I am going to the shop this week what shall I look for I plan on using this mic to connect to a mindisc

http://www.rodemic.com/?pagename=Products&...Stereo_VideoMic

I want to use heaphones aswell ... plug them in to hear what I am recording, is that possible

I only plan to record 10 minuites max at a time then put on PC, is it easy to transfere to PC?

With theses three things in mind can anyone suggest what minidisc I should look out for or might be best

Thanks

[A440]

To upload to a PC (and it has to be a PC for most units) you must get Hi-MD. All Hi-MDs have identical recording quality. All of them record in CD-quality PCM, 90 minutes per 1GB Hi-MD disc.

There is a slight delay, tiny fractions of a second, in headphone monitoring. If you're hearing the live sound as well you might get phase distortion. So you need isolating headphones.

Uploading requires installing software (SonicStage) and then converting the uploaded tracks to a non-encrypted format, so uploads are a two-step process: upload with SonicStage and convert (with SonicStage or Hi-MDRenderer) to .wav.

Sony has stopped making minidisc units. So you're going to have to look for unsold units at electronics stores, or look on eBay. Use common sense about getting anything used. There are moving parts on MD recorders, and they do wear out.

(For what it's worth, I own the RH1 and the MZ-NH700.)

All the models are listed here:

http://www.minidisc.org/equipment_browser.html

The best Hi-MD of all is the MZ-RH1. More capabilities, best playback, Mac-compatible, USB 2.0 transfer and some small conveniences (like holding the setting for manual volume for recording), cutest. It's also called the MZ-M200 when it is bundled with a Sony DS70P microphone. You might get stuck buying the bundle, but you could always sell the DS70P on Ebay.

The other Hi-MDs are:

MZ-NH700

MZ-NHF800 Those are both the same hardworking unit. The NHF800 has an FM-radio remote. Both take a AA battery, useful in field recording.

MZ-NH900 Better playback through its own headphone jack, less readable display, rechargeable battery plus outboard AA pack. Stop and Pause on the same button (bad idea).

MZ-RH910

MZ-RH10 The RH10 has a fancy display, but a high failure rate.

MZ-M10 Mac-compatible (more expensive) version of MZ-RH910

MZ-M100 Mac-compatible (more expensive) version of MZ-RH10

MZ-NH600 and MZ-RH710 only have line inputs--not a mic jack. MZ-NH600D, MZ-DH10P and any MZ-E unit do not record in realtime.

Those are all your choices. ANY OTHER minidisc will not upload--the only way to get the audio is to record the analog signal out of the headphone jack. Any minidisc unit not made by Sony--Sharp, Aiwa, Kenwood, Panasonic--will not upload. The RH1 will upload old (before Hi-MD) recordings from those units, but then you might as well just get the RH1 to begin with.

You can also look at flash recorders, which upload through simple drag-and-drop: Samson Zoom H2, Edirol R09, M-Audio Microtrack. But all of them reportedly have built-in mic preamps that are inferior to minidisc, and you have that excellent Rode mic to go into the mic jack.

Edited November 11, 2007 by A440

[raintheory]

I'm not positive on this, but thought I'd mention it just in case... Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the subject can chime in though..

Is there a possibility that your video / audio may go out of sync with the 48kHz -vs- 44.1kHz?

[TheCase]

Thank you very much for this. I think I might settle on the Sony MZ-NHF800 with 1GB HI-MD tapes (I get the ones bellow)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-2Pack-High-MD...5560&sr=1-2

So if I get this, this is what I plan to do.

Put tape into player, put mic (mic listed in first post) and headphones in (the headphone I have once on I cannot hear anything outside), then while recording I can hear what is going on so I can make sure I have the mic on for example it would be anoyying I get back and find the mic was off. Then I can upload via USB to computer ... this is the hard bit then use a software called Sonic Stage (I think this is a free software) then I can save in .mp3 or .wav (whatever better quality file) and there we go all done?

There could be two things that could go wrong, can anyone clarify

1. I can't hear what I am recording, doesnt matter if like the person claps and I hear it after they done it. What is bad is if the HI-MD slowly picks up an dealy, so the more long the recording is the more out of sync it will be so when I do a sence of 5 minuites for example slowly through the duration of the film you can see the lip and the sound slowing getting out of sync ... bad

2. I hear all kind of hisssssssss and buzzing, I expect very little hiss otherwize its impossible but nothing too bad (are there any demo files?). I have made mistakes in the past got a memo recorded instead of an audio recorder and had loads of hissing, bad quality, buzz ect so I dont want to make this mistake. If I recorded on my computer this is what type of bad hiss and buzz i dont want to get

http://www.mediafire.com/?9yepu9meem1

as long as it is much better than that

Thanks for you help

Edited November 12, 2007 by TheCase

[A440]

Here's a whole thread on synching.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=11869

Since you are making short recordings I don't think you will have sync problems. They would build up very gradually over a longer recording.

You'll get a SonicStage disc with your unit. DON'T USE IT. Instead, go to Downloads here (upper right) or go to Sony online and get a newer version. 3.4 or 4.2 are excellent with Windows XP. 4.3, the current one, is the only one that works with Vista. You upload the recording into the computer, then convert to .wav to remove the encryption.

The unit will make a very clear recording of whatever comes through your mic. This is a world of quality away from little voice recorders. You can record in PCM, which is the same as .wav, CD-quality. Little voice recorders use lower quality.

If what's coming through is very quiet--like wind rustling in trees, distant birdsong--then you may hear some of the hiss from the built-in preamp, since there is no such thing as a noiseless preamp. But for dialogue and regular sound, you should be fine. You can hear all kinds of recordings in the Gallery up there on the right.

Just out of curiosity, where are you getting an NHF800?

Edited November 12, 2007 by A440

[TheCase]

From a seller on amazon. Could you suggest anywhere better for less than £100. Can someone just confirm that when headphones plugged in you can hear what is being recording. Looks like I have finally found my HI-MD wahooo.

Thanks

Edited November 12, 2007 by TheCase

[raintheory]

I'll confirm that you can monitor the signal being recorded via headphones.. with just about any MiniDisc unit that I am aware of.

[A440]

You won't find one for under £100. Grab that one.

[TheCase]

I got it and it works amazing. I just have one problem, when my actors are running it is hard for the boom mic to stay out the camera frame and keep up. Also as we are outside the camera can do alot of moving and its hard for the boom mic to stay up and its impossible to hear both actors if they are apart from each other so what I thought on getting is a tie clip mic but Im not to sure how it will work I need 2 tie mics and they need to be wireless and I think some come with some windshield for when we are running but I only have one mic socket what can I do?

Thanks

[A440]

You could get a battery-powered mixer with multiple inputs to go into the mic socket. Someone else here may be able to recommend one, or consult a pro-audio store.

Wireless mics are going to get expensive, and you're going to have to secure them so a running actor doesn't create handling noise with the mic bouncing around. Have you considered using the boom for ambience and dubbing in the dialogue later?