Recording Audio to Laptop (Newbie Question)

E

ec2xs

Member
Hey all, based on the recommendations in this forum I recently purchased a Rode ntg-1 shotgun mic. I'm a first-time filmmaker (worked on sets, but never directed/produced myself) and need A LOT of audio tips. So far, this forum has been golden.

What is the best process for recording audio through the shotgun mic? If I were to record the audio directly into my laptop, what software would be best? Would it be better to record to my laptop or use the external jack from my camera? Thanks ahead of time, and sorry for the novice questions.
 
Hey there,

This is definitely a subject of much debate and informative threads in DVXUser. For a newbie, I'd recommend running the mic into your camera, if for no other reason than you'll already have the audio synced to the video.

Plus, depending on your camera, it might have some decent preamps built into the inputs (XLR inputs? Camera type?) that'll help with your audio.

Most people in here who can help would definitely need to know more about your set up though.

Welcome to the fun!
 
Thanks a million for the response.

I'll be using an HF200. I would be running XLR to a couple of other cables and into the external input in the camera, which I have no problem doing. I imagine this would be more simple? Would it also make it more difficult to add audio effects later on in the process?
 
Some things to think about, presented in completely random order.

1. Mobility - if you're doing any sort of run and gun style shooting, a laptop is rather impractical. If you want to record to computer, you're basically by definition limiting yourself to being cart-based.

2. Power - Your typical laptop doesn't have anywhere near the battery life to last you a whole day of shooting, and you can't count on having good power available.

3. Reliability - Production is not going to wait because you got a virus, the app crashed, or you're trying to fix a driver, or whatever. If you're going to go with a computer, keep it in excellent repair, tune it properly, etc. Even then, you may (will) find yourself shooting in environments that typical computer hardware doesn't cope well with. What's the plan if suddenly a fan dies and you can't use the laptop without it overheating?

Which brings us to:
4. Backup - Have a solid backup plan. Be it a run to camera or a little digital recorder, whatever. Have something in place to save your ass when the computer crashes and loses files.

My intent is not to scare you off, I swear! I'm just putting things out there that you need to think over.

If you do choose to go with any sort of computer based system, you'll then need a good interface between your mic(s) / mixer and the machine. Boomrecoder/metacorder are the more common apps used for production recording.

Just starting out, I'd say just go to the camera (assuming it has a decent audio section) or get a small recorder like an H4n or a DR-100, something along those lines.

And of course I have to add the obligatory 'Get good headphones and never take them off' comment.
 
Ok, so going strait into camera isn't going to work for you.

1. Your camera does have an audio input, but it won't supply the power your mic will need. The NTG-1 requires phantom power to operate, and your camera won't supply it. Thus the mic won't work with just your camera.

2. It doesn't look like your camera has anyway of controlling the audio. This means ALC is going to reek havoc on your audio

So, it's solution time!

If you can return the mic:

The easiest thing would be to return your NTG-1 and get the NTG-2. The NTG-2 can be run off phantom power or a battery. Thus you just convert XLR to 1/8" and stick a battery in the NTG-2, and you're recording audio. The problem with this setup is that you still won't have control over the audio.

If you can't return the mic:

The cheapest solution is to get something that will give your mic power then go strait into camera. Something like this (http://www.trewaudio.com/store/product.php?productid=317&cat=35&page=1). However, this still doesn't give you control of the audio being recorded.

If you really want to send audio into camera, you might also consider something like this (http://www.trewaudio.com/store/product.php?productid=247&cat=31&page=2). This will give you the power you need, and give you some control over the audio levels. Though it won't stop the ALC.

IMHO the best solution (whether you can return the mic or not) would be to get a separate audio recorder. With this option you can keep your mic, give it the power it needs, and have full control over the audio levels. For lost cost recorders look at the H4n and the Fostex FR-2 LE. (PS if you are a one man crew this is not the way to go)
 
Note that if you just use a cheap little wiring adapter, you're losing the balanced signal which makes you more prone to interference.
 
vger said:
1. Your camera does have an audio input, but it won't supply the power your mic will need. The NTG-1 requires phantom power to operate, and your camera won't supply it. Thus the mic won't work with just your camera.
Click to expand...

Bad oversight on my part. I really thought the NTG-1 had its own power. I bought it off ebay so returning it will be trouble. Also, the recorders you mentioned aren't in my budget. I'll probably repost the item on ebay and opt for the NTG-2.
 
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I mean the basic little $5-10 radio-shack style adapters that just convert from connector to another.

You're going to have a decent run of cable going from the boom to the cam. The mic puts out a balanced signal, so you need a balanced input at the other end or you don't get any benefit. So if you're recording to that camera, you need something like a Beachtek or Juicedlink box to go from the balanced mic signal to the unbalanced minijack on camera.

Now as vger noted, that camera doesn't appear to give much control over the audio, so the automatic gain control is going to screw with your levels. An external recorder would give you better control, and you can use the camera's audio to line up the higher quality sound from the recorder. Just remember to slate everything or provide some other sync reference for each take.
 
JordanBlock said:
I mean the basic little $5-10 radio-shack style adapters that just convert from connector to another.

You're going to have a decent run of cable going from the boom to the cam. The mic puts out a balanced signal, so you need a balanced input at the other end or you don't get any benefit. So if you're recording to that camera, you need something like a Beachtek or Juicedlink box to go from the balanced mic signal to the unbalanced minijack on camera.

Now as vger noted, that camera doesn't appear to give much control over the audio, so the automatic gain control is going to screw with your levels. An external recorder would give you better control, and you can use the camera's audio to line up the higher quality sound from the recorder. Just remember to slate everything or provide some other sync reference for each take.
Click to expand...

Ah, I'm catching on. So without something to regulate the balance on the minijack I would be receiving a negligible benefit from the mic? Would this be viable? http://www.google.com/products/cata...ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBwQ8wIwAg#ps-sellers

Unfortunately, I don't have the resources for an external recorder, unless there is a decent one for under $200 out there. Would the Yamaha POCKET CX recorder be functional? Thanks for all the help.
 
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The mic would still be an upgrade over on-camera, you're just much more susceptible to interference if the line isn't balanced. ( Random article on balanced vs unbalanced: http://www.videomaker.com/article/14110/ )

Under $200, I don't think there's anything with an XLR input. You could use an H2 or a DR-07 with a beachtek type box, but then you're basically at the price of the DR-100 or an H4n. There are super-cheap adapters like this but I don't know anythign about their quality, I'd assume it's not super, but someone else may have had hands-on with those.
 
One of the most imported things: setting monitor level.

But I'm wondering if the HF200 has mic/line IN ? I can't find it in manuals.....
 
The back.... why has it to be always the back :-p

But....monitor level: I don't know what is displayed exactly, but there will be some "red bars" and some "white bars". Connect everything and set all faders or knobs at 12 oclock (verticaly). Then talk in the mice and see if it's somewhere in the half between "one white bar" and "red bar". Adjust first the volume of the equipment, nearest to the mice (like the juicelink thing). The higher the input in the camera (consumer, kitchen, weddings and garden camera), the less level you have to give it in the camera itself, the better)

When you have a compfortable monitor level (monitor level is the level of what would be "av out, headphone out") never touch it again... that day.

Now, when sound is to loud and distorted... it's recorded like that... When sound is to low.. .it's because it's recorded to low. And not because of your monitor level.
 
Thanks, dre. Glad you broke it down for me.

I'm going to return my NTG-1 and get an NTG-2 and try to run it from the camera. This is a small project and there won't be a lot of diverse things to record, so I think it will work.
 
Do you have a boompole also ?

And having a good boomer also helps a lot. It's not something which is done by... the son of the friend of the manager of a very important enterprise who's providing 99% of the film budget. (With exception when that son is a good boomer or doing something in that direction)
 
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