Atomic Systems

Evenin' all.

Wonder if anyone around here knows owt about getting decent quality sound recording of locos (primarily from the train - e.g. leaning out front window in classic bellowing pose...). My digital camera has a sound recording facility built in but, perhaps predictably, the quality you get is pants.

I've been thinking about getting an i-Pod but I gather that the competitor I-River has a recording facility - but what kind of microphone would be good (and not bulky)?

Tar very muchly.

To obtain a good enough mic for this purpose could be expensive. You may be better off plugging a mic into your digital camera and setting quality to highest. Your digital camera will be capable of recording high quality sound, its just that the onboard hardware will not be up to the job.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?Cri ... ne&doy=4m4

Here is the link to maplins. Stay away from the cheap ones (£15 for three). Ideally you are looking for a "minidisk" type microphone. That is powered by an on board battery and has a 3.5mm jack. As i said though, these can be pricey.

Hope this helps.

What are you planning btw?

Jon

Hi. Thanks for your reply. Yeah, I'm sure you're right that the problem lies in the mike not the recording medium - though sadly my camera hasn't got a mike jack anyway.

What I'm planning? Oh, nothing wildly exciting, but I've been told I've got a seat in coach A of the Deltic tour in a couple of weeks' time...!

Cheers

PS just looked at the Maplin's* link - 167 to choose from. Oh dear, I don't think I know what I'm looking for...


*and no sign of Ruth Madoc.

does it have to be locos?

some of our drivers forget they have a step 4 (weak field) on the units, which causes some interesting noises (if not somewhat strained electrical) sounds as they ramble along at 90mph.

rik

ps why do shops down here not sell "red cola"

Get your mike from a music shop.

Computer stuff is rubbish.

rikfarish wrote: ps why do shops down here not sell "red cola"

Reason 1 You have Spelt it wrong its Red Kola
Reason 2 Kola was the only vaugley sucessful part of the Darian Project and hasn't eminated all that far out of scotland under any form other than Kola Cubes... oh and some Americans use it as part of some other drinks as well

micksasse wrote:Evenin' all.

Wonder if anyone around here knows owt about getting decent quality sound recording of locos (primarily from the train - e.g. leaning out front window in classic bellowing pose...). My digital camera has a sound recording facility built in but, perhaps predictably, the quality you get is pants.

I've been thinking about getting an i-Pod but I gather that the competitor I-River has a recording facility - but what kind of microphone would be good (and not bulky)?

Tar very muchly.

What exactly do you mean? where exactly on the train will you be recording sound?
(out of the window?)
for descent sound recording knowing what it is for is very important, is this just a record of events or for something else?

nestfilms wrote:

micksasse wrote:Evenin' all.

Wonder if anyone around here knows owt about getting decent quality sound recording of locos (primarily from the train - e.g. leaning out front window in classic bellowing pose...). My digital camera has a sound recording facility built in but, perhaps predictably, the quality you get is pants.

I've been thinking about getting an i-Pod but I gather that the competitor I-River has a recording facility - but what kind of microphone would be good (and not bulky)?

Tar very muchly.

What exactly do you mean? where exactly on the train will you be recording sound?
(out of the window?)
for descent sound recording knowing what it is for is very important, is this just a record of events or for something else?

Take your point. Yes, I did have in mind recording out of the window - purely for personal use (let's face it, there are plenty of perfectly good commercial CDs of Deltics available!).

cheers

rikfarish wrote:ps why do shops down here not sell "red cola"

Is that like red diesel - dodgy cheap stuff involving defrauding the customs?

you wouldn't be going on a certain deltic tour on the 23rd would you Mick???

'appen I might be... and am waiting with baited underwear to see if the coach A seat materialises!

if you stick the mic out of the window and its moving above a few mph
chances are you wont here a thing but the wind hitting the microphone

micksasse wrote:

rikfarish wrote:ps why do shops down here not sell "red cola"

Is that like red diesel - dodgy cheap stuff involving defrauding the customs?

Nope, its a Kola flavoured drink, thats Red in colour.
A. G. Barr, Bon Accord etc all make versions

I can get Irn Bru and Tizer down here (not often I refer to up north as down here ), but not Kola.