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recording with microsoft office

Alexander Hoffman (apparently) - 06:04pm Feb 8, 2005 PST
via email

the current version of Microsoft Word, when in NoteBook layout,
allows you to attach audio notes.

This allows for quite easy recording of meetings or lectures. The
default settings gives you a files size of something less than
10MB/hour.

However, the built-in mics in PowerBooks are not all that great,
certainly not good for this task (voices around a the PowerBook or a
speaker way up front. Pushing the input volume all the way up picks
up the internal sounds of the PowerBook (hard drive, fan, etc).

This prompts me to wonder about external microphones, something I
know rather little about. Or rather, something I know virtually
nothing about. "Audio line in minijack" says the specs on my
PowerBook. I'm not even entirely sure what that means. I've seen some
mics that need "plug-in-power." What does that mean?

The real question: I want to be able to keep a very small mic in my
computer bag that will work for this purpose. Is this possible? I
don't need high quality. I don't need the mic anywhere but right
attached to my computer. This is not about wireless mics across the
room. Think small and light.

Microphone Madness seems to have a whole bunch of really small mics.
Can I use them, or do I have to also get some kind of preamp? (Which
would be bad because it is more bulk and weight AND because I'd have
to worry about the battery going bad.)
<http://www.microphonemadness.com/categories/tiny_mono_stereo_cableless.html>

Any advice?
--
=alex hoffman

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William Bauer - Feb 9, 2005 9:34 am (#1 Total: 9)

Guest User

Posts: 1

Re: recording with microsoft office

On Feb 8, 2005, at 8:04 PM, Alexander Hoffman wrote:

> The real question: I want to be able to keep a very small mic in my
> computer bag that will work for this purpose. Is this possible? I
> don't need high quality. I don't need the mic anywhere but right
> attached to my computer. This is not about wireless mics across the
> room. Think small and light.

What about using an iSight camera?

Bill
---
http://billbauer.net

Alexander Hoffman (apparently) - Feb 9, 2005 9:34 am (#2 Total: 9)

via email

Posts: 168

Re: recording with microsoft office

At 10:47 PM -0500 2/8/05, William Bauer wrote:
>What about using an iSight camera?

I have considered the iSight. But I don't own one. I would be willing
to test it, and certainly would be willing to consider it. For anyone
who already owns one, it's not a bad a idea.

However, they make smaller microphones. They make cheaper
microphones. They make smaller microphones that are also cheaper. So,
it is far from ideal by my criteria.

I think I want something a bit more subtle. And I have no idea how
well it would work for this purpose.

Furthermore, that would be a notable power drain. (I don't know how
much, though.) That argues against it, though not definitively.

--
=alex hoffman

Clyde Kahrl - Feb 14, 2005 6:03 am (#3 Total: 9)

Posts: 26

Re: recording with microsoft office

Every microphone has different output characteristics.

But it seems you may be interested in a mic that is highly directional.

I thought my 1.33 15"Albook had a mediocre mic until I tried it with Amadeus. (you can try a demo). I think you will find that software makes a difference too

John Chryssochoos - Feb 14, 2005 7:50 am (#4 Total: 9)

Posts: 1

Re: recording with microsoft office

Griffin has a 15 dollar lapel mic here. It is made for ipod but I am sure it works well for powerbooks as well.

georgewade1 (apparently) - Feb 14, 2005 12:37 pm (#5 Total: 9)

via email

Posts: 29

Re: recording with microsoft office

The Griffin lapel mic seems to be made to plug into iTalk which is
plugged into iPod.

I could not find technical specs for the lapel mic; it has only been
out a little while, but there are specs for the iTalk. The wav files
produced will be easy to edit and to share around the world as is or
compressed to mp3.

George

On 14 Feb, 2005, at 06:50, John Chryssochoos wrote:

> Griffin has a 15 dollar lapel mic here. It is made for ipod but I am
> sure it works well for powerbooks as well.

jsnell (apparently) - Feb 15, 2005 3:25 pm (#6 Total: 9)

via email

Posts: 124

Re: recording with microsoft office

John Chryssochoos wrote:

Griffin has a 15 dollar lapel mic http://www.griffintechnology.com/pressroom/pr_lapelmic_shipping.html >here. It is made for ipod but I am sure it works well for powerbooks as well.

We've got one of these at Macworld and it doesn't seem very good.

You can get nice, cheap lav mikes at Radio Shack. They're not white and plasticy, but they probably work better than the marked-up ones you'd get from the computer industry.

-jason

<x-sigsep>

--

</x-sigsep>

Jason Snell:� jsnell

intertext.com - AIM/iChat: mw jsnell
www.teevee.org - sports.intertext.com

brian.hannon - Feb 15, 2005 3:25 pm (#7 Total: 9)

Posts: 7

Re: recording with microsoft office

While it's nice to hear about cool microphones, I'm more interested in the technical features of mic's that will work with the input on the powerbooks. The jack on the mac is specifically not a mic jack, it's a "line-in", which I guess requires more power than a typical mic can provide, though I'm no expert. I've tried using a couple different headets with microphones to talk through skype, but the mac can't get any sound at all from those mic's. Could somebody with technical expertise describe what "line-in" means? Does that mean one needs a powered microphone? Thanks!

Lewis Butler (apparently) - Feb 15, 2005 7:34 pm (#8 Total: 9)

via email

Posts: 989

Re: recording with microsoft office

On 15 Feb 2005, at 15:25 :22, brian.hannon wrote:
> While it's nice to hear about cool microphones, I'm more interested in
> the technical features of mic's that will work with the input on the
> powerbooks. The jack on the mac is specifically not a mic jack, it's a
> "line-in", which I guess requires more power than a typical mic can
> provide, though I'm no expert. I've tried using a couple different
> headets with microphones to talk through skype, but the mac can't get
> any sound at all from those mic's. Could somebody with technical
> expertise describe what "line-in" means? Does that mean one needs a
> powered microphone?

Is the problem only in skype? Have you checked on "Echo Cancelation"
and "Gain Control" in the Audio pane of the preferences? Only way I've
been able to get skype to send a reasonable audio stream.

--
Use your key, unlock the door, see what fate might have in store. Come
explore your dreams and Creations, Enter the world of imagination.

Alexander Hoffman (apparently) - Feb 16, 2005 2:57 pm (#9 Total: 9)

via email

Posts: 168

Re: recording with microsoft office

At 2:25 PM -0800 2/15/05, brian.hannon wrote:
>
>While it's nice to hear about cool microphones, I'm more interested
>in the technical features of mic's that will work with the input on
>the powerbooks. The jack on the mac is specifically not a mic jack,
>it's a "line-in", which I guess requires more power than a typical
>mic can provide, though I'm no expert.

Yeah. That is what I was asking about. Not just would an old
plaintalk mic work, but what do I need to know to be able to figure
it out? What are the issues?

And then, after that stuff, and recommendations?
--
=alex hoffman

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