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PDA Recording System - Opinions Please!

Subject: PDA Recording System - Opinions Please!
From: "dcohen_ohio" <>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 11:46:13 -0000
Hello all,

I am new to this discussion forum and would like opinions on the
following scenario. I have recently decided to purchase audio
equipment for the sake of recording birds and herps in the field. I
would like to be able to easily import the sounds into a computer
for editing and cataloguing. I was just about convinced that the
Marantz PMD670 was the way to go until I saw Greg Weddigs posting to
check out Core Sounds new Compact Flash Card product that will
enable DVD quality recording with a palm computer. I have priced
this scenario out as follows: $200 for used Ipaq palm computer
(already purchased), $200 Compact Flash digital input device from
Core Sound, $160 5gb pc card storage (approx 15 hours recording time
at 44.1khz in mono), $180 dual slot pc card expansion, $150 used
Audio Technica AT835b shotgun mic (already purchased), $350 - $500
for portable pre-amp/A-to-D converter, and $50 for palm recording
software. In total this recording system will cost around $1300 to
$1450. Some of the questions that come to mind are as follows:

1)      Why would anyone want to record at higher resolution than cd
quality (44.1khz)?
2)      Is hard drive media/palm computer reliable under field
conditions?
3)      How long can a palm computer last between charges?
4)      Am I spending too much?
5)      Are there other factors I should consider?

One of the reasons I am excited about a palm system is the ability
to capture geographic coordinates of sound samples with software
such as ArcPad by ESRI. For example, 20 ft contour lines, streams,
roads, and digital ortho photographs could be loaded for a given
area that would enable field digitizing of sound sample locations
for cataloguing and spatial analysis. When expanding this concept to
the entire nature recording community, I can see great research
potential such as learning more about vocal dialects.

Is this the future of sound recording or am I being ignorant? Thanks
in advance.

Darren Cohen




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