At 5:26 AM +0100 11/2/05, Derek Holzer wrote:
,<snip>
> The specs I was given about the
>SD 722 led me to believe that I would need a LOT of backup batteries on
>a trip like this, even if irregular access to a generator was possible.
> What other factors do folks consider important in considering
>equipment for such a long trip?
One thot here: Be prepared with more than one "solution" to the power
challenges. For your fixed site recordings, I'd consider one or two
"small" ~240AH 12 volt garden tractor size lead acid batteries.
They'll run a 722 for days, but best of all, they can be fast-charged
with car battery chargers you're likely to find even in remote places
or with a small 1-2 amp trickle charger you can carry with you. The
Sound Devices site has considerable discussion about power options
too. For portability with long duration ability too, I recently added
two more cells to one of my D-Cell NiMH packs and the MAHA charger
seems happy charging it (while on AC!). The 722/744 runs much longer
on 12 cells (than 10) because of the large voltage drop to 10.8
volts, the cut-off point.
>
>2) Methodology. I have many ideas about documenting the human activity
>in the settlement, and also the natural life around. But do people have
>schemes they would like to share about timed-interval recording, or
>setting "acoustic traps" to record animals in an undisturbed state, etc
>etc? How do people here find the balance between "scientific" and
>"artistic" recording strategies?
I'd record continuously. A 722 is ideal for this as long as you have
a _quick_ way to get and store the data. It takes me about 2.5 hours
to download and transfer 12-14 GB of dusk to dawn stereo recordings
made at 24/48K onto my 1MhZ G4 laptop-> FireWire hard drive. That's
probably more than you want to deal with day to day and it ties up
your 722 in the interim! The new 722 firmware was supposed to
support direct to external FireWire drive recording. I haven't tried
it yet. Email them, or let me know and I'll call them. If so, one
could buy a couple of 2.5" 80GB external FireWire drives and one
large 300-400GB 3.5" drive and have weeks of storage space and no
down time due to uploading. Most 2.5" drives run on 12 volts DC,
perhaps another vote for garden tractor capacity lead acid power. Rob
D.
>
>An interesting anecdote--I played one of the people I met this sound
>after we had a discussion about the different sounds at different times
>of day:
>
>http://soundtransit.nl/mp3/0326.Derek_Holzer.Monte_Alegre_Para.frogs_on_th=
e_lago.mp3
>
>I told him nothing about the sound except the location (state of Para),
>and asked only that he tell me whether it was recorded in the morning,
>midday, evening or night. He listened for some time, smiled and said
>"nine o'clock in the evening". He was absolutely correct! He then went
>on to tell me the local names for almost every animal present in the
>recording, and gave me a very elaborate description of the water that he
>imagined from the recording. I was truly amazed!
>
>thanks and best from Sao Paulo!
>derek
>
>--
>derek holzer
>http://soundtransit.nl
>http://umatic.nl
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
--
Rob Danielson
Film Department
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
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