At 11:08 AM -0800 11/27/05, j r wrote:
>Does anyone record in the field using a laptop?
>
>Are there reasons not to do so?
>
>I'm wondering why I would spend 1-2k on a field
>recorder
>when I could get a laptop with a large hard drive and
>Pro Tools
>or something like it and record in 24 bit.
>
>Thank you,
>
>Jake R.
>
Go for it. Not surprisingly though, if you're after great quality in
quiet locations, you may need a high gain low noise mic pre in
addition to an audio interface. For stereo, I used an 24 bit Echo
($180) for analog from a Sound Devices MP-2 (Mix Pre now $900) and
that sounded pretty good. Not great. Or one of the high end Lunatec
or Apogee mic pres $$$$ with digital out and a card to get SPDIF
into your laptop. The mic gain in the USB/FW interfaces I studied
with quiet location field recording in mind were 50dB, tops, more
often, only 40dB. They're designed for studio recording. Car battery
toting "portability" is pretty much a reality, so working from or
close to car is likely without a cart or two loyal friends like Rich
and Greg. I'd forgo the external drive and get a 80-100GB internal
2.5" drive and partition it so if it hangs while writing a massive
file, it won't foul up your start-up partition too. Recording to the
internal drive is less risky and 40GB is a lot of data. Might help to
include a 12 volt desk lamp to you get in the right mood to sit and
run an utility for 20 minutes in the middle of the woods. Its doable,
for sure, but it takes the right mind set. Contrary to my hopeful
wishing, my laptop didn't behave any better on vacation. ;-) Rob D.
--
Rob Danielson
Film Department
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
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