Using a mobile phone for a voice recorder

[Anonymous]

Is it a stoopid stoopid stoopid idea? Do they all record in MP3, some weird format, or does it vary by brand/model?

My camera has a built in mic which works really well indoors, but out in the field may be another issue and I can’t afford any fancy stuff so I thought maybe I can try using the mobile since it has a voice record feature. But I did consider maybe the quality would be really bad or I may have trouble getting the recording into my movie later.

[EarlC]

Not only inferior quality, but consider that in order to come through at all the phone would need to be part of the video, as they would have to hold it up to their mouths to even get something.

I suppose you could somehow record a “phone” conversation via the earphone output but you’re still likely looking at a serious audio quality hit for anything other than just farting around with something fun for YouTube.

Earl

[D0n]

I’ve experimented with iphone apss…

but to be honest, it’s not serious for work.

I’d go with a second or third camera with external mic like the rode, over a seperate recorder…

now using ipad or iphone aps to make a music score for a video, is something I’m playing with….. as well as foly sound…

showing some promise there….

[EarlC]

I also forgot to mention the affordable Zoom H2 (or variations thereof), and Don’s thoughts would seem to have merit as well.

The H2 works GREAT for Foley sound effects and other audio acquisition.

[Luis Maymi Lopez]

Honestly I don’t recommend doing that, unless you want to simulate someone speaking on a cellphone. This will add a more realistic feel to your video, but be sure your audio is understandable.

[D0n]

SargeHero…. My Iphone captures/generates very high quality audio…. if I plug in a decent mic…

what you do is this:

build a new jack that has standard headphone jack and standard mic jack and plug in decent headphones and a decent mic…….

[Grinner Hester]

I am not kidding… I literally once had a client insist I record his VO by letting him spill it over the phone, a regular land line, and hold it up to the mic in the booth. lol

People quack me up like a duck sometimes.

[EarlC]

That “new jack” is going to need to be a better signal match between the headphone/mic jacks – impedance all that stuff considered – notwithstanding whatever a “decent” headphone and mic is according to the end user.

You might not run into a lot of issues in transferring the audio to your editing system, but I have to wonder what issues might prevail regarding sync.

And is sure seems a LOT of trouble to go to (size of the phone notwithstanding (yeah, good word 🙂 ) when there are so many affordable options more suited to and more applicable to audio acquisition. I know, budget and all that, but still…

[Anonymous]

Hey thanks guys… it’s sort of what I expected, only I did not know before that they don’t have any pickup range. I had the idea that if they are in voice-recorder mode it is just like having one of those micro-cassette things that were all the rage before the world went digital.

Great tip about using the feature for characters who are supposed to be making a phone call! That is magic!

[Author]

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