I/O Module for "no brain" audio

[Chad Clemans]

Since the I/O module "provides industry standard timecode" (quartz crystal oscillator?), and has Lemo for timecode sync, two miniXLR audio ports, and dual HD-SDI (SMPTE 372M) for monitoring, I can't help but think how great it would be if the I/O modules were able to run independent of a "brain" in recording audio.

Since each of these I/O modules could seemingly be jam synced to one another (in mulitples) without cables (removing the need for Ambient Recordings and Denecke products to do it) and each one connected to a DSMC CF or SSD (for audio storage) and a Redhandle (for start stop recording operation), it would seem like an infinitely expandeable little Zaxcom Deva (or Aaton-Fostex-Sound Devices-Nagra...) from two miniXLR audio ports on up to however many channels you want. After they were jam synced and batteried up, you could connect a boom or surround mic or mid-side mic setup (and mixers if you wanted) to each one and put them all over the place without cables going all the way back to the central location. You could even slap a Red-LCD on there or hook up to the HD-SDI to monitor.

With 24 bit audio (and if Red put in some sweet preamps and bumped up the sampling to 192 kHz[I don't know audio specs on Scarlet/Epic yet]), and charged $800+ bucks a pop, they could become a large player in the world of field based digital audio recording. Oh yeah, and use a wireless REDmote on the camera brain to start recording audio on a bunch of little setups when video recording starts!

Can this actually be done...or did I just lose it on daydreaming?

 

[Bruce Allen]

Great idea.

Although it'd be funny if they go to 192khz but still leave out the audio pots, wouldn't it?

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

 

[Andrew Gentle]

They'd be almost small enough for you to hide somewhere on the talent. Who needs radio mics at all any more!?

 

[Zaphod]

You might want to monitor the audio though.

 

[I Bloom]

It sounds like the brain is the drummer at the front of the rowboat if you know what I mean. Not likely that the mods work without one.

IBloom

 

[Shawn Nelson]

It sounds like the brain is the drummer at the front of the rowboat if you know what I mean. Not likely that the mods work without one.

IBloom

Which makes me wonder: what's the audio brain?

 

[conrad gaunt]

I have one question about 192khz audio.. Whats the benefit? .., I mean, is it at the low frequency range, because I've not seen a mic with a frequency response anywhere near 96khz yet

 

[Tom Visser]

There is no benefit of 192KHz with the possible exception of lower latency, but that shouldn't matter for most applications. Delay compensation would be built into any competent system.

Most applications would be best served at 44.1 (music) or 48 (film/tv). A few high end applications would benefit from 88.2 or 96, but we are really talking about the top top level productions with top level equipment and techniques.

If the I/O module was like $200, it might be attractive to try to retask it, but there are so many existing competent audio components, I don't really see the point. I have a feeling that it won't be a valuable stand alone asset. No controlling computer, no storage capability, no standardized interface for 3rd party components... and a guess here, but it probably won't have better pres than typical Sound Devices level hardware and as mentioned, I didn't see any gain knobs / faders.

 

[Eddy Robinson]

I have one question about 192khz audio.. Whats the benefit? .., I mean, is it at the low frequency range, because I've not seen a mic with a frequency response anywhere near 96khz yet

There isn't one. 48Khz is fine for most purposes. 24 bit vs 16 bet does sound better, but for dialog and real-world sound the difference is not all that big.

however, once you get into post it's nice to work at very high sample rates because then any aliasing or other artifacts from your software plugins are up in the high end of the spectrum, well past the sensitivity of the human ear.

 

[Joe G.]

I would think that the sound recordist would want a DAT hanging on his side, and perhaps a transmitter sending a second copy of everything to the camera. No strings attached. No reliance on one single source. Two copies built right into the setup.

To me, that sounds like the optimal setup for recording sound. All it needs is a radio receiver on the camera, fed into the system somehow (and an affordable price).