Podcast recording, 2 x microphones

[mattbot2]

Hello,

Trying to start podcasting on the dead cheap. Got one headset and then an external mic with some headphones and want to start podcasting. (told you I was dead cheap) They sound fine, so no bashing my mic's. Anyway, I want to do this with a friend as it'll be a discussion based podcast. So... How do I get these two mic's, to work simultaneously, in audacity. Currently using 1.2.6, will go to a beta version if required. I have searched for this before but it made very little sense. Windows XP. Rubbish onboard sound card, I had it working at one point, but after rebooting, the settings of whatever I was playing with seem to have reset themselves.

Cheers,

Matt

[mattbot2]

Oh wait sorry, ignore the microphone / headphone thing. I have 2 x headsets.

[steve]

Does your sound card have 2 microphone sockets?

[mattbot2]

No, it doesn't. I had it working earlier with one as line in and one as microphone.

[cmail]

You really need to get a 2 channel USB audio interface.
This is a box with 2 XLR inputs and a USB connection to your computer.
Lots available - M-Audio, E-Mu, Roland, Line6 all make them.

Alternatively, and possibly cheaper is to get yourself a small mixer. A 2nd hand one would be very cheap. Plug both mics into the mixer, then the mixer output to the line in input on your PC.

[mattbot2]

Thanks. Any models I should look out for?

[kozikowski]

I think it's going to be a bit more involved than that.

Most headsets have a microphone that's powered from the computer like the second illustration here...

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audioconnecto ... ctors.html

Windows PCs were more or less designed to work with this kind of microphone. One microphone.

<<<I had it working earlier with one as line in and one as microphone.>>>

That's rough to believe. The one connected to Line-In would be hugely low level if it worked at all. Line-In does not supply battery to run the microphone--top illustration.

<<<This is a box with 2 XLR inputs>>>

Remember that? Your headset microphone does not have an XLR connector...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR

..so it won't plug directly into that sound mixer.

I have adapted headset microphones for use in an XLR type field sound mixer by building a battery supply in a small box with adapter cables. Nobody makes these that I know of. I can give you the formula if you're good with a soldering iron.

<<<Trying to start podcasting on the dead cheap.>>>

You get that by jamming two very good friends closely around one headset so the microphone can hear both of you. Everything else--especially two microphones, requires a moderate amount of money. That two microphone business is the magic point where you need to actually spend bux.

Koz

[mattbot2]

Hmm, just a quick thought.

I have a PC and a Laptop in the room, both with audacity on, and both able to take a headset. If I just start them recording at the same time, and we sit a couple of meters away, then transfer them and merge them. That might work. If not then we'll be round one of the mic's.

Cheers for your help guys. Excellent forum.

[kozikowski]

That would totally work. It's a little more effort, but you can transfer an Exported WAV file from one machine to the other and mix your brains out.

They don't use consumer PCs, but a variation of that technique is how the major movie studios shoot sound.

You know that striped clapboard that the movie people use...

http://www.hollywoodmegastore.com/frame ... awodC2zVng

That's how they get the picture in sync with the sound later. You should do that, too. "Tuesday Afternoon Interview with Damon Runyon. Marker." and clap your hands together. You will be able to find that clap easily on both tracks and make matching them up later a complete snap. That's can also be the time and date for the shoot in case you end up with more than one.

Ummmmmmm. Was this Thursday's shoot B Roll....or Friday?

Always Export As WAV when you get a successful capture. Audacity Projects are brittle and Audacity will not Save a sound file.

Koz

[cmail]

Hi Matt,

With all due respect to Koz, the information he is giving you is really complicating things where they don't need to be!
If your mics are regular computer mics headsets, just buy a couple of cheapo dynamic mics for about 10-15 dollars/pounds/euro each. Hardly a HUGE cost!

Regarding XLR connection, this would be irrelevant! Your mics most likely have a jack connection (if they are cheapos!). Most USB audio interfaces and possibly ALL mixers have 1/4" jack inputs as well as XLR inputs.
A mixer will input mic level or line level and output line level signal so you just need an additional cable to connect the output of the mixer to the line input of the PC. Depending on the mixer, the cable required here is probably a twin RCA (phono) to single mini jack cable - very cheap to buy.

Using 2 computers to record at the same time is just giving yourself a lot more work! Bad idea in my opinion.

A supermarket near me were selling little mixers for €50. The 1 extra cable would cost about €5. So a €55 spend. Probably the same in $ or £ roughly. Won't break the bank account!
The USB audio interface new is probably going to be over $100 but not much.

I've forgotton the simplest way though! USB mics of course Just buy 2 of em and bingo! Your in business. The cheapest way too.
Forget the other ways i mentioned - this is the cheapest and easiest way to go!

Good luck.