Looking for a voice recorder

[Lord Seth]

Hi everyone, I've got a bit of a question. As you might know, I do some Let's Plays on the Internet--basically when you play through a game and comment on it. I do my commentary (mostly) live as I play, and the way I've done it up until this point for console game is to use a camera that doubles as a converter to convert the signal to DV and have Final Cut Express capture it. Then I use my older laptop to record my voice (via headset), then when I'm done I move it to my newer computer, import it into Final Cut Express, and sync it up with the gameplay footage/audio. Unfortunately, my old laptop isn't working anymore. Which is okay, as there wasn't really much on it I cared about anyway, but this leaves me with the problem of not being able to record audio that way. I could use an audio recording program on my normal computer *while* capturing the video, but I'm afraid that the CPU doing both at once might cause either one to not work perfectly, possibly resulting in lost frames.

Having explained all that, I guess what I'm looking for is something that I can hook up to my USB headset to record what I'm saying as I play, then move the recorded audio to my computer for editing. Now I know there's audio recorders out there that do that, but I'm unsure if they get the uncompressed 48Khz audio that works best with Final Cut Express. Anyone know of any specific ones that are good (preferably cheap also) or other ways to get the audio, preferably that cost less than $40?

[Jimorian]

Does Final Cut Express have the Voiceover tool that Pro has? If not, I think iMovie has that function (though edit everything first in FCE, much easier over there).

[Lord Seth]

Does Final Cut Express have the Voiceover tool that Pro has? If not, I think iMovie has that function (though edit everything first in FCE, much easier over there).FCE has a voiceover tool, but you can't use it while capturing video. You have to take the captured video and put it in a timeline, then use the voice over as it plays it in the timeline. Which unfortunately can only been done after capturing. Does Pro let you record a voice over while capturing video? I was thinking of getting it (it's only $300 at my campus's computer store), and if so that would be a reason to get it.

Saying it's easier to edit in FCE than iMovie is the understatement of the century, because iMovie (starting with iMovie '08) seems designed to be as annoying to use as possible. I don't know if iMovie has a function that lets you voice over while capturing footage, though, because I've given up trying to use that sorry piece of software. I really wish they'd call it something other than iMovie, because it isn't fit to lick the soles of iMovie HD's feet. (Sorry, but I really hate iMovie '08/'09. And yet it's still somehow better than QuickTime X...)

[Jimorian]

Ah, sorry, I misunderstood your procedure.

So, you're taking computer output, routing it through a camera (using what connectors?) then back into Final Cut Express capture (through Firewire I presume).

Yeah, normally, recording audio isn't that much of a resource hog, but putting it on top of a game + FCE in capture mode is pushing things no matter how hot your rig is.

2 possible options. If you plugged your USB mic into the computer then activated it with another program (but not record), would it automatically mix with the game sounds to go to the camera then FCE that way?

The other way would be to mix the sound in between the computer and the camera, but I'm not aware of any simple pieces of mixing hardware that accept USB input for sound. If you had a normal mini-plug headset, you could get adaptors that would let you feed the computer sound into the camera on one channel, and your voice on the other stereo channel, then you could mix them for taste in FCE.

[Castaras]

I'd have thought it'd be easier to leave the camera as it is, and use Audacity to record the sound, then mix the two in moviemaker or something.

[Jimorian]

He's on a Mac (Final Cut is an Apple product), and while there's probably an equivalent to Audacity, he wants to record while playing AND capturing that video with Final Cut Express. This is some major CPU intensive operations and audio on top of that might cause problems.

[Castaras]

Ah, fair enough. Don't know anything about macs then, so can't help. :smalltongue:

[Lord Seth]

Audacity actually is for Mac, but again, CPU intensity trouble.

Okay, it's looking like I'll just have to get one of those audio recorders that record the audio digitally and allow you to transfer it over to your computer. Main problem is, I don't really know what kind of audio formats they record in, or if it's possible to select the kind (again, I would most want 48 Khz uncompressed audio, as that works best in Final Cut). Anyone with more experience with me on those things able to give any information?