More tests...

 

After getting in a hot, sweaty bike ride this morning, I settled in on more testing with the new Instamic.  It is a unique recording device, very small with reasonably decent recording capability.  I first set out on a series of tests using it as a portable recorder, in my music room, with a variety of gain settings.  Certainly not this mic's forte, as there is no EQ that can be done, either on the mic or in its app.  The mic gain is quite sensitive: too little and you can barely hear what's been recorded; too much and the sound is totally blown out.  "Well, sure, Jim, that's how microphones work," you say?  Yes, but what I discovered is the auto gain on this mic makes the adjustments based on the first few seconds of what it hears - if you aren't ready to be recording anything in that short time period, the mic cranks the auto gain to max due to a quiet setting... so when you're ready to record, it is a completely blown out level.  In other words, the auto gain apparently can't adjust itself during the recording, only on that "pre-recording" few seconds.

Switching to manual adjust of the gain is tough, because there is no monitoring of what's being recorded.  You have to trust that a very rudimentary VU meter (more of a bar) isn't too low or so high it is clipping.  By the 5th audio recording on it, I think I have it down.  For recording in that room.  It will be different each time when using it while riding the scoots (the main reason I got it).

I then ran some tests using the mic as a streaming device: to one of the 360 cameras.  A similar situation with the auto vs manual gain adjustments.  And then finding that the latency makes so that the voice and the lip movement don't match up.  You can get around that by using the mic as a recording device and then syncing that sound later with any video.  More work.  I'm going to go with the fact that I'll be wearing a helmet and the viewer won't really be able to see that the lips and voice are exactly synced.

Rufus sat with me in the music room while I was testing - he likes the music.  If you look close in the bottom left of this screen grab, you can see him...

The next series of tests will be on the scoot.  If/when I can take going out into that heat and humidity again.  The weather weasels are putting the current conditions to the top of the "unpleasant scale."  Not cool, Mother Nature.  ;-)

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There was some discussion about what gear to wear when riding in the heat and humidity on my favorite scooter forum.  My response...

Low 80s? It was in the low 80s when I got up this morning in the Tropical Tip. Humidity was 12,000%, making for a heat index of "Oh my God, I'm melting!" I think I'd ride nekked if it wouldn't offend the general public, scare the local dog population, put me at risk of severe sunburn in delicate areas, and violate my own personal rules about some-of-the-gear, most-of-the-time. In this heat and humidity, I ride less frequently and fewer miles per outing.