… for Random Weirdness

Tip #165: Turn Old Phones Into Wireless Mics

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

A cool way to repurpose older technology.

Eric Escobar wrote about this in The Beat:

While old phones don’t work well as multifunctional smart phones anymore, they are capable of doing some amazing things. For example, recording high-quality, high bit-rate audio. With the right microphone attachment, an old iPhone becomes a wireless portable audio source with built-in power and storage.

For example, pair an inexpensive used Movo PM10 lavalier-style mics as a body mic for on camera talent. A setup that’s great for capturing on-set audio for very little money.

Keep in mind that using an older iPhone means that you give up real-time audio monitoring. For some, that’s a deal-breaker. For others, the savings in dollars makes the risk worthwhile. The basic trade-off is inexpensive gear vs. not knowing what you’ve got until after the recording stops.

For recording software, Eric recommends the free TASCAM PCM Recorder. It records 44.1khz audio at 16 bits right off the built-in mic or any external mic plugged into the headphone jack. It is a “two button” operation, meaning you have to click the red record button first, then the green play button to get it to “roll” just like an old DAT recorder. That may be anachronistic, which is fine. There are literally a dozen other free-to-cheap apps that will let you record audio on your phone at 48khz in 16-bit. Find the one that matches your style.

NOTE: Remember, video records audio at a 48k sample rate. It is best to match external audio recorders to that sample rate.

He has more recommendations. Click the link above to read the whole article.