In Search of Radio's Future

In Search of Radio's Future - the trailer from Jonathan Marks on Vimeo.

For the last five years I have been doing interviews with people around the world tracing radio's switch from analogue to digital production. These are challenging times for the medium, the future seems to be different for every single country. This documentary in the making takes some case studies explaining where radio understands it's role in society, and therefore why it's needed in the future. Interested when it's ready? Drop me an e-mail and be the first to know.

Sony HDR-TG7VE - small video camera with GPS

Sony announced today a new Handycam®, the HDR-TG7VE which they claim to be the world’s smallest, lightest Full HD camcorder with GPS. I'm looking for something light with good quality to be able to capture interviews in hd quality, often at short notice. Could this be the answer? The blurb reads...

Inside there’s a 16 GB memory that stores up to 6 hours of Full HD video and stereo sound from an on-board mike positioned at the top. If you want to shoot for even longer without downloading to a laptop, you'll need to buy an optional Memory Stick™. There’s a sensitive GPS receiver inside that plots your location as you travel. After shooting, Map Index shows where clips and still photos were taken as ‘map pins’ on the LCD screen. You can also retrace your journey when you’re back home, with exciting on-line maps displayed on your PC using the supplied Picture Motion Browser software.

Shooting controls are pared down to a minimum. It’s easy to switch instantly between video or stills mode: just press REC Start/Stop for video, or touch the adjacent PHOTO button with your thumb and you’re ready to grab 4 megapixel still photos. >These days, 4 megapixels doesn't sound like much when even my cheap cybershot has 7.




The high-resolution 2.7-inch LCD touchscreen now features a 'seamless' design, with a newly-simplified menu system. The power is ON as soon as you flip open the LCD, and start-up from standby is quicker than before, so there’s less risk of missing an important moment. Just flip open the LCD touchscreen and you’re ready to start shooting in a fraction of a second. Standby power consumption is also improved to almost zero, letting you keep the TG7VE ready for action in a pocket or bag with less battery drain. Sony doesn't say how long the batteries last if you keep the GPS functionality switched on.


After shooting, connect the TG7VE to your PC, and quick uploads to image-sharing web sites are just a few mouse clicks away. Easy-to-use Picture Motion Browser software
(supplied) lets you manage and browse your clips and still shots in a calendar view. Shots and clips can also be uploaded without fuss to popular sites like YouTube™, Facebook, Flickr and Daily Motion.

This new camera is in a different price league to its competitors from Kodak and Flip. I had hoped Sony would be different by offering an option to connect an external microphone. That option does not seem to be there, yet it would cost only a few pennies to implement.

So this camera, coming to stores in Europe for 900 Euro sometime in May 2009, whilst it has a very useful GPS facility, more and more important in many of my location based projects. However, I have my concerns about the sound quality. Since you can always shoot less than perfect video with great sound, (but never the other way round), I am curious to see and hear what recordings look like when they have been made on a city street. I will reserve full judgement until we're able to test a sample.



Handycam® HDR-TG7VE Manufacturers Specification table
Movie format HD: AVCHD, SD: MPEG2
Recording media 16 GB internal memory (increased with optional Memory Stick™)
Image Device 1/5” Exmor CMOS Sensor with ClearVid Array
Number of Megapixels (Gross) 2.3 Megapixels
Number of Megapixels (Photo) 4 Megapixels
Image Processor BIONZ
Lens Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar
Zoom 10x Optical, 120x Digital
SteadyShot Yes
Audio System Dolby Digital Stereo with Zoom Microphone
Automatic Geotagging by GPS Yes
Face Detection / Smile Shutter Yes / Yes
Highlight Playback Yes
LCD Type 2.7” Wide Clear Photo LCD plus
Body Size/ Weight *without Memory Stick™/Battery (g) 62(D) x 117(H) x 30(W) / 230g

Rose Schuman's Question Box

The Question Box - Rose Schuman from Jonathan Marks on Vimeo.

I was delighted to meet Rose Schuman, a young graduate of Brown University of Rhode Island, and now travelling the world from her base in California. You don't have to travel far in India or Africa to find places where Internet access is out of the question, especially in villages where mains electricity and ADSL are in short supply. Now there's a series of practical trials to try to change that.

Rose has called it the Question Box. In the Indian villages of Ethida and Poolpur, a few hours from New Delhi, they have installed a simple system for getting information online. Now this trial is to be adapted and expanded in Uganda.

Rose explains in this interview at SxSW how they have tackled the problem of access to relevant information. As community radio starts to become more widespread in India, I can see the radio station providing the portal in local languages, and broadcasting the answers to FAQ's over the radio.

Manfrotto 560B Fluid Video Monopod with 234RC Head

At LeWeb08 in Paris (a great new media conference held in December each year), I noticed several vpodders were using an unusually monopod. If you work in hi-def as I do, you quickly realise that camera shake is extremely annoying. Its so important to be able to control the shots - and that means some form of camera support is essential. Even carbon-fibre video tripods are heavy and bulky if you're trying to interview people at conferences. So thanks to thise people who showed me the Manfrotto 560B monopod, which retails in Europe at around 140 Euro (140 US Dollars in the US!). The mini "tripod" foot at the bottom is enough to stabilize most shots out in the field during conferences. Very pleased. Small enough to collapse into the camera bag.

Been Travelling...

Been way too busy these past couple of months, so there's a backlog to post here. But its coming.

Looks Interesting

Panasonic OnLine Museum

Bit off topic for this blog, but I'll mention it all the same.

In the run up to a name change on October 1st 2008 (when they dump the name Matsushita Electric Industrial and just become Panasonic), an on-line museum of design has opened. Not sure where in Europe it is coming from, but its an interesting selection of Panasonic designs through the last 90 years. During the time that I tested radios for Radio Netherlands "Shopping List" I recall that the Panasonic short wave portables were usually robust but not at the leading edge...perhaps with a few exceptions. For a time the RF-4900 with its digital frequency readout was a great tabletop and then there was the RF9000 (1982-1985) which cost something like 3000 Euros in its day and was basically designed to show what Panasonic could do in the labs. I am a bit surprised they didn't pick that for the on-line museum. It was an amazing set - I wonder what kind of customer they had in mind? In Holland they put a few into luxury yachts.

By the way, the museum is an interesting tour, but the navigation is a nightmare - Flash design on steroids. And sadly, no search, so the content is there, but the context is often missing. Worth a short visit though.

DT 797 - new professional headset from Beyerdynamic

Last year, I bought a pair of Sennheiser headphones HMD 280's with built-in microphone. Why? To be able to interview people with a digital camcorder and capture my questions in reasonable quality on location. I think I have only succeeded by 60%....not pleased with the microphone's sensitivity.

So I am interested in one of two new models announced by German sound specialists Beyerdynamic. The DT-790 comes with a hyper cardioid microphone inside the gooseneck boom. That's for cameramen who want to shout commands or comments back to the studio. The DT-797 comes with a condenser microphone (cardioid) which, they say, has been developed to be used by commentators during live broadcasts (e.g. sport events) and reporters. The modular and service-friendly construction apparently assures a long product life.

The headphones offer a frequency response of 5 Hz – 30 kHz, and the microphone boom can be used on either the left or right side or moved into standby (upper) position. The single-sided cable is available with different connectors which allow all necessary connections.

The new headsets will be display at the IBC 2008 in Amsterdam, in Hall 8 Booth 8D67. On my list to see - and listen to.

UPDATE: Peter Groof, who's the product manager for the new headphones says in an e-mail that the price will be around EUR 300,- (retail) and the headsets will be available in the time frame Jan/Feb 2009. The (standard) connectors for the DT 797 (the version with condenser microphone) will be a 6,3mm jack & 3 pin XLR.

He notes that the DT 7xx headsets have a far better isolation of ambient noise than the DT 2xx series, due to the greater pressure on the ear and better isolating characteristics of the housing and ear pads. This makes them perfect for use in noisy environments such as sport events, concerts, theatres and so on.

Wooden Radios

It takes 16 hours to make a wooden radio by hand. That, at least, is the story from South-East Asia. I remember reading about the ultimate minimalist wooden radio designed by Indonesian artist Singgih Kartono sometime last year. I was reminded by a follow-up article in British Airways' Business Magazine this week.

The story wasn't so much about the technology inside (which was simply a good but basic analogue AM/FM circuit in the first model), but the fact that the radio uses sustainably harvested pine wood and palisander/sonokeling. There's no dial...you feel your way across the dial. Designer Singgih (photo below) wanted to revitalize local craft industries, gradually creating jobs for up to 30 people who were making simple high-quality handicraft products. The workshop is in Temanggung in Central Java.

Singgih Kartono adds more details about the sustainability side of the project in a company brochure.

As a wood consumer, I feel morally responsible towards replacing the woods that I have used. This will ensure that all manufacturing activities that I conducted would not destroy the nature. I do this by re-planting every single tree that I’ve used from the forest. The amount of wood replanted and selected is based on our yearly wood consumption, suitable age for wood to be grown and cut, and the requirement of land per tree. We estimated that for the 40 people we could employ, we could have replanted one to two hectares of land with our selected wood. Currently, Kandangan has almost no forest land. The population is about 4.000 people.If we are to employ the whole population of Kandangan, we will abolish unemployment but most importantly, for every people we employ, we will generate more woods through our forest regeneration programs. Additionally, based on our current income, we receive USD 2.500-3.000 per month; enough to sustain 10 employees.

With regards to the forest regeneration, on the top of preparing our own tree saplings, we are also in collaboration with Gunung Sumbing (Mountain Sumbing) junior high school. We work together with the school to create a practical curriculum within the field of environmental generation. Four months ago, the students from this school have helped us to grow trees from seeds. Currently, these seeds have grown into 1.000 young trees that are ready to be planted. We are planning to have these trees replanted around the school area. The students want to have schools that are surrounded by trees. All this activities are funded through a part of our sales income.

My production company, Piranti Works, has 30 employees. They are locals. We are in the process of extending our workshop so it is able to employ around 50 employees. They will use only around 50 to 100 trees per year. The remaining 2.200sqm lands that I own are used as a tree nursery, where I will distribute free trees to the villagers. I purposely distribute these trees freely as I want to teach the villagers that the right economy activity will give positive contribution towards sustainable environment.


There's a German website, based in Hamburg, that has the distribution rights for Europe. The German language version of the site goes into more detail, explaining that this model weighs 955 grams, and is 19.1 by 11.7 by 13.5 cm in size. It works off 4 AA penlights and the radios are made to order for the price of 149 Euros, plus 5 Euros postage in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The radios are sent sea mail via Singapore, which takes up to six weeks. A small stock is held in Germany.

There will be a slight modification to the radio sets as from mid October 2008. A DC input has been added for a external 3V DC power supply (not included. The new version of Magno radio also has a socket on the back which allows you to connect any MP3 player and listen to it via the radio's mono speaker. Since this is wood rather than plastic, it apparently sounds great (haven't heard it myself). The price then will be around 160 Euros.




Towards the end of the year, a new "Mango Cube" wooden radio is also due. This has two short-wave bands on it, as well as AM/FM and is supposed to start shipping around November 1, 2008. This one also has a dial - though we're not sure what calibration will be like. A site in the US is now taking pre-orders for this radio at US$250 excluding shipping. This looks like a work of art - and it is priced accordingly. I wonder what sales would be like if they made the price 175 Dollars?

UPDATE: Oliver Errichiello in Hamburg, who is the main driver behind the project in Indonesia sent me the following comment after this post was published. "I think it is realistic to say that we will start selling the Cube in early 2009 in Europe. The price will be about 180 Euros. This assumes that the testing and roll out in the USA and Canada late this year goes well.

Kids Podcasting Kit for Africa?

I plan to test one of these to see whether it (or something like it) could be useful for a community radio station project in Africa. The kids are looking for something cheap and easy to use in interviewing their parents. The so called "Easi-Speak" lets you record directly into the microphone. The same device can be used to playback remotely or you can download your files straight to your PC through the attached USB. I think the 128MB memory is on the small size, especially if you pick WAV rather than the MP3 format. At the same time, having a limited memory does encourage you to get to the point, rather than trying to save an interview in post-production.

The microphone (retailing in the UK for 25 quid) comes with a copy of the Audacity Music Editing Software (this is open source) and it doesn't need a battery, since that is charged through the USB.The good news is that it will record directly into the MP3 format without the need for conversion software and it would appear the buttons are large enough for young children to use.

This microphone has been around for a few months, but I see the 128MB version is only just appearing (was 64MB).

Thanks to the ever resourceful Podcast Princess, Karin Hogh, in Denmark for the tip.

HP Mini HP-2133 for the mobile audio reporter

I am currently very interested in what's happening in the low-cost, light mini-laptop market. If you're reporting from the field, every gram counts against you. This useful review by Shawn Powers of the Linux Journal persuaded me to wait. The HP-2133 has now arrived in Europe priced in Holland at €465,- ex VAT including Vista Business (other configurations available, including Linux). Compared to the Eee-PC, I think HP has come up with a better built device, as well as a larger screen.

The laptop comes with a standard battery which works for around 2.25 hours. There's an extended battery as an optional extra.

The 92% key-pad means the keypad is only slightly smaller than a full-size keyboard. This is a GREAT keyboard if you write a lot. The on-board speakers are loud - useful if you're doing some sound editing and don't want to use headphones. Skype audio seems to work fine. The screen has full resolution too - better than the Eee-PC.

High Quality USB Mike Interface - Update & Review

Last August I posted on this blog about a nifty little unit I saw coming onto the US market. Called the MicPort Pro, it is a small tube which allows you to connect an analogue microphone to the USB input of a laptop or PC (Mac or Windows).

You may think that you can do that already with a Canon (XLR) to 3.5 mm cable plugged into the microphone input of your laptop. But, having spent a couple of weeks playing with this device in July 2008, the audio quality you get out of the external converter is vastly superior to the sound card in most PC's - even the Mac. The secret lies in the MicPort's USB microphone high quality preamp featuring 24-bit/96kHz performance. There is also a 48V phantom power inside the MicPort which allows me to connect an analogue Rode NT2 broadcast microphone (condenser) - and that wouldn't work if you just plug into the laptop. The results then are just superb, either for voiceover work or podcasting. The unit gets its power through the USB cable, so you need that connected for the microphone to get its power (if you're using phantom) and for the headphone monitor to work as well. Headphone output has no delay in it - essential if you are monitoring yourself speaking live.

The great thing about the unit is that it doesn't need special drivers for use on Windows™ XP/Vista and Mac OS X™ audio applications. There's a little white LED under the Canon connector which lights when the computer "sees" the device. It really is plug and play (or more accurately - plug and record). MicPort Pro ships with a 2 metre long USB cable and a carrying pouch.

Users can download free software tools for recording and mixing from the CEntrance website. These are lite versions of professional software. Personally, I used my own software for mixing - Sony's Vegas Video for instance.

I found this unit to be ideal for a remote reporter-studio location in West Africa. That's because you simply plug this unit into the laptop and select it as the microphone source in Skype. Then you get (near-enough) studio quality contributions to live discussion programmes, providing the ADSL bandwidth is sufficient (and stable). So, as well as recording for a podcast, this unit is useful for live contributions.

The chassis is made of rugged aluminium to stand wear and tear - and being dropped a few times, and the casing will keep out the dirt and dust you find on travels. I still think it would be interesting if they incorporated a 4 GHz flash card inside the same metal housing (or slightly larger)- making it an instant competitor to the HHB Flashmic.

Stereo and multi-track recording is also possible with MicPort Pro thanks to the CEntrance Universal Driver™ that aggregates input from multiple MicPort Pro units with a very low latency (delay due to conversion) of less than 6 milliseconds. This means if you own several of these units, you can link them together on the same laptop, assuming you have enough USB ports.

So what about the cost? MicPort Pro prices, as of July 2008, show the average in the US is $149.95. I find the European dealers (in Germany for instance) are considerably more expensive at €165.41 including VAT (that's US$258.54 at current exchange rates) and £109.99 in the UK (also including VAT). I can understand a mark-up is needed, but with the dollar being weak at the moment, an extra 110 bucks seems steep. That said, I have no hesitation in recommending it.

More details on the CEntrance website which shows U.S. and international resellers.

The Dance Powered Phone, Radio & Battery Charger

The UK branch of the French mobile phone company Orange has announced the launch of a mobile phone charger prototype that is powered by dance energy! Working with renewable energy specialists, GotWind, who were also responsible for last year’s Orange Wind Charge and this year’s Orange ReCharge Pod, Orange also commissioned research into a kinetic energy portable phone charger that would harness the energy created by festival revellers dancing to their favourite bands to ensure a clean and renewable energy source.

Whilst the research of the Orange and GotWind team is still in its infancy and continues to be developed, Orange has already built fully functioning prototype models of the Dance Charge that were tested at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, taking place at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset last week.

The Dance Charge prototype weighs in at only 180 grams. It is approximately the same size as a pack of cards and the same weight as a mobile phone. The Dance Charge unit comes encased in an elasticated, black, neoprene strap with Velcro attachments which is attached over the wearer’s bicep in a similar fashion to a runner’s arm-mounted mp3 player.

As the user moves their arms along to the music – a specially designed system of weights and magnets, similar to that found in kinetic energy watches, creates an electrical current which provides a top-up of charge to a storage battery. So whilst festival goers are out dancing to their favourite bands, the charger stores dance generated power in the reservoir battery, ready for when they return to their tent each night to recharge their phone.

Ben Jandrell from Shropshire, UK founded Gotwind in 2006 with the purpose of sharing his 25 years experience in the design and making of small scale renewable energy projects, focusing in particularly on wind and solar power.

Ben launched his website http://www.gotwind.org initially as a hobby to share his passion with the world, as renewable energy has become more and more prevalent, Gotwind and its unique DIY approach has received a lot of interest worldwide.

Personally I see an application in Africa, not only for dancers but simply for people who walk a lot as part of their trade and have a need to be connected - either through a mobile phone or the FM radio inside around 25% of all mobile phones sold in that region of the world. No word on the cost.

All this reminds me that in 2001 the inventor of the wind-up radio, Trevor Baylis completed a 100 mile walk across the Namibian Desert demonstrating some electric Shoes and raising money for the Mines Advisory Group. The "electric shoes" used piezoelectric contacts in the heels to charge a small battery that can be used to operate a radio transceiver or cellular telephone. The shoes were invented by Dr Jim Gilbert, a lecturer in engineering at Hull University, who was asked to develop an idea by Trevor Baylis, But I don't think the Electric Shoe Company managed to make the idea into a commercial product.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Sansa Clip

This is a small multifunction recorder/player that fits in the palm of a small child's hand! It comes with 1 GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 32GB Flash memory. Initially, the 2 GB version was priced at around 60 Euros, but as the new 8 and 32GB versions have come out, so the 2GB version has been dumped into special offer already for around 20 Euros. This would make an idea second or emergency voice recorder for use in the field, especially for recording long events like press conferences. You can also imagine it being used in more clandestine settings for investigative reporting. The audio quality of music playback is superb as well. It also features:

* 4-line, 2-colour OLED screen
* FM tuner with 40 channels (you can make presets or scan. There is frequency readout so you are not tuning in the blind.
* Voice recording with built-in microphone - excellent fidelity, better than you'd expect.
* 92dB signal-to-noise ratio
* Formats: MP3, WMA (including protected), Audible
* Battery life of the internal rechargeable battery: 15 hours
* Dimensions: 2.2" x 1.4" x 0.5"

Despite its small size SanDisk has included a number of extra features that distinguish it from its main competition, the iPod Shuffle and Creative Zen Stone. Most notably is the inclusion of the 4-line OLED screen that lets you browse through your audio collection and toggle settings from the player itself. Alongside the radio functionality is the ability to record FM broadcasts off the internal FM radio, and record interviews through the integrated microphone. All recordings are saved in the WAV file format.

On the format side the standard formats are supported, but no support in some of the older versions for some of the less popular audio formats such as Ogg Vorbis. The Sansa Clip was released on October 9, 2007. The player has a similar design to the second-generation iPod shuffle, but the clip is removable and a 4-line OLED screen is built-in (one line orange-ish yellow, three blue.) The Clip has an FM tuner/recorder (optional in Europe) and a built-in microphone. The flash-based player ships in capacities of 1 GB (available only in black), 2 GB (available in black, blue, red and pink), and 4 GB, 8 and 32 GB (available in reflective silver).

Firmware version 01.01.29, released in May 2008, enables Ogg Vorbis compatibility for the Sansa Clip. However, OGG comment (the counterpoint of MP3's ID3-tags) support is still buggy.

Support for Audible audio books, and protected WMA support are both notable features of the Clip. It also integrates with Rhapsody's subscription service available in the USA and lets you mark songs so they are automatically purchased next time you sync the player with your computer.

One con: The internal battery can only be charged through a USB port, or from a separate USB charger. No quick battery changes here, so keep it charged.

The new firmware is free and has various bug fixes, including key fixes listed below, as well as enhancements. Upon completion of the firmware upgrade, the device will turn off. Power on the device to complete the upgrade process. If the device does not initiate or complete, press & hold the Power switch for 6 seconds to reset the device and then release and press again to restart.

Bugs Fixed:

Rhapsody Licenses
· Rhapsody licenses expire early.

Battery Indicator
· Battery indicator is not linear with respect to the play time remaining.

Fast Forward / Rewind Long MP3
· Device will skip to next song if fast forward past halfway through a long vbr mp3 file.

Genre (Tag Encoding)

· Same file with same genre appears twice regardless of the format (mp3 or wma).

FM Autoscan
· Device does not return to FM tuner display after scanning for stations.

Custom EQ Settings· Custom EQ settings get cleared after power cycle.

Miscellaneous Deleting files on the device is not stable.

Enhancements:

* Device highlights “Play Previous” after returning to Music from FM playback
* Increased Brightness for 4 GB devices for better reading under the sun.
* Added OGG-Vorbis (*.ogg) Decoder Support in MTP and MSC mode:
• Note: PC with WMP10 will not be able to drag and drop OGG files to device under MTP mode
• Workaround: Install WMP11 to PC or use MSC mode instead.
* Audiobooks and Podcasts sorting and resume features:
• Content placed in Audiobook or Podcast Folders are now accessed separately from Music.
• Content with Genre tags of "Audiobook" or "Podcast" are now handled from any location and sorted by the UI.
• PodCasts and Audiobooks are now organized by 2 level hierarchies.
• Podcast content is sorted with newest episode first.
• Auto Bookmark: will prompt the user with "Resume?" or "Restart" option when restarted.
* Much better shuffle algorithm to maintain the sequence of up to 2000 songs. User can skip to the previously played songs without reshuffling. Sequence is preserved after power off and on.
* Handle playlists up to 1000 songs. Fixed playlists with large count taking long time to load.
• Note: Playlist limited to 1000 songs only applied to .pla playlist. For .m3u playlist, there is no limitation.
* Battery power percentage is now displayed on the “Settings > System Info” screen.
* Device auto powers off if the radio is paused / muted.
* Add support for Melon SKT (South Korea Telecom) MusicDRM v1.4 (For Korea market).
* Performs faster, more complete MTP Format operation.

Sanyo Xacti HD1000 & HD1100

Jancam in action with Sanyo Xacti HD1000 from Jan van der Meer on Vimeo.

There is an even better handheld HD Camera coming out next month, the Sanyo HD1010. The new camera also has slow-motion capabilities. But these guys on the Dutch North Sea coast are doing great work for videographers.



I like the Sanyo HD cameras because they have an input for an external microphone (unlike some Sony HD handhelds for around the same price. Why don't manufacturer's understand the necessity of good sound? I understand that by using a wifi-enabled memory card, you can quickly and easily download files from the camera. No tapes needed, just a large memory card.

Boomstick 360

Now this is interesting for some video reportage experiments

The Boomstick360 costs 169 dollars in its standard version (sports version slightly cheaper). It claims to be a safe, secure way to capture unique, intense and memorable video moments. Made with High Grade Anodized Aluminum with Stainless Steel Lock Pins, and flexible composite shims, Boomstick360 attaches to any round tube or shaft with a diameter of up to 2 inches. They include shims to help you attach to smaller diameters. Boomstick products will attach to any camera with a tripod inlet on the bottom. At only 2.2 lbs., this light weight durable mounting system will provide you with unlimited possibilities.

For what I hear you cry? Attaching a video camera to a bike, hang-glider, motorbike. Once positioned, the Boomstick 360 allows the camera to record angles previously impossible while riding. Perhaps the most impressive is the “handlebar looking back at rider” view. Due to the flexibility in the system, expect footage to roll smoothly even over terrain that would normally appear shaky or downright jarring. The video below comes from the manufacturer

Tascam DR1

Tascam in the US have just released an interesting little portable flash recorder that uses SD-cards (1 GB included in the price). I guess designed for the music industry, but we're interested to see how it will fair for journalists and podcasters. Costs US$299 in the US, which is rather cheap in Euro land. Cannot imagine importers will sell it for that in the Netherlands. But we shall see. Below is the manufacturer's blurb...have not yet tested it independently. Thanks to Pierre-Yves Mutrux in Austria for the tip.

* Portable, Handheld Recording
* Built-in High-quality Stereo Condenser Microphone
* Variable Angle Microphone Mechanism with A/B Configuration
* 48 or 44.1kHz 24-bit Recording Resolution
* MP3 and WAVE file Recording and Playback
* Switchable Low Cut Filter
* Analog Auto Gain Control
* Analog Limiter
* Rechargeable/Replaceable Lithium-Ion Battery
* USB 2.0 Connection to Computer
* Built-in Tuner and Vocal Cancel Features
* Overdub Feature to record narration, singing or instruments over an existing recording
* 1/8" stereo microphone input with 2.3V power
* 1/8" stereo line input
* 1/4" stereo microphone input
* 1/8" stereo headphone output
* WAV recording resolution: 44.1kHz/48kHz, 16-bit or 24-bit
* MP3 recording rate: 32-320 kbps
* Battery life: About 7 hours when recording MP3 format with the built- in mic (varies with operating conditions)
* Dimensions (not including protrusions):
o 70 (W) x 27 (H) x 135.3 (D) (mm)
o 2.8 (W) x 1.1 (H) x 5.3 (D) (inches)
* Weight: 208 g (7.34 ounces) including battery

Panasonic Toughbook

Its been some time since I have seen the Panasonic Toughbook range, but the latest versions have got the point that they are ideal for (photo) journalists operating in tough terrain. They are in the 3000 Euro range, which is a lot for a laptop these days, but then you can continue writing out in the rain. I once saw someone who tried to test such a computer by throwing into a swimming pool. Bit like putting it in a blender - not a good idea. It's shower proof and the various outlets are protected against moisture - but not designed to be submerged. The spec for the hard-drive is on the slow side for fast video editing, erring on the side of robustness rather than speed. The screen can be swivelled around and is bright enough to be usable in quite bright sunlight. Options exist to remove the hard-drive easily, so that different users can swap disks, complete with the Windows Vista operating system.

Edirol R-09HR Spotted

The new Edirol is out but apparently heavily back ordered. Spotted this at a call-centre exhibition last week in Utrecht. This recorder was being used to record conversations between stockbrokers using mobiles - as a record in case of later disputes.

Snapper Audio Tool Updated

If you edit audio on the Mac, with something like Pro-Tools then the latest version of Snapper is worth getting. It allows you to manipulate audio very quickly and send off entire files (or bits of them) as MP3 files to e-mails. A new version was released today and I like the fact that they offer a 100 day trial so you can really test it out before you part with your hard-earned cash. I'm guessing a Dutch connection from the name "Peter Bakker", though I guess they're on the West Coast of the US rather than thee West Coast of Europe. Check out the 100 second demo.

Packshot Creator

A French company makes this photo-studio in a box, selling it as a complete solution for people who run shops from their home (e.g. selling on E-Bay). It is a fast way to make a product shot that give enough detail and which looks professional. There's a version which has what looks like a microwave turntable inside to made 360 shots. You can't buy the light-box on its own - you have to buy the camera and the software as well....at least that's what the Dutch dealership told me. I was impressed by the quality and the compactness of the studio. Would be interested myself (to be able to photo equipment I have tested) but don't need the camera. I can imagine this might be useful for broadcasters making websites who want to photograph small objects to illustrate articles, perhaps avoiding high copyright charges on agency material.

Edirol R-09HR Update

Back in 2006, Tim Locke and Engadget spotted a new recorder from Edirol. We were disappointed in earlier models which had rather insensitive microphone inputs leading to far too much hiss.

David Zantow in Wisconsin tells me Roland, who make Edirol, have just updated the R-09 digital recorder to the new R-09HR model. It was shown a few days ago at an audio show in Frankfurt, Germany. It now includes a wireless remote control and reports tell us that they have addressed the hiss and shielding issues that plagued the original R-09.

The new specs says

- 24-bit/96kHz linear PCM high-resolution, low-noise recording
- Newly developed Isolated Adaptive Recording Circuit (I.A.R.C.)
- High-grade, high-sensitivity stereo condenser microphone built-in
- Records to SD or SDHC memory card (Up to 8 GB)
- Compact, hand-held body for convenient portable use
- Wide view-ability on large OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display
- Preview speaker built-in
- Wireless remote controller included
- High-speed file transfer via USB 2.0 connection to computer
- Cakewalk "pyro Audio Creator LE" wave-editing software included

Small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, the R-09HR has a new tactile feel that is easy to grip. It also has a user-friendly OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) graphic display for easy operation. The large display provides a wide view with easy-to-see level meters, peak indicators, and additional recording information onscreen. A built-in preview speaker allows instant playback of the recorded sounds —no headphones required. With the included wireless remote controller, transport functions can be accessed from a distance. Style wise, you either love it or hate it.

The R-09HR can connect to computers via USB for importing/exporting audio files. It supports Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) mass storage so file transfers are quick and convenient. Included with the R-09HR is Cakewalk's pyro Audio Creator LE software —a perfect companion for WAV/MP3 audio file editing. With pyro, the R-09HR package becomes a complete recording solution suite, from recording to CD-burning.

A wide variety of optional accessories are available for the R-09HR, including: Cover/Stand Set (OP-R09HR-C), Silicone Rubber Case (OP-R09HR-S), Carrying Pouch (OP-R09HR-P), Microphone Stand Adaptor (OP-R09M), Stereo Microphone (CS-15), Carrying Case (CB-R09S), Roland Stereo Headphones (RH-300) and Roland In-Ear Headphones (RH-iE3).

The guys from SoundOnSound in the UK, have posted a video shot at the Frankfurt Messe


Most significantly, the new device is capable of recording 24-bit WAV files at 96kHz, where the predecessor was only equipped to record at rates of up to 48kHz. But there are other improvements that make it even more appealing.

Edirol say that both the internal and external construction of the device has been improved over previous models. Externally, there's a new, brighter screen and it's got a much more robust, rubberised shell. What's more, the battery/USB socket/SD card access arrangement has changed, with the battery compartment on the back rather than on the bottom, which will come as a welcome improvement to existing R09 users.

Internally, the circuitry has been improved to lower the noise floor, and there are new, better mics fitted in the same arrangement as with the original R09. There's even a built-in speaker, which lets you listen to recorded audio without the need for headphones or portable speakers. All that is missing now is news about the final price.




David adds the he's getting along fine with his old Edirol R-1 with a 2 GB card. "I never use it portable so I prefer it on the larger side anyway."

Korg MR-1

This blog already lists several MP3 players with built-in voice and line recording capabilities--but they never seem to offer everything we want in a portable recording device....usually they have a noisy/hissy performance on speech. CNET reports the Korg MR-1 (US$899) handheld audio recorder lives at the opposite end of the spectrum, offering a dedicated portable recording solution with incredible recording flexibility and audio quality.

Design
Measuring 4.75 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide by 0.8 inch deep, the Korg MR-1 has the chunky feel of a first-generation iPod. Five well-spaced buttons dot the mirrored face of the Korg MR-1, providing intuitive control over recording and playback. The left edge of the Korg MR-1 includes jacks for the power adapter and USB 2.0 connection, while the right edge features a multifunction scroll wheel, controls for playback volume, a menu button, and a power switch that doubles as a button hold. On the top edge of the Korg MR-1, above its monochrome 2.2-inch screen, are four crowded 3.5mm jacks that act as a stereo headphone output, stereo line output, and separate left and right recording inputs.

Features
The Korg MR-1 lacks many of the features we've come to expect from competing products, such as built-in microphones, RCA or XLR inputs, or flash memory expansion. Korg's golden feature with the MR-1 (and its bigger brother, the MR-1000) is a trademarked Direct Stream Digital 1-bit high-definition recording technology (documented by Korg in this PDF whitepaper). The gist of Korg's justification for the DSD recording feature (and for the MR-1), is that recordings made using DSD are versatile for stepping down into whatever format you later choose, with minimal loss in audio quality. For audio archivists reluctant to record using today's CD-quality standard of 16-bit/44.1kHz, fearing that the format may become outdated, DSD recordings offer a new recording option that may hold up better over time and meet the demands of bouncing down master recordings to mediums with different audio requirements (DVD, CD, MP3).

Once you get past Korg's DSD recording feature, there's little else the MR-1 can brag about as a portable audio recorder. The Korg MR-1's built-in battery holds a measly 2 hour charge, the internal hard drive caps out at 20GB, the audio input jacks have to be adapted for most microphones or line-input cables, the included microphone feels like an afterthought, and the power adapter is larger than the product it's powering.

However, the Korg MR-1 does have excellent recording format support, supporting several proprietary high-resolution files such as DFF, DSF, and WSD, as well as common file types such as MP3 (192Kbps/44.1kHz) and WAV (up to 24-bit/192Khz). Once your recordings have been transferred to your computer, you can use Korg's included Audiogate audio software (Mac/PC) for converting the files into your desired final format.



The Korg Audiogate software is basic and offers little in the way of editing. It's necessary, however, if you want to convert recordings made in the DFF, DSF, or WSD file format, into more useful WAV and MP3 files.


Performance
It's hard to find fault with Korg's unprecedented recording quality and file format resolution, but the MR-1's poor suitability as a truly mobile device makes it tough to recommend. Rated at 2.5 hours of battery life while recording WAV files, or just 2 hours for DSD file recording, the Korg MR-1 just isn't cut out for the demands of mobile recording. To be fair, running an audio chip at the unprecedented 2.82MHz required to handle DSD audio, must require some serious power--but if you can't take it away from a wall socket for more than 2-4 hours, then its usefulness is limited as a mobile solution. As of January 2008, Korg is now shipping the MR-1 with an extra external battery pack that doubles the device's recording time. Unfortunately, the external battery pack adds awkward bulk and still places the MR-1's battery life short of the 12 hours boasted by the Sony PCM-D50. To make matters worse, we also found the Korg MR-1's charge time to be painfully long. During our unofficial preliminary testing, it took the Korg MR-1 between 3-to-4 hours to reach full charge using the included power adapter.

The small lavalier condenser microphone included with the Korg MR-1 barely taps into the device's sonic potential. Recordings made using the microphone in both indoor and outdoor situations were riddled with microphonic artifacts caused by movement of the cable, or transference from the surface the microphone was placed on (using the included stand). If you're determined to use the Korg MR-1 for nature or concert recording, expect to shell out some money for a better microphone.

My Conclusion

Looks like a really expensive bit of kit for only medicore results - especially if you're going to need an external microphone. The Korg website does do a good job in explaining the different audio formats that are around. Wav and MP3 are fine for my purposes.(Jonathan Marks)

Solio Solar Chargers

Solio Solar Charger
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

One of the better portable solar chargers on the market, folds away nicely. It has a battery built in and an "intelligent" plug into to the mobile phone itself which knows what voltage to deliver. Takes about 4-5 hours to charge a mobile phone when put in the sun. One Solio unit, when full, can fully charge two phones. I think they might want to think of an option to simply charge a couple of NiMh penlights this way so you could charge your audio recorder in an emergency. Power is a serious challenge in most remote areas. Cost? Currently US$99.95 on the website.

They now offer a special Magnesium version of the Solio at US$199.95, obviously targeted at the "serious adventurer" community. This unit is also hybrid because it can accept power from either the wall socket or Sun storing this energy within Solio's internal rechargeable battery. Solio then uses this energy to power your gadgets at the same rate as if they were plugged into the wall. Solio will also hold its charge for up to a year.

Other manufacturer's stats

One hour of sun will give you enough juice to play your iPod™ for about an hour or provide up to 25 mins of additional talk time on most cell phones.*
Provides an emergency power source when away from power outlets.
Adapter tips allow you to power multiple gadgets with a single charger ( tips for most products included in pack.)
Works with multiple gadgets, including mobile phones, iPhone™, Bluetooth® headsets, smartphones/PDAs, MP3 players, portable gaming devices, digital cameras, GPS and much more.
Reusable - use it again and again.
Compact lightweight design - convenient for travel or emergency use.

More details at their website

Motorola Alternative Energy at MWC

Motorola Alternative Energy Stand
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

I haven't posted for a while, having been travelling a lot, but still keeping the serious gadget reporter in mind. Currently looking through a wealth of material I collected at ISE Europe in Amsterdam and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, last month. I am looking at alternative energy solutions, both for radio/TV stations as well as reporters. This Motorola project in Namibia, started last April, is generating some excellent results, literally.

Happy New Kaspersky 2008

Taking Norton off all my XP computers at all the stations I work with and putting Kaspersky in its place. Been ripped off with clunky, buggy software from Symantec 1 time 2 many, a customer service desk that just tells you to re-install a newer version of the software and mysterious problems with other programs that all came back to the Norton Firewall in the end. Oh, and don't ever try to buy a symanted licence in one country for use in a different language in another. The nightmares are over. Kaspersky lets you try before you buy, so you can iron out any glitches in the first month before parting with hard earned cash. Installed it on four computers, no problems at all. Highly recommended (and no commercial connection with these guys).

Have a Great 2008 - Inspiration for All

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing (to paraphrase BBC World Service radio's ident), have a great, peaceful and prosperous 2008! Lots happening in the next 12 months, Olympics, US elections, LeWeb08, DLD, LIFT, APMMediaLab, 3GSM. Fraid I won't have much influence on the first two - but I will have a lot of fun being involved with the others. Saw that someone has put a lampshade on one of the street lights in Gouda, the famous cheeze town in the Netherlands. May the light guide you to wise decisions. Keep smiling and safe travels.

Funx in Den Haag

Funx in Den Haag
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

Interesting to see the line-up of stuff that urban music radio network FunX uses for remote broadcasts, in this case from a room in the Hague city hall to commemorate World Aids Day 2007. Proof that analogue technology isn't dead just yet.

BBC Memoryshare - Jamming the Germans

BBC Memoryshare - Jamming the Germans

The 75th anniversary of BBC WS has started some very interesting recollections - including how the BBC was prepared to jam its own network in the event of a Nazi invasion of Britain.

Hardata Software Automation

Got the complete tour of Argentina's national radio station today. This is my second visit - came in 1999 and interviewed people in the English service of Radio Argentina Al Exterior, the overseas service. This time I talked with the people running the various domestic networks. This state network is moving more into the direction of public broadcasting, with far more talk shows and interactivity than was the case last time I came. Studios have mothballed the tape decks and record players, now everything comes off the computer using a software package called Hardata that has been made in Argentina (I see most stations using it). Cost is around 870 US dollars per work-station, considerably less than the European variants.


 
 
 
 

Marantz PMD620 Digital Audio Recorder Update

Marantz PMD620 Digital Audio Recorder
Back on the 7th of OctoberJosh Bancroft

John Bancroft provided us with a shot of the new PMD620 digital audio recorder on show in the US at the Podcast and New Media expo. It takes SD or SDHC memory cards and uses 2 standard AA batteries (you can use rechargeables if you want).
It seems the Marantz PMD620 Professional Handheld Field Recorder is now retailing in the US at just a few cents under US$400. The photo may lead you to believe otherwise, but this relatively small solid-state device is only slightly larger than a deck of cards. Records either MP3 or WAV files in 16- or 24-bit rez. The display screen uses OLEDs just like many cellphones, and it has two high-quality omnidirectional condenser mics built into the top. If you don't like those, you can plug in your own external mic, albeit with a 3.5 mm jack input, not XLR (Canon). If you want to check out all the specs, there here is the owners manual.

This is obviously going to be a serious competitor to the M-audio recorder which came out last year at around the 300 Euro mark. One immediate advantage is the fact that it uses ordinary AA batteries rather than built-in rechargeable cells. I think the case is a lot more studier on the Marantz than the somewhat flimsy plastic of the M-Audio. I always seem to find that the batteries on my M-audio are empty at the moment I need the thing, especially if it has not been used for a couple of weeks.

So could this also be the end of the Marantz 670? I sincerely hope so. Everyone I meet complains about the size of the thing and that (at least early models) have problems that the software shows a dead battery when there is still life left in them. I have never met anyone who got the claimed "7 hours" out of a single charge. The PMD620 at least shows that Marantz has been thinking about the reporter in the middle of nowhere who can usually find some AA batteries before they can find a reliable electricity supply. It has an advantage over the HHB Flashmic in recording in stereo and having a removable flash card. The built-in microphone of the HHB unit though is even more compact than the PMD620, and would probably win if you're part of a press scrum trying to get a quote out of a politician. Comments?

Logging the output of 50 radio stations

Logging the output of 50 stations
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

What do you do if you're the BBC World Service with just over 50 feeds leaving the building at some peak periods. You log the output on hard drives from this company. Comes in models with 8, 10 or 15 Terabyte raw capacity. Those vents are indeed for cooling fans.

Radio Comuniaria, Bajo Flores

Radio Comuniaria, Bajo Flores
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

This station has made a terrific contribution to a deprived neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have been looking at what equipment these guys use out in the "real world".

Beyer 297 headset

Beyer 297
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

Seeing more and more of these headphone/close microphone combinations being used in radio studios around the world...the latest siting in BBC World Service South-Asia broadcast centre. The microphone sounds great, providing it is not put too close or knocked out of the way - it needs to "look" at the mouth it is listening to. I find the response better than Sennheiser. Not sure why the data sheet says it is preliminary. Price? About 180 pounds sterling in the UK. I use one for HD-camera work when I am interviewing someone. My questions are on track 1 with these headphones, the interviewee wears a Sennheiser wireless lapel mike recorded on Track 2.

Sony USB Sticks with Microphones

Sony USB Sticks with Microphones
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

The Sony NW-DB105 and NW-DB103 in a shop window in Buenos Aires. The only difference is the storage capacity. In Euro the 1 GB works out at 80 Euro in BA, whereas in Europe it is 39 Euro in on-line shops. I am interested to see if such a device could be used for simple recordings by community radio stations. There would be a market for a simple "push to talk to record" device.

Snowball Microphone

Let's face it, most webcams produce less than ideal sound. Loic le Meur, who is just setting up a new social software platform with video does a test here of the Snowball Microphone from the US/Latvian company of Blue. Headquartered in Westlake Village, California and with engineering and manufacturing facilities in Latvia, Blue Microphones continues to come up with cutting-edge designs. Blue is also known for its vintage microphone store and restoration services.

The Snowball USB microphone isn't all that new, but it hasn't really been discovered by the podcast community yet and it is probably the wrong shape for reporters in the field!. But it is easy to use. Just plug it in, adjust your input level and you’re up and running.

The Snowball is a condenser microphones but derives its operating voltage from the bus voltage always present on your USB port. As long as the red LED is glowing, the microphone works. The Snowball does not require batteries or phantom power.

To get the most out of the Snowball, you’ll want to have some kind of software that allows for digital signal processing and non-linear editing that will accept audio from the USB port. As long as you are using Windows XP, Vista or Apple OSX, you will not need any drivers. Not sure whether there are any compatability issues with Mac's Leopard.

The Snowball’s digital output is set to 44.1 kHz / 16-bit, just like an audio CD. The sample rate / word length are not user-definable. The mic comes with a sturdy stand and a 2 metre USB cable. The ball itself seems very sturdy. Out of the box the Snowball is set to record at low levels (fine for instrument, less fine purely for speech), but the Blue website has firmware updates that will fix that. But there is no software to control the mic reception pattern settings. This can be done manually though, using Snowball's 3-pattern switch which allows you to choose from cardioid, cardioid with -10dB pad, and omnidirectional. Cost? In the US around US$100, that around 70 Euro. In Europe, there doesn't seem to be a dealer in the Netherlands, but Thomann in Germany will ship. They charge 99 Euro for the microphone and another 8 Euro for shipping. Not often you see "Made in Latvia" on a product.

Media Professional Website Launches

I have been gradually building the website which describes the "making of" a new media lab in Porto Novo, Benin. Located in the western part of the capital city, the new website explains how we managed to build a complete FM radio station in under a day towards the end of July 2007. The idea is that the "lessons learned" will be translated into local languages so that station managers are able to profit from our experiences. It costs around 25,000 Euro to build a community station of this type. If you want more range, then prices quickly climb to 40,000 Euro. The local versions of what we did will be distributed on USB memory sticks which are rapidly replacing CD's for transporting audio files around the country. ADSL is due in Porto Novo in January 2008, but it is still relatively expensive.

EBU Audio Contributions Document

In the near future, if you're planning to buy some equipment to feed audio back to a radio or TV station, you might want to ask the manufacturer of that equipment if it is ACIP compliant. ISDN lines are disappearing in some countries (as soon as 2010 in some places) and so broadcasters are starting to use IP over broadband technology to get the audio back to the studio. Its obviously important that the equipment at both ends is compatible even if it is of a different make (just as your mobile phone works no matter who made the handset). I note that a group with the EBU Technical department has now published an interesting document in the hope that manufacturers will work on interoperability standards even if they are competitors in the marketplace. There is a publicly accessible website that's gone up as well.

So why is this important? For the punter in the field trying to do a decent reporting job, it's going to vital that this project moves from a well thought-out proposal into practice. Even if you're non-technical, if manufacturers get the message from reporters that compatability is important, that may help the development team squeeze the required cash out of the upper management.

HD Radio University

HD Radio in trouble? I agree with Lou Josephs in Washington that the take-up of HD Radio hasn't been what observers expected. Now comes news that there are all kinds of skywave inteference problems which have prevented some stations switching it on. The backers of HD Radio have opened a sort of McDonald's Hamburger University, they call it HDRadio University to try and educate sales people. That is increasingly a challenge as discount retailers don't pay that much and staff turnover is huge.

Meanwhile, the trade journal InsideRadio has reported this week that the HD Digital Radio Alliance has set aside $230 million for marketing HD Radio. The biggest change next year will be the introduction of commercials to HD-2 channels. Stations will accept "name-in-title" sponsorships and limited sponsor mentions per hour. Programmers will also get more freedom when picking a HD-2 channel's format. So what will this mean? Great, creative, vibrant programming on a second channel? Probably not - a simulcast from AM is more likely. It is not the technology, it is the programming guys!

Cox Radio has installed HD equipment on a half-dozen AMs, but millions of wideband radios installed in DaimlerChrsyler cars, Jeeps and Mercedes are keeping them from flipping the switch. The wideband radios give better sound quality, but Cox Programme Directors have complained about hearing "a faint buzzing noise" on HD AMs. Cox has installed HD on 70 stations and they'll add another AM to that list by year's end. The engineering forums are full of polarised debate on the future of digital AM, especially as the technical roll-out has started and interference problems are cropping out. How come they didn't surface during the last 10 years of "testing" IBOC on mediumwave (AM).

Remote News Bureau?

At IBC 2007, I bumped into a French company called Alden that were marketing a steerable satellite dish for people in Eastern and Southern Europe who live too far away from an ADSL hub. It is a satellite TV and satellite Internet combination. The initital outlay of around 3500 Euro involves the purchase of a self-aligning dish and 100 days of Internet access (any 100 days within a year, no limit of the day during the day). For people who are never going to get connected to cable and/or ADSL, a rather neat solution.

Vidblaster Pro

Get past the intro of the Kats Cast to see excellent camera work at the Uitmarkt in Amsterdam and what "Mike" (Versteeg) is up to with a Vidblaster Pro. The price of this software is amazingly low - just under 78 Euro. Certainly made for love, not the money. No commercial connection with these guys...just admire what they have done.

MyDrive Music Disk

Perhaps because my original work was in radio, I tend to pay more attention to music and dialogue in video than most video editors I know. I have collected production music for years. I note that the racks of CDs in many video studios though are disappearing - partly because they are a magnet for dust.

A few weeks back I saw an ad in BBC's Ariel magazine advertising a (free) harddrive full of music. At the moment, in Europe, it only available in the UK. JW Media Music Ltd tell me they have explored various means of getting music to clients. They offer Internet downloads and have released larger itunes based hard drives in the past; both as attempts to cut down the waste produced by sending out so many CD's.

Although these endeavors have both been received well by clients, the MyDrive has been the most universally accessible format to date. The software (originally created by an Australian library we represent in the UK, Beatbox Music) offers a really straight forward search interface. You just plug it into a Mac, PC or Avid using the USB port and there are 10,000 tracks from five top music libraries waiting to be explored.

Having auditioned the tracks you want to use, simply hit export and save the file to your computer as you would a word document. All the music rights (MCPS) registration details are saved on both the track name and the MP3 meta data, so no need for post-it notes all over the place as with CD's.

Also featuring on MyDrive in the UK are Beatbox, Standard Music, Noise Pump, and LA Post. Although some other publishers have experimented with the idea, it is a device which has so far not been matched by any other UK Libraries. JW Media say they have over 500 in circulation at present in the UK alone, with more and more requests from editors, producers and sound engineers coming in everyday. The device is free, as the music contained within it is all set rate, MCPS administered music which the user pays for either directly to the MCPS or through their broadcasters blanket license (such is the case for the BBC).

I believe it is important that if music publishers want to get producers to log the right content details, they provide a device like this to manage the metadata. In the past, I have seen so many producers either get things wrong or make things up because they didn't regard the admin as part of their production task. And since this can be automated, I agree with them.

Mayah Sporty Codec Update

Saw this new version of Mayah's codec for in the field reporting at IBC 2007. In an earlier post I said I thought the price would be near 4000 Euro including tax. But Uwe Flatter from Mayah Germany reports that it will be 3350, with an introductory price of 2450 Euro for orders before November 15th. 900 Euro is indeed a huge discount.

I am not sure how long ISDN lines will be around in some countries. Some PTT's seem to want to get rid of ISDN as soon as possible - I believe Sweden is talking aboout phasing it out in 2011. Other countries, like Swizterland and Spain for instance - they have discovered quite a few customers using ISDN and have no immediate plans to migrate them. What I am finding in Spain and the US is that local operators are getting reluctant to organise ad-hoc ISDN connections and start charging a lot of money for the service.

Sony Portable PCM-D50

New portable recorder recorder out from Sony, retailing in the USA for just under US$600. To quote from the brochure...

The PCM-D50 is a 96 kHz/24-bit recorder fitted with two-position (X-Y or Wide) stereo microphones, 4 GB of internal flash memory and a Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo™ slot (for additional storage). The body of the D50 is constructed of lightweight metal (aluminum) and it's built rugged to withstand the demands of pro applications, plus it offers long battery life using conventional AA alkaline batteries. The recorder includes a USB high-speed port for simple uploading/downloading its native .WAV format files to/from Windows® PC or Macintosh® computers. Other unique PCM-D50 features include digital pitch control, dual digital limiter (inherited from the PCM-D1), low-cut filter, Super Bit Mapping®, A-B repeat and MP3 playback capability. To complement the D50 recorder, new optional accessories include a remote commander, tripod stand, and microphone windscreen. Additionally, the D50 offers compadible mounting and use with the recently introduced XLR-1 wide-bandwidth balanced XLR microphone adapter. There is also a 5 second pre-recording buffer

Not quite the PCM-D1 , but then it less than one third of the price. It will be curious to listen to the results...wonder if the preamps are really low noise. Have to wait a couple of months it seems. But this development, along with the new Marantz (see below) are putting some competition back in the market. Can only benefit the consumer. Note the 4 GB of internal memory. Come on HHB, time to follow suite.

Completely Blocked in China

It would seem my comments on this, and other blogs, about firewalls in China and some problems I see ahead for the Olympic Games in 2008 (the really hot weather) have meant that all the websites I operate cannot be accessed from inside China. Firewalled but surviving! At least they are consistent. Look at the stuff 1.2 billion people are missing ;-)

Latest Critical Distance E-Zine released to Cyberspace

Yes, it is out there. The latest free Newsletter with musings about what I am up to. Download it from the Critical Distance Switchboard (where you can also enter your name for a free sub) or hit this spot directly.

Sony PMW-EX1

Interested to see this HD camera at IBC 2007. It records to flash memory rather than tape. The blurb at the stand says...

The PMW-EX1 is the first in a new range of professional HD products - called XDCAM EX - which record onto memory-based SxS ExpressCard media. Designed from the ground up to exploit the ultimate high performance of SxS PRO memory cards, the PMW-EX1 combines a state-of-the-art, non-linear XDCAM workflow with simply the best HD quality yet seen in a compact camcorder. It is also the first handheld camcorder to carry the legendary CineAlta 24P brand with multiple frame rate recording capability such as 59.94i, 50i, and native 23.98P, as well being 1080i/720P switchable.

There is also a choice of a 35Mb/s High Quality mode or a 25Mb/s, HDV 1080i compatible mode. To take advantage of this high performance recording capability, the PMW-EX1 uses an all-new imaging system consisting of three ½-inch type CMOS sensors, each with an effective pixel count of 1920x1080 to produce images in full HD resolution. In addition, there's a purpose-built Fujinon Professional HD ½-inch 14x lens and a unique dual focus ring mechanism.

In fact, there are innovations in every detail of the PMW-EX1, from its IT-friendly MP4 file recording to advanced creative features, such as selectable gamma curves and "Slow & Quick Motion" capability.

To maximise recording time, the PMW-EX1 has two memory card slots which means with a pair of 16 GB SxS PRO memory cards, it can record up to 140 minutes of HD footage.

They claimed the camera would be out in November 2007. Price? a few pennies under 6000 Euro is the rumoured price. I see some UK sites are advertising a delivery date on November 1st. If so, then HDV tape is dead in the water within 2 years don't you think?

Update December 2007- I see my local Sony dealer is now advertising a Sony kit for € 6490,-- including accessories which they claim is worth another Euros 1042.

Sony BP-U60 battery
AKG CK93
AKG SE300B Power module
XLR audiokabel
Rycote so ftie
PortaBrace bag
PortaBrace rain protection
Firewire kabel 4-6
Firewire kabel 4-4
1 extra 8GB memory card

Flashman II from Mayah, Germany

German company of Mayah was showing off some new 3G capable recorders for radio journalists at IBC 2007 this year. At 2500 Euro, kinda on the pricey side. But rugged. The new device also has the ability to record locally on the device, while feeding Live – now gives a reporter complete control over their material and the ability to edit it after the transmission, for subsequent re-use. (I should point out that the HHB Flashmic can do this too). And thanks to MAYAH’s unique FlashCast technology, Flashman II is able to automatically recognise, and connect to almost any audio codec & format worldwide. Ideal for on-location situations where the destination codec is not known.

HHB Line-Input Flashmic

HHB in London has made versions of their Flashmics (omni- and undirectional version) which has a line-input jack at the base, so as well as the built-in microphone you can accept a line-in from another source. The price in the Netherlands for the modified version is somewhat expensive (retails at 995 Euro, ex VAT) when compared to the ordinary version. Personally, I wouldn't need it, but can imagine some situations where it could be useful. I'd like a Flashmic with more memory - 1 GB doesn't seem much these days. Seen at IBC 2007 in Amsterdam.

Another important FlashMic development implemented in response to customer feedback is compatibility with mp3 files. FlashMic wavefile or .mp2 recordings can now be converted, whilst being transferred from the FlashMic to a computer, by the supplied FlashMic Manager Mac/PC software application to provide mp3 files – the preferred workflow format for some broadcasters. Existing FlashMic owners can download the updated FlashMic Manager software free of charge at www.flashmic.info.

Handy Power Inverter

Mark Eylers showed me a mini 75 watt power inverter which he bought at a supermarket in France for 17 Euro. Made in China, it converts 12 volts DC into 220 volts AC. Perfect for recharging equipment on the go when you don't have a dedicated 12 volt charger, but do have the mains adaptor. Other inverters are mentioned here in this excellent article, which seem powerful enough to run a small radio station - though considerably larger. Have not seen the Krueger brand in the Netherlands.

Webradio Success

I attended a radio marketing seminar at EBU Geneva last month and was very impressed by a campaign for webradio in Sweden. It basically involves offering listeners the chance to design their own radios and send the result to friends. Christian Rauch (photo below), Deputy Head of Marketing at Swedish Radio shared some fascinating stats...

• During their campaign, four webradios were designed by the public in Sweden every second!

• 30.000 radios designed first day of campaign, 68.000 first week

• Over 160.000 radios designed so far i.e. over 10 % of the target group has made one radio each.

Studio Webcams

Anybody know if someone out there (a radio clubs perhaps) has compiled a global list of studio webcams? There was a time when most music radio stations installed them for a gimmick, but then they went away when their usage dropped off. In those days there wasn't much bandwidth and the audio quality was rubbish. Now things are much better, so I wonder if its time to build a radio matrix of the "World of Radio". It would be a bit like 10x10, but then a compliation of radio webcams, like Radio Donna in Brussels.

VIZRT Mobile Reporter

Saw an interesting demo of how VIZRT has developed software for the Nokia 95 which allows reporters to send video from a location over the phone. The difference with this application is that is doesn't use MMS and chops up the file if the service provider has put a limit on the size of video files. Currently being rolled out to one of the main newspapers in Bergen, Norway. Disclaimer, VIZRT is one of my clients.

Where others fear to tread.....

Great to meet Mark Eylers again after many years. If you need a radio station built - plus a new management team in place, then Mark just gets on with it. He's one of a handful of people who have built community radio (and TV) stations in difficult places - like Congo, Kenya, Liberia, and Burundi. Based in Soest, to the South East of Amsterdam, Mark is brimming with practical experience about what is right (and sometimes wrong) with community media projects. Its clear that many NGO's underestimate the time needed for a radio station to make an impact. It is more than just dumping equipment and hoping a local engineer will figure it out. Unless the management is in place, and trained, the station is off the air as soon as the foreigners leave. Mark runs a company called Bestworx, still going strong after more than 10 years of travelling across Africa.

Clever Small Tripod for light Video Cameras

DSC03609
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

If you have 135 Euro to spare, this mini tripod is brilliant. Manfrotto showed it at IBC2007, though the staff on the stand had diifficulty finding words to explain why it's such a clever design. My Italian isn't good enough. You can use it to put the camera on a table, grip the handle or rest it against the shoulder. Brilliant.

IBC 2010 Barcelona?

IBC 2010
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

IBC this year was interesting from a technology point of view, but disasterous from a logistics standpoint. The IBC has outgrown Amsterdam with a shortage of hotel rooms estimated to be in the region of 4000-6000 rooms. And the city has simply reacted to the situation by putting the prices up. The RAI is also going through a "makeover" but instead of gathering support for the make-over also put its (food) prices up and made parking sheer hell. IBC is back in Amsterdam next year to muddle through again, but in the mid-term definitely needs an exit strategy.

What is going on at Blogger?

Why are bits on my blog showing up in German? Software glitches in Google?

GPS Capable Laptop

According to Engadget, Asus claims to have made the "world's first mainstream notebook PC with integrated GPS capability." That particular distinction goes to the company's new U3S laptop, which relies on NXP Software's swGPS system for navigation duties. Among other things, NXP's system does all the necessary GPS signal processing entirely in software, which not only allows it to be much smaller, but also opens up the possibility of fairly significant software upgrades (including support for Galileo if the Europeans gets the system going within the lifetime of the laptop). Just don't expect "mainstream" to mean "cheap," with the laptop set to run €2,300 (or $3,200) when it's released later in September.

Now if only the GPS data from the microphone or camera is automatically added to the metadata about where the script is written. Just t5hink of how this could be used for journalists working in the field - and indexing their material automatically for later searches from the archives.

IBC Radio Mystery

There was a special radio station at IBC 2007 this year (although I think it was a very well kept secret. It seems some free promotional radios that were supposed to be in boxes like this at the exhibition never arrived in Amsterdam. IBC tells me the podcasts of what was broadcast are available here. Don't look on the main IBC site, you'll never find it. Not sure if analogue radio is the best medium for this...IBC Daily news should get into VODcasting. But judge for yourself.

Made the front page of IBC Daily News

In 2020 and beyond we will still need public broadcasters
By Kate Bulkley

Future-gazing is always a tricky business but those who believe there should be a future for public broadcasters beyond 2020 were cheered when Duane Varan, the executive director of the Interactive Television Research Institute in Australia called the erosion of public service broadcasting "a big mistake."
In Varan's view, as audiences fragment and competition for them becomes more intense, the role of PSBs become more critical than ever, especially for news, education and information-based programming.

"Audience fragmentation pushes news to the edge - it's what I call the Fox News effect - where the idea of objectivity loses out to the need to shout to be heard in a fragmenting universe," Varan told the packed audience at Future-gazing: the Broadcasting world in 2020.

Jonathan Marks, media anthropologist, journalist and producer, said the move to an all-digital world means that PSBs have a mandate to preserve a country's heritage. "PSBs have a role to serve the citizens not consumers - 80% of the world's broadcast archives are rotting and in 10 years many of them will be gone," Marks warned.

Wendy Hall, professor of computer science at the University of Southampton, predicted that our digital personas would become increasingly complex and rich, begging questions about who owns and controls 'your' information. Hall suggested that we might entrust third parties with personal information, "much like we use a bank today."

Another potentially huge problem discussed by the panel is what we record and store all this information on so it is 'playable' in the future. "You don't want to store it for yourself because the formats may change," said Hall.

Sony Vegas Pro 8

Interesting to watch the extended demo of Sony Vegas Pro 8, launched today at IBC 2007. It was the most interesting Non-linear editor I saw at the show, bearing in mind the readers of this blog. There are useful features here not in Final Cut, especially the ability to mix and mash-up video in different formats and qualities. Seems they have also cut down the rendering time and addressed an old problem - namely the titles were rather simple in version 7. Must confess I was thinking of changing platforms to Mac as the machines here are due for upgrade. Now I am not so sure.

NPR Research

Interested to see that NPR has come up with the equivalent of teletekst for digital radio. Its a way to put text of a broadcast using the HD-Radio standard now being rolled out across the USA. Looks like HD Radio will be a evolution rather than an evolution. I see the Taiwanese company of Sangean now has HD Radios on the market.

Good news...

Felt better wandering around Halls 1 & 2 today at IBC 2007 and seeing some excellent restoration work being in a European project for both tape and record archives. Brilliant work that will save a lot of great stories from fading into the noise.

Components arrive from Holland

Components arrive from Holland
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

Building a media centre in West Africa at the moment. Will be blogging my challenges in doing so a little later in the month.

Sony GV-HD700E HD Video WALKMAN

Sony has finally announced a HD Video WALKMAN – a portable solution for viewing both HDV and DV tapes while you’re on the move. I say finally because a portable back-up unit for this market is long overdue bearing in mind the HDV format is already a few years old. The press release sings the praises of the new unit, due out in September 2007. But there is no mention of price, nor if the unit will play back 1080p tapes recorded by Sony's latest HDV camera. So what are the bets on the price? 1500 Euro?

Sony's story continues...

The clear, bright 7-inch widescreen (16:9) LCD offers a resolution of 1,152K (800x480x3[RGB]) dots for monitoring video and still images. An All-scan function ensures that 100% of the recorded frame area is displayed on the LCD monitor for accurate reviewing of shots. Up to six LCD panel setups can be stored and loaded at any time. The on-screen position of displayed timecode can be moved to any of six positions according to user preference. The screen folds down when the GV-HD700E is not in use for maximum portability.

The HD Video WALKMAN is generously equipped with interfaces for recording and playing HDV1080i and Standard Definition DV video from a range of sources. An HDMI output allows HD viewing on any connected HD-ready TV or monitor.

It’s also the first Video WALKMAN supporting x.v.Colour. Based on the new xvYCC standard, x.v.Colour almost doubles the gamut of colours that can be displayed accurately on an xvYCC compliant display. HDV tapes recorded with x.v.Colour can be replayed with x.v.Colour signals available via HDMI and i.LINK outputs. x.v.Colour signals can also be read via the i.LINK input, and x.v.Colour information is passed through to the portable deck’s HDMI output.

A separate HD/SD component output is provided in addition to the HDMI output. An i.LINK port allows direct recording and playback of HDV and DV signals, while analogue video and audio can be recorded and monitored via S Video and RCA input connectors. In addition, still images can be captured from tape (HDV or DV) during playback and stored onto Memory Stick.

For convenient operation, any of fourteen commonly-used functions (including search, index mark and playback zoom) can be assigned to three function buttons. There’s also a Status Check mode that gives a handy on-screen confirmation of key Audio, Output, Assign and LCD settings.

For extra versatility the GV-HD700E can be used with InfoLITHIUM L and M Series batteries. Supplied accessories include an AC Adaptor, wireless remote controller, component cable and AV Multi Cable (without S Video).

Heading totally in the wrong direction

close but not really
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks

I used to be a fan of Archos in the days when their AV340 used to make great quality audio recordings, as well as fairly decent quality recordings. We waited for the same features, only with a better quality recording, screen and wifi. After a lot of teasing, at places like IBC 2006, Archos has finally come out with the 605 wifi. They must be mainly aiming for the French market because they have signed deals with French suppliers of content. Since it is all DRM protected, I cannot imagine purchasing a film for 12 Euro which will only play on this device in "dvd like" quality - well not on the big plasma screen I have it won't. Perfect example of technology driven products which don't understand the power social currency. Shame, but I am writing these guys off the list of innovators.

Earth TV Interview

This is the company that provides all kinds of pictures for TV stations from 55 special cameras positioned around the world. They hate being called a webcam company.

Doublecam from Germany

Interesting device for cameramen collecting Voxpops. Seen at MIP-Tv in April 2007. Cost? 19000 pounds sterling. Quality is excellent. Not sure if I'd want to use it in a warzone though.

Farcast Project

The Dutch research organization, TNO, pops up at many trade fairs, marketing what they're up to. Kobus Smit explained to me what they're doing with the Farcast project aimed at radio and newspaper reporters.

Frauenhofer MP3 Surround

The Frauenhofer Institute in Germany is best known as the place where the MP3 compression standard was developed. Now they've finalized a new compression system to put surround sound onto the mobile using DVB-H

Yahoo & Broadcast & Mobile

What is Yahoo doing in the mobile world? This is what they're telling the mobile operators at the world's largest exhibition and conference called 3GSM in Barcelona. Curiously, Google wasn't there, yet 60,000 others did make the trip to beautiful Barcelona.

SkyQube

Wanna beat roaming charges on the mobile phone when you're sent as a freelance reporter abroad? With a local SIM card, Skypeout account and this box you can. Although launched at 3GSM back in February 2007, I have yet to see this in (online) shops just yet.

Babelgum - Joost's Nightmare?

Thinking of starting you're own TV station? There may be alternatives to Youtube if you have material longer than 10 minutes.

GSM Association

Dawn Hartley explains what this young organization does in developing countries like Kenya and Namibia and why. This may be mobile, but I believe what they do is definitely of interest to broadcasters too.

Nursing the Phone

Just reposted this video because I wasn't happy with the quality of the video on Youtube. There was something wrong with the lip-sync. This Swedish company has a brilliant strategy to market their phones - Swedish nurses looking after a new born baby phone. I notice that this video had been downloaded 500 times in a few hours on Youtube.... It shows you what people are searching for. Katherine was at 3GSM...and they are way ahead of the Apple iPhone, in my opinion.

HHB Flash Microphone Recorder - Price reduction

This is an update to a post we put up in September 2005.

Way back on Friday Sep 9th 2005 at IBC Amsterdam, the UK company of HHB launched a great device for radio reporters. Basically, they have built a flash recorder into the base of a Sennheiser microphone, the same looking type which is marketed by Sennheiser as a wireless model. Instead of the transmitter, HHB has put in a flash-recorder into the same housing.

On the bottom are connected for a pair of headphones and a USB jack to the laptop. You can transfer recordings to the laptop at 90 times faster than real time, and there is no quality loss in the transfer since you're copying a digital file. The flash memory unit cannot be taken out (and lost), but you can get plenty of audio in - 3 hours at 48K linear, 18.25 hrs using the MPEG-1 Layer 2 standard at its lowest bitrate. I purchased a unit in 2006 and have found the 3 hour memory capacity to be fine for ordinary reporting. If you were using it to make a documentary, you'll need to dump content to a hard disk on a laptop. HHB say they have no plans to make the memory card removable in this model.

You do the editing of an item on the laptop, not on this device. The beast came out in Jan 2006 at a price of 699 pounds sterling in the UK (VAT extra) and 999 Euros (VAT extra). At the time we complained that the price was on the expensive side.

A press release on May 1st 2007 indicated that the retail price has now dropped to 529 pounds ex VAT in the UK, partly because of volume production and the drop in the cost of internal memory. I asked HHB in London whether this meant they would consider putting 2 GB instead of 1 GB, but the answer was that the feedback from clients indicated that 1 GB was enough for most purposes. Personally, I'd prefer 2 GB so I could use it for longer periods without having to dump to a Hard-disk. But I do more documentary work.

The audio quality of the recordings is great. For very noisy environments, there is also a cardioid version of the same device (the DRM85-C is the same price) which is far more directional. For my purposes, the omni-directional version is fine.

Unlike some other competitors, this Flashmic works on two standard penlight (AA) cells. I use the 2650 mAH capacity rechargeable cells from Duracell and get around 8 hours of recordings without a pause. Always have a couple of batteries spare in case. When the batteries go, they tend to fade rather suddenly.

I plug a pair of closed-type headphones into the base to monitor the sound and spot popping. The casing is rugged and well designed against hand-noise.

Things to bear in mind though;

- There is no audio buffer to allow the unit to be in standby and still capture the start of an important statement. Wouldn't be that practical anyway - you can't remote control this Flashmic since it is built into the base of the microphone.

- No line-in to the recorder. It's a flash microphone.

- Only Mono. No stereo versions

- Flash memory is not removable.


As well as broadcasters, this device might interest some podcasters too who want to interview famous people. There is a social factor here. Somehow the HHB looks better than the M-audio or a mobile phone stuck under someone's nose. They treat you like a professional because the device looks familiar.

Solar Power Interview with GSMA

Did you know that 60% of the cost of running a mobile phone network in Africa goes in trucking diesel fuel out to base-stations. This interview with Dawn Hartley of the GSMA looks at solar power solutions, which may well be of interest to some reporters in the field.

AEQ PAW 120

469 pounds is a lot to pay for a recorder. Yes it is cheaper than the HHB Sennheiser, but it is also considerably more expensive than the other handheld recorders we've seen. The good news is that the recordings are clean, and you can even get away with using the built-in mike, though politicians may be wary of speaking into something the size of a mobile phone. But the internal memory is either 512 or 1 GB and with MPEG-2 compression (or just WAV) that means very short recording times. That's a pain if you switch the thing on to record a press conference in WAV format and it lasts for more than 40 minutes. Memory full? Have to dump it to a PC before you can continue. Come on guys - haven't we learned anything from the photo camera market? Please lets use removable flash memory - it is cheap enough now.

Overall, I'm disappointed. Decided not to buy..

Reciva 2.0

I was interested to see a demo of the next phase of software to be put in a series of wifi radios being rolled out in the UK and elsewhere. There are other companies working on the same thing, but Reciva have managed to stay ahead by offering a database of some 5000 stations which automatically loads into the receiver.

GSMA at 3GSM

I had a fascinating talk with Dawn Hartley of the GSMA development fund who are doing some fascinating work with mobile phones in developing countries. I am even more convinced now that many of these ideas will merge with broadcasting, especially in Africa.

Vizrt Mobile at 3GSM

Vizrt has some very clever ideas for both the broadcast and mobile market. (Full Disclosure - I have done some consultancy for this Norwegian firm). They seem to have cracked the problem that graphics and subtitles look terrible on most mobile phones. Its only now that I have a chance to post these interviews - done in a different style to the 3GSM productions.

The Day the Music Died?

According to the Radio and Internet Newsletter, the US Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has just announced its decision on Internet radio royalty rates, rejecting all of the arguments made by Webcasters and instead adopting the "per play" rate proposal put forth by SoundExchange(a digital music fee collection body created by the RIAA).
RAIN says the rates that the Board has decided on, effective retroactively through the beginning of 2006. They are as follows:
2006

$.0008 per performance 2007

$.0011 per performance 2008

$.0014 per performance 2009

$.0018 per performance 2010

A "performance" is defined as the streaming of one song to one listener; thus a station that has an average audience of 500 listeners racks up 500 "performances" for each song it plays. The minimum royalty fee is $500 per channel per year. There is no clear definition of what a 'channel' is for services that make up individualized playlists for listeners.

For noncommercial webcasters, the fee will be $500 per channel, for up to 159,140 ATH (aggregate tuning hours) per month. They would then have to pay the commercial rate for all transmissions above that number.

Participants are granted a 15 day period wherein they have the opportunity to ask the CRB for a re-hearing. Within 60 days of this final determination, the decision is supposed to be published in the Federal Register, along with any technical corrections that the Board may wish to make.

Basically, that wipes out any chance of profit for niche radio networks on the web. The advertising they are able to command will never be enough to pay those bills in 2007, let alone in 2010. And remember these fees are simply the performance rights and do not include money that goes to the original composers.

It is also not clear whether these sorts of rights would apply if music was streamed to mobile phones, like on the DMB/DVB-H type networks being rolled out in Europe.

So what will this mean? A mass migration of US webradio services to servers outside the US? A great boost to non-RIAA music like that found on Podsafe music network? I think it just means that US radio stations will kill their Internet radio services for the time being until these lunatics realise they are truly throttling the music business. Hopefully it means European music stations now have a chance of a global audience. Radio is certainly scoring a series of own-goals.

Sideview of the SkyQube

Sideview of the SkyQube
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

You slip your normal SIM card in the slot - and leave this box at home. I guess I'd want to try it out on a trip when it didn't matter too much if my phone wasn't working.

SkyQube

DSC00081
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

Now this is interesting if you do a lot of travel. You connect it up at home and put the SIM card of your mobile into it. When you get to your destination you buy a cheap prepaid SIM that allows you to receive calls for free. This green box uses Skype to beat the roaming charges levied in other countries. Also features a recording function and callback. Cost? About 300 bucks to start with. Might be worth experimenting with for reporters in "difficult" countries? More details at www.Qoolabs.com. Seen at the 3GSM conference in Barcelona last week.

DRM85CSHEETV31.pdf (application/pdf Object)

DRM85CSHEETV31.pdf (application/pdf Object)

I see that HHB in the UK is now selling a cardiod version of the integrated Flashmic 1GB flash recorder. The older one uses an omnidirectional mike. This one is better for noisy surroundings, but less handy for doing general interviews because you have to make sure it is pointing accurately or you'll hear nothing off mike. I wonder why they can't put 2GB in the device now for the same price. 1 GB is super cheap these days.

Power Alternatives

So you're out in the middle of nowhere in a jeep (or on a plane). What about charging your recorder, laptop, camera, moviecamera, torch, etc. You could take spare batteries for everything, or get one of these inverters for around 100 dollars. It also has USB power outlets to charge iPods, Blackberries, some phones. Haven't seen 220 volt models. Doesn't matter for most travel devices these days - 110 volts is fine.

EJamming nears Launch

Interesting to see how musicians are collaborating on line. Just a few weeks ago, noticed a demo of eJamming. The blurb on the site reads....

Say you’re putting a band together and you can’t find a killer bass player in your town. Or you’re sitting there sequencing a great piece of music but your drumming sucks and you’re no Eddie Van Halen on guitar. Or your old band mates now live in Seattle, New York and Nashville and you’d kill to play together again. What’s the answer?

Just plug any digital instrument that’s enabled for GENERAL MIDI – a MIDI-enabled keyboard, a MIDI-enabled guitar or MIDI-enabled bass, MIDI-enabled drums, or a MIDI-enabled wind-controller -- into your PC or Mac computer, fire up the eJamming® Studio and we’re connecting you over the Internet to a whole world of musicians across town – or across the ocean.

In Sync. In Real Time. Or in as close to real time as the laws of physics allow.

And now that eJamming Studio comes with our own exclusive Sonic Implants Sound Set inside – it’s even easier to create and collaborate together over the Internet!

MicroHDTV Camera

A novel miniature camera allows viewers to enjoy a new live experience and watch a ski jump or a car race in high resolution from the actor’s perspective. The camera is so tiny that it even fits inside the cramped cockpit of a racing car. Until recently, this could only be done in standard TV resolution. Now these images have made the leap to ‘high-definition TV’ (HDTV), thanks to a mini-camera developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen. Several licensees will soon be putting the camera into series production.

Measuring 4 by 4 by 8 centimeters, the camera is smaller than a bar of soap and can even be accommodated in a cramped racing-car cockpit or a ski jumper’s helmet. »The MicroHDTV model is one of the smallest HDTV cameras currently available,« says Stephan Gick, group leader at the IIS. »We achieved this chiefly by taking two different approaches: The camera’s electronics have a very low power loss, which means that little heat is generated and the housing can thus be kept very small. By using highly integrated parts, we were able to fit all of the components such as the image sensor, the analog-to-digital converter, the color processor and several interfaces into the tiny space available inside the camera.«

With its format of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a variable frame rate of up to 60 frames per second, the camera meets all the requirements expected of a professional HDTV production. All parameters – such as color settings, white balance, image format and frame rate – can be controlled using the integrated software. All it takes is to open a web browser, connect the camera to the notebook via a local network and set the desired parameters. »Because the camera is so small and can be controlled via the Internet, it can deliver pictures of scenes that could not be viewed in the same way before – for example, recordings of sports events or applications that require the camera to be installed in difficult-to-reach places,« says Gick.

Another of the camera’s advantages is that it can be operated using standard optical systems. The MicroHDTV camera will be on display at the CeBIT trade fair (Hall 9, Stand B36), which will take place in Hanover, Germany from March 15 to 21 2007.

More information from Dipl.-Ing. Stephan Gick, Phone: +49 9131 776-521
Fax: +49 9131 776-598

Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen IIS
Am Wolfsmantel 33
91058 Erlangen, Germany

Brilliant Resource to P2P

Michel Bauwens of the P2P foundation pointed me in the direction of their wiki which is turning into a truly excellent guide to editing and distribution software.

http://www.p2pfoundation.net/Category:Audiovisual

is the place to check out. Very well done - and clever to use the wiki concept.

GigaVox Media, Inc. » The Levelator™

GigaVox Media, Inc. » The Levelator™

If you are doing podcasts, then check out this excellent piece of free software to balance the overall levels before you post. There are versions for both Mac and Windows.


Here's what the author's say:

We've released the all-new non-beta version of The Levelator for Windows and OS X. A Linux version is coming soon. This is a major upgrade from the earlier beta-test release. Special thanks to our
team: Bruce Sharpe, Norm Lorrain, Tim McNerney and to the users and beta testers who sent in sample audio files and bug reports.

Here's what's new:
* A cool new interface.
* Significant improvements in the levelation algorithms. (Thanks
to all those who submitted challenging audio files. We used every one of them in our testing.)
o improved handling of background noise
o improved processing of stereo files
o fewer "breathing" and "pumping" artifacts
* All sample rates and bit depths are now supported. Previously,
some such as 22,050Hz and 24-bit were not.
* Renaming the application files to simply "Levelator" in order
to make the application easier to locate in alpahbetized
lists.
* Elimination of the Java Web Start user interface in favor of a
native UI for each platform.
* Easing of restrictions on commercial use. (Read the new
license.)
* You can now drag-and-drop an audio file onto the applications
icon, even if the application is not currently running.
* The application window can now be minimized.
* OS X 10.3 (Panther) is now supported.
* You can drag-and-drop an audio file onto the application's icon
in the Dock (OS X).
* Temporary files are managed more efficiently.
* T-Shirts and web-site buttons!


Download The Levelator (v1.1):
http://ipost.com/rd/9z1zb00ja4se1isdbcs5f996ejtvit0jbba0ic38q70
The New License:
http://ipost.com/rd/9z1z4dk0tisan2ks4v6l72bankn8c1vito7n0c805ko
T-Shirts and Web-Site Buttons!
http://ipost.com/rd/9z1z7ekj0c428vgi0rqq1838tvjr7plajo738sn2ddo
_______________________________________________________________
An Important New Survey
_______________________________________________________________
If you love The Levelator -- okay, even if you don't -- please
spend just one minute completing our new survey. We're working
on the next release of cool new products for podcasters, and
your input can have a significant impact on what we do and how
we do it. Trust me, we really do take your input very seriously.
Our One-Minute Survey:
http://ipost.com/rd/9z1zk5nrghitcn9o02ci8o6io0qrak4banhrsuatft0

HairerSoft - Amadeus Pro

HairerSoft - Amadeus Pro

Has anyone had any experience with this Mac (only) sound editing software? I haven't seen it at any stations, but it may be a cheaper alternative to other packages for home/small business use.

Amadeus Pro is a powerful multitrack audio editor supporting a variety of formats including MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, Apple Lossless, AIFF, Wave and many others. Click on one of the thumbnails below to see a larger version of it.

Multitrack editor Amadeus Pro is a fully featured multitrack editor. Each track can have its volume adjusted independently from the others. Amadeus Pro fully supports multitrack WAVE files and allows you to render sound on up to 5 different loudspeakers simultaneously.

Batch processing There's that whole collection of files that you wanted to convert to Mp3, but you first wanted to normalize them and make them fade in and out nicely. Several hours of work in perspective? Let Amadeus Pro do the work for you! The powerful batch processor allows you not only to convert large numbers of files between any of the supported formats, but you can also instruct Amadeus Pro to apply any sequence of sound effects.

Repair centre The handy repair centre allows you to find and to repair cracks with a simple click of the mouse. Furthermore, Amadeus Pro's powerful denoising functions allow you to easily get rid of that annoying hiss on your old tape recordings or of that 50Hz hum picked

Happy New Year 2007

Clock Radio, Media Gallery
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

Hello, thanks for dropping by and may all the dreams and promises for new equipment come true in 2007. And a safe and healthy one too for all of us. See you further down the blog.

Bose iPod In Ear Heaphones

I have trialled a pair of these headphones. They are truly the best of their breed, although they are also the most expensive. 69 quid on Regent Street. But the audio quality is simply amazing. Ideal for clandestine recordings in the field. They come with three sizes of earpieces to ensure a snug fit. But I am surprised that they didn't include two sets. The case for the headphones is clever too....neatly protects the headphones, though it closes with a magnetic clip which needs to be kept away from credit cards.

Linux software for radio stations launches

I am currently looking at this piece of software as one possibile solution for a radio station in West Africa. One challenge with the Open-Source project like this is that the developers cannot offer a 24 hour service, like other guys do for Linux. But I have met the people behind this project and know them to be passionate about getting it right.

Community radio stations in Sierra Leone and in other emerging democracies will be powered by the latest release of the free and open source Campcaster software, which was released on December 7th 2006. Campcaster is free and open source software that turns a PC running the free Linux operating system into an essential tool for radio broadcasting. In a user-friendly way, it enables both automated broadcast at preset dates and times, as well as allowing “live” playout from the studio. At the same time, it also enables the exchange of radio program material both online and off-line, and provides a stable, secure, extensible archive server for storing, searching and retrieving program content.

Campcaster 1.1, code-named “Freetown,” was built with conditions in difficult environments such as Sierra Leone in mind. It provides very stable playout, and because it runs on Linux, there are fewer problems with viruses, spyware and malware.

Campcaster's relevance is not limited to the developing world: stations in the developed world are starting to adapt the system to their own needs. For example, Vienna, Austria's Radio Orange is adapting Campcaster's playout system to work with its existing digital archive, while in Hungary, a network of independent radio stations is integrating Campcaster's storage server into its IKRA project, a generic public website engine for radio stations.

Because all of the Campcaster software is free and open source, stations are free to adapt it to their individual needs, but are strongly encouraged to share their efforts with others.

“Campcaster provides features that used to be only available in extremely expensive commercial radio systems,” says Sava Tatić, Managing Director of the Media Development Loan Fund's Center for Advanced Media, Prague (CAMP), which coordinates the Campware Initiative. “We believe there is a strong north-south aspect to using and extending Campcaster,” Tatić added. “Every time a station in North America or Europe adapts and extends Campcaster, stations in places like Sierra Leone benefit.”

An international team of software developers, user interface designers, media activists and radio professionals have worked for more than 12 months on the 1.1 “Freetown” release. Campware representatives have coordinated their work with the Cornet community radio network on the software, and members of the development team will travel to Freetown, Sierra Leone later this month to provide training to partners implementing and servicing Campcaster locally.

Campcaster 1.1 “Freetown” is the latest release from the Media Development Loan Fund's Campware Initiative, which creates free and open source tools for independent media in emerging democracies. Initial funding for Campcaster has been provided by a grant from the Open Society Institute. The tools are all free and available for download at the Campware website at www.campware.org. Developers and technically-minded users can visit the developers' page at http://code.campware.org/projects/campcaster.


Douglas Arellanes Head of Research and Development on the project tells me that he and programmer Ferenc Gerlits are now in Freetown, Sierra Leone to install Campcaster at the Cornet network of community radio stations. They already have confirmation that a number of other stations have already begun installing and extending Campcaster, and they will regularly update the Campware site as we hear about new implementations.

Next on their release program (in addition to bugfix releases) is Campcaster 1.2, which is code-named "Kotor" because they are planning to implement it at Skala Radio in Kotor, Montenegro. The main feature will be integration with Campsite, which will allow stations to create and manage news broadcasts in an effective and user-friendly manner.

Technica Del Arte Recorder

  Been busy comparing this device (which is a software package) from Maastricht based Technica del Arte with other handheld recorders. I'm impressed that this device will record in MPEG-1 Layer 2 (as used in systems like Dalet) and send the recording to the station (or web server) at the touch of one button. 

Zoom H4

This recorder comes from the manufacturer of Zoom in Tokyo Japan. Don't bother trying to correspond with them, they simply refer you to dealers. In the Europe, that has proved to be disappointing, although detailed photos and the complete manual are up on the Samson site, who distribute Zoom products in the USA.

It is on sale in the US for US$299, which makes it cheaper than some microphones out there. In the US, a wall outlet power supply, camera stand mount, 128MB SD card are standard issue with the unit. That flash memory card will only give you about 12 minutes of recording time using the .wav file format. A 2 GB SD card should give about 200 minutes (3 hrs, 20 min) of std .wav record time although there is no mention of write speed for the SD memory is given.

Phantom Power is available at either 24V or 48V for external micrphones that need it. No hum or noise was noticed when using the phantom supply for the external microphones. Mic levels can be set via slide switches on the side of the H4 and finely adjusted in the input menu options.

The device also has a 4-track mode, but that has not yet been explored. Quality of the internal microphones is fine for interview work. The case is plastic (what do you expect for 299?) and the menu's take some getting used to. A better job than the M-audio, not as robust as the HHB Flash Microphone (but then it is 1/3rd of the price).

B & G Building on opening night

B & G Building on opening night
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

The centre is certainly going to be a great place, not only for the Media experience, but for conferences. I am curious to see how the collections will grow. At the moment they have done a fantastic job of explaining the past and bring this into a contemporary context. The challenge will be to project into the future - showing how mobile technology will be part of the tool set for content producers of the future.

Apart from the challenges with the sound, I can thoroughly recommend a visit. Many of the interviews I made for Radio Nederland Wereldomroep on the future of media are shown in the exhibit "The Global Village". They turned out nicely.

Looking down from the atrium

Looking down from the atrium
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

The design of the archive part of the building is inspiring....more like working in the Colosseum in Rome than a broadcast archive.

Looking up from Atrium

Looking up from Atrium
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

The ceiling is like being in the cupboard under the stairs, in a very big cupboard. Inspiring when you see it in real life. The building is an acoustic engineer's nightmare though. The reflections from the walls mean that the sound in the Media Experience, especially accompanying what they describe as the world's biggest screen, is the only main disappointment.

Your Personal Guide

Your personal guide
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

When you go into the media experience, you can choose one of the Netherlands news presenters to act as a guide. Three women and one man. Interesting that they each have a different text...not the same. They come from both public and commercial broadcasting. It is nicely done.