Topic: Using consumer DVD recorder for Audio: Quality???

[illconditioned]

I'm planning on using a consumer DVD recorder for AV recording, in particular, for archival use at a club.  I'm hoping for a simpler setup than a computer.  Something where people can just put a disk in and record a show, then take the media right away.

My plan is to run a set of mics (AKG 463's) into a preamp (Maudio DUO) and run line out into the DVD recorder (RCA red/white inputs).  I'll run a stanadard teleconferencing camera (NTSC) into the composite video (RCA yellow) input.

My question: What format will the Audio be recorded in on the DVD disk?  Will it be MP3?  If so, what bitrate?  I'll set it to 2-channel mode, either high quality (1hr) or lower quality (2hr) recording to standard (DVD4) media.

Thanks,
  Richard

[phanophish]

It will be some variation of the DVD-Video Audio standard. Extracting it to be usable for realy audio editing will add an additional step.  You also will not have a way to set levels as I'm betting the levels will simply auto adjust.  While this may work and be simple it will be far from producing the best quality recordings.  Why not use a small portable unit like a MicroTrack or R9? 

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Doing it straight to DVD means no syncing Audio to Video later...

Terry

[stantheman1976]

DVD recorder usually use AC3 sound.  MP3 is not regognized by DVD players.  I don't know if any recorders are capable of recording in LPCM.  I'd recommend going to videohelp.com and asking there.

If it is possible to record in LPCM mode you could just extract the audio and lose no quality so it would be ok to trade audio only if you wanted.  AC3 is generally a better compression scheme than MP3 but once you've lost information at the start there is no way regain it.  You could trade the video as long as you note the source correctly but not separate audio.

[illconditioned]

It will be some variation of the DVD-Video Audio standard. Extracting it to be usable for realy audio editing will add an additional step.  You also will not have a way to set levels as I'm betting the levels will simply auto adjust.  While this may work and be simple it will be far from producing the best quality recordings.  Why not use a small portable unit like a MicroTrack or R9? 

I'm not looking to trade at all.  This is purely for archiving for the club, or to give the band after the set.

Why not use a computer?  Well, I'm not there, and I don't want to deal with computer files after the fact either.

I'm just looking for a turnkey system that anyone (bar staff, soundguy, or whoever) can turn on and leave running.  I might consider a standalone CD recorder, but that is much more expensive.  Plus, having a (stationary field) video might be useful as an archive too, or maybe to put a song on Youtube or something like that.

If I want the show, I'll get up there with another set of mics, or put an R09 or something on the line out of the preamp.

Thanks for the help though...

  Richard

[illconditioned]

DVD recorder usually use AC3 sound.  MP3 is not regognized by DVD players.  I don't know if any recorders are capable of recording in LPCM.  I'd recommend going to videohelp.com and asking there.

If it is possible to record in LPCM mode you could just extract the audio and lose no quality so it would be ok to trade audio only if you wanted.  AC3 is generally a better compression scheme than MP3 but once you've lost information at the start there is no way regain it.  You could trade the video as long as you note the source correctly but not separate audio.

Thanks for the info.  I'll look up what "AC3" sound is.

  Richard

[stantheman1976]

AC3 is a standard audio compression for DVD.  I think all consumer DVD's use AC3 audio.

[stantheman1976]

It will be some variation of the DVD-Video Audio standard. Extracting it to be usable for realy audio editing will add an additional step.  You also will not have a way to set levels as I'm betting the levels will simply auto adjust.  While this may work and be simple it will be far from producing the best quality recordings.  Why not use a small portable unit like a MicroTrack or R9? 

I'm not looking to trade at all.  This is purely for archiving for the club, or to give the band after the set.

Why not use a computer?  Well, I'm not there, and I don't want to deal with computer files after the fact either.

I'm just looking for a turnkey system that anyone (bar staff, soundguy, or whoever) can turn on and leave running.  I might consider a standalone CD recorder, but that is much more expensive.  Plus, having a (stationary field) video might be useful as an archive too, or maybe to put a song on Youtube or something like that.

If I want the show, I'll get up there with another set of mics, or put an R09 or something on the line out of the preamp.

Thanks for the help though...

  Richard

For these purposes your proposed set up should work fine.  You will have level control before the audio goes into the DVD recorder so you should be good to go with that set up.