Topic: 20 hours of mps taping??

[DeltaBluesMan]

I will be concealing my H4 in my barn where i suspect some kids are fooling around in the loft. I am afraid they are going to accidently burn the thing down. If I am correct I can hook the recorder up to the electricity and record on mp3 and record up to 30+ hours on an SD card.

My question is: Is there a computer program or a way to view the content of the card file on a computer screen that would chart any recordable sound? Instead of trying to listen to the recording? That way I could only listen to the sections that showed a recordable sound.

I work swing shift so I am away a lot. I  think I know who they are but have never been able to catch them. Any help or ideas would be appreciated!
Thanks

[Brian Skalinder]

Any of the commonly used WAV editors* will provide a graphical view of the waveform.  Unless your barn is a terribly noisy environment, to the extent that the background noise is as loud or louder than people talking / horsing around, it should be fairly easy to identify the times when there's purely background noise v. something going on.

* Audacity (free), CD-Wave (inexpensive), Sound Forge, Samplitude SE (inexpensive), Audition, WaveLab, I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting.

[rastasean]

I hope they aren't on this board and yall have a taping passion or else that wouldn't be good. haha

good luck with that.

[thepassionofyonder]

i wouldnt want my gear to go up in flames with the barn.
maybe you can find a cheap motion-sensor camera.

[DeltaBluesMan]

I thought of the motion sensor camera deal but they mostly come around after dark and that would require flash and that would tip them off. Besides, then they would tear the camera up. (or steal it) This way I can have an audio record of whats going on or if anyone is there who shouldn't be long as they make a little noise. There is no other noise that should be there unless a plane flys over.

This is just a case of kids in the country doing something they shouldn't. I wouldnt be all that concerned but I have seen evidence of candles and smoking. The only thing in the barn is hay but still its a good barn and I would hate to see it and 200 bales of hay go up in flames!

Thanks for the help. I bought the recorder to tape my Son's Blues band. I just happen to think of this as a way to catch them red handed. (The no trespassing signs have not worked)
Thanks

[cleantone]

There are programs that can open MP3 (usually converting to another format) and give a visual display. This would allow you to see when something louder than the backround constants is present. You would be able to go to those spots and play back at those points to hear what you got. I do think most softwares have limitations on file length and file size. I have had files as long as five hours or so but never anything like your talking about. That might be your roadblock. I say go for it though. Should e interesting. I think you may have to get some software to split MP3 files into smaller pieces to be able to open them in editing software. It can be done though so go to it. We can figure the rest out afterward.

[Jackpine]

Radio Shack sells a voice activated cassette recorder for $40. You can get them cheaper on Ebay but you would have to wait on the shipping.

[baustin]

I will be concealing my H4 in my barn where i suspect some kids are fooling around in the loft. I am afraid they are going to accidently burn the thing down. If I am correct I can hook the recorder up to the electricity and record on mp3 and record up to 30+ hours on an SD card.

My question is: Is there a computer program or a way to view the content of the card file on a computer screen that would chart any recordable sound? Instead of trying to listen to the recording? That way I could only listen to the sections that showed a recordable sound.

I work swing shift so I am away a lot. I  think I know who they are but have never been able to catch them. Any help or ideas would be appreciated!
Thanks

will you post the results if your suspicions are confirmed?