Microphone in store

[cachecreekcctv 0]

Just wanted to ask for info about best audio devices that anyone has put in place , for recording to DVR. I have a few smaller convenience store owners that have asked me about audio recording on their DVR's. I had some older microphones, (Koss) lying around , so I took one, along with a new Microphone Mixer (Radio Shack) and have had it recording for a few days now. After looking online, it seems to me, that I could buy the best ? ( Electro-Voice) microphones and a Radio Shack microphone mixer, and use them in place of CCTV "mikes". Save the speeches on the law, I already spoke to 2 Detectives that told me they wish I would have had audio on one of the store bandits, as they had arrested him before, but they knew his voice. Just stick to the audio, please.

[Sir Flannel 0]

One word: Louroe

[scorpion 0]

Ditto:

[jeromephone 6]

Amen to the Louroe.

[scorpion 0]

There is also ETS

 

http://www.etsnm.com/microphones.html

[coolie11 0]

And these:-

 

http://www.mgelectronics.com/productdetails.cfm?productid=320

http://www.mgelectronics.com/productdetails.cfm?productid=319

[VST_Man 1]

I use the cheaper ($16) and get decent audio..............pm me and I'll send ya one to play with. I did try the supercircuits stuff but they were really bad...failed at 4 - 5 months. pita....

[cachecreekcctv 0]

I tried the ones that Coolie mentioned. I may as well have taken the $$ and tossed it out the window. Since I am recording indoor audio, I think I will head along the lines of the Unidirectional Dynamic microphones. I have about $30 into the Radio Shack mixer ( 4 inputs), and have 3 different microphones attached right now. The intent of this, is to capture audio, lets say at a cash register, from about 6 to 10 feet away, at the closest. Since this "mixer" can take several inputs, I am doing a test , in order to hear the same conversation from different locations, but "synched" to the same video channel. One of my "quickie mart" customers has agreed to be the "guinea pig" in his store. $100 for this type of audio system , is about all my clients would we willing to pay. Most of the Lauroe systems, are just not within the budget of my sort of customers. Thanks to all.

[Soundy 1]

There's little point in most instances with going to any kind of super-fancy microphone; full-range 20-20k response simply isn't a necessity. I've done it with simple computer mics, cheap Radio Shack dynamics, etc.

 

The main thing you want to do is make sure you get a dynamic and not a condenser mic, as a condenser requires a power supply, which is usually in the form of a battery that has to be replaced on occaision (usually immediately AFTER someone discovers - the hard way - that the system has been recording silence for two months).

[cachecreekcctv 0]

I will let my "test" run for a few days, then decide. I have 1 microphone (Dynamic Unidirectional) at the Cash Register, on a stand. The stand/mike are in the middle of "trinkets" for sale, and not very noticeable. One of the other microphones is attached with "zip ties" very close to the camera watching the cash register itself. The store owner and I have looked back on the previous days' recordings and he is happy so far. I have the ouput of the Radio Shack Mixer going about 50 feet to the input of the DVR. I can definitely keep this to under $100 in parts, if this is the route I decide to stay on. One thing I really never realized without audio, is that the store owner can hear his employee giving back the change, after making the sale at the cash register. The store owner requires his employees to count the change going into the customers' hands. The camera I setup for him, gets a good view of the money changing hands also. Thanks again to all.

[rajaymor 0]

An interesting point that nobody has raised yet...

 

I'm not sure of the legalities in the US and Canada, but in Australia you cannot covertly record a conversation without a court order / warrant - otherwise any person whose voice is being recorded must be made aware of this.

 

As I said, not sure if that's the case in the US or Canada, but it certainly is down here in Oz [/i]

[Soundy 1]

An interesting point that nobody has raised yet...

 

I'm not sure of the legalities in the US and Canada, but in Australia you cannot covertly record a conversation without a court order / warrant - otherwise any person whose voice is being recorded must be made aware of this.

 

As I said, not sure if that's the case in the US or Canada, but it certainly is down here in Oz [/i]

 

Well, the OP stated right off that he'd already checked on the legalities in his area...

 

But this is the important part: the laws regarding this vary widely, and it's always best to check with local authorities, rather than on a web forum where people participate from all over the world.

 

I don't know if it applies to all of Canada, but here in BC, to my understanding, audio recording is allowed without notification, but is not admissible as evidence unless there's signage stating that audio is being recorded. There are no such requirements for video recording.

 

For phone calls, recording is legal as long as at least one of the parties is aware of it - which means you can record a call as long as YOU know about it; there's no requirement to tell the other person (obviously, this is intended to guard against third-party wiretapping).

[cachecreekcctv 0]

Microphone test is going great. 2 inputs into the Audio Mixer, then one into the DVR actually records the same sound(s). The one mike is at the cash register, where someone walks up and says to the clerk " can I get a box of condoms, etc.?" Tell me, if you could stand there and say that to someone who you have never seen before, how can you expect privacy in your voice? Anyway, I have 3 other stores that want the same thing, I have just been too busy to install the mikes there. Thanks to all who kept their responses to what I asked, and did not proceed to tell me the laws, etc. of a State/Country that I was born in and resided for over 50 years. I really don't care what the laws are anywhere else,... really don't. One reason I have been more reluctant to ask questions here more often. Thanks again !!

[Gesualdo 0]

I can confirm the quality and durability of the ETS microphone. I have had one up outside for 2 yrs without a single problem The will pick up the register conversation and counting change from the opposite end of the store without a problem. They are very sensative and clear.

 

Hope it helps,

Gesualdo