iPod Accessories - Mic and Photo Storage are Here!

[FlamDrag]

A poster above missed the point a bit...

Yes, firewire cameras are currently expensive - but all you would need is a cable that has connecter A (who cares what it is) on one end and iPod connector on the other.

The cord should be long enough to place the iPod in your pocket / jacket / backpack and stay attached to the camera at all times if need be.

It should be that simple.

A card reader at any price is an unnecessary extra.

++

I'm pretty sure - not positive though - that Belkin's thing uses the headphone jack for speaker use - not for mic use. The mic part probably utilizes the dock connector. So in my understanding, all the talk about mono-line-in is moot. It's whatever the dock connector can do.

++

With this massive launch, I guess it will be quite some time before we see any major revisions to the iPod.

 

[fpnc]

Re: Re: Re: Camera<------>Firewire cable<----->iPod

Originally posted by Analog Kid
The iPod has a processor on board-- that's what makes it more than a hard drive. It could easily act as host to a device that meets the USB Mass Storage spec.

I have to believe if it can decode AAC, it can read from a USB port.

Heck, it can already control the hard drive it's attached too. Even if it just used the RAM as a bucket and pulled bits from the camera to RAM and then alternately dumped it to the hard drive.

You seem to be suggesting that you've seen the iPod act as a USB host. I've never seen evidence of this. When it's attached to a host computer I think it only acts as a USB mass storage device. And as for USB hosts and peripherals, I think it's more than just firmware/software. There may also be hardware related constraints. That's why I think it may not be possible for an iPod to function as a USB host (i.e. it may be limited to acting as a mass storage device). As I understand it, the USB standard states that only one USB controller can exist in an interconnected system. Thus devices that can act as both controllers (hosts) and peripherals would seem to be a rather odd collection of hardware. I don't claim to be anything near to an expert on this (and I certainly could be wrong); however, I'm not convinced that an iPod can act as as USB host.

However, as I understand it Firewire devices are much more capable of acting like peers and that could explain why Belkin's card reader (for the iPod) is based upon Firewire.

 

[hulugu]

Re: Re: in the future...

Originally posted by fpnc
I don't mean to be totally rude (said with a friendly grin), but I don't understand your comment about "...which no one has mentioned..." Because, well, isn't that what we're all talking about here?

At the time no one had mentioned that other vendors could come out their own solutions, rather than noting that the iPod could do these things, the previous posts were about how they didn't like Belkin's.
(With a friendly grin.)

The hardpoint idea is very interesting, maybe 4G iPod?

 

[withnail]

Originally posted by FlamDrag

I'm pretty sure - not positive though - that Belkin's thing uses the headphone jack for speaker use - not for mic use. The mic part probably utilizes the dock connector. So in my understanding, all the talk about mono-line-in is moot. It's whatever the dock connector can do.

Nope, everything connects up top, via headphone and remote jacks. I would guess that it sends a signal via the remote jack that says "hey, I'm a mic, not headphones" which enables the "Voice Memos" menu under Extras. (Similar to the hidden recording fearure already present in the 3G iPods)

...it woulda been nice if the mic had REC/STOP/PAUSE controls right on it so you don't have to navigate through menus. Also, I agree with others, the speaker is a waste of space. A jack out to headphones might've been engineered along with the buttons, still keeping to the current form factor.

 

[abdul]

QUALITY????

i was wondering if anyone knew what the quality of the recording through the mic was. good enough to record the lecturer?

and how many minutes does it record?

can it be optimised for speech?

and how powerful is it? e.g. do you have to talk directly into it for it to beable to record it well or do can you sit 10 metres away and still get a fairly clear recording?

 

[withnail]

Re: QUALITY????

Originally posted by abdul
i was wondering if anyone knew what the quality of the recording through the mic was. good enough to record the lecturer?

and how many minutes does it record?

can it be optimised for speech?

and how powerful is it? e.g. do you have to talk directly into it for it to beable to record it well or do can you sit 10 metres away and still get a fairly clear recording?

From the manual :

"Hold the microphone a few inches from your mouth and speak."

Hope this doesn't mean you HAVE to be that close to get good recordings! If so, why would they have billed it as good for "memos, lectures, interviews, or conversations"? If you can get good results recording lectures, I'll get one.

Also, since it records to WAV, I don't think it's a matter of optimizing for anything until you offload it and transcode it to mp3, aac, etc.

I believe the recording time is bounded by power and storage constraints of the iPod.

 

[jimthorn]

I would be surprised if the folks over at iPoding don't have one of Belkin's voice recorders disassembled and hacked into a line-in recording device within a week. They had an original iTrip hacked to work with the 3G iPods right after the new iPods came out (sure, it wasn't pretty, but it worked).

And I agree with some of the other comments: Belkin may get their products to market quicker, but Griffin's products retain much more of Apple's sense of style. The iTrip looks like an Apple-designed product. So hopefully we'll see a better version of the mic from Griffin, with lots of extra features.

 

[walkingmac]

I personally couldn't give a hoot for that the format is (to a degree) or how much it will drain the battery recording... I know for myself and everyone else who are really interesting in the new (relative) feature is the quality. I almost feel lied to since NO ONE has offically stated ....this is the Sampling Frequency....

Please... someone out there has to have info on this.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

does anyone even have the damn thing yet? don't bash it until someone has tested it's quality and ease of use.

 

[walkingmac]

not blasting.... just not seeing info from the manufacture or apple i find odd and upseting is all... but i am waiting and interested to hear from even just someone who has the new accessories

 

[bennetsaysargh]

i myself am waiting for user reviews before my opinion is said. i think that it might be good, but hopefully it exceeds my expectations.

 

[usersince86]

Why not Keynote playback?

I'd like to see the following on a future generation iPod:

* stereo 44.1MHz analog audio line-in recording (with dock or whatever; limited only to HD space remaining)
* FW800
* color screen
* pix and/or some type of video playback (even if only through an output)

and some "dreaming" ideas:
* BlueTooth (for whatever benefits that would provide)
* KEYNOTE playback (and/or PowerPoint playback) via BlueTooth or the video out (THAT WOULD ROCK!!!)
* OS X "portable" (let others make apps for it)
* digital/optical recording
* multi-track recording (dreaming)

suggested names:
* iPod AV
* iPod Pro
* iPod 2
* iPod X

 

[walkingmac]

Re: Why not Keynote playback?

Originally posted by usersince86
I'd like to see the following on a future generation iPod:

* stereo 44.1MHz analog audio line-in recording (with dock or whatever; limited only to HD space remaining)
* FW800
* color screen
* pix and/or some type of video playback (even if only through an output)

and some "dreaming" ideas:
* BlueTooth (for whatever benefits that would provide)
* KEYNOTE playback (and/or PowerPoint playback) via BlueTooth or the video out (THAT WOULD ROCK!!!)
* OS X "portable" (let others make apps for it)
* digital/optical recording
* multi-track recording (dreaming)

suggested names:
* iPod AV
* iPod Pro
* iPod 2
* iPod X

I would definetly have to agree with you on some if not most of your thoughts here.

• Since the announcement I have wondered about the quality of the recording feature and upset that neither Apple or Belkin have released specs on that. (I have noted in other postings that the dock supposedly has stereo recording capabilities, and thus posable to develop an adapter for the dock connection to handle a stereo line-in). Allowing for also digital/optical recording and multi-track recording would be quite a leap, however worth dreaming about.

• FW800??? not sure if it should be the only connection due the fact that there are too many machines out there that are relatively new and don't sport such a port. Maybe if there was a way to make it a hybrid port.... or maybe the dock just had both ports available.... IDK

• Color Screen and video playback... I think this is a must! The next wave in the digital hub will be movies in my mind. The ability to show your latest family vacation, favorite trailer, or even move your DVD movie files over to it for time shift fair play viewing. While the current screen size is small, adding a video out might be the solution. However this brings the issue of some sort of video card (I am not a tech guru and don't know or have an understanding in such things, so if I am off on something, don't laugh ) which brings other issues to the table. However, ultimately the way to go.

• not sure what benefits BlueTooth would bring.....

• Presentation ability would be huge. Video playback and output would be there (thinking that video is already implemented).

All in all... what we are really talking about is almost a whole new version of the iPod. A Pro Version. A ProPod (my own name idea... probably thought of before, but...ehhh). A new Pro iPod that has High Quality analog or posable digital recording capabilities. A slightly larger color screen to handle the video playback and presentation ability and FW800 option to get it on your 60-80-100 GB ProPod.

Lastly, I think Apple is once again ripe for a portable system and think that OS X is solid enough for it and the technology is now here to remove the limitations of storage capacity to have an almost (or possibility complete) full standard OS. Maybe even develop a system that the FULL OS is loaded in RAM/ROM (sorry no true techy) so that when you hit your on/off button you are right there. However I don't think this type of a system is suited for a media portable. The last thing you want is a complete operating system (of any sort really) powering your capture, especially in a live situation. While I know how freaking awesome Mac OS X is and stable, I have had small hiccups during a media capture live and in the studio. Studio you can just back track and start over and it no big deal, but in live situation, if something goes wrong, you lose. There is no do-overs.

So there it is... We have iBooks/PowerBooks. The next logical step could be iPods/ProPods..... and seeing the a new portal (PowerPod.... idk)

 

[aswitcher]

Re: Re: Why not Keynote playback?

Originally posted by walkingmac
I would definetly have to agree with you on some if not most of your thoughts here.

SNIP

Bluetooth would allow
* Synching without cradle or cables (automatically)
* file exchange between devices - including data downloads from bluetooth enabled cameras
* Wireless headphones - likely a single piece device - wireless controller for home and for keeping iPOD safe in bag
-> Within wireless headphones or seperately via current headset arrangements, bluetooh could support interuption of play to auto pause and put through phone calls from bluetooth equiped mobiles/cell phones.

Jason

 

[walkingmac]

Re: Re: Re: Why not Keynote playback?

Originally posted by aswitcher
Bluetooth would allow
* Synching without cradle or cables (automatically)
* file exchange between devices - including data downloads from bluetooth enabled cameras
* Wireless headphones - likely a single piece device - wireless controller for home and for keeping iPOD safe in bag
-> Within wireless headphones or seperately via current headset arrangements, bluetooh could support interuption of play to auto pause and put through phone calls from bluetooth equiped mobiles/cell phones.

Jason

Good Point..... ya I would say then definatly add that. I would say (in the little dream world that we are playing in for all this) that such a feature could be added to both (iPod and ProPod) due to the fact that I for one could see a normal everyday iPod owner making good use of such an option...

Thanx for the insite Jason and usersince86.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

i think the top line iPod is like the powerpod. if they can keep it's storage high, and add a video card, bluetooth, and maybe a line in, it would sell a lot. i would buy it. no need to even use DVDs! i can rip them onto my computer, and then sync them onto my iPod. after that, i can use a cable to hook it up to a TV. it would rule so much!