Audio capture???????????

[TheInformer]

Here's the deal:

I'm using a JVC MiniDV camcorder to capture video, which comes out fine. The microphone on the camcorder though leaves a lot to be desired. What I plan to do is to capture the audio using some other device and then use VDub to combine the DV video with the captured audio together.

My question is this: how do I capture the audio? Will I be stuck using a (gasp) cassette player, or is there a better way? Methods and hardware suggestions are all welcome!

TIA...

[Richard_G]

Don't use a cassette player, they are stable enough and you'll never achieve sync. You can use a video recorder to record the audio only, then capture as if it was video and then separate the two. I video stage productions with three cameras and feed a VCR with video from one of the cameras and audio straight from the mixing desk. I then end up with three sets of video from the cameras with audio of audience as well as what is coming from the pa system and a fourth tape with video and high quality audio (but no audience sound). I use the video purely to make syncronising the footage easier and then use 60% clean audio with 40% from the cameras.

This is all done in Mediastudio Pro as it allows me to spilt the audio from the video and cut from one camera shot to another. The audio is left all there all the time. I can also fade up the audio from the cameras for applause, etc.

Or you could use a decent external microphone and plug it into your camcorder.