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Re: (meteorobs) Tape Recorders
Hi Ron
> approach. My plan was to use my video camera and run it continuously
> throughout the session to record the time only on the video track. I could
> then talk to it and I would have an audio record of my commentry and a video
> record of the exact time of my comments. I did discuss this with Bob who
> pointed out that it would be a long and boring process transcribing these
> tapes, which is true. With a little practice it should be possible to "Fast
> Forward" between comments and speed up the process. Thinking this a little
> further as I type, you could switch the camera On and Off while recording,
> just as with a regular tape recorder. In fact my camera has a remote
> control, which would make that task easier. It would still record the
> correct time on the video.
I think that the main reason for you suggesting the use of a camcorder is
the fact, that such a camera does automatically record the time very
accurately. This is true, but you have to consider certain serious
disadvantages:
You mentioned already the problems with the camera batteries, temperature,
etc., but there are other things you need to consider, too:
You need to copy the video tapes on audio tapes first, if you want to'
inspect' the tape using fast forward. That is because tape recorders give
a sound during fast forward, whereas camcorders or VCRs don't. If you
want to switch the camcorder on and off, you always have to wait a little,
since it takes a second or two until the record stars. So you may easily
miss the beginning of your comments.
By then the system is that complicated (and expensive), that it doesn't
have anymore advantages over a simple tape recorder. In fact, there are
tapes recorders, which do automatically store the time (with minute
accuracy). They are almost perfectly that's what we need ... if they would
not needeach time at least a record of ~30s to store the time on the
tape.
I've used the method you're suggesting on other occasions (during gracing
lunar occultations, for example), but I find a tape recorder much easier
to handle for meteor observation. In fact, due to our video system I
often record the audio signals in parallel, but I would not try to
use that for the analysis of my visual observations. There is one
exception: I've used the recordings for the accurate timing of fireballs.
Sirko
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