Video Production – Geek Detour https://geekdetour.com 3D Printing, Arduino and Lasers: tools for the modern maker and DIY enthusiast Tue, 12 Jul 2016 15:00:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://geekdetour.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cropped-Everson-Siqueira-32x32.jpg Video Production – Geek Detour https://geekdetour.com 32 32 Recording Apple TV video output on a Mac with USB-C cable and QuickTime https://geekdetour.com/production/record-apple-tv-screen-with-usb-c-cable/ Wed, 03 Feb 2016 09:50:19 +0000 http://youhaveanipad.com/?p=273 This is how to record the Apple TV (4th generation, 2015) video output using an USB-C cable and a Mac with QuickTime Player, no additional capturing device.

It is a cheap way to record Apple TV gameplay videos for YouTube or to make video app-previews and tutorials. The video quality is quite good!

Does recording from the USB degrade the video quality / experience you have on the TV? Yes, it degrades. And the captured video is not a full representation of the frame-rate you have on the TV if you were not recording at all. Thats why I intend to buy the Elgato in the future.

Any good USB-C cable of your choice would do. All Apple TV images that appear in this video were captured using a generic USB-C ta USB-A cable, on my iMac 2013, using QuickTime.

Asphalt 8 Airborne gameplay on Apple TV captured with USB-C cable
Asphalt 8 Airborne gameplay on Apple TV captured with USB-C cable

I thought this USB-C cable method would only work on modern computers with USB 3.0 ports… But no! Surprise, surprise! I could record using my 6-year-old MacBook white as well – it has only USB 2.0 ports… But, even though that notebook was upgraded to an SSD drive, it is an old system and the resulting video had much more dropped frames. On the iMac, the captured video was much better.

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]]> Best sound recording with Blue Yeti, Radius II and Rode PSA1 https://geekdetour.com/production/best-sound-recording-blue-yeti-radius-ii-and-rode-psa1/ Sun, 22 Mar 2015 12:14:29 +0000 http://youhaveanipad.com/?p=30 This is a super-condensed unboxing and review of the audio setup I use to record my voice in my videos – very interesting if you are a YouTuber, game commentator, podcaster or want a home-studio for audio recording. You need good equipment and learn how to use it.

This video will guide you to make better recordings with good sound quality.

Connecting the Blue Yeti to an iPhone or iPad is possible; but not as simple as it is to connect the Yeti directly in a computer’s USB. To use the Yeti microphone with an iOS device you need an Apple’s USB Camera Adapter (or the 30-pin “Camera Connection Kit”) and a powered USB Hub, and you are ready to record sound with Garageband or any other App. But I recommend you to check the microphones Blue has made specifically for iOS.

New “Radius II” shockmount suspension from Blue:
The old Radius falling problem is fixed! Blue rebranded it as “Radius II“. The new model comes with a different thumb-screw mechanism with teeth (cog). Now it stays put just perfect 🙂
http://www.bluemic.com/radius2/

Check them on Amazon:

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Buying any product from these links, you are helping me a big deal! Thank you for your support!

Getting the best sound with Yeti recordings

To improve the sound quality of your recording with the Yeti, be sure to:

  • use the cardioid pattern for voice-overs
  • keep the gain knob to the minimum (I never use it over 40%)
  • use a pop-filter (the nylon ones are cheaper and hold plosive-wind better than the metallic ones)
  • speak really close to the microphone
  • use custom equalization to enhance the sound of your voice
  • you might need to apply some noise reduction
  • you might need to apply some sound compression

If your natural voice is captured close to the microphone, you can use less gain and you will have less background noise.

My voice in this video was entirely recorded with the Blue Yeti USB Condenser Microphone on Cardioid Pattern. Sound recording, editing and post-processing all in Audacity. Custom Equalization was applied to remove very low frequencies and increase high frequencies (for better speech comprehension).

The best equalization is different for every person/voice. As a starting point, C-Threep has a great Audacity Equalization tutorial: https://youtu.be/t1fS97ut93c

Since my ‘recording room’ is not properly sound isolated (wooden building, you can hear neighbors walking upstairs… cars, trucks and motorcycles are frequently heard), I also apply noise reduction.

Audio compression is minimum, but, yes, also applied (by audio compression I mean increasing overall volume and reduce volume for the loudest parts, to achieve more uniform audio level – nothing to do with file size).

Professional Microphones for iOS from Blue:

http://www.bluemic.com/iOS_devices/
Spark Digital: http://www.bluemic.com/spark_digital/
Mikey Digital: http://www.bluemic.com/mikey_digital/

Special Thanks/Credits

“C-Threep”
amazing and hilarious Radius shockmount review
https://youtu.be/c1D_quSjfcc
awesome tutorial on equalization with Audacity
https://youtu.be/t1fS97ut93c

“Syrtah”
sound effect: 8mm projector
https://www.freesound.org/people/Syrtah/sounds/241886/
http://videofüralle.de

Jorick Bronius (“jorickhoofd”)
sound effect: breaking glass
https://www.freesound.org/people/jorickhoofd/sounds/179234/
http://jorickbronius.wordpress.com

“Archeos”
sound effect: woman scream
https://www.freesound.org/people/Archeos/sounds/261419/

Jason Farnham
closing song: “Opening Night”
YouTube Audio Library, free music

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