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I have a microphone that works just fine plugged into my PC or into a
tape recorder. I wish to record sound using my VCR, but plugging the
mike into one of the audio channels does not record any sound.
Do I need some kind of amplifier or something?
I really have no idea how these things work but most of the odd things
I do seem to work OK until now.

In article
<aef68454-345b-4c9a-98ae->, Matty
F did write:

> I have a microphone that works just fine plugged into my PC or into a
> tape recorder. I wish to record sound using my VCR, but plugging the
> mike into one of the audio channels does not record any sound.

There are two kinds of audio line inputs: 600Ω for microphones, and 50kΩ for
connections between different pieces of equipment. If you plug a mic
designed for the former into the latter, you're going to get a greatly
weakened signal--might pick up something if you could turn up the volume
high enough.

I suggest you try using either the PC or the audio tape recorder as an
amplifier: plug the mic into it, and feed a line-out from it into the VCR.

Somewhere on teh intarweb "Matty F" typed:
> I have a microphone that works just fine plugged into my PC or into a
> tape recorder. I wish to record sound using my VCR, but plugging the
> mike into one of the audio channels does not record any sound.
> Do I need some kind of amplifier or something?
> I really have no idea how these things work but most of the odd things
> I do seem to work OK until now.

Yes, you need an amplifier.

The PC and tape recorder both have mic inputs. The VCR has line-level
inputs, requiring a boosted signal.
--
Shaun.

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offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
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On Jun 17, 7:29 pm, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:

> The PC and tape recorder both have mic inputs. The VCR has line-level
> inputs, requiring a boosted signal.

I don't want to have the PC on all night, and I use my big amplifier
for other purposes most of the time. Is there a cheap amplifier
available that I could use? I have 12V DC available, & 230V AC. I
can't see anything suitable at Dick Smith.

Somewhere on teh intarweb "Matty F" typed:
> On Jun 17, 7:29 pm, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>
>> The PC and tape recorder both have mic inputs. The VCR has line-level
>> inputs, requiring a boosted signal.
>
> I don't want to have the PC on all night, and I use my big amplifier
> for other purposes most of the time. Is there a cheap amplifier
> available that I could use? I have 12V DC available, & 230V AC. I
> can't see anything suitable at Dick Smith.

Are you handy with a soldering iron?

http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.sto.../product/K5402

Otherwise I guess it gets expensive. You can buy dedicated microphone
amplifiers although I wouldn't know where from or how much. Google probably
does though.
--
Shaun.

DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate...

On Jun 17, 9:37 pm, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
> Somewhere on teh intarweb "Matty F" typed:
>
> > On Jun 17, 7:29 pm, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>
> >> The PC and tape recorder both have mic inputs. The VCR has line-level
> >> inputs, requiring a boosted signal.
>
> > I don't want to have the PC on all night, and I use my big amplifier
> > for other purposes most of the time. Is there a cheap amplifier
> > available that I could use? I have 12V DC available, & 230V AC. I
> > can't see anything suitable at Dick Smith.
>
> Are you handy with a soldering iron?
>
> http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.sto.../product/K5402
>
> Otherwise I guess it gets expensive. You can buy dedicated microphone
> amplifiers although I wouldn't know where from or how much. Google probably
> does though.

I did see that. I have grave doubts that DSE have any kits in stock
anywhere. I drove to K Road DSE a week ago for a kit that the website
said was in stock, and they looked blank and said that "lots of people
keep asking for rthat item". DSE seem to have gone out of stocking
kits.
I am amazed that someone doesn't sell something like that ready made
up.

Somewhere on teh intarweb "Richard" typed:
> Matty F wrote:
>>
>> I did see that. I have grave doubts that DSE have any kits in stock
>> anywhere. I drove to K Road DSE a week ago for a kit that the website
>> said was in stock, and they looked blank and said that "lots of
>> people keep asking for rthat item". DSE seem to have gone out of
>> stocking kits.
>> I am amazed that someone doesn't sell something like that ready made
>> up.
>
> They do, look at musican shops for a mic preamp, and then an adapter
> to change the plug down to an RCA from the balanced output of the
> preamp.
> Otherwise look for a cheap DJ mixer - they often have mic inputs as
> well.
> There are several items on jaycars site that may do the trick, search
> preamp (or was that pre amp)?

That'll be my mistake then, I searched Jaycar before I replied (been to the
Manukau store today actually, going back tomorrow [Grrr...]). However, I
searched amplifier. It's been a while....
--
Shaun.

DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate...

In <79f273fd-0eef-43c5-9b1a->
Matty F wrote:
> On Jun 17, 9:37 pm, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>>
>> Are you handy with a soldering iron?
>>
>> http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.sto.../product/K5402
>>
>> Otherwise I guess it gets expensive. You can buy dedicated microphone
>> amplifiers although I wouldn't know where from or how much. Google
>> probably does though.
>
> I did see that. I have grave doubts that DSE have any kits in stock
> anywhere. I drove to K Road DSE a week ago for a kit that the website
> said was in stock, and they looked blank and said that "lots of people
> keep asking for rthat item". DSE seem to have gone out of stocking
> kits.

If their stock database says they have an item in stock then their
system won't order any more until the annual stocktake corrects it.
Unless you manage to strike a member of the staff who's willing to
correct the database, but that's pretty rare since it's such a hassle
for them. On the positive side, more than once I've taken something to
the counter to purchase and the database says they have zero in stock.
If it's only worth a few dollars the normal response is: "It doesn't
exist, I don't want to know about it, please just take it away."

--
Roger Johnstone, Invercargill, New Zealand -> http://roger.geek.nz

In article <485785bf$>, "~misfit~" <> wrote:
>Somewhere on teh intarweb "Matty F" typed:
>> On Jun 17, 7:29 pm, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>>
>>> The PC and tape recorder both have mic inputs. The VCR has line-level
>>> inputs, requiring a boosted signal.
>>
>> I don't want to have the PC on all night, and I use my big amplifier
>> for other purposes most of the time. Is there a cheap amplifier
>> available that I could use? I have 12V DC available, & 230V AC. I
>> can't see anything suitable at Dick Smith.
>
>Are you handy with a soldering iron?
>
>http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.sto.../product/K5402
>
>Otherwise I guess it gets expensive. You can buy dedicated microphone
>amplifiers although I wouldn't know where from or how much. Google probably
>does though.

Don't you just need a preamp ? Assuming the audio inputs are 'line in' isn't
that 1 V ... a job for a relatively simple preamp ?

Get 2 tho ... stereo

In article <79f273fd-0eef-43c5-9b1a->, Matty F <> wrote:
(snip)
>I did see that. I have grave doubts that DSE have any kits in stock
>anywhere. I drove to K Road DSE a week ago for a kit that the website
>said was in stock, and they looked blank and said that "lots of people
>keep asking for rthat item". DSE seem to have gone out of stocking
>kits.
>I am amazed that someone doesn't sell something like that ready made
>up.

Do check out Jaycar if there's one near you.