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location sound iOS apps?


johnpaul215

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I think there was a thread, or a tangent on a thread, but I can't find it, so.....

What are the iPhone/iPad/iPod touch apps you have found useful for work? Not time killers, but actually useful. My phone is currently a Droid (till next iPhone is released), but I have an iPad too, so I might be missing some apps. Offhand the ones I know about, and find useful:

LectroRM

FreqFinder

I'm dabbling with Sound Report Writer for run+gun bag work notes that I would otherwise scribble on paper. Specifically jobs that issue a 744T and I don't have my Fusion.

On my iPad, I have the Denecke and Ambient TC apps. I have not gotten/made the cable yet, so I have not really tried them out yet.

anything I am missing out on?

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I would only add as a competitor to Sound Report Writer that the MovieSlate application has a plugin called Sound Department which is what I use for sound reports. You can use it on iPhone or iPad and it's all interfaced with MovieSlate and all of it's ability, including TC input to the iDevice for a close sync (clocks in iDevices will no hold frame accurate TC for long from my understanding).

That setup makes it very easy for me to make a sound report that is close enough in TC that the scripty and post team know exactly what's going on.

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I love the dB Meter Pro, just to give producers and non-technical people a visual concept of how good or bad ambient noise is. On a recent shoot, the producer asked that question, and I said, "well, if the meter goes into the red (80dB or over), it's bad." One click... it was 87dB. "That would be bad." They got it immediately. 99 cents, you can't beat it.

mzl.spaltqzt.320x480-75.jpg

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I find flightradar24 (Droid) useful for those situations where production insist on shooting right under a major flight path.

Also I have SoundMeter to serve the same purpose as Marc's DB Meter app, although it doesn't have the fancy red line at 80dB... as a side point, 80 dB is pretty loud for ambient noise! Anything over 60 dB really concerns me heading into a shoot.

When working as a boom op, Artemis can be helpful as it shows you the frame lines for each lens. Means you can check the rough frame without the camera in position.

~Mark.

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Somebody over on Gearslutz compared it to the $50 Radio Shack meter, and said it was within about 2dB of matching it, at a broad range of frequencies. Given the limitations of the iPhone microphone, that's not bad.

I mean, at least it'll show gross problems (like a factory with 87dB of background noise), and it can also help pinpoint which given part of a room or location is noisiest compared to others.

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I would agree with the Gearslutz assessment - I checked my own iphone dB meter apps (not this one, but I have several others) and found them within 1-2 dB of what my digital Radio Shack meter was saying. Obviously this isn't an Earthworks microphone on the iphone, but it does seem to do a decent job.

One thing to note - The iphone microphone tops out and distorts at 105dB, so it SUCKS for trying to record rock concerts where I'm listening through ear plugs.

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I love the dB Meter Pro, just to give producers and non-technical people a visual concept of how good or bad ambient noise is. On a recent shoot, the producer asked that question, and I said, "well, if the meter goes into the red (80dB or over), it's bad." One click... it was 87dB. "That would be bad." They got it immediately. 99 cents, you can't beat it.

mzl.spaltqzt.320x480-75.jpg

Classic!!!! Must try that trick at some point!!

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Somebody over on Gearslutz compared it to the $50 Radio Shack meter, and said it was within about 2dB of matching it, at a broad range of frequencies. Given the limitations of the iPhone microphone, that's not bad.

I mean, at least it'll show gross problems (like a factory with 87dB of background noise), and it can also help pinpoint which given part of a room or location is noisiest compared to others.

Cool to know that it might at least be roughly helpful... Thanks!

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Somebody over on Gearslutz compared it to the $50 Radio Shack meter, and said it was within about 2dB of matching it, at a broad range of frequencies. Given the limitations of the iPhone microphone, that's not bad.

I mean, at least it'll show gross problems (like a factory with 87dB of background noise), and it can also help pinpoint which given part of a room or location is noisiest compared to others.

That's a good one. Only $0.99 and it's always in your pocket. I can imagine some people understand how much of an issue it is when seeing a tangible number and visual meter.

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Jumpstart LTC has been a big help when a TOD jam (including user bits) is needed (for example on a ZFR100).

As a side note: Have you noticed that iPhone periodically "jam syncs" it's internal clock to the signal that it receives from the cell phone base stations? If you stop and start Jumpstart LTC within, say, 30 seconds, there is occasionally not only a small drift, but a clear jump (1/10 seconds or so) if the phone happens to switch base stations or re-sync it's clock during that time. You can compare the accuracy of the internal clock of iPhone to the signal from the NTP time servers with a free app called Emerald time: http://emeraldsequoia.com/et/index.html

I am not sure if putting the phone in flight mode would alleviate this problem or if it really is a problem at all... it's just something I noticed when I was trying to figure out the accuracy of iPhone's internal clock.

It is not an issue if you keep Jumpstart LTC running continuously on the foreground because it uses iPhone's internal clock only in the beginning when it starts generating the TOD timecode.

--

api

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As a side note: Have you noticed that iPhone periodically "jam syncs" it's internal clock to the signal that it receives from the cell phone base stations? If you stop and start Jumpstart LTC within, say, 30 seconds, there is occasionally not only a small drift, but a clear jump (1/10 seconds or so) if the phone happens to switch base stations or re-sync it's clock during that time. You can compare the accuracy of the internal clock of iPhone to the signal from the NTP time servers with a free app called Emerald time: http://emeraldsequoia.com/et/index.html

I am not sure if putting the phone in flight mode would alleviate this problem or if it really is a problem at all... it's just something I noticed when I was trying to figure out the accuracy of iPhone's internal clock.

It is not an issue if you keep Jumpstart LTC running continuously on the foreground because it uses iPhone's internal clock only in the beginning when it starts generating the TOD timecode

Many phones have done this for years. Often it's an option in the settings to get server time. Not sure about the iPhone, and every android phone is a little different (in terms of settings options).

If you use one of the TC apps to jump start a sync box, or slate, and then consider that lock box a master clock... You should be ok. If you use it for sound notes, even a few seconds of drift would present usable notes when your takes may be 2 hours.

I wouldn't feed a 552 constant TC from an idevice because of the tower updates, but you could jam a SB-3 in morning and lunch and use that as the master clock. You should be right that airplane mode would work, or an iPod touch. I would still think the phone is not near the accuracy of a sync box/slate, so using the phone as a jump start is safest in terms of drifting.

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" Although it has taken a while to really catch on, more and more companies are finally starting to see the iPad as the pro-level music device that it is. Mostly these have been software companies, and some of the apps out there are amazing for both studio and live uses. And now that the iPhone 4S has the same fast processor inside as an iPad 2, you can really carry some powerful music making equipment in your pocket.

But one of the biggest drawbacks to the iPad/iPhone is its sound quality. Let's face it — that little headphone jack on the top of the unit just isn’t going to cut it for professional applications."

here are some devices for improving the audio capabilities of iPhone/iPad's:

http://www.musicplayers.com/reviews/mobile/2011/1211_iDeviceInterfaces.php

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  • 5 months later...

how about this from Aphex:

" Audio Xciter is the first audio app that dynamically improves the quality of digital music (as well as audiobooks and podcasts) on your Apple iOS devices through a proprietary Xciter digital signal processor (DSP). It has been the career-long dream of Aphex Chairman & CEO David Wiener to help musicians and music lovers make the most of every music experience, and Audio Xciter is a great testament of Wiener’s drive to end the debate about poor audio quality in digital devices. Audio Xciter uses patented Aphex DSP technology to improve the quality of your music by analyzing and enhancing the audio signal in real time. The iOS app is available today with an Android version to follow in coming months. "

http://news.aesshow.com/2012/10/aphex-gives-away-new-audio-xciter-music-app-at-aes-booth/

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"Audio Xciter™ is the first audio app that dynamically improves the quality of digital music (as well as audiobooks and podcasts) on your Apple iOS devices through a proprietary Xciter digital signal processor (DSP).

Wasn't Aphex flogging their Aural Exciter more than 30 years ago? I remember when they charged by the minute for processing hit songs during the final mix, like $10,000-$20,000. Now, it's come down to a 99 cent app! I assume it adds even-order harmonics and other "pleasing" kinds of distortion, like the original product.

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