iPhone Video Recording for YouTube

September 29, 2012 by 2 Comments

The last two posts on ResearchTeacher.com have been videos that I’ve uploaded to my YouTube channel. It came as a surprise to me when I learned that YouTube was the second largest search engine in the world (and owned by the largest, Google), so it makes sense to create video content.

Recording technology has rapidly advanced in the past several years, to the point where I was able to easily record the two videos with my iPhone camera and a few peripherals.

I use the iPhone 4S, which, from what I’ve read, has virtually the same video recording capabilities as the newly released iPhone 5. Both phones can record in 1080p HD (high definition) quality. The iPhone 4 records in 720p HD. The iPhone 3GS can also record video, albeit in 480p SD (standard definition).

The four peripherals that I use are:

-The Xshot Tripod Adapter: This special case comes with two tripod adapters that allow you to mount your iPhone in either landscape or portrait mode. The case fits either the iPhone 4 or 4S and also comes with a ”mini” tripod with flexible legs that I use for my microphone stand. As a matter of convenience and because I like the case, I keep it on my iPhone, rather than removing it in between recording sessions.

-Ravelli 49″ Light Weight Aluminum Tripod: This is a very inexpensive tripod that’s suitable for my recording needs. It’s sturdy for such a lightweight tripod, but I wouldn’t recommend it for heavier, DSLR cameras. For my iPhone and small camcorders, it work great. One tradeoff that I made with this tripod is its 49″ maximum height. This is about 12-20″ shorter than the height of tripods that are slightly more expensive, but the advantage is that the minimum height is 22″, making it suitable for table-top video recording, while other tripods are 30″+ at their minimum, too high for face-level recording. The Ravelli also comes with a “mini” tripod.

-Azden High-performance Stereo Condenser Microphone: The built-in, iPhone microphone is adequate for recording scenery and events where sound quality isn’t critically important. When recording interviews or videos like I’ve recently done, the iPhone’s mic isn’t sufficient. For this reason I selected the Azden microphone. The Azden is one of the best condenser microphones under $100. I’ve also used the Audio-Technica Lavalier Condenser Microphone, but I prefer the sound quality of the Azden for these videos. The Azden uses one AAA battery and it comes with an adapter to mount it to a camcorder. My preference is to keep it on a stand. The Azden microphone cord, along with the iPhone microphone adapter, extend about 2ft.

-iPhone 1/8 inch microphone adapter: The audio jack on the iPhone is meant to support audio output, namely headphones, so the microphone adapter from kVconnection is necessary to allow an audio input device, the microphone, to hook up to an iPhone. It’s flexible yet durable.

If you don’t have an iPhone, you can still create a similar setup with your smartphone or camcorder. There is a selection of tripod adapters designed for various smartphone shapes and sizes. I’m not familiar with Android phones, but you’ll also need an adapter to connect an external microphone to the audio jack. If you can’t find one, contact me and I’ll help you. Most camcorders have an external microphone input, so you won’t have to worry about an adapter.

Excluding the cost of the iPhone, this entire setup cost under $150. Of course you can spend more on a tripod, microphone and camera, but  that will depend on your needs. If you are recording oral histories with family members, community events, interviews for research projects, etc., this setup will cover all of your needs.

I don’t anticipate any major changes to my setup in the near future. I might eventually upgrade my microphone, but for now the Azden is serving me well. One change I’ll make is including another lamp for videos shot at night (like the Freedom Betrayed review) to improve the color, since the ambient light from the fixtures in the room is barely adequate. The iPhone 4S sports a great video camera that was even favorably comparedto the Canon 5D MKII (which costs nearly $2,000 for the camera body alone, excluding the lens).

What’s your video recording setup? Do you have any suggestions for mine?

Recommended:

-Herbert Hoover’s Freedom Betrayed, Video Review

-Welcome to Research Teacher on Youtube

Filed Under: Apple/Tech, Youtube Tagged With: ,

Thoughts on Siri, Apple’s Voice RecognitionTechnology

November 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Three weeks ago Apple released the iPhone 4S to great fanfare. I ordered one and have enjoyed using it. The most fascinating feature of the 4S is something that may well take on a life of its own well beyond this iPhone. That feature is Siri, a virtual assistant that can perform simple commands such as scheduling appointments, placing calls and answering basic questions, all through the power of our voice.

The technology is far from perfect and this is shown by the fact that Apple uncharacteristically attached a “Beta” label to the software. Rather than being evidence of a rush job by Apple, I think it shows that this type of technology will only improve as people use it and put it through its paces. Rest assured (or not!) that Apple is tracking how people are querying Siri to better refine the system. Just recently an update was released that included better voice recognition for Australians, who’s pronunciation was difficult for Siri to understand.

Yes, they searched for the Hoover Tower to demonstrate Siri at the iPhone 4S unveiling. Credit: Apple

I’m impressed by how well the technology can recognize my voice and while it isn’t perfect, even human beings don’t understand one another all the time, so I can’t complain.

Siri is basically the first interaction of humans with artificial intelligence (A.I.). All Terminator and Hal 9000 jokes aside, I think we’re at the beginning of a fascinating new path of interaction between humans and machines. A path that will see machines not only be able execute simple commands but to use logic to answer our questions, as Siri already does at the most basic level.

I have no illusions about the limits of AI because in the end machines don’t have souls like humans, so I can’t get too sentimental, but I wouldn’t mind having an R2-D2 or C-3PO around!

One thing that I would like to see in Siri is the ability to input information to the system that could then be retrieved later. For example, I should be able to tell Siri “my best one-mile run is six minutes, nineteen seconds”. Later I should be able to ask, “what is my best one-mile run time?” This is just an example, but I think it would be a wonderful next step in organizing and retrieving information that’s important to us.

If it worked well, would you prefer voice recognition instead of typing out information and commands? Would you answer differently for a phone, a computer or even a TV?

 

Filed Under: Apple/Tech Tagged With: , , , ,

How to Use Your iPhone (or any smartphone) for Research

October 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Hot on the heels of today’s iPhone 4S event, I wanted to share some strategies for using your iPhone (or other smartphone) as a great research tool.

The awesome thing about today’s smartphones is their amazing processing power (they’re little computers), coupled with fit-in-your-pocket portability. Smartphones are like electronic Swiss army knives and you can increase their usability through the plethora of applications “apps” available out there.

1. Taking notes. Thanks to all of the practice we have gotten with text messaging, some people can type just as fast if not faster with their thumbs, on a phone, instead of a standard keyboard. Prolonged note-taking would get tiring on a phone (you wouldn’t want to write an essay) but you can take notes with ease and email them to yourself later and add to or edit them on another device. If you plan on taking extensive notes, you can use a Bluetooth keyboard to type information into your phone.

2. Taking pictures. Pictures are great visual reminders. If you are doing research and prefer to take notes by hand or for convenience, you can take a picture of your notes for later reference on your phone or to send through email. In a place like the Hoover Archives, you are allowed to make digital photos of materials and camera phones are allowed. With the enhanced quality of modern smartphone cameras, you might not need a dedicated camera, and it is perfect for making pictures of research material. You can also make a snapshot of a page of any book for later reference.

3. Easy access to documents. There are many services that allow you to access your files remotely. Two of them that I use are Evernote and Dropbox. Both allow you to access and edit files that are stored remotely, in the “cloud”. The advantage here is that you can access a document (a dissertation outline for example) and edit it whenever you are inspired to do so, without having to physically be at your computer or to  have your notebook with you.

Smartphones are great for spontaneous notes. Credit: Nick Siekierski

People will argue endlessly about iOS 5 vs. Android or other smartphones, but the thing to remember is that the technology in all of these phones is far superior to anything we’ve ever been able to hold in our hands and carry in our pockets. Whatever phone you choose, make the most of it, not just as something fun to play with, but as a tool that will help you focus your schedule, organize information and achieve your goals.

In  case you missed it, during the iPhone 4S event, they demonstrated the voice-powered Siri personal assistant. One of the questions that they asked was for directions. The asked for directions to none other than the Hoover Tower (part of the Hoover Institution Library and Archives) where I work. We’re always happy for a little publicity. :)

If you are interested, it’s at the 77 minute mark of the keynote address.

Filed Under: Apple/Tech, Tips Tagged With: ,