Can anyone advice on what equipment I need to make podcasts?

Jon_01

I have a author mate who wants to make podcasts. I'd ask questions sent in and he'd answer.

I worked in TV for over 20 years and while I have a lot of experience in editing it was all analog (tape to tape).

I know I need two mics, but what plug? USB, XLR, 3.5 or larger jack?

And, do I record direct to a pc or capture on a digital recorder and then edit on the pc?

Should I get something like this ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/PreSonus-iTwo-Studio-Headphones-Microphone/dp/B00LY8J990/ref=sr_1_16?crid=9CSARP6A6EVC&keywords=podcast+recording+kit&qid=1572801852&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=podcast+%2Cmi%2C175&sr=1-16) and then get and extra mic, head set and pop filters or is it better to get separates!!

Any help would be most appreciated...

Thanks. . .

Chino

Jon_01 wrote: »

Any help would be most appreciated...

Maybe start reading this thread and forum generally:
How Do You Record Your Podcast?

Perhaps one of the first questions on your author mate's podcast could be "How do I use a search engine?" ...

Neil_Jones

To be honest I thought it was relatively simple, for a speech podcast for one person you just talk into a microphone and record the sound to the computer (via Audacity or whatever) and viola you technically have a podcast.

For multiple users you can either all crowd round one microphone (good luck with that) or either use multiple microphones on multiple computers and then just add them all as separate tracks into Audacity on any computer. There are solutions for multiple microphones on the same computer but as a general rule it gets complicated. Beyond that you're into the realms of technological solutions like mixers and multiple inputs.

Jon_01

Chino wrote: »

Maybe start reading this thread and forum generally:
How Do You Record Your Podcast?

Perhaps one of the first questions on your author mate's podcast could be "How do I use a search engine?" ...

Yeah and when you do Google that, you get 38,800,000 results. Which why I thought someone on here might already be making them and could offer a real insight. . .

thorganby

Jon_01 wrote: »

Yeah and when you do Google that, you get 38,800,000 results. Which why I thought someone on here might already be making them and could offer a real insight. . .

Seriously you ask for help and come back with a pathetic retort like that,

Someone who has been a member for many years should know that hyperlinks are posted for you to click on!

Is it really too much to ask that you to return to threads that you have created requesting assistance, when many people have tried to help you e.g.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6054794/boiler-wont-repressure

I'm surprised that users don't simply put you on ignore!

Heedtheadvice

You can do podcasts from a room at home (straight speech only) very cheaply given a pc or similar and a budget usb mic or be a lot better and more flexible without getting into pro equipment for under £200. Then again it depends on your wishes, how critical you are of the recorded sound interfering noise/acoustics.
My favourite expression (well one of them) 'horses for courses'!


Can you scope your need more?
As an example with an existing pc just using a table top something like a Yeti https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Recording-Streaming-Condenser-Adjustable


Could meet your need but then you might start adding other things to improve acoustics etc. Would you need more flexibility/expansion later or just something to try out initially?



As mentioned above free software like audacity is excellent for editing.

Jon_01

Heedtheadvice wrote: »

You can do podcasts from a room at home (straight speech only) very cheaply given a pc or similar and a budget usb mic or be a lot better and more flexible without getting into pro equipment for under £200. Then again it depends on your wishes, how critical you are of the recorded sound interfering noise/acoustics.
My favourite expression (well one of them) 'horses for courses'!


Can you scope your need more?
As an example with an existing pc just using a table top something like a Yeti https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Recording-Streaming-Condenser-Adjustable


Could meet your need but then you might start adding other things to improve acoustics etc. Would you need more flexibility/expansion later or just something to try out initially?



As mentioned above free software like audacity is excellent for editing.

Thanks. I might be overthinking it!

I've downloaded audacity and taken a look. It's much the same a standard none linear video edit package (which I guess is what it's based on)..

I was thinking I'd need to record 2 audio streams and then cut them down for retakes and fluffs ect. Also need to add music on the intro and out and maybe the odd spot fx in the body.

Hence why I 'thought' I'd need 2 mics/headset ect?

My slight concern is the spec of the laptop I keep reading I'll need? While the budget isn't a big problem, it won't run to a £1,500 laptop just for this? So is a i7 really needed to record and edit audio? Because I remember video editing on a 486 some (many) years back?

JustAnotherSaver

thorganby wrote: »

Seriously you ask for help and come back with a pathetic retort like that,

Someone who has been a member for many years should know that hyperlinks are posted for you to click on!

Is it really too much to ask that you to return to threads that you have created requesting assistance, when many people have tried to help you e.g.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6054794/boiler-wont-repressure

I'm surprised that users don't simply put you on ignore!

to be honest I thought the OP was justified in their response.

There were different ways to say what Chino said. They could’ve hurt helped but instead chose to ‘do it’ with needless attitude. If it was such an effort for them to help then simply...don’t. Just move on.

If you’re clever enough to give attitude then don’t start getting all teary eyed when the other person returns the same.

Neil_Jones

Audacity doesn't need bucketloads of processing power unless you are talking about multiple audio tracks and track lengths that run for hours and hours, days weeks and years.

Video editing is an entirely different kettle of fish, but it can be done on modern laptops. Comparing a 486 to modern day hardware is like trying to compare apples to oranges - doesn't work.

Heedtheadvice

Audacity does combine linear editing with other features and is one of the best free packages.


You do not need a high spec pc for simple edits/mixes with Audacity, indeed for many simple audio packages.
Used to run it very well on an XP Pentium with 4GB ram and no ssd.


Not that I would suggest using that spec now! The requirement is at https://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows/#sysreq
Do not go for minimum as it can be prone to more glitches. As you will see no great difficulty finding a suitable machine, even a half decent second hand/refurb for a couple of hundred!


Advantage if you want to record more than 2tracks/stereo (analogue inputs) at once you will potentially need a multi input (a to d) sound card as an addition and then it is best to have a pc rather than a laptop (and a big screen!).

Also more benefit is having an ssd rather than extra ram for the real time operations.


Initially possibly not needing the 'extras' for starters podcasting but why spend more on a laptop(except for portability) and limit what you can do downstream.

Jon_01

Heedtheadvice wrote: »

Audacity does combine linear editing with other features and is one of the best free packages.


You do not need a high spec pc for simple edits/mixes with Audacity, indeed for many simple audio packages.
Used to run it very well on an XP Pentium with 4GB ram and no ssd.


Not that I would suggest using that spec now! The requirement is at https://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows/#sysreq
Do not go for minimum as it can be prone to more glitches. As you will see no great difficulty finding a suitable machine, even a half decent second hand/refurb for a couple of hundred!


Advantage if you want to record more than 2tracks/stereo (analogue inputs) at once you will potentially need a multi input (a to d) sound card as an addition and then it is best to have a pc rather than a laptop (and a big screen!).

Also more benefit is having an ssd rather than extra ram for the real time operations.


Initially possibly not needing the 'extras' for starters podcasting but why spend more on a laptop(except for portability) and limit what you can do downstream.

Thanks for that. It would have to be a laptop as I'm going to have to do the recording at his home and bring the recordings home to do the edit on them.

So, do I get a mid spec i5 with an ssd and maybe a 17 inch display and record an edit on that, or is there some kind of portable 2 channel digital recorder I can use and then edit on my system at home (i7, 16 gig with 2 x 1tb ssd's).

I can't see I'd ever need to record more than 2 tracks.