16 replies to this topic

[pentagram345]

okay heres the deal i have heard not to use microcasset recorders in konstantinoses book speak with the dead (7 meathods for spirit communications) but i have also seen thease being sold at places that sell the "ghost hunting supplys" and was woundering if anyone has ever used them?


(also i have seen things called ghost meter and things like that and was also woundering if those work well?)

[Logan]

Well if you go by Konstantinos's books then you probably wont use them. If you use one you really need to use an external Mic. This will cut back on the amount of noise generated by the workings of the recorder itself. I have caught some very interesting things on mine that can not be explained, although I do prefer my Digital one. It is great to have as a backup or secondary recorder.

Logan

[krcguns]

Well, the microcassettes work well but a fill size cassette is the best you can use for EVP collection. You do want to stay away from digital because of archival noise that is always a possibility. You do need an external mic with either tape recorder you use though.

[Tantric Kitten]

krcguns, on Oct 25 2007, 08:03 AM, said:

Well, the microcassettes work well but a fill size cassette is the best you can use for EVP collection. You do want to stay away from digital because of archival noise that is always a possibility. You do need an external mic with either tape recorder you use though.

Archival noise? Um... that's not the way that digital recorders work. They overwrite digital files and even though after overwriting it's sometimes still possible to retrieve enough of the original file to piece it together, there's no "bleed through" from one file to another. It's like your computer... you overwrite files to the hard drive and even though you have to overwrite a file numerous times for all of the artifacts of said file to be gone, you're not going to have bleed through and find data from one document to the next... like you're not going to open a new Word file and find stuff you wrote on some previous document in there. Though, knowing your group and who the information is coming from, I'm not going to convince you and really... whatever floats your boat.

Anyway... Someone on the team I work with uses a microcassette recorder. You don't ever, ever want to reuse an old tape because you can wind up with kind of a "double exposure" on magnetic tapes unless they've been erased completely by running them through a demagnetizer machine (and how many of us have those lying around?). I can hear her recorder noise on it even though she uses an external microphone but she's gotten some VERY cool, VERY definite EVP off of it. There's a sound-quality issue (I have trouble hearing what the fleshies are saying with her recorder) but it's no more of a problem than using the extended play recording feature on a full size cassette.

[reapr]

I would be much more concerned about archival noise from a cassette type recorder! Even using a virgin unrecorded tape you still have to worry about motor noise and hiss that is inherent to magnetic tape.

The current digital sampling rates of a digital recorder is "overkill" enough not to want to resort to a micro cassette or cassette type recorder. With a virgin tape you have to be concerned with head alignment, bleed through and other stray archival noises from reused tapes and dirty recording heads with an analog recorder.

Dirty recording heads create more hiss and random noise and I have to ask one how often the heads were cleaned. If the heads are misaligned then you can get bleed over and this will sound like someone talking in the distance or garbled talk and then the mind can create its own "story".

Even having several cassette type recorders and new to EVP based on my knowledge of analog recoding media and digital it was a very easy decision to go out and buy a digital recorder.

[krcguns]

Yes, archival noise can happen with digital media. If you think it can't, you are completely wrong. It can happen at any time and anywhere. I have heard it first hand. If you think that when you delete a program on your computer that you get all trace of it off of your computer, you are largely mistaken and yes, they can sometimes get mixed up. Simply a fact of life.

If you use a clean tape at each session and never flip the tape over, you will be able to record good EVP that can be scrutinized.

To each his own, I was simply answering a question that was posed. I always have to wonder why the people that support digital media get so angry if someone else doesn't like it? Is it that they feel threatened or something?

It doesn't matter in the least what anyone else uses, at least not to me. As I said I was simply answering a question.

[Tantric Kitten]

krcguns, on Oct 30 2007, 08:23 AM, said:

To each his own, I was simply answering a question that was posed. I always have to wonder why the people that support digital media get so angry if someone else doesn't like it? Is it that they feel threatened or something?

I'm sorry you felt I was angry. I wasn't. I was expressing a different opinion.

Some of the older digital recorders AND digital cameras used a different type of archiving system that there was, indeed, bleedover on occasion. I can believe you've heard it, especially if it was several years ago. I'm not sure if any still use that particular system (I suppose the cheaper ones might... I don't know how the cost of that particular technology compares with the newer technology so I don't know if it's still in use or not for cost of manufacturing reasons).

I've actually discussed it with several people who work in the field (honestly because I know a couple members of your team ... maybe even you even though I don't recognize your screen name ... and I wanted to know whether or not that was actually a concern for me and if I should start buying film for my "good" camera instead of using my digital camera for what basically amounts to "wasted shots") and have been told in no uncertain terms that it's nothing to worry about with the technology I have... but the older archiving system WAS brought up in those discussions as a point where that COULD happen.

So... if you're going to use digital media, don't buy secondhand and don't buy cheap just in case. Actually, I think that would be good advice for analog too.

[JimDe]

krcguns, on Oct 30 2007, 09:23 AM, said:

Yes, archival noise can happen with digital media. If you think it can't, you are completely wrong. It can happen at any time and anywhere. I have heard it first hand. If you think that when you delete a program on your computer that you get all trace of it off of your computer, you are largely mistaken and yes, they can sometimes get mixed up. Simply a fact of life.

If you use a clean tape at each session and never flip the tape over, you will be able to record good EVP that can be scrutinized.

To each his own, I was simply answering a question that was posed. I always have to wonder why the people that support digital media get so angry if someone else doesn't like it? Is it that they feel threatened or something?

It doesn't matter in the least what anyone else uses, at least not to me. As I said I was simply answering a question.

Everyone‘s entitled to an opinion...

Edited by earth_spirit, 02 November 2007 - 11:43 AM.

[JimDe]

I guess since the Mods decided to delete one of my posts (again), they must have the answers to satisfactorily respond on sensitive issues concerning the recording of credible paranormal evidence... can’t wait to see it.

JD

[peepers]

krcguns, on Oct 25 2007, 09:03 AM, said:

Well, the microcassettes work well but a fill size cassette is the best you can use for EVP collection. You do want to stay away from digital because of archival noise that is always a possibility. You do need an external mic with either tape recorder you use though.

I've used Standard Cassette, Micro Cassette and DVR..... by far, DVR is the best.... especially for storage---on CDs---- that way, if anything goes corrupt, you have a tangible, transferable file........ and everyone knows the cassette tape does not have longevity.....

... and I've never needed an external mic for either cassette player.... but I can see why most would when using the micros... but then again, you have your own built in white noise.....


And here is a note of importance that I hold dear to my heart........I find, also, that if somebody is going to give advice on a subject, it would be more helpful if the advice giver had some kind of credible experience..... I just don't take a persons word at faceless value........ so I don't talk about what I don't know about....

[Vampchick21]

peepers, on Nov 2 2007, 08:31 AM, said:

And here is a note of importance that I hold dear to my heart........I find, also, that if somebody is going to give advice on a subject, it would be more helpful if the advice giver had some kind of credible experience..... I just don't take a persons word at faceless value........ so I don't talk about what I don't know about....

I would say that krcguns has quite a bit of credible experience.

[peepers]

Vampchick21, on Nov 2 2007, 09:07 AM, said:

peepers, on Nov 2 2007, 08:31 AM, said:

And here is a note of importance that I hold dear to my heart........I find, also, that if somebody is going to give advice on a subject, it would be more helpful if the advice giver had some kind of credible experience..... I just don't take a persons word at faceless value........ so I don't talk about what I don't know about....

I would say that krcguns has quite a bit of credible experience.

....... are you assuming I'm speaking about krcguns?.... that's dangerous...... jumping to conclusions causes unnecessary conflict........ I'm speaking about myself........

[Vampchick21]

peepers, on Nov 2 2007, 12:01 PM, said:

Vampchick21, on Nov 2 2007, 09:07 AM, said:

peepers, on Nov 2 2007, 08:31 AM, said:

And here is a note of importance that I hold dear to my heart........I find, also, that if somebody is going to give advice on a subject, it would be more helpful if the advice giver had some kind of credible experience..... I just don't take a persons word at faceless value........ so I don't talk about what I don't know about....

I would say that krcguns has quite a bit of credible experience.

....... are you assuming I'm speaking about krcguns?.... that's dangerous...... jumping to conclusions causes unnecessary conflict........ I'm speaking about myself........

lol....I did assume because you were responding to his post, and what I quoted from you was part of that. If I was incorrect, and you were actually generalizing by that point, talking about others, I do apologize.

[peepers]

Vampchick21, on Nov 2 2007, 11:13 AM, said:

peepers, on Nov 2 2007, 12:01 PM, said:

Vampchick21, on Nov 2 2007, 09:07 AM, said:

peepers, on Nov 2 2007, 08:31 AM, said:

And here is a note of importance that I hold dear to my heart........I find, also, that if somebody is going to give advice on a subject, it would be more helpful if the advice giver had some kind of credible experience..... I just don't take a persons word at faceless value........ so I don't talk about what I don't know about....

I would say that krcguns has quite a bit of credible experience.

....... are you assuming I'm speaking about krcguns?.... that's dangerous...... jumping to conclusions causes unnecessary conflict........ I'm speaking about myself........

lol....I did assume because you were responding to his post, and what I quoted from you was part of that. If I was incorrect, and you were actually generalizing by that point, talking about others, I do apologize.

..... and I accept your apology...... I thought I had made myself clear enough.....

[Vampchick21]

[quote name='peepers' post='431352' date='Nov 2 2007, 12:22 PM'][quote name='Vampchick21' post='431351' date='Nov 2 2007, 11:13 AM'][quote name='peepers'
lol....I did assume because you were responding to his post, and what I quoted from you was part of that. If I was incorrect, and you were actually generalizing by that point, talking about others, I do apologize.[/quote]
..... and I accept your apology...... I thought I had made myself clear enough.....
[/quote]

Ech, I've been sleeping poorly, and it's NaNoWriMo, so my brain is all over the place lately. Sorry bout that!