Sony Vegas Pro 10 can't recognise microphone

[kornfake]

Hey guys.

I'm trying to record some audio from the mic in my iMac (using Win7 via Bootcamp) but when I try to select input on the chosen track only "Microsoft Sound Mapper" pops out, with the options Left, Right, or just MSM.

Why doesn't my mic show up? It works just fine in Win7's built-in software, Skype and Audacity, to name a few.

Hope you can help me as I really need to fix this problem asap.

Regards, T.

[vidmanners]

Not a fix - an alternative.
I use a PalmTrack recorder - use it as a outside sound recorder, bird-sounds various and sometimes a music recording ( but there needs to be something soft under the recorder, or it picks up mech noise.
- The files slip into Vegas under Import Media (SD card reader in PC).
This has the merit it's relatively easy to do the recording and you can repeat etc.
My Vegas Platinum came with Sound Forge (like Audacity, but within Vegas). That's where you can edit out bad starts, clicks, etc. Also adjust levels, etc.
( I realise this will require you to buy one, but these are just like a half-price Zoom. ).

[TimStannard]

I use a PalmTrack recorder -<snips> , but these are just like a half-price Zoom. ).

That looks very interesting. Appears very similar to the Zoom H2 and as you say, about half the price. It also looks like it overcomes one of the H2s biggest limitations in my book - the display. Any comparison reviews?

[vidmanners]

It was reviewed in Sound on Sound I think late 2010. ..their complaint was the switches are noisy - well yes they can rattle if provoked.... several design faults IMHO, but at half Zoom-price (I paid £64) it's not THAT bad. This is a hobby, not tax-deductable.

FWIW:- Never used Zooms, but have seen two - one was basic similar to PalmTrack, but the display is somewhat "lite" - the Palm is very sharp blue, but it's quite small - needs a CU lens. Instructions are hopeless. Battery life appears to be better than Zoom, but it won't take rechargeables...indeed it's very sensitive to supply voltage, but 2xAA duracell lasts 8-hrs continuous. Am planning to replace batteries with an implant and then use D-size cells, about 1/3 cost. An AC adaptor must have 3mm OD plug - never found one! (Why choose that?)
The other Zoom was a Pro-version with XLR inputs - but I wonder the innards aren't similar???

There's no cat - made mine for about £4 and spare material good for other mic-projects. It has a 1/4" metal bush - great for attaching. Real benefit is it takes SD cards, so none of those expensive alternatives (Zoom is SD too. DYOR). It claims CD quality and certainly in 16-bit the sound is impressive - not had anything good enough to use 24-bit. Suspect it might like an ext mic. It has 2 or 4 mics inside. I've also used it in a parabolic - but not fully convinced with my subject, or technique yet, either.
The file system is loopy, with WAV and mp3 files taking the same number (the Extn is hidden!) - this often confuses me as my PC file also removes the Extn, and has identical icons, except one says WAV if you can read that close....Palm: Why not M for mp3 - V for 16-bit WAV. and W for 24-bit? It would be nice to prefix the numbers with my Card ID (recorded in position 0000) so I can swap cards and not get confused...

As a recorder I'm surprised they don't command a higher price, like Zooms . . . it must be the silly poor-attention details that spoil the PalmTrack. Any engineer could double its value.

EDIT:- Was it you that made Glide-rails?

[TimStannard]

Thanks for the low down. I'm sure I'd have gone with one of those if available back when I bought my H2 - especially as Alesis is a name I've associated with good quality in the semi-pro arena for decades. The bigger Zoom - the H4n - is a nice piece of kit - far more professional in feel (weight/build), with much better controls and display, but you could buy 4 PalmTracks for the price (it is still considerably cheaper than the other "pro" equivalents). As for the price of teh PalmTrack,the Zoom is so well established and the PalmTrack offers nothing substantially different, I guess the price is what the marketeers decided to go for to differentiate. It sort of gives what the H2 gives at a price lower than the H1.

As for the file naming ... The first thing I do on any PC I come across is turn off "hide file extensions for known file types". Problem solved (and one nice thing about Windows 7 is if you "rename" a file, by default it only highlights the main part of teh name , not the extension, thus avoiding the need to type in the extension - or more likely forget to thus requiring you to start the rename operation again)

As for the Glide-Track - I had to laugh. I'm afraid not. My competence at DIY or anything practical can be nicely summed up if I tell you that I managed to slice the top of my thumb yesterday just trying to chop onions for a Spag Bol. It woudl be Andy (or enc's mate in the East) who mad ethe GlideTrack.

[Midnight Blue]

I hope it wasn't your focusing thumb Tim.

[vidmanners]

It appears to be the case that the PalmTrack is discontinued, although some UK-stores show them for around £100. However, I paid nearly half that some months ago and got the impression a "new-Version" was due soon, with some minor improvements. It has never appeared and I think mine already had the changes.

I see a few ads for a "videoTrack" which is basically like a movie=equipped phone, only there is no phone.
It's not clear that this product has high quality sound, and the video-spec at this price-level is unlikely to blow any minds - it is useful IMHO if you are visiting events and want to have a "memo" of the different performers, perhaps. Then the quality doesn't matter - it provides a sync'd image that records things better than taking a paper and pencil..... although taking some extra batteries probably makes sense.

I'm still using my PalmTrack and it suits me, although the loopy file-system is driving me mad. Also the menu system is poor, with much room for improvement. The SoS magazine Report in 2010 (or 09), certainly noticed the noisy switches - poor attention to essential detail, esp as this is a recording device! The lack of a "cat" is unforgivable as it records wind very well; as I reported earlier, I made one and this has proved invaluable.
The connectors are not good, the mic-input gives rise to odd honking sounds whenever it connects (or doesn't quite). Difficult to praise the product except if you get one cheaply. The screen is poor but I haven't made a viewing hood (I wear reading-glasses instead!)

I believe the Zoom has many followers and appears to take regular use. Alesis does not have a good image with professionals, they tell me. Er, FWIW. - DYOR.
Nevertheless, I kinda like my PalmTrack, if only they would let me redesign both hardware and software, then it might retail £200, and it would take c-cells to push up the battery-life. Sure a few grammes heavier, but then you'll not need the spares and you'd be able to read my new display as well.

I'm building a 3-input mixer for mics, with XLR in/out (and the other connectors), with a stereo LED-dot Vu-type meter - there will be a short-lead output to plug into the PalmTrack with an elastic band to hold it in place. This arrangement means I can use the Palmtrack's meter when it's visible, but for daylight use outdoors, the ultrabright narow-angle LEDs means I can avoid overloads (and low settings, or disconnected mics!). There is power from rechargeable NiMH cells and (maybe ) a 3.3v output for the PalmTrack
to remove it's battery-life bugbear. The mixer lid holds the Palmtrack and LED display, with a raised panel that fits into the lid-void so I can hold the XLR's - In addition it will have separate gain controls and switches so it can be Stereo-out with a mono mic mixed-in centrered. The logic is that there are only 2-channels on the palmtrack, but I can use the mono-mic for interviewing, or a singer with the L/R fopr a small music-group, perhaps. This should be far better than a direct into camera set-up. Low-noise preamps will make this quite useful and being battery powered the bass won't clogg up with mains
hum.
-Well-It's a start.-

That's it, - in case anyone's interested....

[SocialMediaAirman]

I would like to reinterate what vidmanners said. Good luck