Recording telephone conversation at DVinfo.net

Gene Brockhoff · March 17th, 2005, 01:08 AM

Anyone know what the best way to get a good recording of a phone conversation. Is there some way to hook up a telephone to a recording device?

Jimmy McKenzie · March 17th, 2005, 04:01 AM

The best way to use a phone sounding conversation in video is to do this in post.

Record the actor's voice as dialogue replacement. Since most scenes involving the off screen voice are the ones using the telephone bandwidth technique, there is no issue with sync.

In Adobe Audition or others, look for a pass filter entitled telephone bandwidth. This limits the frequency range to what you would hear on the phone which as you know is a much smaller spectrum.

If you really have to tap a phone device, check out your local security/superspy store. But if this is for a video production the quality can't even begin to come close to doing this in front of a studio mic.

Samuel Birkan · March 17th, 2005, 07:05 AM

Here is my reply from a post about a page or two back

Here is a Link to That 1 - I have used them to get professional recordings into Voice mail systems that only have telephone interfaces - they work very well
http://www.markertek.com/Product.asp?baseItem=THAT%2D1&cat=INTERFACE&subcat=AUDINT&prodClass=TELEPHONE&mfg=&search=0&off=
or here
http://www.jkaudio.com/products.htm

Marco Leavitt · March 17th, 2005, 09:29 AM

I bought a gadget from Radio Shack that wasn't too expensive a few years ago and was able to record to minidisc. It turned out fairly well.

Matt Norwood · March 17th, 2005, 03:59 PM

I recently recorded a conference call, and I used a QuickTap, from JK Audio. B & H has them:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=265063&is=REG

Comes with cable for mini-jack and rca jack.

Jimmy McKenzie · March 17th, 2005, 04:20 PM

So Gene ... is this the direction you are looking for?

Perhaps you can reply ... just so we are aware of your exact requirement...

John Hartney · March 17th, 2005, 09:28 PM

http://www.professionalsound.com/catalog/ph-tap.htm

werks good for us....

Gene Brockhoff · March 22nd, 2005, 03:52 PM

I wasn't sure about weather I should record directly from the speakerphone as that would be cumbersome to set up at a moments notice. So I thought, what if there was a device that I could just turn on and hit record. I've heard of doing it in post but this would be for a documentary in which case getting the talent to show up might be an issue as they could be across the country. I'll check into your recommendations(the Quicktap looks cool) and thanks so much for the advice. Peace.

Jack Smith · March 22nd, 2005, 10:41 PM

There is some software that will record the phone thru your modem on the computer( can't remember the name).The sound isn't great but as has been said That's a function of the phone line
If the situation is controllable you could do this a few ways and get good audio.You could have the actor setup with a recording device( iRiver, computer,etc) then have them begin recording while on the phone go thru the questions etc. when done the actor could email the file to you)

March 17th, 2005, 01:08 AM	#1
Gene Brockhoff Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Oakland CA Posts: 46	Recording telephone conversation Anyone know what the best way to get a good recording of a phone conversation. Is there some way to hook up a telephone to a recording device? __________________ "We are basically free, but who we think we are is not" Ram Dass

March 17th, 2005, 03:59 PM	#5
Matt Norwood New Boot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 5	I recently recorded a conference call, and I used a QuickTap, from JK Audio. B & H has them: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=265063&is=REG Comes with cable for mini-jack and rca jack. __________________ Matthew Norwood http://independencethemovie.com

March 17th, 2005, 09:28 PM	#7
John Hartney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Elgin, Illinois Posts: 206	http://www.professionalsound.com/catalog/ph-tap.htm werks good for us.... __________________ John Hartney Elgin, Illinois USA 847.742.9321

March 22nd, 2005, 03:52 PM	#8
Gene Brockhoff Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Oakland CA Posts: 46	I wasn't sure about weather I should record directly from the speakerphone as that would be cumbersome to set up at a moments notice. So I thought, what if there was a device that I could just turn on and hit record. I've heard of doing it in post but this would be for a documentary in which case getting the talent to show up might be an issue as they could be across the country. I'll check into your recommendations(the Quicktap looks cool) and thanks so much for the advice. Peace. __________________ "We are basically free, but who we think we are is not" Ram Dass

March 17th, 2005, 04:01 AM	#2
Jimmy McKenzie Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Waterloo Ontario Posts: 721	The best way to use a phone sounding conversation in video is to do this in post. Record the actor's voice as dialogue replacement. Since most scenes involving the off screen voice are the ones using the telephone bandwidth technique, there is no issue with sync. In Adobe Audition or others, look for a pass filter entitled telephone bandwidth. This limits the frequency range to what you would hear on the phone which as you know is a much smaller spectrum. If you really have to tap a phone device, check out your local security/superspy store. But if this is for a video production the quality can't even begin to come close to doing this in front of a studio mic.

March 17th, 2005, 07:05 AM	#3
Samuel Birkan Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 79	Here is my reply from a post about a page or two back Here is a Link to That 1 - I have used them to get professional recordings into Voice mail systems that only have telephone interfaces - they work very well http://www.markertek.com/Product.asp?baseItem=THAT%2D1&cat=INTERFACE&subcat=AUDINT&prodClass=TELEPHONE&mfg=&search=0&off= or here http://www.jkaudio.com/products.htm

March 17th, 2005, 09:29 AM	#4
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	I bought a gadget from Radio Shack that wasn't too expensive a few years ago and was able to record to minidisc. It turned out fairly well.

March 17th, 2005, 04:20 PM	#6
Jimmy McKenzie Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Waterloo Ontario Posts: 721	So Gene ... is this the direction you are looking for? Perhaps you can reply ... just so we are aware of your exact requirement...

March 22nd, 2005, 10:41 PM	#9
Jack Smith Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ontario Posts: 445	There is some software that will record the phone thru your modem on the computer( can't remember the name).The sound isn't great but as has been said That's a function of the phone line If the situation is controllable you could do this a few ways and get good audio.You could have the actor setup with a recording device( iRiver, computer,etc) then have them begin recording while on the phone go thru the questions etc. when done the actor could email the file to you)