Recording lessons - recommendation

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injb

Pre-takeoff checklist
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jb
Not sure if this is the best sub forum for this...but I'd like to record my flying lessons with a camera, so that I can review things later, and hopefully spot things that I didn't notice at the time. I talked to my instructor about it and he thinks it's a good idea too. Right now the only camera I have is a first generation GoPro Hero. Unfortunately it doesn't have an audio input. So it looks like my options are:

* get another camera
* record audio separately

I could try the one I have and see how much the voices come through, but it probably won't be audible and I really like to capture the next lesson because I think the earlier ones are the ones where I'd benefit most from the recording.

Does anyone have any recommendations for cameras/alternative ways to record audio/cables needed etc.? Thanks!
 
I feel like there should be some brand new reasonably priced options out there with audio inputs. grab one of those and now u can have 2 angles! OR, scrap the new camera, sell the old one and get yourself an AoA indicator.
 
Are you training in a plane with a cabin speaker? If you turn that on and place the camera near it you'll get enough audio and it shouldn't bug your hearing or feedback through your headset mic.

Other than that, search for threads on recording training. There out there.

And don't forget to post the video! We'll gladly point out areas for extra attention. :)
 
I do the same as abqtj. I use a voice recorder attached to a 1/4 male with parallel dual female and a 3.5 mm to 1/4 cable. I sync it together later..
 
Thanks for the tips. I wonder if I can use my phone to do the recording, and only buy the cable(s) needed. One thing I find odd is that all the systems I see for this only have one input. They always say that it records everything - but when I talk, I don't hear my own voice in my headset. Does that mean it won't be recorded?

EDIT: I found this http://www.flitecordr.com/ which looks to be the best patch cable out there. It will allow me to record audio with my phone, but if I later upgrade to a GP Hero 3 then it will work with that too.
 
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injb said:
Thanks for the tips. I wonder if I can use my phone to do the recording, and only buy the cable(s) needed. One thing I find odd is that all the systems I see for this only have one input. They always say that it records everything - but when I talk, I don't hear my own voice in my headset. Does that mean it won't be recorded?

EDIT: I found this http://www.flitecordr.com/ which looks to be the best patch cable out there. It will allow me to record audio with my phone, but if I later upgrade to a GP Hero 3 then it will work with that too.
Click to expand...

When I record, I hear everything (almost...sometimes when my CFI talks to the tower it's super-faint, same as in my headset, but I think that's our comms).


Feel free to make all the fun of me you like :) I have thick skin
 
abqtj said:
When I record, I hear everything (almost...sometimes when my CFI talks to the tower it's super-faint, same as in my headset, but I think that's our comms).


Feel free to make all the fun of me you like :) I have thick skin
Click to expand...

other than flying a cessna, not too much to bust your cajones about. maybe just keep ur hand on the throttle on climb out. oh and get a shave, otherwise nice job!
 
You need to make sure that the splitter is parallel or not it will drop volume. Make sure you have it in the mic in spot.. and setting audio in. The phone will work but battery life might not last well. I bought a Sony voice recorder and it was on sale. Works great and battery is still full and I used it on 7 hours so far of training
 
Well, the flightcordr cable that I linked to worked out perfectly. I recored my last lesson with my first gen GoPro and recorded the sound on my phone with that cable and got them synced up.

There's only one thing that bothers me - the instruments are almost completely invisible for most of the flight. The sun was low when we flew, and that seems to be the problem. This is what I mean:

Screenshot%20from%202017-03-06%20222204.png



I don't think it's a problem with the camera because sometimes depending on the angle of the sun, it was much clearer like this (although maybe some cameras would deal with this):

Screenshot%20from%202017-03-06%20222229.png



Any tips on what I can do to help the camera pick up the instrument panel when the sun is low like that? Would a newer GoPro handle it any better? I got by this time because my instructor made a point of explaining everything clearly for the recording, but it would be nice to be able to see the instruments.
 

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Ya.. at times have the same problem. But if you place the camera on the window to the left facing you and front you will get a clear shot.
 
This is not mine but an example
 

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injb said:
Any tips on what I can do to help the camera pick up the instrument panel when the sun is low like that? Would a newer GoPro handle it any better? I got by this time because my instructor made a point of explaining everything clearly for the recording, but it would be nice to be able to see the instruments.
Click to expand...
Turn on your spot metering.
 
ktup-flyer said:
It's in your settings. I'm pretty sure the hero 1 has it, but I'm not positive. It's been a while since I've seen one of those lol
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Well I finally got around to trying this. The first gen GoPro does indeed have this feature, but it didn't make any difference unfortunately. It may be that I didn't have it point downwards enough so it's still exposing for the outside. But I'll keep tinkering with it anyway...
 
A more expensive but potentially viable route would be to get a second camera to focus just on the instruments and then to sync the two shots in a split screen mode in a video editing program.
 
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