Screencast and Podcast Recording Gear
I’m working on some screencasts and have had some gear recommended to me that I’m ordering now. I’ll post back later with an update on how I like these, but if anybody else is interested in what I’ve been told is the best stuff to get, here you go.
Microphone
The microphone of choice is the Rode Podcaster, pictured at right. It has a built-in pop filter, so no need to pick up one of those. This is a USB microphone and doesn’t require any additional boxes or cables. From the product description:
Seamless integration was the idea, and it was obtained by creating a studio dynamic microphone with unparalleled A/D converters, so that the microphone can be plugged into any computer with no in/out boxes, no expensive pre-amps, just a USB cable.
This is currently $229 on Amazon.
Mount
The microphone doesn’t come with anything but, well, the microphone (so I’m told). So, you need something to stick it to, and that’s where the Rode PSM 1 Shockmount for Podcaster comes in. This particular model is:
…optimized for use with the Rode Podcaster. Shockmounts prolong the life of your mic and can remove unwanted low frequency rumble.
We definitely don’t want unwanted rumbles, so we’ll throw this into our cart, too ($39).
Stand
People who know things about this stuff tell me that putting a mic on stand directly on your desk (where you’re probably going to be doing some typing) is a BAD PLAN. Thus, some kind of boom mic stand is a good way to go. A friend of mine says he actually went the route of going to a music store, picking up a standard floor mount for a mic, and then mounting it upside down from the ceiling. That sounds amazingly cool, but I’m looking for something a bit more flexible to my office layout, so something I can attach to my desk far away from where I type seems like a good way to go. Thus, the Rode PSA 1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm looks like a good choice.
Assembly
I don’t have any of these yet, but when I do I’ll try and update this post with some pictures and/or comments on how it all comes together.
1 Comment
G. Andrew Duthie said
Have you ordered any/all of these yet?
If not, you might also want to take a look at some of the Samson USB mics, as well as the Blue Yeti and Snowball.
I've got the Samson G-track mic, and I've been pretty happy with the sound quality. As noted, a spider mount is helpful in preventing unwanted noise from bumping your work surface. And the G-track is a bit cheaper than the option you mention, and has an additional 1/8" input available, if you need to include external audio for some reason.
I've got the Rode PSA-1 swivel mount, and it's worked very well for me. My only gripe is that threading the mic (well, the spider mount, actually) onto the arm is kind of a pain, and since I occasionally take the G-track on the road, that matters. But if you're just attaching the mic and leaving it, it's a nice mount.
Good luck with the gear!