If you're worried about sound. Would it be any good to suggest a separate microphone? I don't mean hold two mics on stage, just have one hidden about your person and then dub it on in the edit.
Nerd/Boffin Technical corner. Page 11
I could- but that seems like it would be an sizable extra expense to get a decent sound. Would I be able to get a good sound from a dictaphone or the like on my person?
I think it likely that a second-hand digital TAPE camcorder will probably record better sound than one of these low cost solid state recorders.
A Sony DCR TRV240E would be great for this if you can find one in a pawn/second-hand shop. Tapes do approx 1 hour per tape.
It is pretty essential to have a microphone close to the performer. Perhaps you can tap into the Gig's sound system with a tape recorder. Use an old VCR if necessary for that, as you can set it up well in advance & record up to 6 hours on a video VCR tape. Just ignore the video afterwards and sync the sound track to the video that you take with a camcorder.
The Gig sound system might already have a tape recording facility.
Wireless microphones with the corresponding receiver to plug into the cam corder are somewhat expensive. You could use a mic with a long lead instead.
Be sure to find a camcorder with a microphone input socket if you want to records the sound along with the video. Not a lot of modern camcorders have a microphone input.
I recomend the DS-67555b-88/5 with bonus wibble correction software. It looks lovely and doesn't screw the config on your mubble+ harddrive.
I'm sorry - I've no idea what just came over me...
Thanks for the advise fellas. Billwill, the sound doesn't have to be amazing, just good enough to hear. I think it's more of a priority for me to be able to upload it quickly onto the laptop. It's more for me than anything else.
Tuumble, I have no idea what you just said, so I will look it up when I get back to the Toon.
Oh wait, were you being hillarious? Mean.
Do you really need picture as well?
I've got one of these little chaps and it works pretty well for recording stuff like stand up. The only problem is it tends to pick up your laughter because you're closer to the mic. I used mine to record a live show in a venue with terrible acoustics but it did a reasonable job just sitting at the back of the stage.
I've also used it to record the audio from a wedding ceremnony and the speeches and it did a decent job of that too.
Nat why don't you try eating a load of vitamin D. This will improve your memory so much you won't have buy a camera at all. The added bonus is you can forget any jokes that didn't get a laugh.
Don't thank me for this advice, it's what this site is all about.
Kind regards 
Quote: Afinkawan @ September 9 2010, 12:44 PM BSTDo you really need picture as well?
I've got one of these little chaps and it works pretty well for recording stuff like stand up. The only problem is it tends to pick up your laughter because you're closer to the mic. I used mine to record a live show in a venue with terrible acoustics but it did a reasonable job just sitting at the back of the stage.
I've also used it to record the audio from a wedding ceremnony and the speeches and it did a decent job of that too.
Yeah I could really do with video- my set so far has a couple of bits which are quite physical, and I want to watch my actions to make sure they're coming accross as they should be (nothing lewd!).
Quote: Will Cam @ September 9 2010, 1:02 PM BSTNat why don't you try eating a load of vitamin D. This will improve your memory so much you won't have buy a camera at all. The added bonus is you can forget any jokes that didn't get a laugh.
Don't thank me for this advice, it's what this site is all about.
Kind regards
Oh you 
Quote: Will Cam @ September 9 2010, 1:02 PM BSTNat why don't you try eating a load of vitamin D. This will improve your memory so much you won't have buy a camera at all. The added bonus is you can forget any jokes that didn't get a laugh.
Don't thank me for this advice, it's what this site is all about.
Kind regards
What a fooker he is eh Nat?
Quote: Afinkawan @ September 9 2010, 12:44 PM BSTDo you really need picture as well?
I've got one of these little chaps and it works pretty well for recording stuff like stand up. The only problem is it tends to pick up your laughter because you're closer to the mic. I used mine to record a live show in a venue with terrible acoustics but it did a reasonable job just sitting at the back of the stage.
I've also used it to record the audio from a wedding ceremnony and the speeches and it did a decent job of that too.
You could buy an HD camcorder for that price.
Go to Jessops Nat they are the most helpful people in the world. They will help.
Quote: Charley @ September 9 2010, 9:10 PM BST
You could buy an HD camcorder for that price.
Go to Jessops Nat they are the most helpful people in the world. They will help.
That was the original plan! Get their advice, then find the camera cheaper online 
Quote: Charley @ September 9 2010, 9:10 PM BST
You could buy an HD camcorder for that price.
Go to Jessops Nat they are the most helpful people in the world. They will help.
True, although you'd have to shell out for memory cards and the spare batteries are a lot more expensive. But it's also a trade-off between decent sound quality or fairly crap sound but with picture.
Also, I've been told that the low end HD camcorders aren't as good as a similarly priced standard def. camcorder. What you gain in pixels you can lose in frame rate or speed of capture etc.
I'm the furthest thing from being an expert on the subject though. I was thinking about a camcorder recently and decided I didn't know enough to bother buying one - I'd either spend loads and not use it or buy a cheap one and get quickly annoyed if it was crap. I'll put up with the video my still camera does, it seems pretty good.
Quote: Afinkawan @ September 10 2010, 9:57 AM BSTAlso, I've been told that the low end HD camcorders aren't as good as a similarly priced standard def. camcorder. What you gain in pixels you can lose in frame rate or speed of capture etc.
Just what I was thinking. A snuck into Jessops for a sneaky eyeball, and they really do vary quite widely.
I think I will make internet review sites reccommend me things.
Anyone make sense of why my Dad's laptop doesn't have sound...
E(i) Systems which came with Vista
Hard drive broked and he replaced it.
Installed an old Win XP Home.
Everything's fine but the audio.
It's very hard to help him over the phone, I found a possible solution but he's saying it says "no hardware detected" or something along those lines.
http://www.download3k.com/DownloadLink1-Realtek-AC-97-Drivers.html
On the device manager it says there's quite a few drivers missing.
He suggested it might be because his laptop is newer than XP but I told him that doesn't matter. Am I right. (i'm sure I am)
Oh and the motherboard is 'dixonsxp' I think!
Cheers.
I've just found "High Definition Audio Codecs". Would these make a difference on a newer laptop?
If he's changed his hard drive then he's likely to have lots a lot of his hardwares basis drivers (including pre-installed ones). Best thing is to find out what the recommended drivers for the mother board and sound card are. Actually, that's what you'd do with PCs, don't know how laptops differ.
Cheers, Nat. There's a million sites, thread posts and articles about it but none of them offer an answer or possible solution beyond the one I posted in the OP.
I've just emailed him the link for one of those HD driver codec pack things, maybe he'll have more luck with that.