For my podcast I have a Roland Edirol device. They're far, far too expensive, but it's pretty much brilliant. We record in pubs, so there is a LOT of noise going on, but the internal microphone does a great job of picking me and my friend up. Stick two AA batteries in and an SD card and you're away. It records straight to MP3.

Once the podcasting begins to pay off in terms of paying clients, I might consider more expensive options...and for the doggy lama business, I'd love to record outside...but for right now, cheap but good is required.

If you want great service from full compass call and ask for my rep who is Martin Vire at extension 1179. Tell him Drew from Diablo Sound referred you and he will take extra care of you. I'm one of his larger customers.

Excellent Drew. Thanks. I'm filing the reps info with my receipt.

I have a cell phone question:

My professor friend and his wife have decided when they get to Japan they want a decent camera camera phone. I now see that there are some really cheap ones in 1.2 megapixel range, and a bit more expensive in the 3-5 megapixel range.

So what do you folks recommend in GMS camera phones with 3-5 megapixel cameras, and decent photo features, and I guess an interface that makes taking the pictures really easy. (So that if the professor is walking along and sees something cool, he can actually take the picture befor it is gone rather than fumbling with the cell for five minutes.)

Sorry bonny, I wasn't meaning to hijack, I was just putting that out there as I know I had loads of problems identifying a good 'outside broadcast' podcasting solution.

Does anybody know if there's an open source or freeware alternative to Final Draft? (Screenwriting)

Sorry bonny, I wasn't meaning to hijack, I was just putting that out there as I know I had loads of problems identifying a good 'outside broadcast' podcasting solution.

Oh, gracious. I didn't take it that way at all. I appreciate all suggestions. And I really DO want to eventually get an outside recording device. So, your post is duly filed.

You'll find my posts almost never contain sarcasm...and I say almost because after 4 years, I suppose I might have gotten shirty once or twice.

The fact is, I'm so grateful to have this resource, I can hardly articulate it...so recommend ON!

I cut out some of the ssssing using a silk scarf over the handset

Expand your sound nerd vocabulary time:

The "ssssing" is called sibilance. "P" sounds are called plosives.

Your solution, by the way, is rather similar to how they cut down on sibilance in the studio. They basically stretch a bit of pantyhose in between the person being recorded and the microphone. I've also used a cap made of pantyhose over live radio mics to cut down on sibilance and wind noise.

So, yesterday I had a scary bluescreen shut down incident, and then later IE randomly closed itself down. It seems to be working fine now. Is this the beginning of the end?

do a clean restart and see what happens.