Showing posts with label editorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editorial. Show all posts

Friday, February 17, 2012

Where Are the Android Recording Solutions?

So in playing around with the Yeti Pro I recently reviewed, I got curious about what else I might be able to do with this USB wunder-mic.
Since I own both an Android Tablet and a Galaxy Nexus, both of which support USB hosting, it was only natural that I try connecting them to the Yeti. I fully expected it wouldn't work, but I was a little surprised by what happened.

See that red light on the Yeti? It's on. The mic is on and functional. I'm able to control gain, volume, and monitor from headphones. It's AAAALLLLLIIIIIVVVVVEEEE!!!

Both the Nexus and the Galaxy Tab both powered the mic. I was shocked.

Unfortunately, neither phone nor tablet knew what to DO with a USB mic, and that's where I was stopped short of my dream mobile recording rig.

There's exactly ZERO software to support external mics on Android. None. Zilch. Nada.

Even though this is a feature users have been asking for since the first Android phones have hit the market, and users have jury-rigged ridiculous solutions to try and add mics to the Android ecosystem (usually through the 3.5mm headphone jack), and even noting that we have USB hosting capabilities on a number of Android devices now, there's still not a single app that can talk to audio gear.

For the voice actor, this is definitely the one solid advantage the iPad will maintain over any Android device. We've seen an explosion of software and hardware solutions aimed at turning Apple's tablet into a true recording studio companion. USB mics that can connect through the iPad camera connector, new mics announced that will connect directly to the dock connector, docks that convert the ipad into an audio interface, even new audio mixers that dock the iPad and use it as the brain of a multi-tracking recording chain.

It's time Android. It's time. If I can use my tablet as a live view monitor and control surface for my Canon 7D, It's long past time for me to be able to connect a USB mic to my tablet and record my VO.

The future is now...