For those who have to take audio feeds from 'outside sources'...

[Mike Stranks]

Some of us here have discovered new skills in lockdown... how to make the best of audio recorded elsewhere on a phone or tablet or recorded via a Zoom, Facetime, Skype et al call.

Sometimes quite a challenge...

Yesterday I encountered a throwaway comment about Cleanfeed: https://cleanfeed.net/

Needs investigating as it may not yet be multi-browser or iOS compliant, but for me it could be a real game-changer...

Anyone using it? Real-world experience?

[ef37a]

I shall follow this thread with interest Mike but may I make a couple of comments?

The sound quality we hear now fro 'talking heads'* is usually technically very good in terms of the path it uses. Where is breaks down is because many speakers do not have a **** clue how to setup and use the audio kit. Most commonly they are way back from the laptop mic and in a room that often sounds like a swimming pool! Then, many use a phone with all that 'swishing and swooshing'. Cannot see Cleanfeed helping with that?

The shame and annoyance of the whole situation is that for about 20quid they could buy a headset and mic that would give vastly improved sound and consistency when they moved (not tried Btooth headsets yet but see my other post!)

*And I do wish they would backup and raise the camera! I do not want a face filling my screen. Head, shoulders and waist please and I do NOT want to look up noses!

Dave.

[Mike Stranks]

Couple of comments Dave...

Cleanfeed is audio only. It uses different technologies to Skype, Zoom etc. no compression of audio or signal acquisition: 16-bit @ 48K.

I've only seen demos of it connecting two people using mics thru AIs into their computers. Very impressive for something that's free!

What I ideally need is something that I can call someone on their mobile, they press a button and off we go. Modern mobiles and their mics are capable of capturing excellent audio... it's the A to B bit that lets things down...

I need something very simple. Some of my 'good' readers are finding even VoiceMemo difficult to use and send me material. They get quite distressed when they have difficulties.

Cleanfeed is the answer for me I think IF it can be made to work simply on iPhones...

[Luke W]

That's a good find, thanks! I'll be keeping an eye on that.

[The Elf]

Wow! Well discovered!

[Drew Stephenson]

Interesting, but I note they don't say where their servers are based. No biggie for anyone doing their own stuff but a potential gotcha for anyone thinking of using it for business reasons.

[CS70]

Couple of comments Dave...

Cleanfeed is audio only. It uses different technologies to Skype, Zoom etc. no compression of audio or signal acquisition: 16-bit @ 48K.

I've only seen demos of it connecting two people using mics thru AIs into their computers. Very impressive for something that's free!

What I ideally need is something that I can call someone on their mobile, they press a button and off we go. Modern mobiles and their mics are capable of capturing excellent audio... it's the A to B bit that lets things down...

Interesting but given that the infrastructure will be exactly the same, what's the change in the path from A to B? Or I misunderstand what you mean with A and B?

As of connecting two mics thru AI into their computers.. nothing stops you to do it now? When I have it up, I often use one of my recording chains for Teams, Meet or Zoom meetings.

On the other side, I never understood the success of Zoom (with respect to alternatives) so it's surely me!

[The Elf]

On the other side, I never understood the success of Zoom (with respect to alternatives) so it's surely me!

It's one of these 'right place, right time' things - and a bit of free advertising on TV news shows.

Microsoft Teams is, quite simply, one of the worst pieces of software I've even had to use. If it was a horse it would be heading for the Mr Dog tins as I type...

[CS70]

Microsoft Teams is, quite simply, one of the worst pieces of software I've even had to use. If it was a horse it would be heading for the Mr Dog tins as I type...

+1

It's so convoluted and basically the only one which doesn't allow for seamless computer/phone switch on the fly in all circumstances.

I quite like Meet, but I'm no zealot about it.

[Drew Stephenson]

Microsoft were definitely caught on the hop with Teams, they've released so many updates over the last 12 months that they're almost catching up with Zoom, but that speed of release has brought more than a handful of bugs with it.

[al_diablo]

I am obliged to use teams for work. It is truly awful.

I'm trying to archive a lot of the educational material we are sharing through Teams meetings and when speakers are on site I can do this easily enough with dedicated camera and mic, but this looks like the perfect solution for capturing speakers who are at home. Thanks!

[Mike Stranks]

Couple of comments Dave...

Cleanfeed is audio only. It uses different technologies to Skype, Zoom etc. no compression of audio or signal acquisition: 16-bit @ 48K.

I've only seen demos of it connecting two people using mics thru AIs into their computers. Very impressive for something that's free!

What I ideally need is something that I can call someone on their mobile, they press a button and off we go. Modern mobiles and their mics are capable of capturing excellent audio... it's the A to B bit that lets things down...

Interesting but given that the infrastructure will be exactly the same, what's the change in the path from A to B? Or I misunderstand what you mean with A and B?

What I mean is that phones or tablets are capable of capturing pristine audio... apps like Zoom etc then mangle it to make the most of bandwidth. Hence the capture can be good; it's the transfer within the app that causes problems for audio quality.

As you say, using AIs in Zoom is no problem... I use one in and one out... it's what Zoom does to the sound that Cleanfeed is avoiding.

[ef37a]

Ok well I Skype son in France quite regularly. I on a cheap Sennheiser headset and he on a decent capacitor mic and Eris 3.5 speakers. The sound quality is excellent, much better than Watsapp and even a straight phone call between smart phones.

He does not have a good internet connection* and we do get drop out but when it works it is fine.

*Can I be very cheeky and ask if there is a reader in France that could help me with his internet service please?

Dave.

[andy cross]

I used Clean Feed for a Radio 3 recording last year - presenter in Wales, interviewee with me, producer somewhere on the south coast (I think) and an engineer rounding things up in Glasgow. After an initial hiccough with the presenter's line it all went smoothly. Very straightforward to link up (but needs Chrome browser to run).

[Mike Stranks]

I used Clean Feed for a Radio 3 recording last year - presenter in Wales, interviewee with me, producer somewhere on the south coast (I think) and an engineer rounding things up in Glasgow. After an initial hiccough with the presenter's line it all went smoothly. Very straightforward to link up (but needs Chrome browser to run).

Thanks Andy

I'm just going to download it now and start some experiments...

[al_diablo]

I've done some testing, and although the developer recommend using chrome, I've also had stable performance for simple recording (one source) using firefox on mojave and using an iphone with safari as the 'presenter' mic.

Just in case anyone was unsure about the requirement for chrome, it doesnt seem to be problematic in other broswers for me at least.

Thanks again to mike for making me aware of it

Alex

[Mike Stranks]

I've done some testing, and although the developer recommend using chrome, I've also had stable performance for simple recording (one source) using firefox on mojave and using an iphone with safari as the 'presenter' mic.

Just in case anyone was unsure about the requirement for chrome, it doesnt seem to be problematic in other broswers for me at least.

Thanks again to mike for making me aware of it

Alex

Thanks! Good to know!

My experiments have never got going due to having to produce material and 'get it out the door'... maybe in a few days' time!