manual/configure_rockbox/recording_settings.tex

   1 % $Id:$ %
   2 \screenshot{main_menu/images/ss-recording-settings}{The recording settings screen}{}
   3
   4 \note{To change the location where recordings are stored open the
   5       \setting{Context Menu} (see \reference{ref:Contextmenu}) on the directory
   6       where you want to store them in the \setting{File Browser} and select
   7       \setting{Set As Recording Directory}.}
   8
   9 \opt{masf}{
  10   \section{Quality}
  11     Choose the quality here (0 to 7). Default is 5, best quality is 7,
  12     smallest file size is 0. This setting effects how much your sound
  13     sample will be compressed. Higher quality settings result in larger
  14     MP3 files.
  15
  16     The quality setting is just a way of selecting an average bit rate,
  17     or number of  bits per second, for a recording.  When  this setting
  18     is lowered, recordings are compressed more (meaning worse sound quality),
  19     and the average bitrate changes as follows.
  20
  21   \begin{table}[h!]
  22       \begin{rbtabular}{0.75\textwidth}{lX}%
  23         {\emph{Frequency} & \emph{Bitrate} (Kbit/s) -- quality 0$\rightarrow$7}{}{}
  24         44100~Hz stereo   & 75, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 170 \\
  25         22050~Hz stereo   & 39, 41, 45, 50,  60,  80,  110, 130 \\
  26         44100~Hz mono     & 65, 68, 73, 80,  90,  105, 125, 140 \\
  27         22050~Hz mono     & 35, 38, 40, 45,  50,  60,  75,  90 \\
  28       \end{rbtabular}
  29   \end{table}
  30 }
  31
  32 \opt{swcodec}{
  33   \section{Format}
  34     Choose which format to save your recording in. The available choices are
  35     the two uncompressed formats \setting{PCM Wave} and \setting{AIFF}, the
  36     losslessly compressed \setting{WavPack} and the lossy
  37         \setting{MPEG Layer 3}.
  38
  39   \section{Encoder Settings}
  40     This sets the bitrate when using the \setting{MPEG Layer 3} format. And has
  41     no settings for the other formats.
  42 }
  43
  44   \section{Frequency}
  45    \nopt{sansa}{
  46     Choose the recording frequency (sample rate).
  47     \opt{masf}{48~kHz, 44.1~kHz, 32~kHz, 24~kHz, 22.05~kHz, 16~kHz}
  48     \opt{h100,h300}{44.1~kHz, 22.05~kHz and 11.025~kHz}
  49     \opt{x5}{88.2~kHz, 44.1~kHz, 22.05~kHz and 11.025~kHz}
  50     \opt{sansaAMS}{96~kHz, 88.2~kHz, 64~kHz, 48~kHz, 44.1~kHz, 32~kHz, 24~kHz, %
  51         22.05~kHz, 16~kHz, 12~kHz, 11.025~kHz and 8~kHz}
  52     \opt{gigabeats}{48~kHz, 44.1~kHz, 32~kHz, 24~kHz, 22.05~kHz, 16~kHz, 12~kHz, %
  53         11.025~kHz and 8~kHz}
  54     are available. Higher sample rates use up more disk space, but give better
  55     sound quality.
  56     \opt{swcodec}{\note{The 11.025~kHz setting is not available when using %
  57       \setting{MPEG Layer 3} format.}
  58     }%
  59     \opt{masf}{
  60       The frequency setting also determines which version of the MPEG standard
  61       the sound is recorded using:\\
  62       MPEG v1 for 48~kHz, 44.1~kHz and 32~kHz.\\
  63       MPEG v2 for 24~kHz, 22.05~kHz and 16~kHz.\\
  64     }
  65     \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm,h100}
  66       {\note{You cannot change the sample rate for digital recordings.}
  67     }
  68    } % nopt sansa
  69    \opt{sansa}{
  70        Recordings can only be made at a 22.05~kHz frequency (sample rate)
  71          on this \dap.
  72     } % opt sansa
  73
  74 \section{Source}
  75   Choose the source of the recording. The options are:
  76   \opt{recorder,recorderv2fm,h100}{\setting{SPDIF (digital)}, }%
  77   \nopt{ipodnano,ipodvideo}{\setting{Mic}\nopt{radio}
  78     {\nopt{recorder,m5,ipod4g,ipodcolor}{,} and }}%
  79   \nopt{sansa,sansaAMS}{\nopt{ipodnano,ipodvideo,recorder,m5,ipod4g,ipodcolor}%
  80     {, }\setting{Line In}}%
  81   \nopt{radio}{.}
  82   \opt{radio}{and {\setting{FM Radio}}. For more information on recording from the radio
  83     see \reference{ref:FMradio}.}
  84
  85 \section{Channels}
  86   This allows you to select mono or stereo recording. Please note that
  87   for mono recording, only the left channel is recorded. Mono recordings
  88   are usually somewhat smaller than stereo.
  89
  90 \opt{swcodec}{
  91   \section{Mono Mode}
  92     When configured to record to mono and the source is a stereo signal, use this
  93     setting to configure how the mono signal is created. Options are L, R and L+R.
  94 }
  95
  96 \opt{masf}{
  97   \section{Independent Frames}
  98     The independent frames option tells the \dap{} to encode with the bit
  99     reservoir disabled, so the frames are independent of each other. This
 100     makes a file easier to edit.
 101 }
 102
 103 \section{File Split Options}
 104   This sub menu contains options for file splitting, which can be used to split
 105   up long recordings into manageable pieces. The splits are seamless (frame
 106   accurate), no audio is lost at the split point. The break between recordings
 107   is only the time required to stop and restart the recording, on the order of
 108   2 -- 4 seconds.
 109   \begin{description}
 110     \item[Split Measure.]
 111       This option controls wether to split the recording when the
 112       \setting{Split Filesize} is reached or when the
 113       \setting{Split Time} has elapsed.
 114
 115     \item[What to do when Splitting.]
 116       This controls what will happend when the splitting condition is
 117       fullfilled the two available options here are
 118       \setting{Start a new file} or \setting{Stop recording}.
 119
 120     \item[Split Time.]
 121       Set the time to record between each split, if time is used as
 122       \setting{Split Measure}.\\
 123       Options (hours:minutes between splits): Off, 00:05, 00:10, 00:15, 00:30,
 124       1:00, 1:14 (74 minute CD), 1:20 (80 minute CD), 2:00, 4:00, 8:00, 10:00,
 125       12:00, 18:00, 24:00.
 126
 127     \item[Split Filesize.]
 128       Set the filesize to record between each split, if filesize is used as
 129       \setting{Split Measure}.
 130
 131   \end{description}
 132
 133 \section{Prerecord Time}
 134     This setting buffers a small amount of audio so that when the record button
 135     is pressed, the recording will begin from that number of seconds earlier.
 136     This is useful for ensuring that a recording begins before a cue that is
 137     being waited for.
 138
 139 \section{Clear Recording Directory}
 140     Resets the location where the recorded files are saved to the root of your
 141     \daps{} drive.
 142
 143 \nopt{ondio}{
 144   \section{Clipping Light}
 145     Causes the backlight to flash on when clipping has been detected.\\
 146     Options: \setting{Off}, \setting{Main unit only},
 147     \setting{Main and remote unit}, \setting{Remote unit only}.
 148 }
 149 \section{Trigger}
 150   When you record a source you often are only interested in the sound and not
 151   the silence in between. The recording trigger provides you with a
 152   tool to automatically distinguish between sound and silence and record the
 153   sound only.  Unfortunately it is not very easy to make this distinction between
 154   silence and sound because you hardly ever encounter real silence. There always
 155   are background noises. What is considered as background noise depends on the
 156   situation. For example during a lecture the very low noise of rustling paper
 157   might be considered as background noise. During a rock concert the murmur of
 158   the audience might be concidered background noise which is much louder compared
 159   to rustling paper. Also the duration of the signal matters. When you record
 160   speech you want to record every syllable. When you record live music you may
 161   not be interested in that chord the guitarist strokes for two minutes before
 162   the show to verify his amp is turned on. The trigger features numerous
 163   parameters to adapt its behaviour to the desired situation.
 164   \begin{description}
 165   \item[Trigger.]
 166         This parameter specifies the trigger mode.  When set to \setting{Off}
 167         the recording must be started manually and apart from the Prerecord time no
 168         other parameter has any effect.  \setting{Once} will have the trigger start
 169         one recording only; after the recording has finished the input signal will
 170         not start another recording. \setting{Repeat} will have the trigger start
 171         multiple recordings.
 172
 173   \item[Trigtype.]
 174     \fixme{Add description of Trigtype}
 175         Options: \setting{Stop}, \setting{Pause}, \setting{New File}.
 176
 177   \item[Prerecord Time.]
 178     This specifies the time that is included into the recording before the
 179         trigger event occurs. This is very useful if you record a signal that
 180        fades in. Usually you want to set the prerecord time greater than or
 181         equal to the start duration. That ensures that you record the entire
 182         sound. Strictly speaking the prerecord time is not a special parameter
 183         of the trigger. It is available during normal recordings too.
 184
 185   \item[Start Above.]
 186         The start threshold defines the minimal volume a sound must have to start the
 187         recording. It is displayed numerically in the line "Start Above". Note that
 188         the unit of the threshold depends on the settings of the peak meter. (i.e.
 189         When the peak meter displays db you can adjust the level in db and when the
 190         peak meter is set to linear the threshold is displayed as percentage.) In the
 191         peak meter at the bottom of the screen the start threshold is displayed
 192         graphically by a little triangle pointing to the right. There are two special
 193         values. The value \setting{Off} turns the start condition off.  With this
 194         setting you have to start the recording manually and the trigger only stops
 195         the recording according to the stop condition. The setting \setting{-inf}
 196         sets the trigger to the absolute minimum. This setting only makes sense when
 197         you record via a digital input as even the noise of the device itself would
 198         exceed this threshold immediately.
 199
 200   \item[for at least.]
 201         The start duration defines the minimal duration that a signal must exceed the
 202         start threshold to start the recording. Depending on your situation you may
 203         want to set this setting to 0 (e.g. when copying a song from a commercial
 204         medium) or to quite big values. Because sound is not continuous by nature
 205         (think of percussion) neglectable dropouts are tolerated during this start
 206         duration.
 207
 208   \item[Stop Below.]
 209         When the sound level drops below the stop threshold the recording is stopped.
 210         It is displayed numerically in the line "Stop Below". Just like the start
 211         threshold the unit of the stop threshold depends on the settings of the peak
 212         meter. There's also a small triangular marker in the peak meter at the bottom
 213         of the screen. In contrast to the start threshold marker it points to the
 214         left. The value \setting{Off} turns the stop condition off. With this setting you
 215         have to stop the recording manually.
 216
 217   \item[for at least.]
 218     This time specifies the duration the signal must drop below the stop
 219         threshold to stop the recording. By selecting high values you can ensure
 220         that, for example, trailing fade-outs are recorded entirely.
 221
 222   \item[Presplit Gap.]
 223     When the signal drops below the stop threshold for the time specified by the
 224         presplit gap a new recording may be started when the signal raises above the
 225         start threshold. Thus the value of the presplit gap should be smaller than
 226         the stop hold time. Otherwise the recording would stop anyway and the
 227         presplit gap has no effect. For most uses I recommend to set this parameter
 228         equal to the stop hold time. Sometimes you may encounter a sound source (e.g.
 229         a CD) where the songs have fade outs and hardly any gaps between the tracks.
 230         Here you can set the stop hold time to long values to ensure that all fade
 231         outs are recorded completely. By specifying a short presplit gap you still
 232         can split the recording into seperate tracks whenever the trigger start
 233         condition is met.
 234
 235   \end{description}
 236
 237 More information can be found at \wikilink{VolumeTriggeredRecording}.
 238
 239 \opt{h100,h300}{%
 240   \section{Automatic Gain Control}
 241     The \setting{Automatic Gain Control} has five different presets for
 242     automatically controlling the gain while recording.
 243     \begin{description}
 244       \item[Safety (clip).]
 245         This preset will lower the gain when the levels get too high (-1~dB)
 246         and will never increase gain.
 247
 248       \item[Live (slow).]
 249         This preset is designed to be used for recording of live shows and has
 250         quite large headroom for loud parts. It heads for a nominal target peak
 251         level of -9~dB and will slowly increase or decrease gain to reach it.
 252
 253       \item[DJ-Set (slow).]
 254         This preset heads for a nominal target peak level of -5~dB and will
 255         slowly increase or decrease gain to reach it.
 256
 257       \item[Medium.]
 258         This preset heads for a nominal target peak level of -6~dB and will
 259         increase or decrease gain to reach it.
 260
 261       \item[Voice (fast).]
 262         This preset is designed to be used for voice recording and heads for a
 263         nominal target peak level of -7~dB and will quickly increase or
 264         decrease gain to reach it.
 265     \end{description}
 266
 267   \section{AGC clip time}
 268     This setting controls how long the level is too loud or soft before the
 269     \setting{Automatic Gain Control} kicks in.
 270 }%
 271
 272