Print

[RMDKJ]

Hello!! I may be buying an induction microphone soon. But, I don't know which kind of mic I should get. Any suggestions on which one(s) to buy? Thank you!!!

[eyore]

There's really only a choice of one 
Telephone pickup from Radioshack
http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=telephone%20pickup&origkw=telephone+pickup&sr=1

[ssanders79]

There's really only a choice of one 
Telephone pickup from Radioshack
http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=telephone%20pickup&origkw=telephone+pickup&sr=1

how well does this work with TVs?

[eyore]

Not tried but it should work well IF you can get near to a speaker. Considering how cheap they are, it's worth buying one and doing some tests. Works fine on my home TV set anyway (just tested it after reading this post).   

[ssanders79]

Thanks.  It looks like my RS has one in stock.

[pixelated]

If the TV uses a CRT, you might also get the hum from the flyback transformer.  It depends on how much sheilding the TV manufacturer decided to use.

[ssanders79]

Luckily the intended use would be on a HDTV.

[eyore]

Just shoved the mic against my HDTV speaker now (didn't do any settings or anything, just plugged the mic in, set the ZoomH2 to record and held the mic to one of the speakers (I was playing the Fantillusion parade I've just filmed and put onto DVD) and this was the raw result. Setting the gain and recording volume would probably have made it better but I didn't bother.
Have a listen.
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?6wsf0qrvjrpkyos

[pixelated]

Cool!  There still might be some other electronics in the TV that generate some interference or noise but not having that big transformer around helps a lot.

There are also the more generic telephone pickups:
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/DISTRIBUTED-BY-MCM-36-010-/36-010
I have a few that look very similar to this model that I got for $2 each at a surplus electronics store.  They are about 4-6 dB less sensitive than the Radio Shack model.

[PensFan66]

It works well on TV's - Thats what I tested it on when I first tried a recording before going to the parks.... Overall though, most TVs have a form of output on the back (Alot have a headphnone jack or you could use RCA -> Headphone on a laptop ...)

[eyore]

and some TVs have their speakers in strange inaccessible places (Hotel Disneyland DLRP - speaker is round the back and not enough room to get your arm around the TV into the cabinet) 

[pixelated]

That's why you bring along a length of stiff wire to make a bendable extension.

[eyore]

Now why didn't I think of that! 
I have some flexible garden wire (covered in green plastic) in my garden shed which would be almost invisible when holding the mic to a speaker in shrubbery when it's out of reach. Blast!
Oh well, there's always the next time.