Does a Smart Tablet make noise?

Post by **philchenevert** » November 16th, 2012, 9:04 pm

I am considering buying one (or having Santa bring me) of the new top of the line Android smart tablets to use as a computer to record with. Actually, to use in place of my PC. Of course I would add a keyboard if that would be required, but my question is how much noise do they make, and can they handle Audacity?

Right now, I have had to banish my poor PC to the closet because of the fan noise and communicate with it by long wires. It helps some, but not enough. So I am asking if anyone is using a pad/tablet to record with and if so, how much noise it makes.

I am not talking about a laptop but one of them new smart things similar to an iPad I guess.

Phil's beanie is spinning in anticipation. thanks

Post by **Darvinia** » November 16th, 2012, 9:23 pm

From the Audacity FAQs:

Will there be a version of Audacity for iPod, iPad or other smartphones or tablet computers?

Current versions of Audacity work internally with uncompressed audio to permit high quality editing with a wide range of effects. This requires more processing power and disk space than is available on most mobile devices. Also the wxWidgets interface library we use only has limited support for mobile operating systems and small screen resolutions.

Therefore, considerable rewriting of Audacity and its interface will be required before Audacity will work on portable music players like iPod, smartphones like iPhone, tablet computers like iPad or any of the Nexus devices running Android.

However, Audacity in principle does support a tablet PC running Windows XP (including Windows XP Tablet PC Edition), Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8. Audacity will not run on the Windows RT version of Windows 8 which is only meant for the new "Modern" style Windows applications.

There are many alternatives available for lightweight recording or editing on mobile platforms:

Android: TapeMachine Recorder
iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad:
VC Audio Pro
Monle
iSaidWhat?!
Symbian: Mixx Mobile
Windows Mobile: WavePad for CE (free).

I'm also looking at these and comparison shopping so will be following this thread for suggestions and opinions! Thanks Phil for asking it.

Post by **TriciaG** » November 16th, 2012, 9:48 pm

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain tablets do not contain a fan like laptop or desktop computers do. They do get hot as a consequence, but they don't make noise.

What you could do is record on that device, then export (make sure the kind you get has a smart card slot to move files!) to your regular computer for editing in Audacity.

Post by **philchenevert** » November 16th, 2012, 10:32 pm

And the answer is ...... Audacity does NOT run on Android or iPad devices. It is built around something that makes this impossible without a total rewrite and that won't happen.

So I will not be buying a tablet in the near future since it won't do my basic requirements.

I had visions of a slim elegant Tablet sitting in front of me, doing magical things while I recorded.

On the other hand, everything is working well with my PC and I can always Noise Reduce. Clarence, my pet pickle doesn't care.

Post by **annise** » November 16th, 2012, 11:07 pm

Most people in a similar situation (noisy computer) record on a hand held something and then edit it - means you can't edit on the go though,

Anne

To Posterity and Beyond! · Post by **Cori** » November 17th, 2012, 4:02 am

I use my relatively-cheap Android tablet to read from, Phil, and just run the mic cable wire a long way away to the laptop, which is also in a box to cut down noise. So I don't know if that kind of halfway house might improve your setup at all?

Alternatively, a solid state drive laptop (or something with a very quiet fan like a Chromebook; not a recommendation, just something I've read about recently so have on the mind.)

Post by **aradlaw** » November 17th, 2012, 5:51 am

I saw your question Phil and recorded the Weekly Poem on my Blackberry Playbook just to test. There was more noise using the Playbook than my AKG mic & computer. I took the Playbook into the quiet bedroom and recorded again (both recordings on battery power) - same noise level came from the bedroom recording which took two NR passes to reduce, there was also DC bias of -2 (Checker). The Playbook records as .wav

Post by **philchenevert** » November 17th, 2012, 9:10 am

Thank you DAvid and Cori. That is good information from a real life experiment. The Noise REduction in Audacity is so good that it's temptimg to not worry about constant hums and buzzs but it can't be good for the recording. that's why I am exploring better equipment and ways to cut down environmental noise.

Post by **knotyouraveragejo** » November 17th, 2012, 11:10 am

As far as I have been able to determine, at the moment Android tablets do not support drivers for the typical condenser style USB microphones that most librivoxers use. I also suspect you would need a powered USB hub to supply the phantom power needed by these mics. At least this was true for Android tablets running operating systems up to and including ice cream sandwich. I haven't tried it again since mine was upgraded to jellybean. You would also need to choose a tablet with a usb port or buy a suitable adapter.

carolb · Post by **carolb** » November 17th, 2012, 1:00 pm

Ice cream sandwich?

jellybean?

...oh well, I suppose they go quite well with apple!

Carol

To Posterity and Beyond! · Post by **Cori** » November 17th, 2012, 1:07 pm

Mine is still on Gingerbread

k5hsj · Post by **k5hsj** » November 17th, 2012, 2:41 pm

Not to try to dissuade anyone from indulging their sweet tooth,

but if you're willing to go the Apple Way, David Richardson describes his use of an iPad for recording (but not editing). viewtopic.php?f=23&t=41408

Winston

Raybrite · Post by **Raybrite** » November 18th, 2012, 1:12 am

I am using all sorts of weird stuff that isn't supposed to work.
I recorded my last several Chapters on my netbook and then transferred it to a usb flash drive and then to an old computer that I have that is running on Windows 7. Things seem to be going well with that.
I do need to make several passes with the Noise reducer in Audacity set pretty high to get rid of some of the noise though some of it is from motorcycles going down the street and things like that.
Just use the filters in Audacity and things will clean up for you.
(Of course I am losing my hearing in one ear and it is gone in the other.)
Ken

Post by **aradlaw** » November 18th, 2012, 5:12 am

Typically Ken, a few low value NR passes in Audacity (getting a new 'noise sample' for the next pass) is preferable than one NR pass at high values.
For example my NR values are usually set at 10; 0.00; 150; 0.01

Slithy · Post by **Slithy** » August 25th, 2014, 11:19 pm

I know this is a very old thread, but is there anyone in the community that has current recording practice on android? My computer is quite loud and is located near an air conditioner that cools a good deal of the house, so I would like to use my tablet. I tried using "USB Audio Recorder" with an OTG cable and my Blue Yeti, but I'm getting a strange hum whenever I record on the tablet and I'm not sure of the cause.