Flashmic DRM85-C Cardioid Digital Recording Microphone

The HHB FlashMic is the world's first professional digital recording microphone. HHB has expanded the FlashMic range with a cardioid version: the FlashMic DRM85-C. It combines a high-quality, Sennheiser cardioid condenser capsule with an inbuilt, broadcast-quality Flash recorder. FlashMic is a convenient, easy to operate and durable recorder that's perfect for use in all voice recording applications, including press and broadcast journalism, radio interviewing, podcasting, meetings, etc.

With no messy cables, just one button press is all it takes to start recording in either linear or MPEG 2 formats. Simple 'drag and drop' file transfer at up to 70x real time to a Mac or PC for editing or onward transmission is enabled by a 'plug and play' USB connection. Two AA batteries provide more than 8 hours continuous power and, with a 0 - 10 seconds prerecord buffer and 1GB of flash memory, you can be sure that you'll never miss a word of that important interview with a FlashMic. With a total capacity of 999 tracks and more than 18 hours recording to 1GB of internal Flash memory, FlashMic entirely eliminates the worry of running out of tape or disc space. Holding the record button down for more than 2 seconds locks the FlashMic in record mode for complete security during, for instance, podium recordings, and visible warnings of low battery life and low recording memory add further peace of mind.
Pressing the record button briefly during a recording inserts a location marker which can be read by popular editing applications.

With AA batteries included as standard, the FlashMic operates 'straight out of the box'. However journalists and news organizations will welcome the included FlashMic Manager PC/Macintosh software to configure the FlashMic for specific applications and streamlined workflow.

Flashmic manager software
FlashMic Manager PC/Mac software (supplied) allows FlashMic functions to be configured and stored in 9 user presets. Presets can be setup and then downloaded to non-volatile memory in the FlashMic via its USB port.

In an organization with multiple users, every FlashMic can be given its own name which appears in every track name recorded by that microphone. Alongside the major recorder functions, the 9 user presets can be used to store a broadcast or interview session name which also appears in the track names. So, when FlashMic JOHN is interviewing Oasis in the morning and the ENO in the afternoon, track file names can be preconfigured as JOHN_OASIS_TRK001, etc., and JOHN_ENO_TRK020, etc. A Company Name, Reporter Name and Reporter's Notes can be stored with each preset, which is embedded in every file along with the Date and Time stamp, providing users with an unrivaled range of facilities for the naming and organization of files.

Connectivity
The HHB FlashMic recording microphone has a built in USB port for fast transfer of recorded data to a computer. Both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 protocols are supported.
The headphone socket accepts a standard 3.5mm jack. The mono signal from the A/D converter is buffered and sent to both channels of the headphone jack. The output from the headphone socket can also be connected to the analogue line-in on any soundcard, should external recording be required.

Capsule
The high-quality Sennheiser cardioid microphone capsule is specially shockmounted to minimize the transference of mechanical and handling noise through the microphone body.

Drag and drop file transfer
Downloading recordings to Macintosh or PC computers is extremely straightforward. Connecting via USB with the cable supplied, files are transferred from the FlashMic using Windows Explorer or the Macintosh Finder. The HHB FlashMic mounts as a USB mass storage device, and the audio files appear in a folder in the root directory.

All the presence of a serious broadcast microphone
Alongside the obvious advantages of pristine sound quality, ease-of-use, dependability and enhanced workflow, FlashMic also brings the additional benefit of an imposing physical presence ” which, as experienced journalists know, can be invaluable in a 'media scrum'!