Posted on 04/19/2015 8:02:12 AM PDT by Auslander154
Baby monitor?
Ping...
***I’ve pinged the outdoor/wildlife folks here on FR. For what it is worth, Auslander... you are a good nephew and I hope you find your answer for your Aunt. I know there are CD’s and tapes that have wildlife sounds but your Aunt sounds like she is missing her own backyard beautiful sounds. Good luck to you. (((Hugs))) Mom
My 1st thought 2.Had one in the barn for monitoring new born calves worked ok although needs to be undercover
“The chimes are about 30 feet from her bedroom window.”
Can you open the window?
Record the chimes and play them back in a loop on an MP3 player.
Harbor Freight has an outdoor camera with audio for about $30.00.
She could see and hear her chimes.
I’ve done this at my rural location. Freedom being what it is (not) these days, be careful of running afoul of criminal eavesdropping laws, electronically monitoring people without their knowledge or consent, which for all I know is probably a felony these days, just like everything else is.
Just go on eBay (Americas best China shopping center) and search for “wireless microphone FM transmitter”. Skip over the tiny ones that a pictured next to a coin and for under $10 you’ll find some that have a digital display that shows the FM frequency they transmit on, which is necessary if you’re using a modern FM receiver with a digital dial. There are models that can be powered with a standard phone charger, which is $6 from Walmart. Just pick an FM frequency that is unused in your area and you can leave it on 24/7. Who knows you might pick up some interesting conversations if anyone wanders into the yard...
Will the microphone be covered or exposed to the elements?
Try creating a stereo or quadraphonic set up — two or four microphones, and then two or four speakers connected to the respective pickup sources outside. Place the output speakers in the corners of the room where she spends most of her time. For ambient sounds, instead of using microphones use six-inch or eight-inch speakers as pickups. Place a light layer of foam behind the protective grill to dampen wind noise. Get an inexpensive pre-amp/mixing board to adjust the balance of each out put until it sounds like it should.
I forgot about seeing the chimes. Good point.
I tried to record thunder echoing in the clouds during a spring rain once. All I got was the sound of the rain. Seems you need to capture the frequencies below 50 hz, down to about 5 hz and be able to reproduce them. That pretty much eliminates consumer grade equipment.
You’re a darn good nephew.
Do you know what she can and cannot hear?
Is it a reduced frequency range or reduced sound levels that are the problem?
Once you know that you can address the specs of the microphone. With limited frequency perception a super sensotive and expensive mike is over engineering.
Maybe a shotgun mike at the window will do the job. Higher frequencies generally get lost first in the elderly. What you don’t want is automatic gain control to cut out what she wants to hear.
I appreciate all the helpful suggestions here. It is a bit frustrating replying and having to wait until a moderator approves my reply posts.
I really want to set up a good sounding system with good amplitude. This morning I found these two items on Amazon:
- an outdoor microphone
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K0LEYB0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=EQXMZ1ETBLAD&coliid=IX6LP4TL4TZCO
and this amplifier
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00378GEAM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=EQXMZ1ETBLAD&coliid=I1LWZGYEM84N3P
I’m hoping the amplifier accepts this mic. If not, well it’s Amazon, and I can send it back.
She cannot hear her chimes even with the windows open. I thought about the wireless FM possibility - not sure about the sound quality or broadcasting my aunt’s chimes to the whole community - lol.
She has difficulties with the low sounds, and you really have to speak up for her to hear conversations. I know she can hear the chimes if she is right up to them and the wind is blowing them about.
I am sending off this reply post. Don’t know when it will get posted, but thank you one and all for your kind help.
Thank you much for the Outdoor/Wildlife connect-ping.
That was considerate of you.
I hope momof3 gets to put her feet up sometime today :)
I don’t know if wife and I ever got to do that, and we just had one son running around.
One more thing - Do you think a shotgun mike would pick up the sound of the chimes 30 feet away ? If it was in her room, would it also pick up the sound of the TV in her room?
I plan to keep the microphone under the house eaves in the screened porch. Should mostly be protected from the elements. The mic just needs to pick up the ambient sounds about 20 feet away. She actually has 3 sets of very nice long tubular harmonic chimes hanging from the trees
Your setup sounds ideal. Don’t I need some kind of amplifier connection the mics and speakers ? Can you connect the microphones directly to box speakers ?
The shotgun mikes as rule have a narrow angle of reception. Almost all cut out or have greatly reduced wide side and rear pickup.
will take a peek at the ones you flagged.
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