Posted by Richard Crowley on 02/16/06 18:39

"peter" wrote ...
> Is there such a thing as audio de-echo filter?

There are some high-end solutions which likely cost several times more
than your camcorder costs, and take significant experience to operate
effectively. http://www.cedar-audio.com/

For amateur use, you might be able to get some improvement by
"gating" the audio track. i.e. substantially reduce the volume of any
part of the track that is not as loud as the dialog, etc. Some software
will do this automatically, but we don't know what you are using?

> Some of my recordings done with on-camera mics would sound better if I
> could remove some of the echo.

On-camera mics are not useful for recording anything beyond
background sounds/noise. They were never meant to pick up
anything important more than 12 inches away. Yes, people who
make cameras (and some who make after-market microphones)
will make you think you can record everything from a camera-
monted microphone. But consider this: You have likely NEVER
heard anything in a theatre that was record with an on-camera
microphone. And you could go for weeks without hearing any
camera-mic audio on TV (even run-n-gun news & "reality" shows.)

We have not yet found a work-around for the laws of physics.
Decent sound requires getting the microphone closer to the talker.
Hand-held, clip-on lapel, boom, wireless, whatever. But unless
you are shooting close-ups for pimple cream or tooth-whitening
gadgets, the on-camera mic is just too far away.

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