Ultrasonic Microphones "obsolescence" (1 Viewer)

[pppppvvvv]

The attached notice from wildlife acoustics has realised my fears around the recent smartphone bat detectors to hit the market.

It's all very well buying a fairly cheap device which can be used with phone or tablet as a bat detector. But we are dependent on continued support for connections and functionality of the phone app. If any of these are discontinued, then the microphone could become pretty much unusable.

So, if you have echometer for apple, then it would probably be wise to purchase a spare connector.

Android presumably won't have this issue, but the excellent Bat Recorder software is very much a one off. Without that, we'd be struggling, and I can't see any alternative phone app. (I'd probably look to buying a laptop if I had to replace the app.)

 

[opisska]

What do you mean by the Bat Recorder software exactly and why is it "one off"? I have an EMT 2 Pro and it comes with an Android app, made and supported directly by WIldlife Acoustic.

In general, this who problem illustrates not a problem with ultrasonic microphones, but with iStuff. Buying iStuff is simply self-inflicted harm and this will hopefully make more people understand that

 

[pppppvvvv]

Yes, iStuff is a better way of describing this. But Android isn't immune from it..
My set up (dodotronic, not EMT) relies on a play store app called "Bat Recorder" which is excellent, but if that was to be discontinued / removed, then I'd need a rethink.

The whole set up is a supply chain! Android OS, phone manufacturer, app, anything could become incompatible, and give me a problem.
(The cable/connector, for me would be the least likely problem )

I did buy a mic which works on windows, Linux, android and apple, so would have options if the android setup no longer worked for me. Albeit expensive options.

 

[opisska]

Oh no I understand. I see the app is paid - which is good, because it provides some incentive to the developer to keep it alive. Maybe if they wanted to stop supporting it, they could be convinced to open source it at that point (since they would cease monetizing it anyway) and let others develop it - this is a great way to ensure continued support for old apps.

The benefit of Android here is that there isn't a central entity that could single-handedly screw you over - you have many HW vendors and you can even get completely free from Google, if you are willing to forgo their ecosystem. So there is much more possibility to solve breaks in the supply chain, than in the walled garden of Apple's ecosystem. It's still clearly not perfect - I have had my fair share of frustrations with the usual cycle of "new phone runs only on new Android, on which old apps don't run" .... Also the drawback is that the compatibility of HW is much less assured.

 

[pppppvvvv]

Yes, the hardware is a bit of a lottery.
I've had a phone and tablet accept the mic.
But also the same number that don't. Plus my Chromebook, which runs the app but doesnt accept the mic.