Looking for advice from audio expert. How to wirelessly monitor a microphone.

By Andy Lane, 15 October, 2023

Forum
Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories

My guide dog has been eating things in the garden which he really shouldn’t be and I’m unable to monitor what he’s doing because if I’m close enough to hear him eating, he knows and obviously won’t do it.

So I have an idea.

If I can hang a wireless microphone around his neck or clip it to his collar and listen to what he’s doing on my iPhone, I’ll know when he’s eating something from in the house.

I don’t know what equipment I’ll need though. I’m guessing obviously a wireless mic, does anyone have any suggestions and an App that will allow remote monitoring of the mic but I don’t know which apps will enable this.

I did think about hanging my phone off his collar and using an EarPod in listening mode for people with hearing problems but I don’t think he’ll act naturally when he has my phone on his collar. A tiny Mic though, I don’t think he’d care about that.

If anyone has any other creative solutions to do this, I’d really appreciate any ideas. I don’t mind spending a little money but I really do want to be able to know so I can train it out of him, He’s such a great dog. It won’t take many times of catching him and him knowing I know to correct the behaviour, I just need to know how to do it.

The Rohde wireless mics that are about £150 look like quite a good option but would that allow monitoring?

Thanks so much for any help with this little project.

Options

Comments

By Brian on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

This? Alternatively, you "could" look into modern baby monitors. The kind that connect to smartphones. Don't laugh, they are a thing.

By Bruce Harrell on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

Personally, if you know your doggy's favorite, I'd buy a can of cayenne and sprinkle it all over the plant(s). I only had to do this once to break my cats of the habit.

Otherwise, any inexpensive small clip on to the doggy collar mic will work that can be paired to the iPhone via bluetooth. I suppose you could use garage band or logic pro x to monitor, but that's overkill unless you want to turn your doggy's bad habit into viral rap music. There are dozens of simple apps that would serve.

Bad dog!

Bruce

By Andy Lane on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

I didn’t realise how inexpensive wireless mics were. I thought this would be a pretty substantial investment, not less than a pizza. Bryan gets to be VP now. lol. Bruce, I wish I could spray his favourite plant but the problem is, it’s not plants he’s eating. Occasionally he’ll… well without being too graphic have a snack that he’s left earlier. It’s so disgusting it turns my stomach. Maybe I could wrap about that into garage band.

My doggy eat da doo doo,
It’s some kinda voodoo
Yo yo bang bang,
A wicky wick wick wicky wick

By Bruce Harrell on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

Not to put too fine a point on it, but as we know from experience, all things can be seasoned.

By Andy Lane on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

You know what else they say? You can’t polish a 3rd.
And I can’t get in trouble because I said 3rd. Hehe

By Brian on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

What does the fox say? 😹

By Andy Lane on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

No joke, He’s a fricken nightmare. If I let him off his lead and theres some fox poop to roll in. There’s nothing going to stop him. It’s so bad that I have to pay for someone to take him out with his friends twice a week because I can’t deal with bathing him every time I take him out. I saw in another post, you’d retired your dog. I’m really sorry mate. It must be really hard to go from having a dog with all that freedom and happiness that comes with a dog to just getting photo’s described.

Are you getting a new dog soon? I don’t know how I’d cope without a dog. I’m completely blind but have never used any navigation aid other than a dog. I’ve been pretty lucky so far and only had 1 6 months wait between dog 1 and 2. The other 2 I got the new dog while I kept the old one. It’s a lot of work having more than 1 and I don’t know if I would do it again because my 3rd got really really depressed when I got the forth. I kept her for the right reasons because we were so close but it was the wrong thing to do looking back and I think I’d let someone I know have my dog before getting a new one.

By Bruce Harrell on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

Have you considered putting a muzzle on him. I mea you dog, not people on this post.

By Brian on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

I will definitely get another guide dog someday. I absolutely suck with cane travel.
The issue is that I am dealing with an old knee injury from way back in my youth; I grew up in a coastal town, and pretty much lived at the beach. did a ton of outdoor sports; surfing, kayaking, canoeing, wake boarding, jet skiing, skate boarding, roller blading, dirt biking, etc, and am now paying the price for it.

I too am fully blind, but as you can probably guess, was not always.
Regarding the knee, I've had cortisone injections under the kneecap, and now looks like I may need surgery. And while I cannot speak for other guide dog schools, I can say for certain that The Seeing Eye demands its students are capable of walking several miles daily. Which at the moment, I cannot do very well.

Getting old sucks. True story.

By Bruce Harrell on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

It sure beats the alternative! smile

Blink. Looking around guiltily. did we stray off topic?

By Andy Lane on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

Oh you meant for the dog. I thought it was for… Nah I wouldn’t be mean enough to name names. lol. Got you going though.

I have actually thought about it for Huxley but I really don’t want to, it feels wrong and he’s such a happy, sweet and sensitive dog. I think he’d be confused more than anything.

Brian, that really sucks. I tell you how much cane work I’ve done in my life. Uhm, just totalling up the totaliser before drum roll please.

1 day training in my early 20’s I do own one but its all dusty and the roller isn’t even scuffed. It’s a nice one though. Really light weight so it doesn’t put too much strain on the shelf that has to support it. Hehe

I have a feeling it’s going to catch up with me one day and I’ll regret not using it but it hasn’t happened yet.

I thought you were young TBH.

Bruce, I have a feeling we may have strayed just a little bit but I’ve never been told off yet. I’ve managed to duck and dive being put on the naughty step but I think this thread is broken beyond fixing.

To attempt getting back on track. I did buy a cheep wireless mic, it came a couple of hours ago. Amazon is quick. I only ordered it at lunch. 2 problems though, its quality is just bad plus when I clip it on his collar his fur rubs the mic so you can’t hear even the bad quality.

I’ll try it a couple more times on different parts of his collar but it may be one of my amazing ideas that didn’t quite work out.

By Brian on Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 03:38

Nah, I'm not young. I just play a young person on tv. As for staying on target (no Star Wars comments please..), I still say if all else fails, a baby monitor system that works with your iPhone could do wonders. 🤷🏻‍♂️