How do I record video on iOS with external audio interface?

I would like to record a camera video on my iPad, but I do not want to use the internal microphone.

I have a USB audio interface connected with the Camera Connection Kit, and the interface works flawlessly in audio apps. I can record multichannel audio no problem. iOS sets the audio interface as default audio device, so it's usually plug in & record, easy.

But the iOS camera app doesn't seem to work with the audio interface - it records silence when the audio interface is connected.

I want to record the video from the camera, and audio from the audio interface inputs.

Anyone found a way to do this with either a built-in or a free app? Thanks!

Solution 1:

On your iOS device, launch Camera App. Select the desired recording setting (eg. Video).

THEN plug in your external Audio Interface. Your camera connection kit should already be plugged in, but you should only plug the audio interface usb lead into it once the camera app is running.

Record. It will take in whatever is on channels 1 and 2 and record with your video stream.

NOTE: If you either close the Camera App, power down the iOS device, iOS device goes to sleep or you disconnect your interface - you will need to repeat the above procedure to capture again.

Other issue, these is NO INDICATION you are recording audio from the external interface - so you may want to test the procedure a few times to make sure you know it works for you so you can reproduce exactly in a real situation.

Solution 2:

Agree with previous answer, tested on IOS 10.3.2 iPhone SE with Zoom H5 as audio device.

MUST run built-in camera app first and select video mode. Set the H5 to iPad audio I/F device first, then plug-in.

I did find however that switching apps or re-running camera app did not cause the audio feed to stop. Unplugging H5 though did, then you have kill camera app and restart H5 to re-establish audio feed from H5.

As above, there is still no indication of audio source in use. Prove your process before using for real.

Solution 3:

I added to the answer, to stress that the sequnce of plugging in is important, “Your camera connection kit should already be plugged in, but you should only plug the audio interface usb lead into it once the camera app is running.“

However, today I’ve discovered that the camera app doesn’t reliably connect to the external audio interface, whatever sequence I connect devices in. Unfortunately, as someone else noted, you get no indication of whether the external audio is being recorded, until you play back your video. Even doing a test run isn’t a guarantee that the audio will record successfully the next time.

This must be a bug in the camera app, because I get rock-solid audio with other apps like Auria Pro and Apple’s Voice Memo.

For the record, I was using a 2018 iPad Pro, running iOS 13.4, with a Behringer UMC404HD and Apple’s USB3 Connection Kit.

Solution 4:

I have a MOTU 8pre-es audio interface, using it with an iPhone 8. It can operate into a computer with either ethernet, USB or thunderbolt. But it apparently can't be connected to a computer with any of those while using it to feed into an iOS device. I can use a computer or iOS device to control its input, output and other settings, but only thru wifi. I need to freshly boot the interface and then connect it the iOS device via camera connector and USB, as described in previous posts. I'd hoped to be able to record the multitrack audio simultaneously to a DAW in the MacBook Pro, but at this point, that doesn't appear possible.