Three other types of special-purpose microphones war- rant mention: the recording microphone, the ice zone mic, and the underwater mic.

Many recorders have built-in microphones. Now there is a microphone with a built-in recorder. The recording microphone model shown in figure 5-62 combines an omnidirectional capacitor mic with a digital recorder that uses flash memory. (Flash memory can be electrically erased and reprogrammed without the need for power to maintain the information stored on the chip.) This easily portable all-in-one system greatly facilitates audio production in the field (see chapter 14). For a discussion of flash recorders, see chapter 7.

The ice zone mic is designed for implantation in an ice rink to pick up the skating sounds. The underwater mic, or hydrophone, is designed for recording sound underwater. Incidentally, if the need arises to record sound underwater in the absence of a specially designed under- water mic, wrapping a small conventional mic in a thin, airtight plastic cover will work. Of course, the connector cannot be submerged.

Chapter 5 Microphones