[Bob Kessler]

Also look into the juicedLink CX 231.

[Bob Kessler]

You may also want to check out:

jwsound.net

https://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.movies.production.sound/topics

Both are forums for production sound professionals.

You may also want to check out filmsound.org; a more general sound-for-picture site, but lots of interesting reading and history.

[Bob Kessler]

There is no such thing as “good” and “cheap”. The AT2020 and the Blue Snowball are serviceable USB mics in the $100 – $150 range.

The deep bass voice is the voice, not the mic, plus the great mic technique of the owner of the voice.

[Bob Kessler]

I haven’t been able to track down a definitive answer, but it is my understanding that it is treated as a public domain sound clip. As it has been used in somewhere between 150 and 200 films without a lawsuit I would assume that it is safe to use without infringement. Please, don’t use it; it’s become a much overused cliche.

There is a wealth of information – minus the rights info – on IMDB and other places as well as a few usage compilations on YouTube.

[Bob Kessler]

I’m sure you’ve already checked, but…

Have you checked the routings in the Audio/MIDI set-up menu?

Are you sure that it is an optical problem and not an audio problem (audio routing is correct, speakers are on and properly connected, etc.)?

Are you using the original, MKII or MKIII?

What DAW are you using?

Nor sure about MOTU and the 828, but some units are finicky if you don’t use both the optical in and out.