USB connect Menu

[Arbus33]

Hello,
When I connect my E-M5 Mark III to the PC USB a menu is displayed on the camera with 4 lines :

Storage
MTP
PCM Recorder
Exit



The manual explains only the first, to copy pictures.
The last is self explanatory (when selected it ask to remove the USB cable).

But what is the use of "MTP" and "PCM Recorder" ?
I looked on the web without any success.
Thanks for any insight.

 

[Erich_H]

MTP stands for Media Transfer Protocol.

MTP works differently from USB mass storage. Instead of showing your SD cards full file system to the pc, MTP operates at the file level.

When you connect your camera to the pc, the pc asks the camera for media files, and the camera answers the pc with a list of files.
In this case: pictures or videos.

No big difference from Storage. But, if you, as I often do, save a copy of the manual in PDF format to the card, you wouldn't see this file in MTP mode.

But in Storage mode you can see it.

PCM is an audio recording format.

So, I guess your pc would be able to record sound through the camera's microphones when using audio recording software on your pc.

But here, I'm only guessing.

 

[Arbus33]

Thanks for your precise info. Good idea to put the manual on the card.
I'll have to try the Pcm recorder, it is the option wich seems to need an entry in the manual !

 

[Erich_H]

Thanks for your precise info. Good idea to put the manual on the card.
I'll have to try the Pcm recorder, it is the option wich seems to need an entry in the manual !

Yes. Please tell what happens with the PCM.
I'm not sure if I have that option. I'm always taking the SD card out of the camera and putting it in the PC card reader. Then I don't have to find the box with the USB cable... ?

 

[Arbus33]

Well, I tried and the camera displays "wait a moment" (in french here) for a long time (until I switch off). On the PC I had a message saying the camera is ready, in the list of "Bluetooth and others". M'y desktop PC doesn't have Bluetooth. Nothing to be seen in Workplace. So I am still curious. How such an option in a menu could be so undocumented ? And I want to use my camera to eventually record musical events (I have à microphone and the E-M5 III is able to record 24 bits/96Khz)...

 

[Erich_H]

Well, I tried and the camera displays "wait a moment" (in french here) for a long time (until I switch off). On the PC I had a message saying the camera is ready, in the list of "Bluetooth and others". M'y desktop PC doesn't have Bluetooth. Nothing to be seen in Workplace. So I am still curious. How such an option in a menu could be so undocumented ? And I want to use my camera to eventually record musical events (I have à microphone and the E-M5 III is able to record 24 bits/96Khz)...

You probably have to start a program on your PC.
I'm assuming you are running Windows 10.

Windows 10 has an app called "Voice Recorder" which is used to control the available microphones.

You might also find this interesting:

How to Use Your Olympus Camera as a Webcam

Obviously, they want you to buy lots of stuff, but as I read it, it's possible with just the USB cable.

 

[Arbus33]

Thanks, that's a starting point to investigate

 

[runner girl]

For those interested, the manual is also available via OIShare.

 

[comment23]

Found this, think it answers the OP’s question:

Olympus ImageSpace LS-100 & OM-D E-M5 Mark II - Audio Recording Tutorial with Miki Santamaria (YouTube)

Answer: use the ‘PCM Recorder’ option for increased quality/functionality with compatible external recorders.

 

[Arbus33]

Found this, think it answers the OP’s question:

Olympus ImageSpace LS-100 & OM-D E-M5 Mark II - Audio Recording Tutorial with Miki Santamaria (YouTube)

Answer: use the ‘PCM Recorder’ option for increased quality/functionality with compatible external recorders.

Thanks alot this is indeed the answer. I did think this menu was displayed only when connected to à PC, I was wrong.