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glinton

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Everything posted by glinton

  1. I'm just curious if there are others out there with the original Solice still using it daily. I can't find a users group and haven't seen any for sale in a long time, either. What say you, hive mind?
  2. And be ready to diplomatically explain to the grip that wads up your blanket and throws it into the next room at the first hint that the corner of it maybe encroaching the shot that moving it incrementally will satisfy the camera department; that it is there to perform a valuable function and should not be completely banished from the set when it verges on becoming seen. Been there! Greg
  3. Best thread on boom ops I've seen.... I completely agree. There are so many whispered discussions between Director or AD and DP, that a good boom op is the only way to keep clued in to information I need. They are my eyes and ears on set.
  4. Your line about "vested interest in capturing good audio" intrigued me. As a mixer for over 30 years, I also always feel like I have a vested interest in what happens downstream in the production process. So I hope you would extend that same assumption of passion about their work to any mixer worth his or her salt. Thanks! Greg
  5. I've got a short gig coming up in Windsor in June and need to rent 3 or 4 snakes. Something like 35 - 50 foot 8-channel each would likely do the trick. Windsor seems to be a rather "tourist" oriented town, so I'm looking for recommendations of a rental house with good quality gear that could set me up with what I need. Have a couple of months to work out the details, but any suggestions would be most helpful. Thanks!
  6. Yes, yes, re-chargeable AA's in general have been discussed at length (in fact when I search I find some of my own posts!). I'm asking specifically about the compatibility of rechargeable AA's in the SM xmitters. I have several different brands and find that many of them will not make good contact in the SM's battery compartment. Just looking for similar experiences and what works well for this specific circumstance. thanks, greg
  7. Glen Trew has posted a mini-review of the CS-2 here http://www.trewaudio.com/audioflow/2010/06/17/trew-reviews-sanken-cs-2/ ... and it appears that Plus 24, the importer for Sanken in the US is having a "send us your old shotgun" $200 rebate offer until the end of the year. Yes, believe it or not, Plus 24 would actually credit you $200 for sending them your Schoeps CMIT if you purchase a CS-2! http://www.trewaudio.com/PDF/sanken_cs_2_cash_back_terms.pdf greg
  8. "Next thing, the mic was still stuck on the NP1, I placed it near the back of the body of a guitar" Can you be a little more descriptive about this placement? Sounds interesting Thanks, greg
  9. I know this is tangential to the original question, but on the subject of SM transmitters, I have had a difficult time finding a rechargeable AA that seats well enough in the compartment to energize the device. I only have consistent success with Energizer Lithiums, but they're disposable of course. Anyone have a consistent favorite, or a similar experience? Thanks, greg
  10. Tom, this is an excellent example of cross-purposing from another discipline. I'm always on the lookout for another discipline's solutions to see if they could fill a niche in our profession. I've been looking closely at baby carriage products for months, looking to see how engineering has been applied to the targeted outcomes of strength, collapsibility, functionality over difficult terrain, etc. I've found that many of the coolest models are still priced upwards of $1K, though! So much for the mass market. And of course, none of those products put the intended cargo (the infant) in a position to manipulate it from a seated or standing position. So there was always the modifications that would have to take place. Not so with your device. Thanks for posting your imaginative solution and the resources behind it. I've explored a few hunting products before, but have usually only found devices to transport your kill back to your pickup truck. Keep us posted! Greg
  11. Thanks, Jeff.... I went ahead and started a new thread w/ the same questions and already have some answers & advice (is this a great forum or what?!) It's the world of virtual existence and mysterious disappearances are, unfortunately, to be somewhat expected. ...since this is no longer an issue, and it's been picked up elsewhere, feel free to remove this post if you like. If you've had any experience taking equipment to, and using wireless mics in the UK, please see my new post under Tech Ref and share with me and the rest of the board! Many Thanks! Greg
  12. Hey Jeff, I had some questions about working within the laws of the UK when traveling there with US wireless systems. I found an older thread (Wireless frequencies in London and Dublin) that approximated the issue and it seemed a good jumping off point (plus to let you know I did try at least to research the topic before posting about it), but when I posted a question, it showed up for a while on the list. Went back a few hours later to see if there'd been any response to it, and it was completely gone. No reference to it. Couldn't replicate the same search that led me to it. And plowing back through my computer's history, found the url but came up with a "no longer available" result. Any thoughts? Did I screw up? Thanks, Greg
  13. Just my .02 worth, too, but being able to place yourself where you'll know what the audience is perceiving is helpful, too. If you set up the system in an empty hall, and it's acoustically live, there will be quite a bit of absorption when it fills up with humans. You may need to squeeze a little more out of your SR than you had first perceived. I did a similar gig just a while back... very delicate subject matter and the attendees actually thanked me for making the audio seamless, invisible and yet just enough to allow them to hear without straining. Best to you, Greg
  14. I remember seeing a thread a while back that discussed the preferences of mixers whether their meters moved horizontally or vertically. Notice in the scene with the re-recording mixers the (ahead of its time?) series of horizontal lights to indicate level, as well as the typical meter. Surprised me to see this. As an aside, my dad built a Heathkit reel to reel recorder back in the '60's that had flouroscope meters. Guess it planted an early bug in me to do something with sound. Interesting find... thanks, Greg
  15. It very well may have been a long term short that virtually depleted the cell voltage -- too low to make a comeback. But I just raised the concern because after years of throwing dead batteries during a swap into a "deal with later" pile, it was an adjustment to make to treat the "used" batts as still viable and to take an extra step to protect their contacts till you can get them back on charge. I wish I still had my "dead" one to try a quick short to see if I could revive it! I'll definitely give that a try if I ever have a problem from now on - thanks for the tip! Greg
  16. Wow, Daniel, Thanks for reminding me about Califone... as a student I used them in language labs, but I remember that they were never comfortable (guess that discouraged anyone from taking them home for personal use!). Check out the little earpad covers Califone sells as well at http://www.califone.com/products/3060ec.php Just might help these go farther! And they even sell the CA-2's in multi packs, so you get a price break. Good find! Greg
  17. Also, Jeff, you have to be VERY careful with the I-Powers not to let them short out (anytime they're out of the gear) or your investment is down the drain. I haven't bought any of the newer 520 models -- i keep getting mine from Thomas Distributing and they only carried the original style (last time I checked- could have changed now). The guys there poo-pooed the new & improved models, saying the manufacturer was only trying to raise the price while Thomas felt that the "improvement" wasn't enough to justify the cost increase. Sour grapes??? It's interesting to hear from those that get to A-B the new vs. old style. And I think the 520s may come with little plastic battery keepers that help protect the terminals from getting accidentally shorted. You can find these directly from the manufacturer, too (some cool products) @ www.powerpax.net (I like the glow in the dark model :>) ) Check 'em out!
  18. Noah, I was once going to send some PR-72's in to Comtek for evaluation & overhaul/ tuneups and asked about them converting all the jacks to stereo (just to make finding good cheap headsets easier). They told me that would involve replacing the frame(!) and was prohibitively expensive (to me, anyway). I usually try to provide some strain relief on the h/phone cable by taping it to the receiver to help save the wear & tear on the jacks. And the "Shack of Shame" (I like that!) used to have some behind the ear hip/street/urban style h/phones that had a stereo/mono in-line switch (sweet!). I think they've discontinued them, but occasionally I see them at the shack for about $3! Rock on!
  19. IMHO, in light of the fact that everyone complains about how little respect clients seem to have for the Comtek equipment, adding an adapter that doubles the length of the 1/8" connector only serves to make it a more likely target for breakage. Good thread, tho... didn't know about the phase issue.... I guess that's something a discussion with the manufacturer might not have brought to light (one more reason to read this forum!) Thanks, Glen! Greg
  20. Another AA I've been trying and having very good run times in SM xmitters is the new-ish Nickel-Zinc rechargeables. Ritz camera sells them under the Quantary brand, calling them the "Super Z". Seems to power a single cell SM for as long as the Energizer (disposable) Lithium cell. The only caveat: after charging them, don't let them sit in the charger (unplugged) for more than a day or two... they will drain! Greg
  21. glinton

    Wet work

    Thanks, John; that's exactly the line I've been looking for! So far, I've been very lucky -- 26 years without one going in the drink, but I'm now knocking on everything made of wood around me. But I'll tell you someday about the orangutan who ate my comtek transmitter. Greg
  22. Hi Michael, I'm also always on the lookout for reliable rechargeables. As you mentioned in your post, there are some 2900 mAh AA's out there. I bought some from Thomas that are made by Accu-Power that were named "Digital Power 2900". When I got them, I noticed that the label reads "1.2 volt / up to 2900mAh". I don't know exactly how this reflects its capacity, but one important note: I got these to use in my SM transmitters, but they will not power the SM. They slide into the barrel just fine, but there's something about the contacts on the battery that prevent them from making contact in the SM. They work just fine in other devices, such as a 401 receiver. So, I guess what I'm saying is, always check to make sure the cell works in whatever it is you're trying to power with it. These seem to have good capacity, but their contact profile leaves a slight bit to be desired, as it's obvious they're not universally usable. I've been using "Powerex" AA's from Maha (also available from Thomas) for awhile now and they seem reliable and they've just come out with a "2700" line of AA's. I just took a look at its label and noticed it says "minimum capacity 2500 mAh" (good thing I got new glasses). They work fine in the SM's and will power it for about 2.5 hours. Still not the Lithium AA, but closer. Thanks for your many posts; you ask lots of pratical questions. And thanks to the rest of you who respond so kindly. Greg
  23. Rob, I feel for you.... been there a lot. One thing I seem to be able to get away with (depending on how well I know the producer) is to go ahead and jump into the conversation with the talent as we're setting up. I tell them that even though it's very logical to think of the interview as "this is an intimate conversation between me and the producer" mode, I really need their help in overcoming the background sound levels a bit. As an earlier poster noted, having the interviewer speak up as well tends to pull a louder answer out of the talent. I've usually spoken with the producer/ interviewer about the ambient noise we'll be struggling to overcome in the location, so my invocation to the talent to participate at a fuller volume than they might think is necessary clues the producer/ interviewer in to do his part as well. On a practical level, if you can find a point source for the air handler (for example) you mentioned, placing an absorptive obstruction in the line of sight to the mic will reduce the annoyance considerably. A c-stand with a 2X3 flag with a folded sound blanket (or heavy coat --- or everyone's jackets!) lying atop it often serves as an effective device for me. Raised to a position to hide the source from the mic, this contraption can lower point source noise 10dB for sure. Happy New Year, Greg
  24. Is the wooden prototype for sale? I figure 5 or 6 grips to help me move it around and we'd have something! Just kidding.... fantastic cart; just hard to not drool into the keyboard of my laptop. Thanks for the pics Greg
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