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Senn G3 as camera hop, a wiring question


OmahaAudio

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If I want to feed the signal from an SD302 to a Sennheiser G3 transmitter for a hop to a receiver mounted on a DSLR what is the preferred way to wire it up? My theories for this are, so far,

1) go from the main XLR outputs to a stereo 3.5mm TRS male plug

2) go from the main XLR outputs to a summed-mono 3.5mm male plug

(the XLR output can be adjusted from Line down to -56dB = good)

3) go from the tape out/mix out TA3 output to a stereo 3.5mm TRS male plug

4) go from the tape out/mix out TA3 output to a summed-mono 3.5mm male plug

(the tape out is fixed at -15dB = not so good)

or is there another, easier, better way of connecting that I haven't thought of (probably)?

Thanks for any info.

(And yes, I have searched past postings...)

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My gut feeling is to say use the tape out to a mono 3.5mm (option 4) for the following reasons...

First, I'd want to use the XLR outputs to send a line level feed to a local recorder in my bag such as the Zaxcom ZFR (or at a push a Zoom if no timecode is required).

Second, as no wireless hop is 100% guaranteed all of the time (especially when sods law is at work) I prefer to consider my master audio being a local recorder and any wireless hop my backup. This point is perhaps worth considering as no stereo confidence/return feed is possible when using a G3 so how can you be totally sure it has been recorded?

Finally, DSLR's are not known for the quality of their audio recordings (the reputation of any freelancer is only as good as their last job!)

Of course, you may have already thought of these points and the 302 is not the main audio mixer (if this the case I apologise and would suggest option 2 as I believe the portable transmitters can only broadcast a mono feed while the mains units can broadcast either a mono or stereo feed).

Best of luck. Let us know what you decide.

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Hi Jim and Matt,

Hope you don't mind my 2 cents worth ? :-)))

I was just experimenting with my Canon 7d DSLR today : feeding it "scratch audio" from mixer/recorder (Fostex DC-R302).

I didn't use a wireless hop however - hardwired from Fostex to DSLR via 3.5mm cable with no return from the camera.

I set the newly available 7D "manual audio" level setting to halfway (50 %) on the 7D. Upon playback I found I could have set it a bit lower still - could just hear it on the edge of being too hot. I think after today, I would err on the side of setting levels a little low and safe rather than slightly hot. I would highly recommend testing extensively to find an optimum input level setting on the DSLR (assuming the camera has this ability), whether wireless or wired.

Another thing that I discovered is just how "flimsy" the DSLR 3.5mm input is - it is very easy for the incoming 3.5mm cable jack to get wiggled out a bit and drop audio in and out.

Even though my DSLR audio might only be for guide purposes, I'm looking for somewhat decent levels & quality in order to sync with Pluraleyes. The flimsy DLSR input jack could compromise your camera guide track if the camera person bumps the cable like I did.

After working on my DSLR audio tests, I would highly suggest having a main standalone recorder for master tracks.

My tests today left me thinking that the DSLR is the weak link in the audio chain, first for the physical connections and secondly for control of levels and overall sound quality. The good news for me was that the Fostex DC-R302 sounds very good and has some features that make DSLR work a bit easier - mainly that you are recording good sounding master tracks while simultaneously sending the same clean mic level mix to the DSLR all from a single unit.

I am going to try your camera hop idea with my G3 too though - I'm curious about the 3.5mm plug from the Sennheiser receiver going straight in to the DSLR. - wish the 7D had a more secure input jack though.

Good luck with your experiments too.

Thanks for your time and all the best,

Dave

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If I want to feed the signal from an SD302 to a Sennheiser G3 transmitter for a hop to a receiver mounted on a DSLR what is the preferred way to wire it up? My theories for this are, so far,

1) go from the main XLR outputs to a stereo 3.5mm TRS male plug

2) go from the main XLR outputs to a summed-mono 3.5mm male plug

(the XLR output can be adjusted from Line down to -56dB = good)

3) go from the tape out/mix out TA3 output to a stereo 3.5mm TRS male plug

4) go from the tape out/mix out TA3 output to a summed-mono 3.5mm male plug

(the tape out is fixed at -15dB = not so good)

or is there another, easier, better way of connecting that I haven't thought of (probably)?

Thanks for any info.

(And yes, I have searched past postings...)

I have used the sen. G3s on dslrs for a few years now with very good success. I use the stock 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable on the camera.

As for feeding the tx, you have the option of going either mic or line level. Tip is mic level hot with ring and sleeve both being ground. Ring is line level hot with both tip and sleeve to ground. The g3 cannot take a stereo input, it is a mono tx. I posted a wiring diagram from the manual in a similar tgread earlier today, but i can't find it right now on my phone.

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Luv my 302! Used it for years. Mostly use 552 now....until...6....definitely tape out to mono Tx.

Love the H4N!(no affiliation)

Be aware 302 outputs from 0 to -16 then jumps to -40 to -56 or whatever lowest out is. If u do use H4N(whatever recorder/USE one) best to use pres in 302. So then line out, maybe -8,-10 round there give little more flex on small recorder. Or not.....

Cheers. Bernie

Cheers. Bernie

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1) go from the main XLR outputs to a stereo 3.5mm TRS male plug

2) go from the main XLR outputs to a summed-mono 3.5mm male plug

(the XLR output can be adjusted from Line down to -56dB = good)

3) go from the tape out/mix out TA3 output to a stereo 3.5mm TRS male plug

4) go from the tape out/mix out TA3 output to a summed-mono 3.5mm male plug

(the tape out is fixed at -15dB = not so good)

XLR or TA3... both will work. Both are good if you adjust the sensitivity on your TX.

I prefer to do the mono on the SD302, just put your mics on C.

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XLR or TA3... both will work. Both are good if you adjust the sensitivity on your TX.

I prefer to do the mono on the SD302, just put your mics on C.

I'm going to feed a recorder with whatever feed I don't use to go to the G3 TX and wouldn't dream of replying on the DSLR's audio as main. I'm trying to figure a way to feed a scratch track to the DSLR for use with Plural Eyes. I currently go fro the Tape Out via a splitter cable into the XLR inputs of a Tascam DR-40 but could just as easily feed the recorder with outputs from the SD302's main XLR outputs.

I'd like to be able to route boom mic to channel and wireless mics to channel two for feed to the recorder and not send all three mics to the center, which is why I was thinking of summing to mono for the feed to the TX.

Maybe I should figure on just going from one channel (the boom mic) to the G3 TX for use as a scratch track.

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I have used the sen. G3s on dslrs for a few years now with very good success. I use the stock 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable on the camera.

As for feeding the tx, you have the option of going either mic or line level. Tip is mic level hot with ring and sleeve both being ground. Ring is line level hot with both tip and sleeve to ground. The g3 cannot take a stereo input, it is a mono tx. I posted a wiring diagram from the manual in a similar tgread earlier today, but i can't find it right now on my phone.

Got the info you posted on the G3 wiring from the other posting. Thanks.

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I don't know how far your camera will be from you sources, but a lot of time we just use the internal mics with auto gain turned on with the dslrs as the source for plural eyes. We've gotten good syncs off this technique with t2i's, and nobody ever tries to use the camera track as the final audio track.

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I don't know how far your camera will be from you sources, but a lot of time we just use the internal mics with auto gain turned on with the dslrs as the source for plural eyes. We've gotten good syncs off this technique with t2i's, and nobody ever tries to use the camera track as the final audio track.

I've had success with that route, just trying to present something a bit better.

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I don't know how far your camera will be from you sources, but a lot of time we just use the internal mics with auto gain turned on with the dslrs as the source for plural eyes. We've gotten good syncs off this technique with t2i's, and nobody ever tries to use the camera track as the final audio track.

And what if your camera is out of reach for the dialog, long lenses on drama, or in general on docu shoots.. Then you are f*cked with plural eyes. A G2 on a dslr is my standard, therefore.

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I got that part but is your cable wired to sum the stereo out to mono or does it just send one channel to the TX?

Sum it. So you don't have to worry about what you are sending; sometimes you have a occasion you don't need a boom (or lav), and what if the cable is just wired the wrong way then? If you sum it all you don't have to worry. It's just scratch after all... And plural eyes works fine with the summed audio.

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Sum it. So you don't have to worry about what you are sending; sometimes you have a occasion you don't need a boom (or lav), and what if the cable is just wired the wrong way then? If you sum it all you don't have to worry. It's just scratch after all... And plural eyes works fine with the summed audio.

Thank you for your INFORMATIVE answer.

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