Ben Wong Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Hey everyone! I was on set earlier today with my Zaxcom Nomad 10 and was plagued by this really bizarre sound that started out at one of the tracks (not necessarily an enabled track) and would eventually spread to the others, given enough time (1 - 3 min). Whenever this occurred I would power cycle the machine and the problem would stop for any amount of time ranging from 1 - 30 minutes seemingly by random. Specifics. The sound, itself, is a little hard to describe, but I took a quick video of it. In the bag I had no more than 3 Lectrosonic 401(1 blk 24, 2 blk 26) rx and 1 lectrosonic 201 rx (blk 28), all of which are powered by an NP1 through a BDS. So far, in my attempts to figure out what the problem was, I have: - Switched out the input cables on the receivers - Switched out the NP1 battery adapter to the nomad as well as the battery itself - Switched out the NP1 powering the BDS - Made sure phantom power was off on all tracks I'm really stumped on this. The WEIRDEST part, is that now that I'm home, I'm playing around with everything and trying to recreate the issue.....and its not happening. NOW its working fine. Can anyone offer any insight into this issue? I would greatly appreciate any help to try and, at least, identify the problem. :DDD Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 What firmware version. Also are you feeding line level signal in to a mic input? Sorry for asking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Also I notices you are listening to the card tracks...see fit you have the same issue on the output tracks. Also were you able to record the sound. If not I can bet you is you cf card... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Wong Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Ah! I'm running ver. 4.14 and all tracks were set to mic level. I didn't think to listen to just the output tracks...but I switched to PFL whenever I saw the levels bump up like they were doing in the video, and I was still hearing it. And I was able to record the sound. It would sometimes happen mid-take and I'd have to power cycle the machine again. I don't THIIIINK it would be the card, as it is currently working absolutely fine...but then again, thats also one of the more confusing parts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 4.14 is a really old version of software. First thing you should do is upgrade to 5.16 and do a factory restore. My guess is by doing both of those your problem will go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Wong Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 I was just visiting the zaxcom website and noticed how old it was. Ha..... Doing both those things now. Finger's crossed and hopefully it works out. But I'm still very curious as to what actually causes the issue. Its true, that the firmware is a tad outdated, but this is my first time encountering a problem like this. I feel like I would've bumped into this issue a bit sooner if it were simply the firmware (or maybe i've been very fortunate until now? I dunno) Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 4.14 is at least 7 months old and not one of the recommended versions. Its hard to say if the software was exclusively the cause of your problem. But now you are on a level playing field to better diagnose things. But my guess is you will be fine with the new software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Wong Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Haha, fair enough! Thanks for the recommendation. I'll post again if it continues or if things are now smooth sailing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Ben, I recommend that you follow the zaxcom forum. If you download a firmware do it from the forum. Do not install any beta firmware. If you do always have a stable firmware on an extra card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 In the Zaxcom Forum download section ( http://www.zaxcom.com/forum/showthread.php?16570-Nomad ), Firmware 3.13E is the latest recommended version that is not listed as BETA firmware. Vers. 4.45E, 5.15, and 5.16 are still all listed there as BETA. However, in Zaxcom Support Software Updates ( http://www.zaxcom.com/software-updates ), Version 5.16 is the only version shown and is not marked as BETA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fieldmixer Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 ANOTHER REASON why all "registered" users should receive an email when more stable versions are released. Follow the zaxcom forum... Follow it every day? Every hour? Zaxcom; please send your registered users a notice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Subscribe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fieldmixer Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Subscribe...?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Wong Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Welp! I added the zaxcom to my favorites. So thats good. As of right now, I have the v.5.16 firmware loaded with the older v.4.14 on a back up card (even though that was the suspected culprit of the problem) We'll see if anything happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbiesodd Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 That was the same issue I had a few weeks back just moments before my whole rig went squirrelly and I couldn't access the menu or activate any front panel buttons. I was also using v4.14, but very successfully and without issue for nearly 7 months. Ultimately, I had to send the unit back to Zaxcom for a hardware fix on the front panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 If you're using v.5.16 primarily, I would recommend v.4.45e on your backup card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fieldmixer Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 What was your hardware fix related to hobbiesood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbiesodd Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 What was your hardware fix related to hobbiesood? The machine is still at the mothership. I'll let you know when it gets sorted out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrengun Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Strange, I recently experienced this very problem on set running version 4.45e but I attributed it to the wireless. I've only used Lectrosonics with the Nomad so far but I had to use 4 Sennheiser G3s because I had 4 wireless handheld mics. I would do a full coordination, with everything looking good, and suddenly my wireless would be barraged with RF. It looked and sounded just like this. I was using both A Group and B Group with compatible frequencies. When it came time for them to be used I was lucky and had no issues. I was thinking it was the G3 Receivers not interacting well with the Nomad. I can get spray in Block 21 and even some in Block 26 as well on Lectrosonics but it's usually not an issue the way it was with the G3s. Now I'm thinking...maybe it wasn't the wireless at all? For me, this problem only occurred on inputs where the wireless was plugged in. The boom input did not have this problem nor did the sixth, empty, input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cory Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 I'm wondering if it might make sense to get an RF Explorer, recreate your problem, and see if plugging things in make something go funky... C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg sextro Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 Fuh...I'm still on v3.13e! Any chance you had the Zaxnet set to tx with no antenna attached? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Wong Posted June 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 I'm not so sure it was a wireless problem. At first it seemed that way, but eventually the weird signal would invade all my other tracks whether they were active or not. At one point, I stepped away to mic some body, and when I returned every track was exactly what the first few tracks looked like in the video I posted. At the time I was thinking maybe it was a hardware issue inside the nomad. However, after I updated the firmware and did a factory reset, the machine worked perfectly today while on set. So maybe not?? @Greg, Fuh...I'm still on v3.13e! Any chance you had the Zaxnet set to tx with no antenna attached? Just curious. I had Zaxnet set to TX and was sending audio and TC to an ERXTCD mounted to camera. And yes, there was definitely an antenna attcahed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 Get an extra set of CF cards. Just in case. I'm not so sure it was a wireless problem. At first it seemed that way, but eventually the weird signal would invade all my other tracks whether they were active or not. At one point, I stepped away to mic some body, and when I returned every track was exactly what the first few tracks looked like in the video I posted. At the time I was thinking maybe it was a hardware issue inside the nomad. However, after I updated the firmware and did a factory reset, the machine worked perfectly today while on set. So maybe not? ? @Greg, I had Zaxnet set to TX and was sending audio and TC to an ERXTCD mounted to camera. And yes, there was definitely an antenna attcahed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Rowe Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 Subscribe...?? I believe Rado is pointing out that, if you go to your Settings in the Zaxcom forum, you can subscribe to the Nomad and/or Downloads forums and will receive a single daily email bulletin of any new posts from then on. There is no need to check the forum "every day, every hour": currently, if Howie puts up new firmware then you'll know about it the following morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 " Can anyone offer any insight into this issue? " maybe it is broken ..? maybe a latent problem in old firmware, or even current... maybe a media issue.. or etc. etc. " But I'm still very curious as to what actually causes the issue. " CRAP happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.279748a58a2b862b7aa5f3b84126e232.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.