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Using Lectrosonics SRa and SMa transmitters for camera hop.


mpotter850

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I have done a search already through the forums and haven't been able to find a direct answer for this.  Most of the results come up with for sale items etc.  Please bare with me as my technical knowledge with this unit is limited.

 

I've used a Lectrosonics SRB before with UMC200s and have been able to send line level without a problem. I'm using sending tone as a reference point for the LED levels. My latest set up I plan to use a Lectro SRa and SMa x2 for a camera hop.  I ran some tests earlier and using line level through my 502 SD to the SMa.  When I sent tone it was causing the red/green LED to show -10DB (green) / -20DB (solid red). Speaking through a lav caused both LEDs to hit  immediately Red (which I'm assuming is no good). The audio level on the SMa had been set to 0.  

 

The other test I ran was using Mic level from my 502 SD to the SMa and adjusting the SMa audio to around +40.  Sending tone this way seemed like an okay level but when I spoke into the lav, both -10DB / -20DB were solid red.  The final test was setting the 502 SD mixer to -10DB and adjusting the SMa to +16DB.  This seemed to hold the tone level and the LEDs on the SMA were both green at -10DB / -20DB.  Speaking into a lav the SMa was reading -20DB (green) / -10DB (mostly green and into the red when I was pushing it on the mixer).  

 

My question is there an ideal level (Mic / Line / -10DB) for the SMa and SRa as a camera hop set up?

 

 I have the SRa unit currently being fed into my 702T at line level... I noticed when I was monitoring the 702T I was only able to get the level to reach close -12dbFS?  Which is strange because on my 502SD I'm able to to get to 8dbFS or past (into the limiter range). Not that I record to the limiter but I was trying to see if I could push the SRa / SMa to match what my 552 was mixing.  Is there is a built in limiter on the SRa that is squelching limiting the signal?  Currently the SRa has been set to 0DB. Any help with this set up would be greatly appreciated.  I will be using this in the field starting next week.

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This is not an answer to your questions, but an experience when I was using the same setup. If I put one of my talent Tx to sleep using the LectroRM app, it would also sleep my SMa camera hop Tx. Caught me out a couple of times... I've since switched to UM400a's for my camera hop Tx's, but I imagine LMa's would be great too.

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Thanks for the responses, I am using Lectros MC-41 cables  for XLR out of my 552.  Do you guys tend to go Line Level or Mic level to the SMa when using this set up as a HOP?  I do have a set of Canarie XLRF to TA5F that are strictly line level which I'm planning on testing.  Will run some more tests switching out the cables.

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Just ran a test using "Line level only cables" and added the +4 to the SR unit which seems to match my mixer now.  Line level sounds better to me, and I was able to keep the SMa LED -10 / -20 at a solid green when sending tone.  When testing with a Lav the LED stayed green at -10 / -20 green mostly touching into red when I pushed it on the mixer.  The 702T was matching the mixer levels so everything seems to be working out well with these tests.  My last question would be, is it normal to see the SMa Led flash into the Red at -20 if I'm pushing it on my mixer?   Thanks again for the SR suggestion on +4, that helped out a lot.

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Make sure you read the SMa manual, which is available to download as a PDF to your smart phone or iDevice, and read up on the section regarding the LED's. I don't think it's an issue if the -20 LED flickers red occasionally, but make sure you do a test to camera and play back off the camera heads to check...

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As you are experiencing, you have multiple gain stages, all of which need to be set correctly. I use this exact setup as my primary hop and have no issues. I either run -10 out to line level cables, or +4 out to padded line level cables.

Read the sm manual on how to properly interpert what the leds are showing you, and match your gains.

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