noisy output on video-op´s smart assist x2 by Ovide

[Matthias Richter]

trying to find a solution for / with the video setup at my new show.

We wanna send live-audio to video assist and from his output into director´s comtek-tx. Playback and live-feed would come through everyones headphones. Pretty standard and works without problem when using a pix (sounddevices).

Problem with his super-duper smart assist x2 by Ovide is that a lot of static noise comes from his XLR output. It´s some kind of computer-activity noise. It´s there no matter of an incoming audio-signal.

We did some proper gain-staging but its just too audible to deny. It´s on the computer-headphone output too. They even tried a different system.

Another idea was to use embedded audio up to the directors monitor and use the headphone out of the monitor. It´s clean on headphones when I plug that signal into a headphone distro-amp but not if I plug the Sennheiser TX into that output (different noise).

 

Anyway - thought I give it a try and ask you guys ...

 

Thanks, Matthias

[RPSharman]

This is why I dislike this setup. I always have trouble, either with delay, noise, or other issues regarding live vs. playback.

It seems far less common to play back over IEMs in the US. It's typically just played back over a small speaker mounted under the monitor, or in some cases through the monitor's built-in speakers. This setup is also desirable, as most of the time I find playback is for actors and guests, and there's always a scramble to find a headset for everyone who wants to listen.

I try to discourage this at every turn.

[Matthias Richter]

I hear you and normally that´s what I do as well. On this show however we have a Director who wants to see+hear the Playback on different monitors (in the tent, close to set, handheld).

Also sometimes we have producers and execs on set on different monitors. They also wanna see+hear Playback. At the same time PB over loudspeaker is not wanted as actor´s should not see nor hear their performance.

 

Any idea why that headphone out works ok with the active distro-amp but not with Sennheiser TX? Even tried taking signal from the headphone-distro into the TX. Noisy although different noise again.

[RPSharman]

I have found that every issue stems from power. That was the issue for me before.

On the one show where this was required, I ran XLR to video and XLR back to me, where I then broadcast via my IEM. If they only have a mini-jack headphone output from their "fancy" system, you may need something like this to convert the unbalanced stereo output to a mono balanced signal - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/761117-REG/Whirlwind_ISOPOD_ISOPOD_Line_Level_Summing.html

This is lovely tool to have too. I use it for playback from iPods and computers.

[berlinjake]

I had problems with this kind of setup, too.

I had to deal with this kind of setup on commercials mostly (VTR guy playing back with visual effects for agency and client, thats why he couldn't use PIX)

Maybe one solution could be: connect the "fancy video system" (computer-based, I guess) to a proper audio interface with balanced outputs, such as RMEs babyface or similar?!

[RPSharman]

2 hours ago, berlinjake said:

I had problems with this kind of setup, too.

I had to deal with this kind of setup on commercials mostly (VTR guy playing back with visual effects for agency and client, thats why he couldn't use PIX)

Maybe one solution could be: connect the "fancy video system" (computer-based, I guess) to a proper audio interface with balanced outputs, such as RMEs babyface or similar?!

That's a good idea. Can his duper-duper system use a USB audio interface as an audio input and output? That should solve a lot of possible issues. Is the VA input going through 1/8" jack?

[Mungo]

19 hours ago, RPSharman said:

I have found that every issue stems from power.

Me too. The Sennheiser CL-2 battery eliminator has no good filtering inside. Maybe the bigger Sennheiser transmitters too when powered via DC.

You can try to use batteries for the transmitter or some kind of another completely quarantaine power source.

[axel]

On 17.10.2016 at 9:02 PM, Matthias Richter said:

Another idea was to use embedded audio up to the directors monitor and use the headphone out of the monitor. It´s clean on headphones when I plug that signal into a headphone distro-amp but not if I plug the Sennheiser TX into that output (different noise).

which kind of Sennheiser Tx do you use? - if it's got a balanced input, try a DI Box in between? if it is a bodypack with unbalanced input, maybe the headphone signal is too weak for the line input stage?

[Matthias Richter]

I tried a SKP100 with balanced input using a transformer cable 1:1 which sums left/rigtht output of the headphone-out. Noisy.

I tried a SK100 using the Sennheiser "Instrument" cable which feeds signal to the line-in (ring). Noisy.

Both TX on batteries btw.

Since the Director seems ok with using a headphone distro-amp for playback we now use emedded audio for playback only.

[RPSharman]

How odd.