THSnodgrass

All ears 666?? Currently residing "in the closet"?? You're not funny.

22 hours ago, karlw said:

Hi Chickaboom, 

 

One thing to test is to turn off remote response (RC off) in that transmitter and see if the whine goes away.

 

Where to find that is in the Power button menu, Remote, Ignore. 

 

If so, then there are some hardware updates that need to be done on that unit.

 

We can do those here at the Lectrosonics HQ - it would be considered an extended warranty issue. 

What Karl mentioned here was definitely the fix for me. I discovered this myself and called Lectro personally to let them know (may not have been the first or the last to do so) but was never offered a hardware upgrade under an extended warranty :(.. maybe it was too early on to be sure on their part(still love you guys). Either way, my testing when I had this issue led to the discovery that only my older wires that were wired with the "Universal" pinout had this issue. All other lavs wired with the "servo" pinout could have the RC on without any issues. Hope this helps

Jay's books were super helpful for me when I was starting out. Another one worth checking out is "The Location Sound Bible" by Ric Viers. 

Thanks for the responses everyone.  Are you referring to the Sennheiser MZQ 22? Or the MZQ 1?

cheers

A

I believe that would be the MZQ 22 clip that was mentioned above. Great clip.. the lav is held in place by a separate piece that you can easily rotate inside of the main housing. This allows for more options in terms of mic orientation. However, the separate piece is made to clamp around the cable, not the mic itself, which makes it a crazy tight squeeze (if possible at all) with a cos-11. I vaguely remember seeing a post where some third party had created a version of that piece that is made to actually fit a cos-11. 

One important thing to keep in mind is that you want the ability to have the gain for all 4 mic pre's linked so that they are exactly the same. This is necessary for the "imaging" that's done when being processed in post. I believe you can work around this by recording a test tone on each track and using that to make sure all channels are calibrated that way.. but it requires some extra cooperation from post and may be less accurate. The 6 series Sound Devices units do not have this ability. Zaxcom recorders and The SD 788 do... and the new firmware for the MixPre series from Sound Devices also allows for this. With the MixPre6 you'd need an external TC box but the cost of the two combined would be significantly less than some of these other options. I've been considering an ambisonics rig myself and have been leaning towards the MixPre6 and the SPS2000.

3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

Are you saying that people used the same CF card with the new 4.50 firmware on it WITHOUT formatting the card back to a clear card before use??  They started their day with a card that STILL had the  4.50.prg  file on it??

Not necessarily the card with the new prg file on it... I think SD has discovered that you should format your cards (all of them) with the machine after the new firmware is installed. A card that you formatted using the machine with the older firmware may give you trouble.

Cool.. thanks for the link! Once I get my explorer it will be nice to have a nice graphic display that's more portable.. I know they have a similar software for computers as well. As for the amp.. you may still be able to get your hands on one of these..email Thomas Popp .. Thomas@audiodept.com if you're interested. 

41 minutes ago, ducky said:

If you have a wireless spectrum scanner turn you can turn on all your Bluetooth devices and perform a scan to find a clean frequency for your Zax. Which amp did you go with for your bag?


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Indeed.. thinking an RF explorer should probably be at the top of my purchase list. I'm using the 1W amp that SGS had a quick run at before realizing that the unit was not FCC approved. 

I was wondering if any of you guys/gals out there are using a 2.4 GHz amp in your bag setup along side the Wingman bluetooth dongle. I currently run an IFB200 in my bag for TC/scratch to camera and have added a 1W amp to that setup. I've already successfully shut down the 2.4 wifi in my apartment with this amp and it got me thinking about bluetooth devices working nearby. I don't currently own the Wingman dongle so I figured I'd see if anyone here is running that combo with success. I did test using a bluetooth keyboard w/ my 633 while the amp was working and it worked fine. Thanks in advance!

Thomas

On 1/31/2017 at 1:10 PM, RScottATL said:

THSnoddgrass, I also had the issue of Zaxnet whine on my M-216 transmitter. Switching to the BST-75 216 in my bag, with balanced input has eliminated the whine for me with my Nomad 12 Zaxnet transmitter. On the M-216 you could start hearing the whine with Zaxnet power set to 4 or 5 (of 7), I believe Nomad uses a 50mw transmitter. 

I've definitely been considering the BST-75 in my bag. I have a buddy that already uses one so I should probably test it out and see if the Zax whine gets in. I'm using an IFB200 so the output is a bit higher (75mW), but I'm hoping the build of the BST-75 will do a better job of keeping spurious RF out. I have also heard people report that the whine can get in via power so I'd have to test if powering the BST-75 and IFB200 off of the same distro is a problem. Glad to hear you had success with the BST though.. definitely near the top of my purchase list since it will only be a few hundred dollars if I sell of the M216.

I had the same issue and it took some time before I realized (thanks to a post from another user) that the input limiters for channels 4-6 on the 633 are post A/D converter. There are no "analog" limiters on those inputs. Because of this... it seems you can overload the A/D converters when you push the gain causing a nasty digital clipping. The meters on your iso's or mix will not necessarily be anywhere near the red when you encounter this clipping. I've started limiting the use of the gain on the 633 (ch4-6) to no more than 4-6 dB and being sure to boost the gain on the tx when I need more. The tx is the best place to get the proper gain anyways but it's not always easy to make adjustments to our tx when your not a Zaxcom guy/gal(no Zaxnet)... so this is a little unfortunate. I now ride the tx gain a little higher than in the past so that I'm sure I don't have to gain up the pots on 4-6 too high and it has solved the issue for me. I hit the tx limiters a little harder from time to time but that's music to my ears when compared to the nasty digital clip I was getting before.

That's too bad! I knew they had been dealing with FCC compliance issues since Gene first thought of producing an amp for Zaxnet.. seems the struggle continues. 

Would love to hear how the new Sound Guy Solutions 2.4GHz 1w amp is performing out in the field. A few specific questions would be where are you mounting the amp? Its seems to be geared more for bag work since it comes with a belt clip. Are you clipping it to your harness?

Also, has anyone had the boosted 2.4GHz find its way into your wireless mics/comteks etc? I've had to deal with the "Zaxnet Whine" getting into my Comtek M-216 tx before. And that was with the 75mW RF output power of my IFB200... makes me wonder if the 1W output power would be asking for trouble.

Side note: Should I be worried (health wise) about strapping a 2.4GHz 1W amp to my body??

30 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

   You should always TRY to approximate the Talents delivery volume as best you can upfront, then, using the -20 and -10db lights on the unit set the gain so that the -10 light tickles the RED "a little bit.."... that is your best approximate setting for any SMQ, SMv style transmitter.... the 400 series trans.  works the same way...

   As always consult the manual (online) for all the ACTUAL directions for gain structure setting, but that's the just of it...  Any other way is winging it a bit... I have seen some people always keep them at say, 18 or 22... across the board... for some that works out, but the proper setting is done with the lights...  Those transmitters want the setting tickling that -10 light..  setting too low with no red on the light isn't the correct way to do it, unless you KNOW something really loud is coming.. even then, with the headroom from the correct setting and the limiter, your usually good to go.

 

We do this with each person we mic, or do it ourselves after taking a listen to the talent speak a bit... asking them for their best volume works great..

 

From manual

 

4) Observe the SM Modulation LEDs while speaking or singing into the microphone at the same voice level that will be used during the program. While holding the AUDIO button, press the Up or Down arrow buttons until the both the -20 and -10 LEDs glow green, with the -10 LED occasionally flickering red (-10 dB to +0 dB Signal Level as shown in the chart below with only occasional forays into the +0 dB to +10 dB range). 

Note: Setting the audio level too high reduces the dynamic range of if the audio signal. Setting the audio level too low may cause hiss and noise in the audio. 

 

 

Thanks for the detailed response... I am however well aware of the Lectrosonics suggested technique.. Karl's recent video added to that in mentioning that the gain setting actually affects range as well because of the squelch technology's use of signal to noise ratio. As mentioned in my post, I'm speaking of unscripted situations where you really have no clue what type of levels you may encounter during the shoot and just basing your gain settings off of a quick test where you allow talents speaking levels to just bump the limiter could result in clipping during a loud laugh or scream.

16 minutes ago, al mcguire said:

I would ask myself which lavalier I was using.

 

Indeed... so maybe tell me the model of lav and the tx gain...

I am curious what gain setting (give or take) my fellow Lectro users find themselves settling into most often for unscripted work where your subject could laugh/scream etc without notice. I know that mic placement, lav choice, and talents speaking levels can vary this number quite drastically. So lets just assume you placed the mic close to the sternum, under one layer of clothing and you are a Lectro guy/gal so you don't have remote gain control. Where would you typically start with your tx gain?

46 minutes ago, Wandering Ear said:

I have over 20 erx's, and I have very little trouble with them in general.  I never have complaints from video village, which if in a seperate room I put a transmitter in.  I seem to have the most issues with the feed for my boom ops, so I keep an r1a now as a backup, however I rarely use it.

That being said, the 2.4ghz band can be problematic because you never know what might be operating there.

Good to hear Zaxnet is working well for your client monitoring setup. I use my ERX's strictly for scratch/TC to camera and have had more than one occasion where the scratch feed has had some problems even in extremely short range situations. Hoping amplification would resolve most of my issues and allow me to ditch my comtek 216 rig... but like you mentioned.. the 2.4ghz band has it's inherent risks.

I've been considering swapping out my Comtek 216 gear for an all Zaxnet IFB setup (with the new amp released by SoundGuysSolutions). This is definitely making me reconsider a bit.

With the new release of the Wingman app/bluetooth dongle I know some bag mixers may be considering working an iPhone into their setup. For myself, the quickness of renaming tracks and scene names may make it worth it. That being said, have any of you guys/gals out there experimented with mounting an iPhone/iPad mini to your bag? Any pics or link? I've seen plenty of chatter over mounting options in regards to the cart, but haven't seen or heard much in the way of the bag.

I've found this mount designed for a golf bag that could possibly work  : https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Dedicated-Holder-iPhone-20320/dp/B00O92SM7I

Sounds like the stereo recordings you'll be capturing will mostly just be the hustle and bustle of a bunch of choreographed action... may not be much of a compelling ambiance. In addition to your stereo recordings, I would suggest getting as many of the individual actions recorded in MONO to be implemented into a 360 soundscape by post. Whether it's just an ambiance track for a YouTube 360 video or implementing the sounds into an engine (Unity or Unreal etc)  and allowing the HRTF to create the 360 soundscape...MONO recordings are key for any HRTF based sound engine.

16 hours ago, DoshJuncan said:

eBoot 20 Pieces Clip-on Ferrite Ring Core RFI EMI Noise Suppressor Cable Clip for 3mm/ 5mm/ 7mm/ 9mm/ 13mm Diameter Cable, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E5E5IY4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7zeqxb6QBXE3G

Thanks!

On 5/19/2016 at 6:11 PM, DoshJuncan said:

Make sure that you have clip on ferrite cores on your cables feeding your Comteks. I have an M-216 in the bag and a BST-75 running alongside a 500mw L-Com antenna/amp on my cart. Both with Nomads and no issues.

Dosh... can you post a link of the clip on ferrite cores you're using?? Thanks in advance!

PS... I grew up in Charlotte...Go Panthers! (and Hornets!)

40 minutes ago, JonG said:

I have a bst75 and bst75-216 that I use alongside an IFB100 on my cart. Whine does get into the comteks, you just have to move the Zaxcom antenna around till it stops. Same issue out of the bag when used alongside the 216 bag transmitter.

No tweaking of the zax antenna seems to cure the issue in my bag.. Not to mention that the antenna won't stay exactly where you put it when your running around with your bag. JonG.. Are your ifb100 and comtek's close to each other on the cart? Remote antennas or just the standard ducky's? 

8 hours ago, RadoStefanov said:

A little physical separation and the proper Comtek cable would make the 216 work fine with zaxnet.

I've tried many variations on physical separation all with the proper comtek cable and have still had issues. I can lower the output from 7 to 4 on my IFB200 and get rid of the whine but I then start having issues with my scratch audio send via zaxnet...sometimes even when I'm ridiculously close to the camera. The only physical separation I've found that works with the IFB200 at full blast is clipping the m-216 on the back of my belt towards the left of my back with the IFB200 in the far right of my bag.. and even that would have the whine sneak in from time to time(and it's kind of cumbersome). Rado, I'm guessing your using the bult in Zaxnet in your nomad?? The 50mW output vs the 75mW of the IFB200 could be what is making it harder for me.

7 hours ago, danelonsdale said:

I have an IFB200 and bst 75 in the bag and it is whine-free. The two units are very close to each other and both sound great. Cannot say the same about the m-216. 

That's what I was hoping to hear! It's a little bulkier and needs external DC.. But the price difference between the m-216 is minimal. This may be a good option for those struggling with the zax whine in the bag.