DjGo

There are rental places in Dallas. Tyler Fasion/Jack Cline have complete audio packages and individual SMQV/SRb's for rent. Also, dallasaudiorentals.com has complete audio package/ wireless rental inventory, and MP&E has audio gear -www.hdgear.tv . Even the dread VER has an office here, but I'd go with one of the others.

I will contact Tyler Fasion. Thanks so much for the tips!

Well, I didn't mean to sound snippy.

There is probably a good chance that you will find at least one of the 32 presets useable, but there is no guarantee of course.

Perhaps you could find an old palm pilot for cheap on ebay or similar to make scanning possible?

Thanx for the tip. I bought several palmpilots on ebay before. They're so old they almost immediately break down on me, and it's a cumbersome way to scan the airwaves..

Q: Which frequencies for wireless are my best friends?

A: The ones that don't show any activity when you scan.

(This works in other locations around Texas and other states, even in other countries)

Thanx anyhoo

Q: Which frequencies for wireless are my best friends?

A: The ones that don't show any activity when you scan.

(This works in other locations around Texas and other states, even in other countries)

agreed.. question was asked in a stupid way. I should clarify, I have Audio Ltd 2040. They cannot scan without using an outdated palmpilot (mine broke..). Frequency agility on this system is limited to a selection of 32 preset frequencies in 630 - 640 range. I checked the tv station lookup table and the fcc whitespace chart for the area.. just want to know if I need to rent a kit in Dallas, to be on the safe side..

how I miss my Lectros when it comes to the scanning function..

I will be working on and around Dealey Plaza in Dallas Texas. Which frequencies for wireless are my best friends? Thanks for chiming in. I checked the tv-channels that are active around that area but it's more comforting to hear from you fine membets on the board.

Thanx so much

Diego

I used the nt5 once on a boom (nothing else available at the time) and it was horrible! It's very susceptible to handling noise, and if you can not get it in close enough, spot on, the results are useless.. oh how I wished I had the MK41 with me then.. For picking up acoustic guitar and as drum overhead mics, these little mics fare very well.

By the way, I'm not sure if you give a flying F or not, but the rather negative assumption you're allready unpopular on this board (as if that would be something that matters) followed by a blind-test to prove a point you brought up in a post which has rendered you 'unpopular' is probably not the way to become the most popular sound-person on the forum.. but hey, if you don't care, why bother bringing it up..

Thanks Peter. It's for a friend director who will use a little handheld recorder. The sescom adapter cable looks like a good option.

Considering cheap options for quick on the fly cellphone recordings (with consent of the person on the other aide off course). I came across this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008AGP5EW. Plugged in to a Olympus voicerecorder..

I also came across another device: http://www.callmynah.com/ but according to one of my favourite location-audio dealers in NL it is not reliable and quality is less than average... it eliminates the need for an extra handheld recorder..

Anyone used it. Is it worth anything. I considered some other options.. Suggestions are more than welcome.

Thanks.
Diego

I've never had any issues with Schoeps (under melting hot/ freezing cold/ steaming humid conditions) other than the occasional condensation problem that's much discussed on the board. You can easily anticipate on this little nuisance, and most of the times it is not a big deal once they're acclimatised and you have a backup-mic.Funny the condensation-thingy happened to me more with my 'non modular' CCM41/CCM8 combo and my Cmit5 than with my CMC541. These mics are my goto-microphones for documentary and fiction and deliver sweet unprecedented natural sound. But even the best of the best brands of pro audio-equipment for our niche fall victim to being supplied with batches of bad components. What seemed to work fine on the work-bench and at the dealers' can fail in the field under the conditions we work in. In most cases these manufacturers are more than willing to repair or even replace faulty equipment even after the warranty period and I am sure you're dealer will want you to be a happy, returning customer and go to lenghts to support you..

I don't know what kind of other problems you have experienced with Schoeps mics but you have to remember these mics are pretty delicate and should be used and stored with care. I would not be the one to judge Schoeps as a brand based on 'bad' experiences (other than your initial and biggest one) you had with the mics the Filmacademy supplied you with.. Just sayin'..

For you, I hope this holiday-show does not take place around Taksim Square (I can't imagine though), Istanbul:  If so, make sure to bring gas-masks..

I travel around the globe, my 788 as carry-on luggage and I pack as many NP1s with it.. everything else battery-wise (Ipower LiPo's, rechargeable AA's etc) goes with me in an extra laptop-bag as my 'personal item' (carry-on). 

If you don't own a ATA carnet,when travelling outside EU, it should be enough to carry a list of your gear, take photo-copies of all invoices of your gear, bundled together and make sure your customs-officer at the airport gives you a stamp for approval.. that you will export your OWN gear temporarily outside the UK. It works for a lot of Dutch sound-men who travel abroad (including myself) all the time..  I've been to ATA countries where they would frown upon seeing a ATA-carnet.. Israel and Turkey should be fine though, customs-officials know how to handle carnets over there (at least at the major airports..)

Have fun!

Hmm, maybe combination of audio ltd. with the 788? Is it worse than with your old lectro's?

It crossed my mind.. yes. It is not better than with my old lectro's.. out of the bag that is.. 

If it were so then we should also have the same problems you have you ....

My dutch collegue uses a 788t ssd, like me, with Audio Ltd DX2040 wireless in CH41/42/43, just like me.. in the bag, just like me, with range dropping to about  10 metres, just like I have been experiencing. Are you questioning this? I could borrow his 788t but I doubt it will give different results. Not saying I'm not willing to try everything possible to tackle this problem (just look at the dorky get up in the picture I posted.. how's that for a cool-looking soundbag..)

Get a cheap palm pilot off eBay, you can then scan your 2040s via infra red. Although there's no doubt the 788 pisses rf all over the ch38 freqs in particular.

Can you tell me how this works? How would you use this? 

I considered this a few times going back to the Nagra days.  I don't have my RX on my back because I want to be able to see their displays, don't want my rig to be more awkward to get in and out of, and don't want to be running that many cables up my harness.   If you use exactly the same setup all the time and are always wearing the rig, maybe, but I often put the bag down on something to do interviews etc and this would be awkward with a harness back setup.  I also swap out RX fairly often, so I like to have them in front of me.  Show us a pic if you make this.

 

philp

I agree totally.. it's not the best solution. I'd prefer having everything in front of me for the same reasons you mentioned.The big plus with having my receivers strapped to the back of my harness is weight distribution.

I have never had any problem of interference in RF after I separate the power supply of the recorder and the receivers. I have everything in a sound Petrol bag.

 

It is the remote chance that it is your recorder to have some problems of shielding. You should try another recorder of the same type.

 

 

Sergio.

A fellow soundguy here in the Netherlands, is using exactly the same setup, and experiencing exactly the same problems and he tried exactly the same to eliminate the culprits.. we both came to the un-scientific conclusion the 788 must be the bad guy in this configuration..

Please don't be insulted by my questions-

When you tried mounting the coax dipoles on your straps, did you have your hop tx on the straps at the same time?

Did you try a range test with the 788 powered off, then on?

I am not familiar with the Audio Limited RFs, do they have a scan feature, or other process to find clear operating freqs?

How many talent transmitters are you running? I am currently running 5-6 Lectro SMQVs at 100mw and my range is definitely reduced compared to when I am only running 2-3 talent tx.

Just some thoughts, I don't mean to question your knowledge

I take no offense.. coax on strap, hop on my hip...

The only way to judge range on the Audio Ltds is with 788 powered on and listening to the mic.. with the analog systems you can hear noise-ups when the mics reach the outer-limit of their range before they crap out, these wireless mic offer no scan-function unfortunately, so there's no way of visually inspecting how much inteference actually comes from the recorder or not.  I run 4 talentmics at most from the bag, so intermodulation shouldn't be an issue, especially since all freqs aboard my bag are coördinated.

Often, height is the key. Also reception is very much improved if there is a line of sight between TX and RX ant.

With RX antenna at waist height, there's a high chance of people being between TX and RX. The human body absorbs radio waves quite well...

I know this is a crucial factor. When working from a cart, I place my antennas on a 3 metrs high mast.. this alone gives me about 8 times the range.. 

I guess you already tried this?

 

http://www.sounddevices.com/notes/recorders/788/788t-w-wireless-in-38-40/#more-2564

 

For me, this was a key motivator in moving to a 664 for 90% of my work. Less battery-hungry too.

I was aware of this, long before SD decided to publish this.. I mailed them about the issue of the XLRs emitting RF, but I never heard from them.. alas. 

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that most of the "SD788t in a soundbag-using-members" of this group get good results with their wireless receivers planted directly against the body of this recorder.

I eliminated almost all factors that could possibly contribute to the reduction of reception of my  wireless mics. The usual suspects: receivers and recorder on separate powersupply, not using the XLR-ins but the TA3s on the 788, receivers as far as possible from the recorder INSIDE the bag, dipoles mounted on the front of the bag to create even more distance. Tried coax-antennae strapped to the harness.. The audio-jumpercables do not touch any datacable or the power-cable connected to the recorder.. Wireless hop-tx attached to the straps of my harness, they are no way near my talent-receivers. All this effort to create a workable solution for use in run&gun doco situations don't really give satisfactory range (in some cases, not counting in the possible variables in the field like crowded freq-space, tx-placement on the body of talent etc., the reception drops out at about 20 metres..).. So, my last resort was to mount my receiver-rack (Audio Ltd. RK3-2040 recievers) on my back to create even more physical seperation between them and the recorder and placing the whips at a higher point. This gave very promising results, range was more than 50 metres, at exact the same location where, before, my talent dropped out all the time, this time I got clear reception. This leads me to believe that RF-emissions of the recorder are more serious than than SD wants me to believe, unless there's something seriously wrong somewhere else in the chain. 

Well, this 'solution' is workable but less than desireable, the bonus: better range AND weight distribution..

Cleve, big thanks, great info.  I feel more confident allready. I never wear shorts so this will not be a problem.. 

Many times, in these instances, the liaison can be really helpful.  Often they're super nice people who will try to make your experience go smoothly.  Once in a while they're the other kind, but your odds are pretty good.

 

Interference-wise, have a backup plan just in case (ability to direct wire, boom it, etc.), as you may not know for sure how your wireless will perform there until you're in the actual situation.

Thank you John. True in this case, I have been told the people at this base are very helpful and attentive. 

Dear group,

before contacting the right authorities at the armybase in Leesville, I thought let's ask on this forum first.  For an upcoming documentary  I will be doing sound. Filming will take place at Fort Polk in Leesville, Louisiana. I have never filmed at an army-base before let alone a US army-base (don't know if this is any different from other armybases). What kind of wireless-trouble could I get myself into, frequency-wise? Do I have to expect  range-drops/losing reception caused by strong interference from army-transmissions?  Anyone who filmed on that location before who could chime in? it would be very much appreciated. As I said, I will contact the supervising authorities who permitted us to film to ask about this, but any expert-info from the board would be of great help.

My wireless kit is 4 x Audio-ltd 2040 in the 630 - 654 mHz band. 

Thanks so much,

Diego

Thanks guys, seems reasonably priced as well..

Does anyone know of a small analog to aes converter for bag-use? I'd like to feed the stereo out and 2 direct-outs of my 442 into the AES-inputs of a Sony XD-cam (PDW800) and have the benefit of having 4 channels recorded on camera using my trusty old SD442.

thanks

Diego

I used a 9 foot VdB a lot. The newer style pole, it is easy to swap the coiled cable from 3 to 5 pins when needed, but, the opening for the cable in the threaded tip is aluminium and very, very sharp. The opening also is very snug, so it is very easy to cut through the cable if you're not careful when swapping.

I replaced this boom for a Loon Penta, but on occasions I grab the vdB. It collapses to a small easy to pack pole, with it's 6 sections... and it always amazes me how light it is..

Don't get me started about the collars though...