daniel

Will this recorder work as an audio interface while recording? If so, would that be a bit of first? Potentially making a convenient back up recording solution going directly from the recorder via usb cable into a macbook (running boom recorder) - no other boxes involved. dan.

hi Commpost, I use np1 lion batteries with a hawk woods battery cup giving me 5 hirose outputs. I have a spare battery cup with only 1 output lead that I am building a parallel system using hawk woods D-tap connectors. As reliable as the 4pin hirose have been for me I need more ouputs than are available on respective battery cup (5) and having the option of putting the recorder on a separate power supply i think is advantageous. Hawkwoods do a version of the D-tap connector that has both male and female connections in the 1 item (PCX3). This will allow me to add as many devices as the battery will allow (including another np1 battery in parallel). My other reasoning behind this idea is that D-tap seems to be quite commonly available on batteries for other kit (eg video camera batteries); they will sit nicely on the flat side of a piece of kit; the system is small when plugging 1 or 2 and is bigger only if you need more outputs. I also hope the connectors are a lot easier to solder than 4 pin hirose - so making it easier to add a device to the system. Whatever the system, if you make up a power lead with a dc car accessory/lighter socket you can use some of the 'in car' accessories available for charging or powering devices. eg usb, ipower battery charger, light, gps, dvd, lcd, cell phone, laptop but probably not an air pump or fridge etc. It may not be advisable to charge or power some of these devices from the same supply as your recorder or even while recording. dan.

Thanks Jim. Don't know all the in and outs of AES so i'm guessing that means NO, sending AES to camera would not improve sync. Guessing further - if the camera did not re-sample, the cameras 'clock'/'time'/'speed' would be locked to the incoming signal which would cause problems elsewhere? (i am aware i'm flaunting my ignorance here and should perhaps buy a big book on AES instead ;-)

Thanks Phil. Re "DR-680 is totally unconscious [of LTC ]"; yes, this is my understanding. Also the digital (aes/spdif) I/Os of the 680 are (designed to be) used to sync the record function. Set both 680s to 'CASCADE', press record on the master - both go into record. I wonder if the machines have some 'discreet' communication when doing this - or is the slave just going into record as a digital signal appears/changes? Does the 680 pass the digital signal when in standby? Following on from the idea that 'sync' might be more reliable if a signal from 1 machine is passed to another digitally - would 'sync' be improved if a mix from the 680 were sent to camera via the AES I/Os instead of the analogue I/Os? d.

re TC recorder: digital audio o/p or not, TC (as generally available) would need an AD converter in line to the digital i/p of 680. i think.

Thanks Max. re WavtoBWF I realise the WavtoBWF has been designed to read LTC from an audio track and then extrapolate and add a time-stamp to the metadata relating to that file but I've not tried WavtoBWF yet so don't exactly know it's capability. Could it (be pointed to and) read a time-stamp in the metadata of 1 file and then time-stamp another file with matching audio - Eg. if you have matching audio tracks (ie a mono mix) on a TC machine (fr-2) and non TC machine (dr-680) can the app time-stamp the corresponding dr-680 files with the corresponding TC metadata? Of course 1 could record TC from the fr-2 on an audio track of the dr-680 but you loose an audio track. dan.

hi max, i'm thinking of running a dr680 with a SD mixer. it would be great to have a tc solution - which in a way you have but the from my experience any shoot requiring tc will expect a tc recorder in your kit. if you hire or buy the cheapest 2 track tc recorder for such shoots you can use that as your master and the dr680 as a 'back-up'. for this purpose i think the zaxcom zfr300 would be perfect. not sure you can have continuous tc out when recording but its compact and gives you redundancy. btw are you using the 'hp pre-fade solo' technique for control of the 3rd iso out of the 302? i'd be interested to know more about your set-up. dan.

http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/ http://www.gravitybike.com/Gbikes/What.html ...and if its down hill all the way (and you don't like pedals:-)

http://www.ohpv.org/forums/index.php?topic=969.0 ...if you don't need to carry kit (or go round corners :-)

eric, it's interesting that you brought the focus puller analogy. in theory: FP uses eyes and tape measure to see where the actor is and adjust focus on lens - they are not doing this looking through the view finder or at the monitor. they've measured the positions and marked the follow focus as per a rehearsal. BM uses ears, eyes and script to know who's speaking next and cue mic - they use their ears with or without headphones, judging distance and backing off the mic etc as per rehearsal. all elements in picture identified, considered and controlled. all elements audible identified, considered and controlled. as per rehearsal.

re no headphones: i had a great boom op (bbc trained) she didn't wear headphones for booming (she wore them for checking wireless mics). i prefer to wear them if i'm booming but i think there are some pros to having '3d' hearing on set. JB, no bad feelings, i did say i was ranting. appreciate your perspectives too.

I know these (sony) units well (they were my first set of wireless). With decent capsules (in my case cos-11s) they are really alright, better than the sony 'freedom' series and the cheap sennheisers. Sony saved money on the boxes, to give you 2 antennas. Range is not remarkable but better than the g1s and g2s i've had to use on occasions. And the battery life is excellent. I went for the hirose version so i could hard wire the caps into sony DA78 power supplies for sit downs etc. ecm77s never sounded great under clothing to me, but i never tried lifting the 'top end' with some clever use of tape, worth a go if they are making the 'bore' sound dull :-) btw. JB i don't believe i said (or suggested) north american sound mixers (in general) were disparaging, far from it. i acknowledged the high demand and quality of the work by you guys, i just wanted to encourage particle with the idea that he needs to judge his own work in context and not to be afraid to do harder jobs than he's used to because some people told him he's out of his depth on this badly produced (uk, no distribution) drama. I want to add, that in general north american mixers and sound ops on this forum and on (the all but extinct) ramps have been very generous with their knowledge to me and others and i would feel saddened if people thought i did not appreciate that. respect to you all, dan.

sonicparticle (i like the name), the great thing about forums is the diversity of opinion. Read everything in context - the 'big shot' attitudes from some people here probably fit perfectly with the clients and markets they no doubt flourish in and i'm sure these guys get it right 100% of the time - get their full rate for work - every piece of kit they ask for and need gets paid for etc - but even these guys had to start somewhere (and in some cases in paid apprenticeships, partly afforded by a studio system that aggressively markets its products around the world). Here in lil ol' ingerland there aren't any real apprenticeships to learn the skills from, its pretty much those rich enough to go to film school (and even they will need good connections and the spare cash to then work for free) or those who dare. 99 times out 100, on the type of gig you are describing, you will almost certainly be as good or better at your job than the producer is at theirs - if this was not the case, then the producer would have raised more money (or at least allocated budget more sensibly) to facilitate rendering of the audio part of their product to the level required. And perhaps the real issue here is what is that level exactly? To have a credible 'calling card', low budget, no distribution, film? Or is the producer of a commissioned TV drama just skimping on the sound budget? If so they'll probably get fired (just before you do). You've got every right to accept an offer of employment from who ever wants to employ you. Roger Corman finally picked up a life time achievements award after making something like 350 films, a lot of which he would describe as exploitation films. Actors, technicians, trades, crafts, directors, writers and himself all learnt on and from these productions and some of these people make up a golden generation of Hollywood names. The chances are your producer is not the next Corman; but roll with the punches, do the best you can, make some friends, talk to post (if the film even gets some), invest some spare, keep it real. Least you're not blowing people up for cheap oil. ps. imho (as much as i love the clean quiet sound of the MKH60 and 50) if you've not got the spare cash, sell one of the mics (perhaps the 60 if you're set on drama) and buy 2 channels of mid range wireless, with high quality capsules (dpa / cos-11) that you can also use hardwired for spots etc - chances are this wont be the last gig you are asked to boom and mix/record and even when production 'find' you (as opposed to pay for) a 'boom op' they wont be up to much. The wireless wont sound so good in your headphones but the people paying you at this stage have tight pockets and cloth ears that only want to hear the words "yes, i can". Its cheaper to rent an extra boom mic when you need one (eg for exteriors) than it is to rent even cheap wireless and learning how to use wireless effectively is very much part of our job. Even top post production sound people find time to squeeze (a clever producer's) low budget film into their calendars and they can and will find a way of supporting a loose boom (because its been framed out) with the wireless mics or and some depth and warmth to the wireless with a boom (that was too noisy to use on its own). pps i'm not trying offend anyone with my rant at the top, but there are other film markets and models in the world aside from the north american one. The technical side of these markets (as an aggregate) might not be as good as the 'hollywood' model but this technical diversity is part of the cultural and economic diversity that makes this world an interesting place. If you perceive yourself at the top of whatever 'tree' you climbed and truly enjoy the life, why make others feel bad about the 'tree' they may be climbing? This forum maybe hosted in cyberspace by a north american (thanks Jeff) but it would be poorer, i believe, if others felt dissuaded from asking and contributing.

i should have been clearer - i've edited the original post

cascading 2 788s uses the 788 c-link output of master(788) and input of slave (788) - does this mean i can only use ios device on the (788) master (If at all)? Or is there a way for these (788 c-link) ports to be multi-use (with some kind of hub)? How are people monitoring 2 (788) machines (that are not being fed from a mixer)? ideas so far: monitor from the slave (788) - send a hp channel to a master (788) output to a slave input (or visa versa)? monitor from 302 (or similar) - send a hp channel of each (788) machine to a 302 input for monitoring (and also feed other listeners)? the later seems the best but i'm wonderin if i'm missing an obvious alternative. dan. ps. i'm trying to get a lectro D4 system for director and boom monitoring as well and think this could do some of what i'm trying to achieve but probably not the best thing for me to monitor from.

Jim, in my experience its the other way round. i've used both single and 2 wheel trailers for various things and the only thing the single wheel trailer has over the 2 wheel trailer is perhaps a bit of speed (less rolling and air resistance). Having said, that i do like the way the B.O.B. yak trailers have a suspension option. 2 wheeler trailers are very stable at high and low speeds. They are easier to park up and move around (when not cycling). Best of all i think they would be easier to convert into a (very) small sound cart! (yes, this is on my list of projects :-)))) As for cycling in the deep snow, fatbikes are the way to go but that rubber ain't cheap. eg $100 / tire. Then if the snow melts a bit then freezes you need ice tires: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp tim, I will try to post some pics soon. Alternatively PM me and hook up over a beer sometime if you're in London. I'm in hackney. But for now i would say the key to getting the kit and bike thing together is not only well chosen sound kit (to avoid breaking your back) but also well chosen, high quality clothing as you don't want to get too cold/hot/wet on the ride or at work (and there is not much room for extras) - basically merino wool and gortex if you live in the UK. I do have a small collection of bicycles (5) which covers most types but if i were to get another, i think it would be a brompton for those days when you meet up with the rest of the crew, travel in a crew bus and then finish the day somewhere else. Or want to combine the various conveniences of bicycles with public transport. The brompton also has a very good luggage system and is very ride-able. The other thing about all this is that our kit is getting smaller and lighter. EG. mixer recorders, dual receivers, more compact boom mics, integrated 2 channel wireless hops. etc I don't use lightweight XLRs as it happens but that is another way to reduce the weight of a bag. I do occasionally fantasize about titanium XLRs and connectors or a carbon-fiber boxed sonosax - it kind of takes my mind of the big hill i'm climbing but it's no substitute for getting your "teeth out" (for those of you who know what i mean). As for having an accident and coming off; i do just about consider myself more valuable than my sound kit so make this my primary reason for avoiding this sort of thing. Once you do that, the kit looks after itself (in this respect at least). happy cycling comrades, Dan.

Been cycling to local shoots (central london) with ENG kit since I started in the biz. In town I ride a fixed wheel with everything in a kata backpack. Out of town or when I need to carry more I use panniers and my touring bike with thicker tires to cushion the ride. One of the advantages of using panniers is not having the weight on you back but also the ortlieb motorbike panniers (that I adapted) have got to be the most weather proof soft bag available - the panniers are roll top and are constructed from a heavy tarp like material where the seams are welded instead of stitched. My petrol 302 bag fits in with plenty of room for extra bits and pieces included a rycote zepplin and i've found a away to use the clips (that attach to the bicycle rack) as quick release attachment to my harness. The only problem i've encounted with any of this is the negative attitude of 'petrol-head' colleagues who think a humble bicycle humble suggest a lack of professionalism. But it's understandable when you consider that most car owners will probably spend more money in there lifetime owning and running a car than almost anything else, except property. Petrol dependency has many ugly sides and this is probably the least of them. btw. I do drive too but only when I really need to and renting is now so easy in london, ownership is not really necessity for me. atb, dan.

Chris, I guess the thing the about 'pro gear' (theoretically at least) is that you pay a premium for something that is usable in the context of film and television production and because that has involved sound for c. 80 years we have good reason to expect it to be compatible with the acquisition of sound. Whereas the 're-purposed' kit runs the risk (if you buy before you try) of creating more problems than it solves. I remember some years back a DoP on a feature I was recording specified pond liner instead of black out cloth (hardly a budget killer) for blacking out windows in a victorian house - well it blacked out the windows alright but it also made a horrendous noise every time the wind blew (which was all the time of course :-), worse than gels because it was thicker. Anyway my "production associate" (DP) specifying these LEDs is no longer with the project but I doubt it has anything to do with his choice of lighting. But asides from the any potential noise or Rf issues I thought it was interesting to be specifying what we call in UK 'HIGH BAY' lighting for a set of fairly low ceiling buildings (as opposed to large warehouses - there typical use). I'm tempted to buy 1 of these lights for my (low ceiling) flat just to find out what the effect is like and because I quite like the industrial look of them. AC/DC powering is a cool feature too.

My production associate (DoP) on an upcoming project is procuring a certain type of LED lighting for the shoot: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/554152433/180W_cordless_mining_lights_led_AC.html But in general are there any known issues for the sound department with LED lighting and the ballasts. And in particular any specifics relating to wireless mics. atb, dan.

thanks andy.

pt, were there any resources you checked regarding usable/legal frequencies in the philippines? i've spent the last week looking without luck. sennheiser have put their world frequency thing behind a password log-in. sennheiserasia had nothing. i'm trying to spec a 16 channel wireless system for use in various locations across the islands and currently my best plan is to get production to pay for me to go out in advance of renting kit to do a wireless survey of all locations. Dan.

I think the RX tunes across 240mhz and their current TX tunes across 120mhz but that will be extended by a new model (apparently). Raycom have just sold 200 channels to sky news - which I imagine wouldn't leave much loose change from £500,000. And as we know, everyone's favourite australian-american is rather into maximising his wireless capabilities. From satellites to other peoples cell phones ;-) TFS in Sheffield (uk) reprogram the Wisycom RXs with 5000 series sennheiser TXs - which would certainly add bling to my mixer bag.

Depends on how many i/ps you have phantom power on. its quite economical but if you're doing 10+ hours of ENG (with 1 phantom powered mic) i seem to remember you will need to have at least 1 spare set of AAs. If you're only powering 1 boom mic (and don't have radios to do battery changes on) you wont find it too painful - but if your changing batteries on the mixer, 2 TXs and 2 RXs then it will get boring. Global media pro (for example) do good value batteries and if your RX do external power you'll be able to concentrate on events other than battery changing :-) dan

thanks glenn. it also has the advantage of the return (ifb) built in. But from what i understand from the published specifications it would only transmit 1 of the 2 possible outputs from the super cmit or have i got that wrong? the d4 would seem to give me the option of sending both back to the recorder (?) dan. ps. i read on the spec sheet that the UK versions have a narrower bandwidth - what is the impact of that on performance?

thanks richard, yes - i have spoken with piers at raycom and it was his suggestion and it sounds perfect on paper, down the phone (if you know what i mean). Just keen to know of others who've tried something similar. dan.