boomhead

Brent, does that Blizzard Holster allow a plug on transmitter to pass through but still hold the mic?  

Doesn't that defeat the purpose/usefulness of the foam?

On the movie "Interstellar"  we had spacesuits and helmets.  Each suit was rigged with a lav, an SMV transmitter, an earpiece and a Lectro R1A.  All wires received into a 788 and output mix minus for each actor transmitted via Lectro SMV in IFB mode.  The actors could hear each other, no issue with hearing themselves or feedback and the individual mics were clean.  The director had a wireless push to talk mic fed into 788 and out to the actors while he listened to a Comtek with the mix.  This whole system was very portable and scalable up to 7 actors. 

We also had one "robot."  That actor had the same setup but we used a headset mic since he didn't have a helmet.  To complicate things the robot was also rigged with a powered speaker so his voice could be audible to the astronauts when they took off their helmets.  

Thanks for sharing that.

I have a client (large Tech Company) that uses PayReel to pay all of their contractors.  It is a "sister" company to Crew Connection.  I was very skeptical at first as I think Crew Connection is bogus.  (As stated above, passing the fees onto the workers is not ok in my book.)  To my pleasant surprise PayReel has been very good.  They deduct payroll taxes from my day rate and leave my kit rental untouched.  It took 15-20 minutes to set up online initially and subsequent invoicing has been a breeze.  And they pay promptly.  Most importantly they DO NOT take any percentage of my rates as a finders fee.  It's likely they're charging my client some fee but that's as it should be.

Martin, perhaps you should see if your client would settle with this option?

15 hours ago, Derek H said:

Anyway, I think the unit will give you a warning if you pick a bad freq combo.

 

What kind of warning?  Never heard of that.

I have been using a small hardwired keyboard (don't know make) with my 688 and it typically stops working randomly after some time.  I try replugging and rebooting to no avail and yet a couple of LED's flash.  It always works again the next day but I have not been able to pinpoint what action might be causing this.  Today I think it happened when I unplugged my TC cable and plugged in another to jam the slate.  Is it possible I'm creating some static discharge that renders it useless?  Anyone else have a similar problem?

If you only have three sources (boom + 2 wires) then record the 442 mix output (post fader, L or R) on one track of 744. Use other 3 tracks to record each mic iso pre-fader from 442 direct outs.

Try Phil Perkins.

Back to the product; Does it only work with Windows tablets?  Some mixers use iPads, will it work for them?  

(sarcasm intended.)

Rado, there are lots of situations that mixers are working from a bag and not banging into the camera, the talent, the producer, etc.  Like many of our tools it might not be applicable to your working environment but could be a great asset for others.

I bought a 688 for a specific job needing the MixAssist function and was happy with the result.  The automation was very smooth and the mix blended microphones nicely when multiple people were talking simultaneously.  Coming from a 442/744T combo I love the screen/menu's though the metering I don't like as much as the old LED's.  Like Derek said above I too would have preferred a 10 channel version as I rarely need more than 4 wires and a boom and the large size is kind of a bummer as I'm a skinny guy.  I'm still looking for the smallest bag and will probably get some of the new Remote Audio XLRLP connectors for the input side.  So far I've been getting 5 hrs per NP but that is usually with a low track/input count.

I prefer the locking collar of Ambient boom poles over all others.  It is very smooth, easy to adjust without much handling noise, and doesn't need to be cranked tight to have a firm grip.  I also prefer the smaller diameter of the pole itself, it's more comfortable in my hands.

+1 try before you buy

Thanks for the reminder!

I think Mark Grech installed solar at his house in Porter Ranch.

I saw the film today and loved it. I, too, thought about the work he completed in seeming isolation and decided it was possible he may have had others working for him and he sent them away during the "test" period. Not so much a break in logic, just some cinematic liberty.

The sound design was excellent and subtle at the right times.

Hi Phil;

A few thoughts from a boom op perspective.

Some type of PTT is a must. Any system with live mic's is crazy making. A surveillance mic wired for Lectro works great and Buds idea with the LF rolloff seems like it would solve my one complaint. I have gotten used to using walkies and I borrowed Devendra's idea for integrating my IFB feed into one headset. Though the quality is not as nice I do like being able to get on Ch. 1 when necessary.

Also, I personally would not use a "boomset". I tend to work the pole close to my body and often at eye level. Though it may sound strange I found myself hitting the pole with the headset mic as I turn my head between the actors and the camera. I also don't like to be committed to one pair of headphones.

Curious to see what you decide to go with.

Cheers,

Mike Primmer

I record with a 744 and use a Zax IFB 200 for a backup/transcription recorder.  It does require a computer to convert to mp3 before handing it off to production but that's pretty fast.  I also use the IFB 200 to feed TC and scratch audio to cameras killing three birds with one device. 

Glad to hear you guys pulled out the 816.  Always worth the effort.

Mike Primmer

I sent him your info on Facebook.

MP: " if your IFB 200 is set at 23.98 and the ERX is set at 29.97 it will receive the code and display it normally. "

the non-integer frame rates are cross-compatible, they just divide the seconds into different fractions; the same is true of the integer frame rates...most devices actually jam on the :00 frame

 

This is true.  however, if you set your IFB200 at 24fps and ERX at 29.97 it will receive the code and display it normally.  There is still no indication that the frame rate doesn't match.  The numbers are hypothetical, the problem is not. 

What erx firmware have you been using when successfully jamming timecode? I have tried from .5 to 3 volts and continually get timecode error indication.

Michael, I spent a some time yesterday testing an Amira with my Zaxcom gear.  I used an ERX2TCD v1.25 and found the TC jammed as low as .5volts.  My units have been modified with a BNC connector in place of the volume dial.  This was done by Drew at Audio Department in Burbank.

I did discover that there is no indication within the Zaxcom system if you transmit the wrong frame rate.  For example, if your IFB 200 is set at 23.98 and the ERX is set at 29.97 it will receive the code and display it normally.  If you plug that ERX into a camera set at 29.97 it will have a TC error but there is no indication on the ERX that there is a problem.  (Setting the ERX to Auto Frame Rate takes out one variable but you don't know there's a problem without looking at the camera.)  Likewise, if your IFB200 is set at 23.98 and you feed it 29.97 from your recorder it appears as if there is no problem.  Not exactly a fool proof system.

As for scratch track I set the ERX at -5db and the Amira at +22db, mic level.

Hope that helps.

Mike Primmer

Thank you Bash for the your excellent post.  It's the payoff for making it all the way through this thread.

Seriously. 

Last fall we had it on a glacier in Iceland where a Genny would have been a disaster. They also used it on a pod driven pickup truck with HMI's mounted on the front. Usable dialogue even with an IMAX camera.

Love Herb's Cine Juice. Ask for it by name.

Thanks for wasting five minutes of my otherwise lovely afternoon.