edward chick

Like most posts have mentioned I'm still rocking Ipower Lithium Ion 9v purple series that are dated for in service since 2011 in my Comteks and R1a Lectrosonics and they still deliver. I am pretty much AA in the power department now for transmitters for my wireless mics. The Ipowers will run for days in the Comteks. Pretty cool.

I do a quite a bit of network news multi cam interviews with takes that go for an hour or two and have always used tc boxes and a smart slate. I have never used Genlock and have never had any calls from post regarding drifting. Cameras vary from Panasonic Vaticam LT to Eva Cams, to old school style HPX 3700 series and sony fs and A7s with canon c series tossed in. Basically whatever cam the network bureau camera guy is provided and if there is a freelance cameraman on the job, he brings what he has. This has been my experience for quite a few years. Concerts are an entirely different beast, and I could see why Gen Lock would be necessary due to hours long takes.

Contact Denecke .. good people, will get you back in service.

Hi Jwill. Sounds like an impedance issue with camera. Just curious, are you using line level cables from your mixer to the DCHT? Also, what is your ref tone out? I use +5 out from my lectro receivers all the time @+8 db out from my 664/633. Depending on camera I sometimes have to dumb my tone level to 0 db, but most of the time I run it as described. Line level to my smqv series links is usually around 10 or 11 (no pun) where the -10 light just starts to blink. Seems to deliver a good, fat signal to noise ratio for me . Have you checked the cameras menus to maker sure that the internal limiters are off?

Hi tonvogt. Not sure if this helps but when I work live shots I use a cellphone for IFB conntction to the control room/programming. I route the cellphone into my mixer then send the feed to the correspondent’s IFB via an aux out. I take it out of the main mix so it does not go over the air. The cellphone input is on it’s own track and can be recorded. I never need to do that for live tv, but it’s an option.

I’ve had Cos 11s go bad at the Ta5 connector before, just sent them in to be rewired. I’ve used DPA 4060 on NHL players during games and never had one go down. COS 11s are a good workhorse some of mine are at least 10 years old. Lot’s of doc, sports, and commercial use. Pro and non pro talent.

Send to Comtek. Service is quick.

Actually I know sound mixers who work live tv for news networks and use Noise Assist and love it. They consider it a game changer. The A1 in Master Control likes it as well as the Director. I don’t have an 888 yet, but plan on getting one soon. I can’t wait to try NA out. I think what others have stated before me, use it on your LR out, but not the isos, and for film style shoots a conversation ahead of time with Post would be in order as to use or not.

I’ve got a CS3e, it’s my go to mic for sports environments I can always count on it to pull out great sound during on the fly interviews post game when players are on the move back to the locker room , inside the locker room when they are being bombarded by reporters, music from boom boxes, etc. It also sounds good in factory and other noisy background locations.

? I think you are over reacting a touch .. mounting a mic on a horse will not harm it or the sulky driver. Having been to quite a few harness races myself ,until the sport fell to casinos here in Michigan, they are more prone to injury while they trot or some new equine virus. It’s just nature of the event. As for being nervous around an auto, they are trailered to every event. Also, at least in the states, the starting gates are mounted to an SUV which the racers que behind and go 1 lap around the track so everyone is even in the starting line, so I wouldn’t worry too much about how the horse reacts to a vehicle. Let us know what you come up with.

Being that it’s a narrative film, can production budget a few hours so you could experiment with different mic placement? T If you have a horse/jockey at your disposal you could mount various mics, and not worry about if camera will see it. You could wire a Lectro PDR or equivalent small recorder and wire the bridle, trying different types of foam on the mic as well as shotgun with a zeppelin on frame of sulky.

I agree with Derek. In the heat of confusion it can be stressful to “click” through the channels to find a clean frequency. But the advantages of vhf in a crowded spectrum, and a housing and electronics that can take a beating throughout the day, along with the price point per unit; offsets the minor inconvenience it takes to grab a clean freq and get on with the day. Just my .02.

I noticed that too. Sounded to me like it was ADR on a sound stage. Good film.

I’ve been working for CBS and NBC news divisions recently. Protocol for both are crew has to wear masks, all shoots outdoors unless cleared by Operations Mgt. Booms preferred but if lav necessary must sanitize it and transmitter. I’ve been wiping them down with Lysol wipes and spraying the bag etc, with alcohol. It might not be the manufacturer preferred way, but that’s what I’m doing.

I’ve used mine recently for a basketball game doc. They are much easier to attach to the bag than the SNA. The provided hardware is a nice accessory and the cables have a good build quality to them. Performance wise they seem to be a little better at reception than the SNA. I also like the one piece design, I am forever losing the little adjuster screws for the various block settings for the SNA. The Betsos seem to stick out of the bag a little farther, so you have to pay a little more attention when walking through a crowded area. I think they are worth the money.

Just sent mine in this week to Redding to go to Germany for same issue. Seems to creep up with it every couple of years or so. I am very careful with the environments I use it in, always have a softy over it , never use it if the forecast calls for rain and I know I’ll be out in it. Sometimes sounds like it’s “auto gaining” the noise floor or produces a hiss. Yeah, sometimes the pole falls down if I’m not conscientious where I place it, but that’s the real world of ENG/Doc productions. I always get the same response from Schoeps “unable to replicate problem, cleaned, tuned,,180.00. It will work fine for another couple years. I love the sound of the CMIT5U and it’s weight. Like any other fine machine or tool, it needs a little care every now and then I guess.

I work a fair amount of network news and usually if they are shooting 720/60 they are running 29.97 drop, or if they are trying for a “filmic” look they shoot 30 drop. If it’s non broadcast production, try the non drop rates.

I’d be very suspicious, a month after the job and he’s blaming you???WTF, over? Has he used since your job?

Having owned two horses myself the aforementioned advice of always letting the horse know you are behind it is mandatory, even a short kick is very painful. Get to the grocery store and buy up on Dominos' sugar cubes, some apples, and carrots. With the owner's permission, hold your hand palm up with a treat and you will have a friend for life. The few times I worked with talent on a horse I always lav'd them because of the horse's reaction to the boom.

I worked there last winter covering the Winter Olympics for NBC. NBC provided the gear, I don’t recall hearing of any rental houses there. Not much help I know. Tell your client you need to take your gear and will need reimbursement for any license/import fees. At least you will know you will be legal and can work with confidence knowing it’s your kit.

I’ve experienced Arri cams to hold sync throughout the day after being powered down; and I’ve seen them drift after coming back from off speed. Like the others have stated the size of modern sync boxes pales to the amount of real estate all the shit camera dept. puts on them these days. Time for a meeting with DP, Editor, Producer, Director and have DP explain why he/she feels a sync box is unnecessary.

I think it comes down to redundancy for the networks. I’ve worked on Dateline, 20/20, Sunday Morning, etc, for almost 20 years. They have always requested all cameras in a multi cam interview get audio. It may be that their editors are working on multiple projects with immediate deadlines, and don’t have the time to sync audio with picture. They do request the .wav backups now. I have had a situation where we shot on a DSLR a few years ago for an nbc feature doc and the editor did use my .wav files.

Depending on available real estate (which is at a premium on cameras these days), I use either a Lectro SR5p or LR receiver. Network clients still rely heavily on camera mix so it’s sr5 series for them. Commercial clients usually just want a scratch for the edit so they get the LR with Ambient tiny Lock it bongoed together, works fine. The Wisycom ENG series is looking good I like the size of the receiver. Not sure about the Deity and 2.4ghz, I do like the fact that manufactures are starting to take our needs into consideration though.

Sounds like you had it in the "Unity" mode?

I had a 2008 GMC Savannah 2500. It was a cave on wheels. I had custom sound proofing and industrial carpeting put in it. It totally made difference in road noise. I think I might of had the alignment performed twice, both when I had new tires put on it in 180,000 hassle free miles of ownership . I ran Michelin LTX tires on it, those coupled with a factory installed locking differential got me through Michigan winters very well. I also had about 300lbs of sand ballast in plastic containers that I bought online and that helped with traction in the winter. The only time I really got stuck I just dumped some and under the tires and away I went. That was in about 8 inches of snow.