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RScottATL

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Everything posted by RScottATL

  1. It's pretty obvious that this is not the right toolset to do Rec/Run timecode. Post has absolutely no reason to use Rec/Run timecode, and even less reason since your equipment is not capable of meeting the request. They are shooting DSLR and should be perfectly fine taking TOD timecode. Every single dual system job I've worked with Timecode uses TOD timecode, and your editors will get along just fine. One shot with timecode that's off and they will change their request ASAP.
  2. If you don't have the option to send a separate feed to the boom op, then you can just send the boom to the director and explain what he'll be listening to. Or use one of your AUX tracks to route the IFB feed and you can select what you want to send to the IFB separate from what you're sending to mix.
  3. Larry, great job! So glad to see more film & tv players in the digital world. Can't wait for the bag receivers to make a complete lineup of digital Lectrosonics systems. Just got in a Zaxcom unit (no offense!) and have to say regardless of brand, digital is simply the way of the future to do audio in the RF jungle we live and work in. Love the RF software too! Can't wait to try it all out. Kudos to you and your team. Looks like you have a winner on your hands.
  4. Guess while I'm playing with the QRX235 I can at the same time work on my transmitter recording workflow! Not fun, looking forward to the fix.
  5. While off topic, I'll agree that semi pro and pro gear have two different requirements for performance. The difference in a pro and semi pro using low-grade gear is that the pro puts it back in the case and pulls out a better tool (as needed).
  6. Could be interference. RX output is unbalanced and non-isolated power (eg: BDS) has certainly given problems with grounding issues before. I wouldn't rule out bad shielding on the audio cables either when dealing with digital recorders. Time for some ol troubleshooting.
  7. I don't see any wings flying off the sides. So far so good!
  8. Shure UR1/UR5 is $2k a channel, new. It's got great performance, wideband and a great sound. Used Lectro can be had around that price. I don't care that the price of top quality wireless systems are $3000-3500 per channel. If it's the right tool and your business model supports it, then get it. We are in a business that, if we are charging proper rates and getting steady, good work, we should be making $80k-150k per year. That's plenty to invest $8k-15k per year (10%) back into equipment. I don't see where the issue is. If gear is too expensive, then rent and build it into your kit fee until you can buy. I don't envy the camera situation at all. There are new cameras every year, far too many to count and they lose their value so fast that the only way to keep them is to rent them constantly or use it as your only camera of choice (which is impossible as clients spec different cameras every other job). So cameramen own sticks and glass and support gear. I find it far easier to invest in my career with wireless as they hold their value, pay for their "new-to-used" loss in a couple of rentals and at the end of their career can be resold for 80% of their value. They are great assets. Yes it costs to get into them but you have a physical asset at the end of the day, and one that makes money for you as well.
  9. 1000% on this. Wish I had this bit of detail going into it. On top of swapping out bad batteries, we also had a brand new Remote Audio Voice of God push to talk mic that was a bit loose on the circuit. Never had an issue with it during every single one of our walk tests before every single use, but the talent on a "live"-ish game show kept complaining of intermittent sound day after day. Intermittent problems are awesome, and coupled with a finicky earwig makes for a great time! Overall my experience with the units was still positive. Know what you're getting into and carry a spare and be ready to change it out at a moment's notice!
  10. And they said the 664 was big. Definately cart it, though I'd imagine some folks will bag it when needed just like the Deva.
  11. Putting the NP1 under the 788T CL8 is asking for heat problems. I would not recommend this.
  12. And if production needs a usable track from a 5D, it will be terrible anyhow.
  13. Agreed, Senator. This thread is doing more harm than good. I understand how the system works as far as the gain staging and dynamic range staging goes. The number of times it's been misconstrued is making us look bad. I do think it's important for there to be understanding of what this system does by the professionals who operate it and also who will be pitching its benefits to potential clients and post. That, however is Glenn's message to relate and I think he has done this several times. What comes from him makes total sense to me and I think he has done the best job of explaining his system. I would highly advise anyone interested in his system to find his own explaination of Neverclip (search, it's there) and also to seek out the Trew Audio Nomad/Maxx demo video as Glenn does a good job explaining his system there too.
  14. Dropped by Trew on Friday, might have passed you there, and saw the new Nagra out. Man they make a sexy product. If only I could afford to spend that kinda dollar on two channels....
  15. Mark O, the only way to add "headroom" to a signal is to attenuate it, as there is nothing above 0dBFS. It's the classic problem of why a CD with more dynamics has to play back "quieter" than one with no dynamics. It all depends where in that 144db package those 126db fall. Usually, digital audio works from the top down, only giving as much headroom as needed, hence, why digital clipping must be prevented with a limiter. As well, you're not just playing in the digital space as you're working with A>D converters that add more noise as they deal with finer signals, so there are electrical reasons to keep things "maxed out". The end reason why there needs to be an attenuation at the end may simply be because of the order of operations used in the DSP. Maybe one attenuation at the end is more DSP efficient than two attenuations on the individual A>D signals prior to combining. Who knows. It's part of the sauce, so I'm sure there's a good reason for it. I wouldn't assume the TX uses the same architecture as the Nomad mix engine. The Nomad is a mixer so that 32bit floating point is important for summing a lot of 24 bit tracks. The transmitter has no such responsibility. Is it really an issue that it needs to be attenuated to work properly? Just add some gain. If you don't need the full 126db of range, you can always use a smaller Neverclip dynamics setting, for instance if your input preamp is the concern. If you're just adding gain digitally, though, there will be no issue. What problems are you concerned about because of the attenuation?
  16. Nothing is ever "over" 0dBFS. The point of reference can be shifted down from the typical -20. Glenn has often described the NeverClip system as adding usable range into what is normally the noise floor of the ADC and preamp. This allows us to set our typical recording levels much lower without any fear of having a noisy signal, and thus gives us more headroom. 0dBFS never changes. The 24 bit container is perfectly fine for accepting audio from the Neverclip signal path.
  17. The preamps of ANY modern professional mixer input FAR surpass the preamps of any wireless input, so no you don't need Neverclip input preamp to experience the benefit that a Neverclip wireless system has to offer. The wireless preamp stage is constantly the weakest link in the entire signal path and Zaxcom claims to have solved it with Neverclip transmitters. AES eliminates the Neverclip preamps of the Nomad, but more importantly they are eliminating D/A and A/D processes which aren't doing your signal any favors, from a digital purist point of view. In this entire process, though, the most gains are coming from the Neverclip preamps because they are eliminating the weakest link in the chain.
  18. Neverclip is an Input scheme to handle wider dynamics as an analog signal enters the A to D converter and proceeds to the DSP for digital mixing. It is available now at the wireless transmitter and also in a different form on Nomad and Maxx mixers. AES is a digital transfer method so your signal is never leaving the digital domain once it is converted (at the wireless transmitter's A to D converter or via a digital microphone). A normal Zaxcom signal path is Lav, Wireless Transmitter Preamp, Transmitter A to D conversion, FM digital transmission, Receiver D to A conversion, analog cable, Mixer Preamp, Mixer A to D conversion, Mixer DSP. With AES, your signal path is Lav, Wireless Transmitter Preamp, Transmitter A to D conversion, FM digital transmission, AES cable, Mixer DSP. So with an AES input you're cutting out several conversion processes, one of those being the Nomad's Neverclip inputs. Every additional conversion process has the possibility of introducing distortion, though with the professional tools we use it is low enough that proper gain staging will more than compensate for it. In a digital purist's perspective, AES from a digital FM signal is the best way to go, eliminating artifacting, distortion or coloration by maintaining as much digital transfer as possible. Neverclip preamps on the Nomad are best for dealing with a direct mic input such as a boom, hardwired plant mic or any other sensitive input where preamp noise is an issue. I'm not sure how sensitive the D to A converters on the QRX outputs are, so I can't say if NeverClip is truly needed other than to allow more safety with gain staging.
  19. Doing a show right now with two Phonak systems (comtek channels 8 and 32) using Basestations with one Phase Right and one Mini Mite antenna. Have been remoting a (haha) Remote Audio Voice of God handheld push to talk mic at video village with, at times 200 feet XLR to the BST transmitter and then 25-50 feet RF to talent. 8 Cameras with 2.4ghz transmitters, not sure the brand. 20 talent wireless in the area. 9 wireless sends for hops and IFB in the area. Moderate to good transmission (certainly best within 20-30 feet and better with the Phase Right). Two Phonaks on each channel, one for primary use and one for backup in case the battery goes down, the thing craps out, etc. We've had mixed luck with batteries. A set of 2015 Rayovac's didn't work. 2017 Rayovaks worked 100% and we got another batch of Rayovaks from 2016 that worked maybe 1 in 3. We threw out the Rayovaks except the one batch we had that seemed to be working. Duracells have all been 100% so far for what I've tried. We have only needed them for 2 or 2.5 hours for the main show date but frequently use them after a big show for small reality scenes where it's not critical if the thing go out randomly. We get a fair amount over 2.5 hours from them usually but it varies by battery how long it will actually last. We've had batteries go out in 20 minutes. So far, I don't consider them a huge liability if you have the backup one to swap out. I haven't had many transmitter problems so far, but I've had a fair amount of battery inconsistency.
  20. Awesome to hear. I'm strongly considering the Zaxcom units for bag work. Glad to know the top end DPA lavs are good to go.
  21. IMO, the audible reason is most likely that such a quick attack will just serve to draw attention to the edit. As attacks get shorter, low frequencies can pop if in the middle of a large amplitude wave, usually though we aren't dealing with such as our lows are typically rolled off. Either way, though, if you're losing words and 10ms isn't solving your problem, a threshold adjustment is the better solution than an instantaneous attack.
  22. Love this build!! I may have to do this on my first cart! Love this build!! I may have to do this on my first cart!
  23. Michael, the build looks great and I'm a sucker for DIY and custom stuff, so this has me nerding out a bit. Glad to see the harness cable making a guest appearance. Great work!
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