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Mark Spagnolo

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Everything posted by Mark Spagnolo

  1. Let us all know your experiences on this trip. I often bring small recorders and a few items and never had anyone say anything, I would like to bring my SD663 and a stereo mic with me on my next holiday to Italy. The way I figure it, People bring elaborate SLR set ups with tripods, monopods, lens kits etc, to take pictures on their holidays. Like you, my use is strictly personal and I am not planning on selling anything. Our interest is just in capturing aural imagery and theirs is just more of that visual stuff. How does one say that to customs?
  2. I have been using these for years, really inexpensive on Ebay, I have different colors for different types of batteries. http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-YELLOW-AA-AAA-BATTERY-BATTERY-PLASTIC-STORAGE-CASE-HOLDER-BOX-USA-SHIP-/201698807867?hash=item2ef62f903b
  3. Makes me wish I had saved all that room tone and world tone I had recorded over the years. It is the new Zen.
  4. I made a smaller cart for bag work and tight situations out of a nylon handtruck and some special shelves from home depot. It has foldable hooks for hanging cables and for a canvas run bag. I think it cost me around $100 to build. I am quite happy with it and it supplements my other larger carts nicely. It is suprisingly stable and lightweight. I did reinforce the area where the shelf attaches with a square of marine grade plywood bolted to the nylon handtruck to distribute the load on the nylon structure. It didn't add much weight and I have no issues in months of use. I thought the shelf would be an issue, but the one I found has worked out great. It locks completely, and has an unlocking mechanism that is proactically fool proof. I safety the bag with some straps and caribiners when rolling around outside. The run bag helps as a counter balance, but even with out it is suprisingly stable and doesn't tip easily. cart = http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EUUZAUG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00 shelves =http://www.homedepot.com/p/Knape-Vogt-16-in-Heavy-Duty-Folding-Shelf-Bracket-in-White-HD-206-16WH/203906172
  5. I have been using these inexpensive little 4 packs that come in a variety of different colors. Easy to keep some handy in all types of situations, and they stay closed and protected. They have all types of amounts if you look around the site http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-YELLOW-AA-AAA-BATTERY-BATTERY-PLASTIC-STORAGE-CASE-HOLDER-BOX-USA-SHIP-/201414776485?hash=item2ee54196a5
  6. I just got my CMC 4 back from being upgraded by Pete and I am absolutely thrilled. It works and sounds great. This is a brilliant solution to the T12 issue without using cumbersome adapters. I plan on sending my other one in next opportunity.
  7. I would also try Ebay, a lot ship from China pretty quickly. Like these (they are TA5 but there are plenty TA3 out there) http://www.ebay.com/itm/190875116426?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
  8. My little Sony Sport radios were digital tuning and never had an issue with reception as long as they were within 25 or so meters of the Comtek TX. My biggest problem is that agency people would play with them and listen to ball games and music, and then when we were rolling came over to ask me what channel it was supposed to be --preset 1 of course-- 87.5. I had always worried about getting bleed over from the TV channel at the edge of the band, but luckily, it was never an issue. Your results may vary. Second biggest problem, Agency folks would take them home because they liked them, so I had to charge the client 40 or 50 USD and then bought two more.
  9. I ordered the TX from a company in VA, I think the name was Systems Wireless, and told them what I wanted and I think they had Comtek deliver it that way. They modified to transmit at 87.5 FM and also did something so that you would get two mono channels over a stereo receiver. Now, this was about 20 years ago and it has worked just fine ever since. I did pick up a stronger TX from a friend that required AC and a real loaded antenna that I used for locations where we were really spread out. It is a regular low power FM TX, we had to tell them when we ordered it that it was for export and used in our mission work. But I think there are all sorts of TX available on Ebay for low power applications. Sony had a store for a while nearby that sold re-furbs RX for runners and sports, all bright yellow, and they were 15-20 USD so I stocked up on them whenever they got a load in or I needed more for a job. They sounded way better than the old Comteks and they were disposable. Just charged the clients for L&D and bought new ones. Still have 20 working ones in my kit.
  10. Years ago, I had a Comtek TX modified to transmit at 87.5 on the FM band. Then I bought a whole slew of Sony sport radios from the Sony store (they were refurbs and inexpensive!) The digital tuner starts at 87.5 and there is usually nothing down there at all. Everyone loved them because they sounded so much better than the old Comteks, the agency people could pretend they were working and really listen to the radio, and most of them had built in stopwatches since they were ruggedly designed for runners. And since they were all bright yellow, they were easy to find at the end of the day. I could replace them for $25 when needed. I had hand held models, arm band models, and even a couple of headphone only RX for certain directors and camera ops. After 20 years, more than 20 still work fine out of the original 25 units. I had also picked up a small 1 Watt FM TX that was used by a missionary group. It worked great in big spread out locations, but rarely had a problem with range with the Comtek TX. Never heard a peep from the FCC
  11. I have been using batteries4broadcast NP1 style 60Wh lithium batteries for several years and have had absoluty no issues. They power my 302, 442, 552, 664 and my 744T. I do find that the 664 are a bit more power hungry than a simple mixer with a few wires, so I usually budget 2 batteries per day to play it safe, but often do not have to employ the 2nd one. I have a total of 4 which I rotate. I have their portable TC-C1 charger to charge the batteries. (I actually have 2 -one on my bench, and another in my travel case.) Just remember to unplug it when you are not using it. It takes a few hours to charge a NP1 on the unit, but I have never fallen short. I think they are good value for the money, and the travel charger is light and compact for travel.
  12. Update: I sent my two CF700X 16G cards back to Delkin, and they were very responsive and sent me 2 new CF700X 16G cards back a week or so later. They were neither the KZ or VB and I asked my contact at Delkin support whether they had the new design architecture or the old. He said that would send me two new ones, and I should return the other ones. So, the other day I get 2 32G CF700X cards. While I am happy about the upgrade to 32G, I am curious to know whether they will be fine in my 664. SD makes no mention of them in the list. Curious to know what others have experienced. Anybody using the 32G CF700X (code on these are CF32AJZBR-XX000-P)
  13. Delkin sent me two replacement CF 700X cards to replace the ones I had returned to them. The code is neither KZ or VB but it CF16AJZBR-XX000-P 121013 16506. No info was included to give me any clue if these would resolve the problem that was evident with the returned cards. I guess I will have to field test these to find out if the problem is resolved. Did everyone else who returned cards get the same codes in return? Hopefully sound Devices will put them through their test sequence and post the info. I bought some CF1000x cards to use while the others were being replaced, but it is a little scary and perhaps reckless to use the new ones without more info in a production situation.
  14. I use a Husky hook that I got at Home Depot a while back. It is very well designed. It has a sturdy belt style clip which I attach to the bag, and then the hook rotates on its axis and pivots side to side. I lost one a while back, so I put a bolt through the clip and the bag. Works very well for doc style situations. Folds out of the way when I don't need it, and is right there when I do. The little ball at the top prevents it catching on things. I think Husky is a Home Depot brand, but I am sure other places have versions.
  15. I contacted Delkin support on their web site and told them that I had a couple of the cards with the KZ s/n that I had purchased a month or two ago. Yesterday they got back to me and issued me a case number and told me to send them in for exchange. They didn't specify exactly what they would exchange them for, but I had included the note from SD and a link to the SD approved media page. It would appear that they are well aware of the issue and are trying to do the right thing. I just dropped them in the mail today, so we'll see what I get back in return.
  16. After all is said and done: It's radio with pictures
  17. I think that Jack has the right idea, coupled with the fact that many folks in the group will challenge the legitmacy of a posting when it lacks certain info and doesn't pass the smell test. Yes, there may be times when a legitmate sale is challenged, but that will be because it may lack some important info. Fair enough. These are not personal attacks, but legitmate questions of provenance. As a group, we all keep our eyes and ears out for lost or stolen equipment and as a community, that can be some of our best protection. I watch your back and you watch mine. Thank you. In a perfect universe, maybe a moderator would be the best control, but that would be so labor intensive. So, I think that your view as to self-policing and common sense is quite appropriate here. Community policing via asking questions of provenance as to who and what is totally fair to any buyer or seller. And thanks to you and any other member who takes the time and uses their expertise to ferret out any suspect post.
  18. For years I have used a Petzl chest harness like this one: http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/full-body-harnesses/voltige I tend to wear it up higher, because it seems to help diminish any back issues, and its easy to see and adjust levels while booming, The harness is modified with sturdy brass dog leash clips, which I find much easier to clip on the bag than carabiners. It is very adjustable for various types of weather and clothing, and easy to put on and off. It is not at all bulky! The weight distribution is excellent. Headsets store in a large chalk bag, which doubles as a quick temporary storage while shooting. It is sturdy, but much lighter that other types I have seen or worn, and not very pricy. I have had the one I use now for about 20 years. Like all harness, it is hard to see your feet, so you learn to be extra careful. Like most of us, we carry around way too much gear weight, but there is not much we can do about that. I have found that yoga has helped me strengthen my core, and minimize back issues. But I take the bag off or rest it whenever I can. One other thing, when it is really really hot and muggy, I wear it a little bit lower than normal because you can get a little sweaty under the bag. I just add a small carabiner to extend the bag and I am good to go.
  19. Does anyone happen to know what the frequency I is? Its not in any list that I have seen. Thanks.
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