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JimMansen

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Posts posted by JimMansen

  1. Have done it both ways in years of travel.  Most successfuly by registering with US customs at a customs office.  Can do it way ahead of time if your package isn't changing.  Get them to sign and stamp the list.  Upon return to US all that is needed is to present the stamped list and you're done.  No hassle.  They seemed mostly worried about foreign manufactuired items to be sure they were yours when you left and not items you were trying to get into the US without having paid import taxes. I sometimes carried paid invoices for foreign items to help prove they were mine before I left the country.  Getting into and out of other countries can be simple or difficult.  Carnets help in some cases, not at all in others.   Have traveled without Carnet more often than with.

  2. As an old school observer here I used to use two large Digital clocks (from Radio Shack) mounted on either side of the stage with a bloop light behind it. I ran the wires for the bloop light to my location and watched for the raised hand of an assistant camera person, meaning that the camera was framed on the clock. I then fired the bloop light to mark starting sync for each 16 mm roll. Of course we used absence of sync system for the bloop so the was no actual tone on the tape. We often passed put cheap digital watches the cam op could put on their wrist and shoot if they couldn't see the bloop light system.

    So, we adapted when time code became available and we all have been involved with making that work. I must say that over the years my favorite time code delivery system has been the revered Comtec. When sent to the comtec receiver on the slate I knew that camera was seeing exactly what my recorder was recording and never worried about drift. I still sometimes use that system today and wonder if I might have made up some output cables from Comtec to IPhone/iPad with a free reader App installed and turned Everybody loose to go where they wished, knowing they were seeing the real thing when they went to the trouble to shoot a sync marker.

  3. We found a local company that sold and installed our 24 panels. $25 K up front but with SRP (power company) rebate and Fed and State tax credits actual out of pocket is 17,500. We believe our average bill of $175 a month will be eliminated except for the shorter daylight months in the winter. That's around an 8 year payback. We own the panels, can sell them w/ the house, and they have a 25 year warrenty.

    The leasing option would have cost a little more and we would not have gotten any of the rebates or tax credits, leaving our costs at the $25K mark instead of our current $17,500.00 Long ago my accountant told me it always cost a little more to use some one else's money. The leases are very popular. We got bids from Solar City in Phoenix and Sungevity in Oakland, but owning seemed to be a better investment.

    Our final inspection is today. Power company still has to inspect and commission our system before we can throw that switch but we're really excited to be this far with the project.

  4. I have a LA based company that is doing a Discovery Channel show in Albuquerque and wants a local sound person.

    Will need mixer to camera audio plus reference to 5d/7d. Director IFB/comtec feed. Boom plus 2 or 3 radios.

    Have asked for dates but no schedule yet.

    Please send me contact info and broad reference of skill level.

    JimNoMOS@aol dot com

    Jim Mansen (Phoenix Area)

  5. What tone generator is in use? Saw somthing about 555? I have an old neon number bloop slate that was for the Nagra. All I need to do to make it modern is add a tone generator and change some wiring. Smaller would be best to fit inside original box.

    thanks

  6. Years ago a mixer friend of mine decided to lubricate the main switch of his Stereo Nagra. ( I said it was years ago.) He liberally sprayed it with WD 40. Not too long after it started to give him real trouble. The repair tech blamed it on a varnish deposit left by the WD-40. Was so bad he had to replace the entire main switch at some real expense. LPS or other contact friendly lubes would get my vote, not WD-40.

  7. This is just one picture of an ENG/reality cart that I have been making for awhile. It uses a SMALL folding cart with a sliding handle with a system that attaches a top shelf. It has a boom pole holder as well. I have made two versions. One for the reality shows that use a mixer only and a larger shelf with metal lip that is big enough and strong enough for a 788 and radios. When in it's lowest position it is quite stable, especially if you put your run bag on the bottom. In the top position you can stand behind it and even boom and reach the pots to mix. When you need to throw it in the van with the rest of the crew you pull the pins on the shelf and it comes off and folds.

    Jim Mansenpost-856-0-58446800-1343149594.jpgpost-856-0-53859500-1343149609.jpg

  8. So.... three soundmen are walking down the street. The first says "Boy is sure is windy today." The second says "No, No. It's Thursday!" The third says, "Yeah, me too. Let's go get a beer."

    ********************

    Then there is the sound man that tells his fellow mixer that he just got brand new hearing aids. "Wow, that's great", he says "What did they cost you?" "$3,000 each," he replies. "My God, man. $3,000! What kind is it?"

    "2:30." He replies.

  9. Had to do a stand-up at a large factory with enough background noise to make regular conversation difficult. Our concened producer asked if there was any chance that we could use the audio. I said it would be really tough. (It was done long before such wonderful plug ins were available). I used a Sanken Lav on my Lectro transmitter. Boom would have just pointed at the noise in the BG.

    I told him to do the piece twice. One with actor in waist shot and again with tight head shot only. I told him he could probably use the close shot. He was dubious but later commented to me that it was amazing how much better the sound was with the close up view of the actor talking. "You could hear him much better". To me a interesting lesson learned.

  10. It should not be an On/Off switch as such. The one I made years ago was a large push button I put in a chassis box that sat on the table or lap of the director.

    When untouched it was set to short the hot side of the mic to ground. This helps avoid Pops during the make/break process. When the button was pushed it opened the short and normal audio would flow through the cable. Works like a charm.

    Jim Mansen, CAS

  11. I want to build a mic (preferably a lav) with a push to talk switch on it. Seems straight forward. Thought I would use one of my old Lectrosonics supplied lavs.

    Anyone done this? Just break the hot wire?

    The real question is what switch package is best and where to get it?

  12. Might I suggest not to give up on a good cardiod mic for the car, but not necessarily held by the boom man.  Many times I have hidden my favorite mics (most often the Schoeps) mounted on clamps and articulated arms ( w/ suspensions) under the dash, out of sight but well aimed to get great dialogue from the actors, especially since they tend to turn to each other to talk. 

    I like the sound better than the lavs.  Of course all depends on the car, the trailer, the speed and the actual framing.

    Jim Mansen

  13. The lectro eliminator is exactly the same size as a regular 9v batt.  You can put in anywhere a 9v fits.

    few consumer cameras have power outs.  The last few times I have worked with small cameras they have had a Batt Sled for Anton Bauer vblock batts with D-tapp power connectors for lights, monitors, or anything else cam dept may want to use.  Managed to steal one of the dc outs for audio.

    Jim Mansen CAS

  14. For years I have had great success using Lectro Battery eliminators in my comtecs.  Just drill a pass through hole in the right place, but it in your transmitter and power it from any DC source around 12 volts. Have never done it with receiver but it would work fine to allow camera power instead of internal batt power.

    Used this system on the cart so never needed to worry or change comtec batts on audio and time code transmitters.  Works in bag jobs too.

    Jim Mansen

  15. Interesting Thread.  My mentor, Lou Yates bought several Westrix hearing aid buds from dealers that had them.  They were close to the original attempt at amplified hearing assistance.  The problem was that they reproduced the highest possible fidelity audio which in fact did not serve to help people with hearing loss.  They made great headphones however because of their good, flat response. We had our ears molded and I used them for years. Great response and great reduction of outside noise.

    The problem was that there was no relief for the ear when unexpected loud noise or high volume events took place.  I firmly believe that I suffered serious hearing damage as a result of those events.  Some said that drilling a relief hole in the mold would prevent damage, but then the the ability to eliminate outside noise would be compromised. Now, I understand, there are systems that use limiters to prevent this problem. Good idea, if true.  I urge all who employ these ear buds to use extreme caution with listening levels. I for one would never go back to that style.

    Jim Mansen, CAS

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