Matt

An interesting point to consider from copyright law may have application here:.

"The primary purpose of copyright law is not so much to protect the economic interests of the authors and artists, but rather to promote the progress of the useful arts—that is knowledge and creative works—by providing an incentive for the creation through giving the creative community exclusive rights in their works for a limited period." Not the same as a patent, but perhaps a similar concept.


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It varies from production to production. I find my attitude makes all the difference in the world. Are you friendly? Do you ask them about their lives? You may have to be more actively social. But some people are just arrogant and unpleasant. Just learn to let it roll off of you. Take confidence in the fact that you can give them excellent sound IF THEY LET YOU. Pick your battles. I feel like it is my job to tell the AD (or whoever is in charge on set) about a sound problem. If they say, "Don't worry about it," then I leave it alone. I have alerted them and now THEY are responsible for the problem if it is an issue in post. Instead of pointing out problems, try to have alternative solutions before bringing it up. But, even with all this, the camera department will still be treated like kings and you'll often be an afterthought. Most directors understand and have studied the art of film visually, and really don't understand what we do. Also, paradoxically, the better you are, and the more easily you pull off difficult audio scenes, the more it you can be taken for granted because it makes it seem like an easy job. Good luck man. We are all pulling for you.


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That works fine but I'm trying to avoid transmitted TC--I'd rather have an accurate  jammable device than an RX any day.

Just get a Tentacle Sync, velcro it to your phone, feed timecode into the 1/8", set free Denecke app to read it. Only issue might be the battery on the iPhone or used iPod Touch.

Or just download the Bloop Box app if TC is not essential. Sync with the bloop and flash frame.

For about $75 more you get a syncbox and a small porta-slate. For a dedicated device, though, and the price, pretty cool.


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Hi, we use special tools and heat. But I don't think you will find anything serviceable from your end inside, and I doubt even more that's causing the noise. Do you have other lavs to compare it with? Is that a newer one that's hissy and the older ones don't? We haven't made changes since quite a while.

Yes. It is strange. I changed it out for another Eumel I had with the exact same lavalier and XLR cable on the same channel of my 788T supplying phantom. The noise went away. What did you change when you made the newer model? Perhaps I can look inside to see if something is different.



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When an actor suddenly changes a performance. Shouts instead of whispers. Everyone LOVES it!! Your 6-series line input clipped. There's the problem.
We can all agree that proper gain staging will prevent the use of limiters for regular use. But we're not getting paid as professionals to record ordinary things. Almost anyone can do that (although I've hear a lot of distorted news reports lately). We are paid to capture performances that are out of the ordinary. We can't simply say, "Ooops. That actor is going into one of my line inputs without a limiter, and I didn't get that take." Although when an actor changes the performance and overshoots a mark, and it's out of focus, they seem to be ok with that.

Exactly! Some of you guys on here seem to assume that every production works exactly the same. That you get nice rehearsals to set gain staging and never have dramatic, unpredictable volume changed. Well, to say that you don't need limiters if you have proper gain staging is like saying you should get 100 yards of reception on your Lectro 411. Well, yeah. If you are in an open field, line of sight, with the transmitter on the end of a boompole. So, please don't act like because not everyone is on the same type of production as you that somehow they are "less than" professionals. On reality and unscripted shows, which are a major portion of the entertainment world today, like it or not, limiters are essential. I defy the most grizzled veteran recordist to never distort audio on an unscripted show without the use of limiters. I see them as a helpful tool as well on numerous projects where the full rehearsal has gone the way of the dinosaur. I don't like this change, but so it goes. So, should you slam the limiters all the time? No. Is there something wrong with using them for safety? No. Is it highly disappointing that Sound Devices made a decision, 3 times, to give extra channels that are virtually useless due to the absence if input limiters? Yes. This is the primary reason I'm still using my 788 and will until it croaks. All 8 inputs have limiters, are mic/line switchable, and can provide phantom. Maybe the decision by SD was based on price point. So why not make the 688 the big daddy? I'd pay more for it and would have upgraded by now. Instead it is a "12 channel recorder". Except for the fact that the last 6 channels have no limiters. Hell, I don't need 12 channels. I'd have been happy with a 788 with a new color screen.

Anyway, I don't really have an opinion about it. At least they didn't make an 8 track machine with only 4 faders. THAT would be crazy.


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I was using an Eumel with a COS-11 lav hardwired to my 788 yesterday and noticed it was very hissy compared to my other Eumels. Does anyone know how to fix this? I'm thinking a grounding issue with the P48 inside the Eumel. Does anyone know how to disassemble one? It's glued together pretty tightly.

 

 

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Trew might have a few words of advice. Call them.


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I personally don't like the sound of the limiters on these. So I set it very low and have never had any range issues or noise issues despite Lectro's manual. I use the noise reduction in the receivers, though. So that may be helping. As I recall, Simon Hayes also set the levels very low to avoid the onboard limiters in Les Miserables. On a reality show with collar mounted Sanken COS-11's I set it as low as 15. This seems to work well with sudden loud sections. I set it the same for chest mounts. One trick is to hold the mic on yourself where you intend to mount it on talent, then yell or get loud. Observe the transmitter and set it accordingly. Opinions may differ on this.


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Some large cable hooks that fold left and right would be nice for tight doorways. About 4 of them.


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I'd add 4 large cable hooks. The kind that can fold left and right to squeeze through doorways. But I love the design. I'd but it now if it were available.


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Which size Rollypolly bag do you find most useful? There are a few models on the website.


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Ha! Thanks guys! You know how scary it can be in our profession to try to relocate when you've already spent years building up a client base elsewhere. I am in the union in local 492. I guess I can always transfer. It would be worth a call.

And, Matt, I'm an expert pencil salesman.

Matt

Hi,

I am thinking about making a move to Chicago and was wondering what the work opportunities were like for ENG, commercials, TV, film, etc. Feel free to contact me off the list directly.

Thanks in advance.

Matt

+1 on the larger front pouch. Can we see inside the front pouch? Does the front pouch have cable pass throughs or is it enclosed completely? I kind of like total enclosure so batteries and bits don't wander around the bag.

This looks really cool. I'm excited to see where you go with this.

Nevermind. Got it working.

Has anyone else using the Tascam DR-60D noticed that the sound starts to distort and get splattery even before clipping on the top end of the meters?  I'm hearing it start at -8 dB even with the limiters on. 

Does anyone have experience with the timecode stability of the Sony F3? Getting ready to do a shoot with 3 and am trying not to load the camera down needlessly. Wondering if they drift when left to their own devices.

Matt

Do you have a link to the specific plastic concealer you speak of?

Not cheap, but covers all bases, SD, HDMI, SDI:

http://www.trewaudio.com/store/Ruige-TLS701HD-Rackmounted-LCD-Monitor.html

I bought a black magic converter so I can keep using my SD monitor and cover my butt. The price is much less than buying an HD monitor. It works well. I already had invested in my monitor and an Ethernet system. This way I can keep using what I've got and not be out a lot of dough. The Ethernet system Trew sells can carry 2 video signals, so you'd need 2 down converters, but one Ethernet system.

A quick story, I boomed on a low budget horror film and they shot on the Alexa. There was no video assist. Saving money I guess. When the mixer asked about a down converter the DP said, "You should have one." He didn't care so long as he could see his image on the HD monitor. I also boomed on the series Nashville, and we had no video assist with the second unit. Also shot on Alexa I think. I don't recall what the mixer did, but he'd have needed his own down converter. Just some words of caution.

I believe we are more memorable and therefore more hireable if we have tools to solve problems rather than being unprepared. Of course, as stated above, ask as many questions about a video assist and what will be at your disposal beforehand.

Matt

Thanks, guys! I ended up connecting all the channels via ADAT to the "top" MOTU #1. Then everything shows up in CueMix for that device. From there I could route all to one output on the unit itself (main out 1). I aggregated all 3 units and had that set as my device in metacorder. Then, I went to the Mac's system preferences>sound settings and selected JUST the MOTU #1, not the aggregate, as my sound output. Then I could use the headphone out on the MOTU #1 to monitor all the tracks going through metacorder. This uses a LOT of bandwidth on the FireWire, so you need a fast computer. Faster than MOTU's minimum recommendation we found. Also, it helped a lot to have sync between the MOTU's coming from a Big Ben word clock rather than using the internal MOTU clock. It seemed to bog down the FireWire port having sync, 24 channels of analog audio and 16 channels of ADAT on it. I wish you could selectively remove inputs from the FireWire bus as we only needed 18 channels to go to Metacorder. Not the ideal setup and we're looking at other methods for the next shoot.

Hello,

I am currently trying to use 3 MOTU 896 mk 3 Hybrid units. Is anyone else doing this with a laptop? I was only able to get this to work by using both separate FireWire connections on my MacBook Pro. I made an aggregate device and linked 2 MOTU's off one FireWire port and one MOTU off the other FireWire port. Metacorder sees this no problem. But, is there a way to get all of my inputs to show up, post metacorder, on the headphone jack of just one MOTU box? Metacorder has no menu that allows me to select a signal path for my headphones out. Currently I have to use the 1/8" on the MacBook itself. It works, but is not ideal.

Thanks for any assistance or suggestions.

Matt

Hello Everyone,

 

I have a shoot coming up where I'm thinking the Emesser would be a good choice.  I'd like to provide both mono and stereo files to post and the M/S configuration seems like the way to go.  Just wondering, has anyone used the Emesser with a shotgun microphone?  Or do you need to use it with a hyper-cardioid or cardioid microphone?  Or does it matter as far as the stereo image is concerned?  

 

Thoughts?  Opinions?

 

-Matt

Hey, 

 

Just ran across the MZD 8000 on the Sennheiser website.  Seems intriguing.  Anyone using this with their 788T?  I own a regular 8050 and am wondering if you notice a big difference in noise floor and audio quality by switching to the MZD 8000 module.  Seems like a digital stream from the mic end would be an improvement.  Just wondering how much of an improvement it is.

 

Thanks!

 

-Matt Hamilton

 

Link to the product page:

 

 http://www.sennheiserusa.com/studio-microphone-recording-digital-microphone-mics_mkh-8000_502097

Thanks guys. We are using 411's in bags with whip antennas, and Venue rack mounted with 2 systems tied together and hooked to a pair of dipoles. Blocks 21 and 22.

Larry, what is the minimum operating distance we should use a 250mW transmitter with the 411's? I'm wondering if they could be "splattering" RF across the block. We're using 6 of them per block. Total of 12. Using LecNet and scanning for clear frequencies up to 7th order intermod and they are clean. We see nothing on the scan when we use the Venue scanners, but still are getting distance issues and poor RF performance even at short distances. Tried 100mW but it was even worse.

Matt