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Audio on a Scarlett??


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" How are you going to power the condenser mic if it doesn't have an internal battery? "

so there is a pretty big "depends",

BTW: Phantom power requires a balanced connection supplying indistry standard Phantom voltage...

The 3.5mm TRS input connection on the Scarlet is balanced but you can switch it to unbalanced in the menu. No phantom in any event.

Eric

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Hang a wireless receiver or a Comtek rx on the camera and you'll be good to go for a scratch track.

Eric

You're assuming I have a spare wireless to use :P This is low budget stuff... Well, they can afford a RED but hire a complete noob (me) to do sound.

I've soldered the cable and it works. They only want audio to assist with sync, so I think a 57 may actually work :P As long as they have the pres up pretty high it should capture enough voice to aid in sync.

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If they're not putting the money into the sound department for what they are asking for, such as a wireless scratch track, then they won't get it. If you can run a cable to it without hassle, great, if they want something more, let 'em folk over the dough.

Whenever I work with Scarlett/Epic and they want sound, I say I can provide XLRs and they must provide the cable to get that into the camera.

Dumby slate with no camera track has been synced up a million times over with no problems :)

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Like Robert, I refuse sending audio to camera unless it's provided by the company. I don't want to purchase wireless units I could be using for lavs or plant mics, to hang onto a camera where clumsy acs and Dps will be hammering away all day. Really, if i were a DP, I'd hate having stuff hanging from my camera that wasn't really really necessary. Sound and timecode boxes are a luxury IMO, especially over here since we only ever use a single camera for any shoot.

Yes, timecode is a luxury here because we still use dumb slates and it works! And, IMO it's safer. You KNOW it works. It's like if editors assistants get the clips, start syncing sound and the timecode drifted like one frame, they start panicking and suddenly it's a sound problem... And they can't fix it cus over here people are just lazy and want other people to solve their problems.

It works.

If they want playback I often say they can playback via the DIT. Sending audio to DIT is ok IMO...

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Like Robert, I refuse sending audio to camera unless it's provided by the company. I don't want to purchase wireless units I could be using for lavs or plant mics, to hang onto a camera where clumsy acs and Dps will be hammering away all day. Really, if i were a DP, I'd hate having stuff hanging from my camera that wasn't really really necessary. Sound and timecode boxes are a luxury IMO, especially over here since we only ever use a single camera for any shoot.

Yes, timecode is a luxury here because we still use dumb slates and it works! And, IMO it's safer. You KNOW it works. It's like if editors assistants get the clips, start syncing sound and the timecode drifted like one frame, they start panicking and suddenly it's a sound problem... And they can't fix it cus over here people are just lazy and want other people to solve their problems.

It works.

If they want playback I often say they can playback via the DIT. Sending audio to DIT is ok IMO...

Well, I'm just booked on a shoot with a scarlett. Lockit serves for time code, but the director asked me to give scratch audio so he can look at the files on his laptop before he starts editing, and therefore needs some audio. Makes perfect sense to me; Me happy cause I can bill an extra TX/RX. He happy cause he can hear some scratch. In the end everybody happy. Oh and by the way, I make sure that they use it just as scratch audio, and replace it in post. :)

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" I refuse sending audio to camera unless it's provided by the company. "

I might decline...

and "real productions" always discuss this in pre-pro, and yes, I also prefer that camera provides whatever is needed to accept my standard (typically XLR line level) audio input, and accept TC JAM's....

otherwise, they will pay additional rentals, not necessarily competitive with the camera house, to me...

" I make sure that they use it just as scratch audio, and replace it in post. "

this is beyond the realm of my discussions and influence; it is their movie, and I'm providing a work for hire they may do with as they please... strictly their decisions as long as I got paid.

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this is beyond the realm of my discussions and influence; it is their movie, and I'm providing a work for hire they may do with as they please... strictly their decisions as long as I got paid.

Sure, it's not a matter of responsibility, pride or whatsoever, it's just that the particular projects I work for are that shallow in hierarchy that just a simple drop by at the office, talk to the editor in charge and see if they did it.

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Like Robert, I refuse sending audio to camera unless it's provided by the company. I don't want to purchase wireless units I could be using for lavs or plant mics, to hang onto a camera where clumsy acs and Dps will be hammering away all day.

I don't mind it as long as the production understands this costs more money. Having had to sync up MOS material before, I know the pain of editors and don't mind helping to make their job a little easier. I'm not going to send multiple cameras audio, but I'll at least make sure one of them gets a scratch track. I've done it so often, I've got it down to maybe a grand total of 2 minutes of setup to get it done (1 SMQV, 1 SRa RX). I run the SMQV at 250mw when possible, just to make sure there's no issues -- and there have been zero so far.

One trick to worry about is gain-staging on these crappy little cameras. I just got confronted today with some weird kind of Canon HD camera I never saw before, kind of their version of a Sony EX3. We had to screw around with it for an extra minute or two to decide between Mic Level or Line Level, but we eventually were able to get it to accept a -30 feed out of the SR with no problem.

Once the receiver is on the camera, it's the camera department's responsibility not to bump it or hit a knob. I have worked on productions where you have to physically tape down the level knobs and whack the camera assistant's hands. I make an effort to check the camera sound two or three times a day, but there's only so much you can do.

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  • 8 months later...

I've been using a comtek on the scarlett for scratch - stereo mini-jack at each end, wired balanced - works fine, took about 15 minutes and $10 to build a cable - not sure what all the fuss is about.

 

I've done several gigs going straight to an Epic, I put my opinions in an email, made the cables and have had several jobs off them, usually about 15-20 mins, 1 take for a 1/2 day - thanks very much.  Even had the editor email me to say how good the audio was.

 

While the Reds have been somewhat demonized, and the fan noise is definitely an issue, I've only ever had 1 or 2 small issues that sorted themselves by changing menu settings and a restart - their OS seems to get confused at times.  They do seem to be a bit luck of the draw as to how well they function - but anything that has recent OS should be fine and is not worth getting too het up about.  Only thing, I would never not roll on a backup - but that's pretty much the MO anyways if you ask me - I do quite a bit of straight to camera stuff

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I've used a Comtek on a Skarlet, had to build a 'custom' cable for it though. Unbalanced with a 35dB 'L' pad.

Hey Rick (or others),

 

Hate to revive this thread but I have a Epic shoot approaching.

 

I'm gonna build a cable like you suggested and I assume you float the ring?

 

Thanks!!

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I wanted to update this thread with a recent experience as well. I shot last week and yesterday with a RED Scarlet and was able to successfully run a wireless hop to MIC CH.1 IN (1/8" TRS) on Scarlet without issue. Previously I was unable to do this with a standard 1/8" TRS mini cable and wound up having to use the Wooden Camera A-Box, but I gave it a shot yesterday to see what would happen and it worked easily and without hiccup.

 

I also changed the camera menu settings to Unbalanced and Balanced to see if it would falter, but instead it worked either way. I did have some trouble attenuating the input as much as I wanted but it worked and I was able to avoid clipping by attenuating my Tx by 21dB.

 

Thought I'd update this since previously I was unable to do this without issue. I don't know if this is a firmware fix or what, but it worked and that makes me happy.

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I don't recall it all that well.. however if the output feeds both sides of standard stereo HPs, it doesn't really matter which, (or both). If in doubt, float the ring.

 

Hate having to do audio to this camera... Anyway...

 

Got my hands on the camera. I floated the ring and it didnt work. Balanced or unbalanced. Nothing. Connected ring(s) and it worked. "L" Pad of 20db was just right for a Comtek 216. A straight stereo cable was good too, just needed to run the Comtek transmitter on the low side and the receiver almost all the way down.

 

Thanks for the thread...

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Sorry, I was thinking of the Comtek end.

On the camera end, yes the Ring terminal is tied to shield/ground, or as I did, used a TS (mono) 1/8" connector.

As I recall my first shoot with an EPIC, I tried using the dual-stereo plug that came with a G2.. and that did not work, cutting off that plug and soldering on a 1/8" TS worked fine.

When I made the Comtek cable, I padded it down about 35dB which put the volume fader at 'usual' HP level.

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