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Need advice on transcription cable


Mike Matthews

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Hey All,

I am doing a gig in a couple of weeks (all interviews) and they send daily mp3s to a transcription service. I own a Zoom H2 that meets the mp3 bitrate specs. They are shooting on a Canon C300 so LTC will be sent from that and I'll be tethered to the camera.

I still want to record second system in case something goes wrong so I want to send a second output from my 442 to my Zoom H2 and record audible time code to one channel on it and the interview on the other on a mini-trs cable with an XLRF on the right channel for the program dialog (transcription specs require right channel) and a BNC on the left channel for the timecode. Unless someone sees something wrong with that idea (if so please speak up) that's the plan.

Since the Zoom H2 can't set individual channel levels it makes things a bit complicated. The manual on the C300 says TC output is 1 VP-P at 75 Ohms. I think that means nominal level (0 VU) in video gear. The specs call for -10db in the left channel to the Zoom for time code. Since it is an interview, I will probably have a hotter mix on the right channel, like around -15 to -12 I am simply not positive how the 1 VP-P translates in the audio world and I don't want to screw this up.

So my long winded question is: Given what I am sending to the Zoom as program audio, do I need to pad the time code cable and if so, what should the padding be? It seem like I don't need a pad, but I am just not sure what the 1 VP-P really means. Maybe there is a better way to do this that I am not aware of. Thanks as always!

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Splitting hairs a bit but ...

If the TC 1Vp-p was a nice clean square wave then that would equate to about -4dBu.

If it were rounded to a sine wave by cable losses or other high freq. limitations such as audio inputs etc. then it would equate to about -7dBu.

So I guess about -5, -6dBu or so!

Rob

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I thought I might eventually break down and buy this cable: http://www.trewaudio.com/store/Remote-Audio-Transcription-Cable-for-Zoom-H2-and-Olympus-LS-10-Digital-Stereo-Palm-Recorders-1-8-inch-TRS-Y-to-1-XLR-Female-and-1-BNC-Male-CAH2TRY2.html

That might at least give you an idea of what is commercially available, or if you don't have time to make it yourself.

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