Jump to content

Wireless boom iso recording


tunaman14

Recommended Posts

After hearing how the Zaxcom TRX900 can record to a Micro SD for redundancy, I started wondering if there was a cheaper work-around.

I have a Sound Devices MM-1 providing phantom power to my MKH-416, and the line out going to my Lectrosonics transmitter so I have a wireless boom. I want to add a recording option to that somehow so if theres any signal issues with my wireless I will have a backup. I know a splitter going into a Zoom would work, but is there a better option? Maybe something I can build to record to an SD card?

All your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im fairly new to the industry and this is my first day using this site

Allow me to offer some free advice that is actually worth a bit more than its price might imply:

#1. Learn to listen. Not only to what's coming through your headphones, but to those around you. I.e. "Mouth closed -- Ears open." As a beginner, you should never try to prove how much you know -- it will only serve to prove how much you don't know; just do your job.

#2. Focus on recording good tracks, not on the bells and whistles (that, based on your previous post, seem to occupy your attention).

#3. K.I.S.S. Simple and straight forward is most often the best approach -- and is especially true for someone just starting out.

#4. Find opportunities to work with experienced pros.

#5. Never undercut someone else's rates. A reputation as a bottom-feeder is extremely difficult to grow out of.

#6. Re-Read #1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are able to build a high quality recorder with a good mic pre and ADC then more power to you--it's quite an undertaking, esp. making it small enough to wear.  As was mentioned Tascam has exactly a recorder like what you mention, but after a brief intro it was pulled off the market due to patent infringment issues.  It may be available in Europe or Japan though.  Meanwhile there are kludges you can come up with--you mentioned a Zoom which would work, I've use other Tascam pocket recorders similarly.  Not pretty but they will work, esp for a one-off kind of rig.  If you need to do a whole movie or series this way then today the best way to go is with the Zax setup.

 

philp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like to think you do get what you pay for and in our case more.

 

The beauty of the TRX742 recorder for boom pole is that the recording at the boom pole is identical to the recording at a sound cart or sound bag. Both use the same preamp and A-D at the boom pole. The preamp in the TRX742 has never clip (patented) eliminating limiter distortion. The transmission is digital eliminating analog compander distortion that is much more obvious with the better microphone on the boom pole. The single unit has no external cables or boxes to deal with so it is easier for the boom operator and it is future proof with connections for AES42 or stereo mics.

 

If you add together all of the stuff you would need to make an equivalent product I think it might cost as much or more and not give you the audio quality ease of use and reliability of the TRX742.

 

I always learn things from Mr Blankenship. :-)

 

Glenn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who are you sending your wireless boom to?

If it's a sound mixer, then let them worry about it. Or are you the mixer, and you're wondering about your boom op's range?

If it's directly to a receiver attached to camera, then it's a whole other issue.

More details might help us help you.

I'd start by doing a bit of research first. It'll go a long way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Without an onboard TC generator involved the post-sync for those boom op recorder files will be manual, so if the recorder clock is decent, like what most of these prosumer machines are (a few frames an hour off) it won't matter since the sync is reestablished @ every slate.  We get away with concert shoots with people using very inaccurately clocked cameras etc and it all gets nudged together in the cut.  The big sell on the Zax is that the boom op recorder TC is in sync with that of the main recorder, and they can wirelessly transmit a recording they've made with TC to the master recorder, no mean feat and way higher tech than the sort of rig I've done attaching a pocket recorder to an MM1 or etc.

 

philp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Senator Mike --- MIA?

Maybe he has heeded your advice to post a little less and make it an early New Year's resolution?

Anyway, personally I wouldn't mind for him to return - in a less frequent basis.

And the tone in this forum has softened considerably in the past two weeks. But that could be the holiday season

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Poor mans TRX742 that I made. I wasn't able to find my 1/4" to 3.5 cable so it's not shown in the pic. I would use that cable to plug the erx into the "balanced mon in" on the MM1. This way I can feed the boom op my mix and via my Nomad hit the slate button to talk to my op. 

 

Since I already had all the Zax gear, and the MM-1, the only thing I had to do was borrow my Mom's sewing machine and whip up the TRX/ERX caddie and order the custom lemo-to-xlr cable.  

IMG_4040_zpsafc453cb.jpg

IMG_4043_zps14d44635.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is brilliant!! Before i got my camera link setup i had a sort-of-similar poor mans version of a camera link setup involving an SRB and 2x G2's as return and timecode. It certainly did the job for what i needed to accomplish but at the expense of a maxed out double saddle bag on the camera and a mess of cables to keep tidy. Obviously the 742 is the classy way to go but if the OP has the gear to get creative...

-Ken

Poor mans TRX742 that I made. I wasn't able to find my 1/4" to 3.5 cable so it's not shown in the pic. I would use that cable to plug the erx into the "balanced mon in" on the MM1. This way I can feed the boom op my mix and via my Nomad hit the slate button to talk to my op.

Since I already had all the Zax gear, and the MM-1, the only thing I had to do was borrow my Mom's sewing machine and whip up the TRX/ERX caddie and order the custom lemo-to-xlr cable.

IMG_4040_zpsafc453cb.jpg

IMG_4043_zps14d44635.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Tascam has a very slopy clock something around 3% in what I was able to get out of them at AES

The Zaxcom has a profesonal .1% clock

in this biz as in life you get what you pay for

10ppm crystal in the DR-10 series.   Good for 1 frame/hour.    "%" isn't a unit for clock accuracy.

Any guesses for how accurate the crystal in a DSLR camera is?

 

Since these files are lined up by hand, this is not an issue for post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...