Jump to content

ERX2TCD Glitch


jimmyjernigan

Recommended Posts

I've observed this forum for years and used it as a resource to guide me through gear, technique, business practices, etc.  Since this is my first post, I just wanted to say that I am humbled and grateful to everyone for sharing your knowledge.  The discussions, arguments, and even outright verbal fist fights have been valuable to guiding me to the answers to my questions.  

 

I've scoured the forum, but haven't found anything for a particular problem I've been having.  

 

I bought 2 ERX2tcd units a few months ago (receiving ifb signal from a qrx235) and immediately noticed a frequent glitching sound in the audio.  Sent the all of the units back to Zaxcom (including the 235) to get checked out, but when I got them back, there didn't seem to be any improvement.  So… I took everything over to Trew in Nashville, where I purchased them, and we set up a few test scenarios mixing my units, one of their nomads as transmitter and a couple of their ERX's.  Every test had the glitches.  

 

I had a conversation with Howie, and he explained how the system worked and why I might be hearing what I was hearing.  He also offered to take another look at the system.  However, before I take him up on the offer, I just want to make sure my expectations are reasonable compared to what other users are experiencing.  

 

To the ERX users out there,  Is your audio clean?  Do you have any glitches, if so, how frequent?  

 

The linked video illustrates what I'm hearing...

 

https://jimmyjernigan.com/zax/ERXGlitch.m4v

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. That is one annoying glitch.

 

I can safely say that this is not common. I've been using ERXs for a few years now, and none of my four ERXs display this behavior. I've used friend's ERXs, none of theirs do this either. I'd say this is a pretty isolated event. The source of the issue? I'm not sure yet.

 

Typically I use my Nomad's built-in TX to transmit Zaxnet Audio to my ERXs, so I personally don't have any experience with Zaxnet out of the QRX-QIFB (just got one this week, so I can test it out tomorrow or Sunday). Do you have any other Zaxnet TX or RX that you can use to troubleshoot? I'd say that if the glitches are apparent on BOTH of your ERXs, then the problem would more likely be on the transmitter side, unless both ERXs are faulty, which is a possibility no matter how slim it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure if this helps your situation but ... I just recently discovered what I believe to be a bug. Not sure if it is a bug with the ERX or with the nomad transmitting the zaxnet (or just my particular gear?).

In my tests, the ERX2 only works correctly when my nomad is set to a sample rate of 48k. Anything higher and the audio in the ERX is distorted and "glitchy", the reception led turns red (even though it is still locked to the frequency and shows up as "RX" in the extended menu). Timecode also does not jam the ERX at high sample rates either. Turning the sample rate back to 48k in the nomad immediately cleans up the audio, led turns green, and timecode jams.

At 44.1k on the nomad, the audio in the ERX is very glitchy but the led stays green and the timecode jams properly.

Can anyone else confirm this with their gear?

I'm still waiting to hear back from Zaxcom about this (posted on the support forum) and will let you know what I find out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the info guys.  

 

José, when your ERXs  are in a normal operating distance, do you have any glitches at all, or is audio completely clear?  

 

We tested several different scenarios at Trew:  my ERXs and their 235,  their ERXs and my 235, their Nomad and all the ERXs.  There was always an occasional glitch no matter the scenario.  The only thing we didn't try was an IFB 100/200.  

 

After the test, I was thinking that maybe that's just the way these things work, but I couldn't imagine that no one else would be complaining if that were the case.  

 

In Zaxcom's defense, after seeing the video, Howy did say that some sort of glitch was likely to be heard in a pure tone since the system is constantly resycing, and that it would try to resync between words in dialogue.  Does this seem consistent with your experience?  

 

Jimmy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What did the glitch sound like?

I don't think I have had that. Once one of mine had a weird glitch where timecode burst over the audio side for a second. The Audio Department found it when they were doing my mod, and fixed it for me. When I got it back, I left it hooked up to a small speaker and let it go for a few hours, and never heard anything. I was transmitting a very low level boom signal though, not tone or something where I would notice a minor distortion. Also, I was really listening to make sure I didn't get the loud TC burst.

I basically turned on my nomad with just the boom in my office, and put the ERX and the speaker in another part of my house where I was doing some work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...
On 2/28/2015 at 4:26 PM, Matt Martin said:

Not sure if this helps your situation but ... I just recently discovered what I believe to be a bug. Not sure if it is a bug with the ERX or with the nomad transmitting the zaxnet (or just my particular gear?).

 

In my tests, the ERX2 only works correctly when my nomad is set to a sample rate of 48k. Anything higher and the audio in the ERX is distorted and "glitchy", the reception led turns red (even though it is still locked to the frequency and shows up as "RX" in the extended menu). Timecode also does not jam the ERX at high sample rates either. Turning the sample rate back to 48k in the nomad immediately cleans up the audio, led turns green, and timecode jams.

 

At 44.1k on the nomad, the audio in the ERX is very glitchy but the led stays green and the timecode jams properly.

 

Can anyone else confirm this with their gear?

 

I'm still waiting to hear back from Zaxcom about this (posted on the support forum) and will let you know what I find out.

 

From a old Nomad manual, I guess that is the same for TX

 

 

48nomad.png

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...