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Video Assist playback through Comteks


Todd Weaver

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We usually only do this on process trailers...but... You would place the Comtek transmitter after the VTR...feed it from them... When your rolling your VTR feed will go through the VTR,then out their output to your Comtek transmitter..

As I said... I don't do this as regular practice...only on the process trailer... I would prefer they listen to playback through a speaker

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I've done this a few times but would prefer not to.  I want to have control over who hears what when, at least under normal shooting conditions.  Having the monitor TX after the video assist output means that for me to be able to kill that feed I kill the VA feed--confusing for them.  I like most live monitoring to come from headsets (from a TX I control), and VA's playback goes to their speaker.  Like AFMY says there are special setups (like process trailer or certain sorts of music setups) where that won't work, but then I find I have to be even more vigilant about what's audible to whom when and where.

 

philp

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Hey Crew and Todd the reason I prefer for the video asst to have the transmitter. If the director wants to watch takes back after a set up and I am on the move (or want to move) I have to wait until he or they finish watching the takes. It lets me move independent of the video asst operator.

 

Whit

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I'm with you, Whit, but on this movie, the VA is a bit of a mess and I kept getting hums on the Comteks. So now I keep the transmitter. Pain to run an extra cable, given how often we move sets daily, but at least it works.

Speaker playback is my preference, because there's a mad rush for Comteks every time the director wants to play back something for people. But no speaker certainly minimizes the audience at the monitors, which is better for them.

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I have had to do this when the Director does not want takes played back over a speaker (usually because they don't want the actors and or others to hear the take). With my standard def setup (4-way baluns on each end, CAT-5 to Video Assist) I patch a signal coming FROM Video Assist back to me, then to the Comtek transmitter on my cart. This way, the Video Assist operator handles the switching. The downside is that when they are playing back, the Comtek system is dead for me to use (for those times when Utility person is wearing Comtek). Also, as Whit points out, I can't be making a move when Video is playing back. If that happens often enough I put the Comtek transmitter with the Video cart (not liking this for all the reasons mentioned).

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I'll do whatever is best for the team, even helping the video monkeys. As much as I hate to admit it, we are on the same 695 squad playing for the bigger team. The only reason I like to control who hears the director and front line people is because I work on commercials and I feel a need to protect them from the voyeuristic agency and clients. In LA this is the expected norm 99% of the time. 

CrewC

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  • 4 years later...
24 minutes ago, Jim Rillie said:

I am using an Option 7 Comtek PR 216. When properly placed on the VA cart, works fine. Same feed Mono mix as the Bourgeosie get.

Playback OK for the users.

 

So you're using two sets of comteks? One for director and one for the plebians?

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