Rasmus Wedin Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 (edited) So I guess most folk who ordered the Tentacles, like me, have got them by now. They're looking real great, but has anyone had time to try the out on location yet?I got a dslr-shoot coming up where I thought I'd try them out, but I haven't done TC to audiotrack before, and since the app isn't up yet I really want to be sure they are set properly before I head off.Mainly it's the level I'm thinking about. Mic level into dslr I guess, but with the Tentacle output all the way at Mic level, my 633 can't seem to read the TC at all. If I set it somewhere in the middle my 633 can read the Tentacle, but will that be enough for a dslr?Or is level not such a big deal as long as it's not distorted in this case?Thanks :). Edited June 20, 2015 by Rasmus Wedin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 (edited) "....and since the app isn't up yet I really want to be sure they are set properly before I head off" I downloaded both TentacleSetup and TentacleSync software apps from their website the first day I got my Tentacles. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "the app isn't up yet"? TentacleSetup.app.zip Edited June 20, 2015 by Jeff Wexler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Seems to me you're comparing apples to oranges. Most DSLR's can only handle mic level input. My guess is the 633 wants a hotter signal input. You can't compare the two. two different types of machines that require two different levels of input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasmus Wedin Posted June 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 (edited) "....and since the app isn't up yet I really want to be sure they are set properly before I head off" I downloaded both TentacleSetup and TentacleSync software apps from their website the first day I got my Tentacles. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "the app isn't up yet"? TentacleSetup.app.zip Sorry, to specify, I meant the iOS App, as in, when I leave my house I won't have access to a computer to change the settings anymore since the iOS App for the Iphone isn't available yet. Seems to me you're comparing apples to oranges. Most DSLR's can only handle mic level input. My guess is the 633 wants a hotter signal input. You can't compare the two. two different types of machines that require two different levels of input. Well that's the thing, I would like to sync 1 up to my 633 and then put it on the dslr. With the iPhone App I could simply change the gain in between, but since it's not up yet I was wondering if there was a middle ground level to be able to use here.However, I could also set one to mic and one to line, just sync those two and attatch to cam and mixer. Just realised that :).Anyway, sure will be nice when the iPhone App arrives :).Still, anybody tried them out IRL yet? Edited June 20, 2015 by Rasmus Wedin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate C Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 I would recommend checking with the production co if they want TC on an audio track first. I have broached the subject with a couple clients and they are unwilling to change their workflow at the moment as I am not the only soundie that works for them. Also TC would effect them from being able to playback tracks off of cam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasmus Wedin Posted June 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) I would recommend checking with the production co if they want TC on an audio track first. I have broached the subject with a couple clients and they are unwilling to change their workflow at the moment as I am not the only soundie that works for them. Also TC would effect them from being able to playback tracks off of cam. Well, they are using a dslr that has no dedicated TC-input. And they didn't want a scratch track "Just sync TC", so I don't see that there is another way really.But what do you mean "no playback". Surely you can play back the clips, there will just be no audio there. Or rather, just the sound of TC. Edited June 21, 2015 by Rasmus Wedin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismedr Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 But what do you mean "no playback". Surely yo can play back the clips, there will just be no audio there. actually you should get scratch audio from one channel since the tentacle has a built-in mic, so for playback you could wire up a mono-3.5mm to stereo-3.5mm cable that mutes the timecode track.plus, for better quality scratch audio and plural eyes backup workflow in case the audio TC gets messed up for some reason i plan to use a splitter cable on the input and feed one channel with a wireless hop from the mixer. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathaniel Robinson Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 When the tentacle box detects phantom power or plugin power, it automatically attenuates the TC signal to mic level. When disconnected from such a powered input, it will revert to it's initial setup level. So you should be able to leave yours at the setting that makes the 633 happy, and let this feature deal with the DSLR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasmus Wedin Posted June 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Yeah, thats a good idea. OTOH, I'm a bit weary of putting to many connectors and adapters on that crappy little 3.5 m.m. input of the camera. Well, it's a possibility for the future, this time I'm going only TC, as requested. When the tentacle box detects phantom power or plugin power, it automatically attenuates the TC signal to mic level. When disconnected from such a powered input, it will revert to it's initial setup level. So you should be able to leave yours at the setting that makes the 633 happy, and let this feature deal with the DSLR. No way? I've never heard that, pretty cool feature :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) With regards to the level: the setting in the software concerns the Tentacle's output. But I'm guessing you would sync the Tentacle to your 633, right? There's no need to change the levels then. The Tentacle is fine with the standard TC output level from the 633. Set it to mic level and you'll be fine for the camera, but do adjust the input level on the camera so you get a healthy signal level. One quirk I needed to get used to is that you have to turn the Tentacle completely off and back on again before syncing it again, like after lunch - if you want to do that. This is to prevent it from syncing from a camera instead off vice versa, so this actually makes sense, but still was a new way of operating to me. Still, quickly learned and now used to it Edited June 21, 2015 by Constantin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasmus Wedin Posted June 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 With regards to the level: the setting in the software concerns the Tentacle's output. But I'm guessing you would sync the Tentacle to your 633, right? There's no need to change the levels then. The Tentacle is fine with the standard TC output level. Set it to mic level and you'll be fine for the camera, but do adjust the input level on the camera so you get a healthy signal level. Good idea. I was planning of using the Tentacle as master and jamming the 633 to it, but I guess doing it the other way would also work, just need to get the cables in order for that. Thanks.How about input gain in the dslr? To my knowledge most of them only have automatic gain, but might this actually work anyway since the TC signal is so constant and steady? Or is manual gain control the only way to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 How about input gain in the dslr? To my knowledge most of them only have automatic gain, but might this actually work anyway since the TC signal is so constant and steady? Or is manual gain control the only way to go? I am not the best person to answer that, as my exposure to DSLR cams has been somewhat limited to date, but most did seem to have a manual setting option, but I would think that automatic gain shouldn't be much of a problem, as the signal is, as you said, pretty constant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate C Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 More of my jobs than a care to admit, are shoot on dslrs. In regards to my comment of no playback, I should of said you can't playback audio from the camera without that internet dial up tone of the 90's coming through on one track. Making playback on set some what annoying. haven't experimented with the gain structure with the Tentacles. My guess would be set them at a lower level as they are somewhat aimed at the dslr market and I'm sure they have kept this in mind. DSLRS are mic level in. Better ones have manual gain, some don't. The one that don't I don't normally plug into. If you can't test before hand, which we rarely can, bring a lap top along to make sure you can change levels. At the end of the day TC on an audio track is just an annoying sound that counts time. Make sure the levels are ok. -20 reference should be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasmus Wedin Posted June 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Tentacle worked great on set today (only had to use one of them). Camera guy was very impressed and happy. Hope post shares his enthusiasm :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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