is this a good idea

[rich]

when i got my 788t/cl8 i made up a breakout cable for my it so it can be used the same way as a 442, with a 2 channel send to camera and 2 channel return as well as a timecode feed. and a set of camera tails with a timecode connector. another mixer who has my 788t on hire whilst he is waiting for his to arrive thinks these are a good idea and wants me to make some up for him too.

now as work is quite slow at the minute, this seems to me like a good opportunity to get a bit of extra money coming in, and keep me busy on the days off, but because it would cost me a bit of money to get all the components i think i will need, im trying to gauge who useful this cable would be for other people and if there will be enough of a demand for it. i can also make up 442 hirose out to zaxcom (sta100) input and 788t out to zaxcom in as well using more or less the same components.

i have spoken to a few of the suppliers i use and they say that it seems a good idea, but they will also want to know what use there might be for them.

any opinions

thanks

[Philip Perkins]

Sounds cool.  How about some pix?

Philip Perkins

[Twade]

I was actually just about to develop the same cable but with the 744t in mind.

I'm curious if the tc would bleed into the audio and if not, how would you prevent the bleed?

The other idea we I had for the 788t was to still use the return from camera but since you wouldn't want to lose an input to monitor you could probably make use of a little led to signify that signal was in fact coming back from the camera.

[rich]

will get some pix up once my 788 comes back off hire.

didnt notice any bleed when i tested the cable before i sent it out, but as its all line level too and from camera, it should be ok. but will test it thoroughly when i get the chance.

dont think its really a problem to lose an input - i have 7 and 8 set up as a stereo pair but not routed to any track, and have 7,8 selected as the headphone favorite. this still give you 6 inputs which for 90% of what i do is fine, especially with the cl8 where the l/r mix tracks are virtual, rather than being fed from and external mixer.

an LED would only show that there was signal on the return cable, but couldnt tell you the quality of that signal, maybe a switch box would work allowing you to switch between the 744 headphone out and the camera return?