Is there any mobile Audio Processing box for Camera usage? at DVinfo.net

Daniel Raebiger · February 19th, 2008, 01:49 PM

Hey Folks!

I am looking for a mobile device to preprocess my audio in terms of compression, limiting and stuff that can be mounted on a standard camcorder.

Any tips? :)

Thanks
-Daniel

Ty Ford · February 20th, 2008, 06:18 AM

Daniel,

What situation are you in that you think that might be helpful?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Daniel Raebiger · February 20th, 2008, 06:28 AM

well... in direct to tape shows etc.

i am doing a two man late night talk show with two cameras (canon xh a1), recording the audio from the two hosts directly onto camera tape and would love to have it already processed instead of splitting the stereo track into two mono tracks, applying compression, limiters etc in my NLE afterwards...

would just save TONS of time in a live/time critical environment where the recorded stuff needs to go live/online right away...

:)

Ty Ford · February 20th, 2008, 07:17 AM

OK, right, I get it.

That's tough to do on auto-pilot. Typically you'd have a mixer (person and device) keeping track of the levels and pulling down a bit on the mic not being spoken into. Then a compressor, then a limiter, then the camera.

When you say mobile, does that mean no AC power? If so is there a car or truck around that you can plug in a power inverter so you can run AC gear?

Are they walking and talking or just set up somewhere other than in a studio?

The Shure FP-410 is a 4-channel, mono, auto mixer that runs on AC or batteries and provides phantom power. It has a limiter, but no compressor. I has two mono outputs each of which can be set to mic or line. It's a very versatile box. You'll still need to tweek levels a little probably because no auto-mixer is perfect.

stick each host's mic into an input, set the dip switches for the sort of automixing you want, cable to the camera, send tone from the mixer, set levels, go for it. You can probably rent one of these for a test drive.

The unit is one rack space. Definitely NOT for bolting to a camera.

Don't know what to tell you about a good compressor.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Steve Oakley · February 20th, 2008, 12:37 PM

if you have AC, get a real compressor & small mixer. just stay away from the cheap stuff. there are a number of ways of mounting this up from a small road rack case, mixer on sliding shelf, to a cart. sounds like the road case would be your best bet, along with a folding tray stand for it. could mount up wireless receivers and everything else, then just run 2 XLR's to the camera. if one camera pretty much stays put, that op could conceivably watch levels if the people being shot tend to stay pretty even.

having done a lot of live TV, you should have a mixing person.... you wouldn't use 2 unattended cameras, right ?

Daniel Raebiger · February 20th, 2008, 01:53 PM

thanks for the tip but the shure thingy is way too large to mount on a camera.

usually i have events where a camera man shoots handheld with the canon xh a1, when we do the web-show there's no camera man at all (^^) . Both are non AC power environments.

Basically i have three things i am doing right now in post which cost a lot of time for a 60 min track:

- using a compressor to remove all audio below a certain threshold, getting rid of the noise between sentences
- using a compressor to reduce dynamic of the audio track
- using a hard limiter to .-1db + gain +10db or somethign to really flatten the thing

as this may sound drastic for the poor audio, its exactly what i need ;)

February 19th, 2008, 01:49 PM	#1
Daniel Raebiger Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Landshut, Germany Posts: 143	Is there any mobile Audio Processing box for Camera usage? Hey Folks! I am looking for a mobile device to preprocess my audio in terms of compression, limiting and stuff that can be mounted on a standard camcorder. Any tips? :) Thanks -Daniel __________________ Important notice: There's still soup left!

February 20th, 2008, 06:18 AM	#2
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Daniel, What situation are you in that you think that might be helpful? Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

February 20th, 2008, 06:28 AM	#3
Daniel Raebiger Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Landshut, Germany Posts: 143	well... in direct to tape shows etc. i am doing a two man late night talk show with two cameras (canon xh a1), recording the audio from the two hosts directly onto camera tape and would love to have it already processed instead of splitting the stereo track into two mono tracks, applying compression, limiters etc in my NLE afterwards... would just save TONS of time in a live/time critical environment where the recorded stuff needs to go live/online right away... :) __________________ Important notice: There's still soup left!

February 20th, 2008, 07:17 AM	#4
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	OK, right, I get it. That's tough to do on auto-pilot. Typically you'd have a mixer (person and device) keeping track of the levels and pulling down a bit on the mic not being spoken into. Then a compressor, then a limiter, then the camera. When you say mobile, does that mean no AC power? If so is there a car or truck around that you can plug in a power inverter so you can run AC gear? Are they walking and talking or just set up somewhere other than in a studio? The Shure FP-410 is a 4-channel, mono, auto mixer that runs on AC or batteries and provides phantom power. It has a limiter, but no compressor. I has two mono outputs each of which can be set to mic or line. It's a very versatile box. You'll still need to tweek levels a little probably because no auto-mixer is perfect. stick each host's mic into an input, set the dip switches for the sort of automixing you want, cable to the camera, send tone from the mixer, set levels, go for it. You can probably rent one of these for a test drive. The unit is one rack space. Definitely NOT for bolting to a camera. Don't know what to tell you about a good compressor. Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

February 20th, 2008, 01:53 PM	#6
Daniel Raebiger Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Landshut, Germany Posts: 143	thanks for the tip but the shure thingy is way too large to mount on a camera. usually i have events where a camera man shoots handheld with the canon xh a1, when we do the web-show there's no camera man at all (^^) . Both are non AC power environments. Basically i have three things i am doing right now in post which cost a lot of time for a 60 min track: - using a compressor to remove all audio below a certain threshold, getting rid of the noise between sentences - using a compressor to reduce dynamic of the audio track - using a hard limiter to .-1db + gain +10db or somethign to really flatten the thing as this may sound drastic for the poor audio, its exactly what i need ;) __________________ Important notice: There's still soup left!

February 20th, 2008, 12:37 PM	#5
Steve Oakley Trustee Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: United States Posts: 1,158	if you have AC, get a real compressor & small mixer. just stay away from the cheap stuff. there are a number of ways of mounting this up from a small road rack case, mixer on sliding shelf, to a cart. sounds like the road case would be your best bet, along with a folding tray stand for it. could mount up wireless receivers and everything else, then just run 2 XLR's to the camera. if one camera pretty much stays put, that op could conceivably watch levels if the people being shot tend to stay pretty even. having done a lot of live TV, you should have a mixing person.... you wouldn't use 2 unattended cameras, right ?