Plugging in headphones at DVinfo.net

Bob Safay · February 11th, 2009, 05:11 AM

A simple question. When monitoring your sound do you plug the headphones into the camcorder or into the wireless receiver? Thanks, Bob

Petri Kaipiainen · February 11th, 2009, 05:39 AM

If I want to hear what it sounds at the reciever, plug it there. So it is mostly for spotting the source of possible problems it those appear.

Most of the time I need to know how the camera is doing with the sound, so I listen to camera. And that is what the audience of the video will be hearing also.

Bob Safay · February 11th, 2009, 06:52 AM

Petri, thanks. The reason I am asking is that awhile back I was doing some interviews. Useing headphones it sounded great. When I played it back on my deck it sounded great. When I downloaded it into my computer for editing there was a LOT of bad electrical feedback and static. almost like a broken wire. Bob

Don Bloom · February 11th, 2009, 06:54 AM

from the camera. that's where the final sound is going. I knew a guy about 5 years ago who monitored his audio from the wireless receiver. He adjusted the headphone level so it was comfortable to listen to and went merrily on his way and did the job. Yes, he thought he was adjusting the input level of teh audio. BTW he was a newbie trying to impress someone. When the footage was loaded in is it any surprise the audio was clipped and useless which of course made the footage useless. Moral of the story. Well first he was an idiot for not checking the levels on the camera, second, he was adjusting the headphone level on the receiver-not the level of the audio at the camera and third, just based on general stupidity he won the prize.;-)
Moral, always monitor the audio at the camera when using this workflow (receiver to camera direct-no mixer, no sound person etc) monitor the levels (watch the bars and listen to what you are hearing) and you'll be golden.

but then what do I know.I'm just a video-O-grapher
Don

Daniel Epstein · February 11th, 2009, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Safay

Petri, thanks. The reason I am asking is that awhile back I was doing some interviews. Useing headphones it sounded great. When I played it back on my deck it sounded great. When I downloaded it into my computer for editing there was a LOT of bad electrical feedback and static. almost like a broken wire. Bob

Bob, This also sounds like it also could be a problem on the transfer from deck to computer if indeed the sound was great on playback of the deck. There have been times when people have screwed up the sound going into the computer and think it is a problem with the original.
As for monitoring during recording it is a great help if you can switch between the input and the camera return. This is usually done with a mixer capable of listening to a return as well as mixer direct. Some mixers also let you listen to an input without changing the actual mix. The camera or recorder is the final place to monitor the signal to get maximum quality control.

Bruce Foreman · February 11th, 2009, 04:05 PM

The one and only time I wound up with "static" and "crackly" audio in the audio track accompanying the video I got lucky. Just pulling the level down a bit in the NLE cured it. I was getting some distortion and clipping in the voice peaks.

The camcorder I was using at the time had no provision for audio input level adjustment and echo conditions in the room were causing slightly high peaks.

So try bringing the audio level down a bit in the NLE and see if that affects the problem.

February 11th, 2009, 05:11 AM	#1
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,558	Plugging in headphones A simple question. When monitoring your sound do you plug the headphones into the camcorder or into the wireless receiver? Thanks, Bob

February 11th, 2009, 05:39 AM	#2
Petri Kaipiainen Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Espoo Finland Posts: 380	If I want to hear what it sounds at the reciever, plug it there. So it is mostly for spotting the source of possible problems it those appear. Most of the time I need to know how the camera is doing with the sound, so I listen to camera. And that is what the audience of the video will be hearing also.

February 11th, 2009, 06:52 AM	#3
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,558	Petri, thanks. The reason I am asking is that awhile back I was doing some interviews. Useing headphones it sounded great. When I played it back on my deck it sounded great. When I downloaded it into my computer for editing there was a LOT of bad electrical feedback and static. almost like a broken wire. Bob

February 11th, 2009, 06:54 AM	#4
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	from the camera. that's where the final sound is going. I knew a guy about 5 years ago who monitored his audio from the wireless receiver. He adjusted the headphone level so it was comfortable to listen to and went merrily on his way and did the job. Yes, he thought he was adjusting the input level of teh audio. BTW he was a newbie trying to impress someone. When the footage was loaded in is it any surprise the audio was clipped and useless which of course made the footage useless. Moral of the story. Well first he was an idiot for not checking the levels on the camera, second, he was adjusting the headphone level on the receiver-not the level of the audio at the camera and third, just based on general stupidity he won the prize.;-) Moral, always monitor the audio at the camera when using this workflow (receiver to camera direct-no mixer, no sound person etc) monitor the levels (watch the bars and listen to what you are hearing) and you'll be golden. but then what do I know.I'm just a video-O-grapher Don

February 11th, 2009, 04:05 PM	#6
Bruce Foreman Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Angelo Texas Posts: 1,518	The one and only time I wound up with "static" and "crackly" audio in the audio track accompanying the video I got lucky. Just pulling the level down a bit in the NLE cured it. I was getting some distortion and clipping in the voice peaks. The camcorder I was using at the time had no provision for audio input level adjustment and echo conditions in the room were causing slightly high peaks. So try bringing the audio level down a bit in the NLE and see if that affects the problem.