Re: RODE Videomic Pro & Deadcat on Canon 7D - Picture
 

Hey Andy, that's not a dead cat - that's Gnasher from "The Beano!"

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

LOL! Yeah right, mine's a little more pretty though! Actually, I think the hair is tider on both Gnasher and the VMP deadcat than what I usually see on my 8 year old...

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Hi guys, hope you dont think I am trying to teach you to suck eggs, but.
You can use the most expensive of wind reducing mic covers, and they wont make a bit of difference unless you have every joint, switch, connection point etc of your mic covered. I have Sennheiser and Rode mics, and they all let wind noise in at every one of the above mentioned points. Try this simple test. Switch your camera on, plug in headphones and blow gently around every switch, joint, cable inputs etc on the mic. It will sound like a force 10 gale through the headphones, and just as bad on the clips. Cover these areas and the problem is solved.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Like I said:

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Hmmm. Colin that gave me the idea to try the furry included in my Que Audio Sniper kit. Rather than a sock, it's like a folded napkin with velcro going the entire length of the furry, and I can actually cover my whole VMP with it -almost. It will totally cover my MKE400. That concept is what "TheWindCutter.com has used with their portable recorder furries. They are designed to cover the whole unit for better protection. I helped them develop the furry for the Sony D-50 and it works great.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Does anyone know if Rode is still providing the free Deadcat?
The local Henrys stores don't have the promotion sticker or card in the box, and I'd like to save the 50+ bucks if possible.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Still waiting for my free one - that's about 10 weeks now.

Maybe I'm not to get one now after making rude comments here about how well I thought it would work :-)

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

I bought the VideoMic Pro a few weeks ago, registered it immediately and have not received a free Dead Cat. But, they can keep it. I'm looking for something more like my Rode Windjammers.

What I will say is I put the mic to a fair test over the past two weeks and was very pleased with the results. Add to that the fact that while shooting (a documentary about a youth flyfishing/conservation camp) I got a little excited when one of the kids landed a 5-pound rainbow trout, and in my excited state I didn't see the tree branch that separated the mic from its shoe mount. I contacted Rode to order a new mount, and they said they'd send me one without charge. I told them I didn't expect their warranty to cover accidents caused by my inattention, but they insisted on sending a new mount free.

That's a very cool way to do business. I now own 3 Rode mics now, and I'm sure there'll be more.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

I've been contacted about the delay in supplying the Deadcat and a possible glitch with my mic registration.
Never doubt that the companies who actually care for their customers are keeping an eye on dvinfo!

I used the VMP outside in a light breeze on Friday and there was no problem with wind noise. My "Rig for Filming over the Heads of the Crowd" looked a bit silly when sticking up 5 feet over the heads of photographers but it worked a treat - a trick I used first at Disney parades. Here it is in use later, indoors, during a brief period when everyone else was sitting down. When all the punters stood up again to take photos I needed it up in the air again with the monopod fully extended and the camera remote in use.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

I now have my free Deadcat VMP - thanks to Scott Emerton at Rode.

Rode dispatched it immediately after contacting me for confirmation of the details a week ago and it took just over 1 day to arrive in the UK from Australia but then DHL faffed about for 5 days before getting it the remaining 7 or eight miles to me (and that took several phone calls and emails).

So I now have a third furry from the Rode menagerie. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet but it seems to fit very well [EDIT] on the VMP.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Well my SECOND free Rode deadcat for the VMP arrived today. No idea why I've been sent another one but I guess it'll do for when I loose the one that I got sent a few months ago!

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Looking for ideas for what to use it for? :-)

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

in a windy day =)

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Has the free DeadCat promo expired? I've recently considered buying this mic for my DSLR.
I also have a Rycote INV-7 shockmount which I use for other mics, what is the benefit to using this with the VMP? Just so that it rests higher above the camera? Is it necessary? Does it work with any Invision mount or just a particular version INV model.

Thanks!
Craig

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

The Rycote Lyres are better at reducing rumble than the Rode rubber bands.

http://www.dslrnewsshooter.com/wp-co.../02/rode-1.jpg

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Chad - I'll give you an 8 out of ten for alliteration. How about

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Right! Your Ranking is roundly received, and rather right on the Rupee really.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

I have a question about this arrangement - I tried it but failed as the mic lead seems to be fixed to the bottom left corner of the suspension mount on the VMP so whilst one can detach the mount from the mic, one can't detach it from the mic lead so I'm struggling to so how the arrangement with the Rycote Lyre is practical. Am I missing something?

I also was disappointed by the amount of wind noise the Rode deadcat lets through compared to the Rode deadkitten I use on the SVM for example. I need a better solution. Does anyone know of a an on-camera blimp suitable for the VMP as I can't find anything apart from the Rode blimp which seems far too big?

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

There is a Rycote option - I think a picture (or at least a link) got posted earlier in this thread somewhere (or search online/the Rycote site). It sure is tricky "releasing" the tiny thin mic cable when you "de-mount" the mic from its Rode suspension to fit it in a Rycote Invision mount - but I have done it.

EDIT: Posted by me on 22nd April! Here you go....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rycote/...in/photostream

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

The cable is just wedged into a slot on the mic. It's pretty tight. Just finesse it out. Don't know of any "on camera blimps" This is not really a pro mic, so to get pro results you need a more traditional mic that fits traditional wind reduction options.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Thanks Chad and Andy, will try and release the cable but am always so wary when it seems one if forcing things!

Andy, found the Rycote furry. But how to tell if I'm not wasting my money!? It looks ver simlar but perhaps a bit less tight?

Rycote Mini Windjammer For Rode Video Mic Pro

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

There is a slot that holds the cable in place. I removed mine. Just don't yank it. It looks like it may be hard to put back in, but it will be fine. I haven't tried it, but I would guess the Rycote Wind Jammer does better than the Rode Furry. I have other Rycote stuff and it does a good job. Nothing is magic remember. And if the wind is still getting through with the wind jammer/dead kitten, that is the point you engage the low-cut filter, which will kill low rumble. In strong wind there may still be wind sound, but the audio will be much better and good enough to use. You can always further remove wind noise using iZotope RX if it's a narrative film or something.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

I'm in love with my VMP. the db switch on the mic is a life saver. Filmed a wedding with loud speakers within feet of the camera and after reducing the DB on the mic the sound came out perfect...

The NTG2 would (and was) totally overblown...

Re: RODE Videomic Pro & Deadcat on TM 900 - Picture
 

Photo at post #78 http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-thin...ml#post1642420

Andy, I should have looked a bit more carefully at your picture instead of making silly comments on it.
Had I done so, I might have noticed that the tag goes <on the top> and mine not have been on <upside down> since July. You even pointed out how it fits at the back.

Maybe I was subconsciously reassured by having the bald bit at the top instead of underneath in the shockmount where it's meant to go.

I should email Rode and tell them that they need to include step by step instructions so that thickos like me can fit it the right way up!

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

We all make mistakes! I agree that it is not immediately obvious which way it is meant to go on so tried it both ways and decided that the one in my pic was probably correct. Sure, Rode should have provided a clear picture of it on the VMP showing its correct fitting.

It could have been worse - someone somewhere has probably tried fitting it inside out...!

I will say that even with the deadcat correctly fitted on the VMP is only suitable for use in light breezes. The low cut filter sure helps a bit too. Still very pleased with mine overall. I even managed to change the battery in front of a client last week without looking a fool - I mastered the battery compartment cover some time ago :-)

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Well, thanks to all the nice things you've said about the VMP, I got one myself :)

As a first rough test, I cranked up the music inside my room to a neighbour-unfriendly volume, and then talked to the camera which I held at about 75cm from my face (with the microphone attached to it). Not only did my voice come through CLEARLY, the mic did a good job of cancelling quite a portion of the background music (which came from its opposite side). I have yet to test it outside, but something tells me it will perform very well.

I do have a question - how do you guys use it on the Panasonic TM900? I decided to set the mic level inside the camera menu to its lowest setting (-30), turn AGC off, then set the VMP to 0db. In this setting, when I was really close to one of my speakers, the sound meter reached one red bar, and therefore it was a bit distorted. But that's what the -10dB is for, I guess.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

Many have reported problems with wind noise with the VMP. Some speculate that it might be from the switch holes at the back of the mic. When you do your outdoor test, you might try it with and without some gaffers tape on the back of the mic to see if that helps. Of course, you would want to use a furry wind filter of some kind as well.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro Extension Cable
 

So what do you think of this cable... will it preform well (shielded, no hum/EMI) with the Rode Videomic Pro? Is it worth the price? Is it the right cable/connectors?

Canare Headphone Extention Cable, 3.5mm TRS Male to 3.5mm TRS Female, 25 ft. | eBay

Thanks for your help!

Re: RODE Videomic Pro
 

It looks like it would give you more protection than a standard 3.5mm cable.

Re: RODE Videomic Pro Extension Cable
 

Would work better than the typically unshielded "headphone extension" cables you find at Radio Shack or Best Buy but the output of the Rode VMP is unbalanced and as such is more susceptible to hum and EMI pickup than is the balanced output of most professional mics, even with well shielded cables. You could expect LESS hum and EMI susceptibility but not NO susceptibility. That's just part of the nature of unbalanced audio connections. It's not the cable that makes it balanced, that's only part of the puzzle, it's the wiring of the output that's feeding signal to the system and the input at the other end of the cable that the signal is fed into.