sennheiser wireless microphone interference with EX1 at DVinfo.net

Joe Spitzer · March 21st, 2011, 01:06 PM

Hello, I searched the forums and couldn't find what I was looking for, so i'm posting here. Basically, I'm having issues with my Sennheiser ew100 wireless microphone system. My range is super limited, like 10 feet, and even within that range I get little bursts of static a fair amount of the time (although not always). I actually have access to two ew100 systems, and I get this with both of them, so I'm thinking it has something to do with my setup, or perhaps some settings. Anyway, this is how I have my EX1 set up usually -

Channel 1, set to mic input, the wireless receiver plugged in, mounted on a hot shoe near the back of the camera.

Channel 2, set to mic + 48hz (or whatever the measurement unit is), with my Rode NTG-1 shotgun plugged into that, taking power from the camera.

I've tried changing frequencies, but that hasn't helped. Movement seems to exacerbate the problem, and I could be imagining that. I believe the 5 reception bars usually drop to 4 on the receiver whenever there's one of the static bursts. Thanks for any help anyone might be able to provide. This problem has been haunting me!

Rick Reineke · March 21st, 2011, 01:24 PM

How does the unit perform when plugged into other devices or camera's?
Have you checked for open channels /TV stations in your area and used the scan function in the receiver?

Greg Bellotte · March 21st, 2011, 01:56 PM

turn off your transmitter and see what the rf meter on the receiver reads. if it's showing any bars at all then something else is on that frequency and interfering with your mic reception. change receiver channel until you find a clear one. use patience, it sometimes takes 20+ changes to find a clear one manually. once you find one, set the transmitter to the same channel and see if this offers any improvement. report your findings, there are other things to check after that.

also use Find Available Frequencies to search for channels used by digital TV stations. these digital stations will probably not show up on your analog receiver so make sure to avoid them! a quick look finds that Austin is a very crowded market for DTV and this is probably your issue. 542-548 are the only TV free freqs I see...hopefully you have the "A" range units.

John Willett · March 22nd, 2011, 07:44 AM

You are not using a range "C" are you?

These are now illegal in the USA and legal users on this channel could seriously be restricting your range.

Also - only use the standard Sennheiser-calculated frequencies. The next channel really should be at least 350kHz away from the first one.

Steve House · March 22nd, 2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Spitzer

Hello, I searched the forums and couldn't find what I was looking for, so i'm posting here. Basically, I'm having issues with my Sennheiser ew100 wireless microphone system. My range is super limited, like 10 feet, and even within that range I get little bursts of static a fair amount of the time (although not always). I..!

Are all cell phones in the vicinity powered OFF? Not just set to silent but actually shut down? Blackberrys are especially notorious for generating static when they 'phone home' every few minutes.

Don Bloom · March 22nd, 2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve House

Are all cell phones in the vicinity powered OFF? Not just set to silent but actually shut down? Blackberrys are especially notorious for generating static when they 'phone home' every few minutes.

Heh, thank you Steve. I preach this at every event I do although most times especially at seminars it falls on deaf ears. I am thinking of printing a large sign and hanging it at the entrance of the event OR getting a cell phone transmission blocker (like they have on the spy and cop shows) or even an automatic cell phone turner offer. (word???)
If I can shut mine off for the time I'm there, then so can they, but that's in a perfect world.

Greg Bellotte · March 22nd, 2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

OR getting a cell phone transmission blocker

Just what you need, a box that spews out MORE rf energy (aimed at interfering with cell transmissions). If you think cell freqs are the problem this box will only make things worse...

Don Bloom · March 22nd, 2011, 05:23 PM

Nope that should actually be a "CELL PHONE SHUTTER OFFER" to automatically shut ALL forms of cell phones and Blackberrys off when they get with in 25 feet of the entry to the event. Of course it would not put out any RF that would interfer with my wireless and would do full body scans to those that tried to beat the system. It would also post those scans to the internet for the world to see.
Until that machine comes along I will continue to suffer as we all do with the occassional blip in a wireless transmission.

O|O
\--/

March 21st, 2011, 01:06 PM	#1
Joe Spitzer New Boot Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 19	sennheiser wireless microphone interference with EX1 Hello, I searched the forums and couldn't find what I was looking for, so i'm posting here. Basically, I'm having issues with my Sennheiser ew100 wireless microphone system. My range is super limited, like 10 feet, and even within that range I get little bursts of static a fair amount of the time (although not always). I actually have access to two ew100 systems, and I get this with both of them, so I'm thinking it has something to do with my setup, or perhaps some settings. Anyway, this is how I have my EX1 set up usually - Channel 1, set to mic input, the wireless receiver plugged in, mounted on a hot shoe near the back of the camera. Channel 2, set to mic + 48hz (or whatever the measurement unit is), with my Rode NTG-1 shotgun plugged into that, taking power from the camera. I've tried changing frequencies, but that hasn't helped. Movement seems to exacerbate the problem, and I could be imagining that. I believe the 5 reception bars usually drop to 4 on the receiver whenever there's one of the static bursts. Thanks for any help anyone might be able to provide. This problem has been haunting me!

March 21st, 2011, 01:24 PM	#2
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: sennheiser wireless microphone interference with EX1 How does the unit perform when plugged into other devices or camera's? Have you checked for open channels /TV stations in your area and used the scan function in the receiver?

March 21st, 2011, 01:56 PM	#3
Greg Bellotte Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SLC, UT Posts: 291	Re: sennheiser wireless microphone interference with EX1 turn off your transmitter and see what the rf meter on the receiver reads. if it's showing any bars at all then something else is on that frequency and interfering with your mic reception. change receiver channel until you find a clear one. use patience, it sometimes takes 20+ changes to find a clear one manually. once you find one, set the transmitter to the same channel and see if this offers any improvement. report your findings, there are other things to check after that. also use Find Available Frequencies to search for channels used by digital TV stations. these digital stations will probably not show up on your analog receiver so make sure to avoid them! a quick look finds that Austin is a very crowded market for DTV and this is probably your issue. 542-548 are the only TV free freqs I see...hopefully you have the "A" range units.

March 22nd, 2011, 07:44 AM	#4
John Willett Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 976	Re: sennheiser wireless microphone interference with EX1 You are not using a range "C" are you? These are now illegal in the USA and legal users on this channel could seriously be restricting your range. Also - only use the standard Sennheiser-calculated frequencies. The next channel really should be at least 350kHz away from the first one. __________________ John Willett - Sound-Link ProAudio and Circle Sound Services President: Fédération Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

March 22nd, 2011, 05:23 PM	#8
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: sennheiser wireless microphone interference with EX1 Nope that should actually be a "CELL PHONE SHUTTER OFFER" to automatically shut ALL forms of cell phones and Blackberrys off when they get with in 25 feet of the entry to the event. Of course it would not put out any RF that would interfer with my wireless and would do full body scans to those that tried to beat the system. It would also post those scans to the internet for the world to see. Until that machine comes along I will continue to suffer as we all do with the occassional blip in a wireless transmission. O\|O \--/ __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don