Sony HVR-V1U audio at DVinfo.net

Rick Reineke · April 6th, 2011, 12:30 PM

I have upcoming shoot with a Sony HVR-V1U. I would appreciate any answers or other audio-centric issues I should be aware of with this cam.
I have perused the manual but..

- I can find no headphone volume control? (though I plan to ask the cam op to bring the A/V-RCA adapter and take an audio return from that)

- Would there be a display setting to make the audio level meter any larger... and/or is there a -12dB or -20dB scale or tick mark. I would assume it displays dBFS?

- I see a reference to Mic (NR) Noise reduction. Do they mean the stupidly named 'Wind' setting... (HPF)

Thanks, Rick

Adam Gold · April 6th, 2011, 12:36 PM

The VOLUME/MEMORY buttons are under the flip screen.

LETTER SIZE only affects the size of the selected items in the menus, not the on-screen data displays, unfortunately. No way to change the audio level displays, and no numerical displays for audio or anything else that would actually be useful in that regard.

MIC NR is not the same as WIND. But the manual doesn't say how they differ. They're two separate menu items.

Seth Bloombaum · April 6th, 2011, 02:22 PM

If you page through the "Status check" displays, you'll find a full-screen set of audio meters that superimpose over the lcd or vf. Yes, they're calibrated with numbers, for 0dbfs. They pretty much obscure the image.

This is in addition to the audio meter that is available via the "display" button, that does not have numbers, but does not obscure the image. I use the edges of the histogram display, immediately above the meters, as a reference.

Yes, there is a headphone volume control, don't remember where it is at this moment. Like many Sony prosumer cams, the output is a little lower than I'd like, depending on which headphones are used. In practice, that hasn't been much of a problem for me, but some people swear by an auxiliary headphone amp.

Adam Gold · April 6th, 2011, 02:58 PM

Damn, forgot about Status Check. Good call, Seth.

As I mentioned above, the Volume Control is under the LCD screen when you open it.

Rick Reineke · April 6th, 2011, 03:16 PM

Thanks Adam, so the "Volume/Memory" button (under the LCD display) controls the HP 'audio' volume in a normal recording mode. I just assumed that button refereed to 'memory bank volume' or something like that.

Thanks Seth, that's pretty much what I was looking for, a scaled meter to calibrate mixer/camera. A low HP output I can live with, since it's just feeding my mixer's return. I may not even use HP out if the Cam op has the A/V adapter cable.
I recall doing a shoot with an EX1 or 3, whereas neither the cam op or myself could find that "display" button to change the meter. Since then I make it a point to investigate those issues, you can't always assume the Cam-op is going to know their equipment.

April 6th, 2011, 12:30 PM	#1
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Sony HVR-V1U audio I have upcoming shoot with a Sony HVR-V1U. I would appreciate any answers or other audio-centric issues I should be aware of with this cam. I have perused the manual but.. - I can find no headphone volume control? (though I plan to ask the cam op to bring the A/V-RCA adapter and take an audio return from that) - Would there be a display setting to make the audio level meter any larger... and/or is there a -12dB or -20dB scale or tick mark. I would assume it displays dBFS? - I see a reference to Mic (NR) Noise reduction. Do they mean the stupidly named 'Wind' setting... (HPF) Thanks, Rick

April 6th, 2011, 12:36 PM	#2
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Re: Sony HVR-V1U audio The VOLUME/MEMORY buttons are under the flip screen. LETTER SIZE only affects the size of the selected items in the menus, not the on-screen data displays, unfortunately. No way to change the audio level displays, and no numerical displays for audio or anything else that would actually be useful in that regard. MIC NR is not the same as WIND. But the manual doesn't say how they differ. They're two separate menu items. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

April 6th, 2011, 02:22 PM	#3
Seth Bloombaum Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,420	Re: Sony HVR-V1U audio If you page through the "Status check" displays, you'll find a full-screen set of audio meters that superimpose over the lcd or vf. Yes, they're calibrated with numbers, for 0dbfs. They pretty much obscure the image. This is in addition to the audio meter that is available via the "display" button, that does not have numbers, but does not obscure the image. I use the edges of the histogram display, immediately above the meters, as a reference. Yes, there is a headphone volume control, don't remember where it is at this moment. Like many Sony prosumer cams, the output is a little lower than I'd like, depending on which headphones are used. In practice, that hasn't been much of a problem for me, but some people swear by an auxiliary headphone amp. __________________ 30 years of pro media production. Vegas user since 1.0. Webcaster since 1997. Freelancer since 2000. College instructor since 2001.

April 6th, 2011, 02:58 PM	#4
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Re: Sony HVR-V1U audio Damn, forgot about Status Check. Good call, Seth. As I mentioned above, the Volume Control is under the LCD screen when you open it. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

April 6th, 2011, 03:16 PM	#5
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: Sony HVR-V1U audio Thanks Adam, so the "Volume/Memory" button (under the LCD display) controls the HP 'audio' volume in a normal recording mode. I just assumed that button refereed to 'memory bank volume' or something like that. Thanks Seth, that's pretty much what I was looking for, a scaled meter to calibrate mixer/camera. A low HP output I can live with, since it's just feeding my mixer's return. I may not even use HP out if the Cam op has the A/V adapter cable. I recall doing a shoot with an EX1 or 3, whereas neither the cam op or myself could find that "display" button to change the meter. Since then I make it a point to investigate those issues, you can't always assume the Cam-op is going to know their equipment.