Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? at DVinfo.net

David Choii · December 15th, 2012, 08:53 PM

I have a BeachTek DXA-6A which has two screws. One is smaller than the standard.

Sort of like this:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/...7de9b50116.jpg

I can't put this on my 5D MKII because of the second screw. Is there a baseplate that has one male screw to two holes that will let me use the beachtek?

Battle Vaughan · December 15th, 2012, 10:36 PM

Haven't used a Beachtek in a while, but iirc one screw is the 1/4"-20 screw for the tripod socket on the camera and the second is a post that fits into a recess on some cameras mounting plates to prevent the unit from rotating. I believe it should be a simple matter to remove the second post, perhaps requiring you to take the cover off the unit and unfasten it from inside, although I don't have one here to check with. I have opened these to replace bad connecting cables so it's not hard to do.

Brian P. Reynolds · December 15th, 2012, 10:58 PM

The second pin is a split pin under tension.... Just get a pair of pliers and gently rotate the pin and pull, it should easily come out.

David Choii · December 16th, 2012, 04:09 AM

This worked! Such a simple fix, haha.
Thanks a lot!

Brian P. Reynolds · December 16th, 2012, 04:45 AM

For Zoom H4n users using a beachtek box is an ideal way to use the 3.5mm mic level input on the back of the recorder making it possible to get 4x XLR's for multi tracking to the 4 tracks of the H4n.

It can even be mounted on the back using the screw thread from the beachtek..... be careful not to tighten it up tightly as the thread is a few mm longer than the socket on the H4n and if you force it it will damage the internal circuit board, pack it out with a rubber or plastic washer.

Jay Massengill · December 18th, 2012, 02:47 PM

I have the older, original DXA-6 (the one with phantom power on the Left Channel only). I've needed to remove the anti-rotation pin for awhile but never got around to writing to BeachTek.
The pin on the older model looks like a set-screw, but screwed into place from the inside. I wrote today asking if the screw has a head or is cemented with Loc-Tite. The answer came back quickly from Harry Kaufmann that it can in fact be unscrewed from the outside using a pair of pliers.
So that's what I've done just now, without even doing much damage to the screw threads where I gripped it with pliers. It is a typical set-screw, with a hex socket that was concealed inside the unit, in case anyone else runs into an earlier version of the DXA-6 like mine.

December 15th, 2012, 08:53 PM	#1
David Choii Tourist Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 3	Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? I have a BeachTek DXA-6A which has two screws. One is smaller than the standard. Sort of like this: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/...7de9b50116.jpg I can't put this on my 5D MKII because of the second screw. Is there a baseplate that has one male screw to two holes that will let me use the beachtek?

December 15th, 2012, 10:36 PM	#2
Battle Vaughan Trustee Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami, FL USA Posts: 1,505	Re: Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? Haven't used a Beachtek in a while, but iirc one screw is the 1/4"-20 screw for the tripod socket on the camera and the second is a post that fits into a recess on some cameras mounting plates to prevent the unit from rotating. I believe it should be a simple matter to remove the second post, perhaps requiring you to take the cover off the unit and unfasten it from inside, although I don't have one here to check with. I have opened these to replace bad connecting cables so it's not hard to do.

December 15th, 2012, 10:58 PM	#3
Brian P. Reynolds Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 466	Re: Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? The second pin is a split pin under tension.... Just get a pair of pliers and gently rotate the pin and pull, it should easily come out.

December 16th, 2012, 04:09 AM	#4
David Choii Tourist Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 3	Re: Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? This worked! Such a simple fix, haha. Thanks a lot!

December 16th, 2012, 04:45 AM	#5
Brian P. Reynolds Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 466	Re: Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? For Zoom H4n users using a beachtek box is an ideal way to use the 3.5mm mic level input on the back of the recorder making it possible to get 4x XLR's for multi tracking to the 4 tracks of the H4n. It can even be mounted on the back using the screw thread from the beachtek..... be careful not to tighten it up tightly as the thread is a few mm longer than the socket on the H4n and if you force it it will damage the internal circuit board, pack it out with a rubber or plastic washer.

December 18th, 2012, 02:47 PM	#6
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Re: Beachtek, two screws adapted to one screw? I have the older, original DXA-6 (the one with phantom power on the Left Channel only). I've needed to remove the anti-rotation pin for awhile but never got around to writing to BeachTek. The pin on the older model looks like a set-screw, but screwed into place from the inside. I wrote today asking if the screw has a head or is cemented with Loc-Tite. The answer came back quickly from Harry Kaufmann that it can in fact be unscrewed from the outside using a pair of pliers. So that's what I've done just now, without even doing much damage to the screw threads where I gripped it with pliers. It is a typical set-screw, with a hex socket that was concealed inside the unit, in case anyone else runs into an earlier version of the DXA-6 like mine.