One mic for 3 camera shoot

Steve House · October 3rd, 2006, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzo Durand

Steve,
I might be switching to 3 Panasonic DVX100's. I will go with one mic into an SDMM-1 into the one camera.
If I'm feeding the cam with one xlr cable, how can I get an "insurance track" like the GL2 with its stereo input?
Is there a such thing as a cable spitter (from 1 to 2 lines) to feed the DVX's XLR inputs? Thanks!
~Lorenzo

Sure - take a look at this page from Full Compass for some examples. A transformer splitter is far better than a simple Y cable.

http://www.fullcompass.com/category/...Combiners.html

Lorenzo Durand · November 11th, 2006, 10:10 PM

The equipment keeps evolving for the better with 2 weeks to go for the shoot.
Now it's upgraded from a Sound Devices MM-1 to a MixPre and the Rode NT-3 to a Audio Technica 4053a, Yeeess. The camera's are just two, a JVC GYHD100U and the Panasonic DVX100A shooting at hopefully 24p SD.

My question is now that it's 2 cams, should I run a line to both cams from the MixPre to have both cams synch'ed? Or would it be better to have both lines going to one cam for the insurance track?

Ty Ford · November 12th, 2006, 10:48 AM

Fun,

If you can run the mixer in mono, and don't need splits (one mic on one channel, another mic on another) you could feed each camera with one of the MixPre's XLR outputs. some cameras will let you apply one audio input to both camera tracks. I think thee DVX 100 does.

If you need splits. (and you may if you have more than
one person speaking or are using boom and lav on one person) then you need split audio and using only one mixer output isn't enough.

If you do need splits, then consider the Sound Devices 442. It has TWO SEPARATE BALANCED,Mic/Line STEREO outputs, plus a third stereo output on mini XLR.

You can't send different splits to different outputs, you only get the same stereo mix to all three, but (with the 442) you can also take direct line level outputs from each of the four inputs to feed four other line level inputs. You could use them to feed two of the the other camera's line inputs.

Very Handy. I seldom use all of the 442 capabilities at once. It's heavier than a Sound Devices 302 or MixPre, but it's the most versatile and high quality bag mixer I know of. It does kick butt.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Lorenzo Durand · November 15th, 2006, 02:21 AM

Thanks Ty,
I am only using the one mic going into the mixer, with one output going to each cam. So I might need the splitter. I'm going to check on your tip of the DVX splitting the signal. Back to work.

Lorenzo Durand · November 4th, 2007, 03:11 AM

Checking in with the "One mic on a three cam shoot" topic.

We shot rehearsals last winter using the AT4053a on a boom with the SD Mixpre into 2 HD cams.

We used a few sound blankets in most rooms. We implemented the tips on this blog from Steve and Ty. You guys help much with my sound training. I trained our soundman.

The results was better than I expected. In fact it was good. We edited a few scenes...very nice. The production is postponed until summer 2008. A script is being written. I am working on other films having fun.

Thanks, and see you later...

Ty Ford · November 4th, 2007, 05:42 AM

Thanks for checking in Lorenzo. It's always nice to know how something turned out.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Lorenzo Durand · November 11th, 2007, 06:40 PM

Your welcome Ty.

Ty Ford · November 12th, 2007, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzo Durand

Do you mean like a piece of cotton?... just joking, would padding be a special cable or device? Or is their a mixer with the price range of a MixPre that has mic/line switchable outputs? Thank you Steve.

You can order cables from Sound devices with built in resistors that knock the line level of the MixPre to mic level.

Regards,

Ty

Lorenzo Durand · November 19th, 2007, 11:27 PM

The JVC HD cameras have both line and mic level switches.
Would the mic level produce better sound.

We used the line level on the cams and the sound was good.

November 12th, 2006, 10:48 AM	#63
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Fun, If you can run the mixer in mono, and don't need splits (one mic on one channel, another mic on another) you could feed each camera with one of the MixPre's XLR outputs. some cameras will let you apply one audio input to both camera tracks. I think thee DVX 100 does. If you need splits. (and you may if you have more than one person speaking or are using boom and lav on one person) then you need split audio and using only one mixer output isn't enough. If you do need splits, then consider the Sound Devices 442. It has TWO SEPARATE BALANCED,Mic/Line STEREO outputs, plus a third stereo output on mini XLR. You can't send different splits to different outputs, you only get the same stereo mix to all three, but (with the 442) you can also take direct line level outputs from each of the four inputs to feed four other line level inputs. You could use them to feed two of the the other camera's line inputs. Very Handy. I seldom use all of the 442 capabilities at once. It's heavier than a Sound Devices 302 or MixPre, but it's the most versatile and high quality bag mixer I know of. It does kick butt. Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

November 4th, 2007, 05:42 AM	#66
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Thanks for checking in Lorenzo. It's always nice to know how something turned out. Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

November 11th, 2006, 10:10 PM	#62
Lorenzo Durand Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 49	The equipment keeps evolving for the better with 2 weeks to go for the shoot. Now it's upgraded from a Sound Devices MM-1 to a MixPre and the Rode NT-3 to a Audio Technica 4053a, Yeeess. The camera's are just two, a JVC GYHD100U and the Panasonic DVX100A shooting at hopefully 24p SD. My question is now that it's 2 cams, should I run a line to both cams from the MixPre to have both cams synch'ed? Or would it be better to have both lines going to one cam for the insurance track?

November 15th, 2006, 02:21 AM	#64
Lorenzo Durand Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 49	Thanks Ty, I am only using the one mic going into the mixer, with one output going to each cam. So I might need the splitter. I'm going to check on your tip of the DVX splitting the signal. Back to work.

November 4th, 2007, 03:11 AM	#65
Lorenzo Durand Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 49	Checking in with the "One mic on a three cam shoot" topic. We shot rehearsals last winter using the AT4053a on a boom with the SD Mixpre into 2 HD cams. We used a few sound blankets in most rooms. We implemented the tips on this blog from Steve and Ty. You guys help much with my sound training. I trained our soundman. The results was better than I expected. In fact it was good. We edited a few scenes...very nice. The production is postponed until summer 2008. A script is being written. I am working on other films having fun. Thanks, and see you later...

November 11th, 2007, 06:40 PM	#67
Lorenzo Durand Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 49	Your welcome Ty.

November 19th, 2007, 11:27 PM	#69
Lorenzo Durand Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 49	The JVC HD cameras have both line and mic level switches. Would the mic level produce better sound. We used the line level on the cams and the sound was good.