I'm getting ready to shoot my friends wedding with my DVC 30 with XLR . I purchased a shotgun mic. based on info I got on this board ( Thanks). Now I was wondering if I could get an audio feed from the churches house sound system to my camera. If there is a way to do this please advise in detail. Do I need to leave my shotgun plugged in as well as run something to the sound system? Thanks in advance.

Tim

Tim,

I would make sure that you check to see if all audio sources will be coming through the church sound board. I made the mistake of plugging into a board one time and all sound such as the soloist was not coming through the board.
I would also run a second source to record the audio. Keep an eye on your audio levels!

I use a Sony Minidisc recorder connected to the house board. In mono mode, it'll record more than four hours. It also has automatic level control, so I've had real good luck with it.

To go into detail we need to know what output they have available and it would be nice to know what mixer they are using. Do you have any kind of direct box or transformer to go between the mixer and camera.

I agree with Darin about checking what sources go to the mixer. I they have a pipe organ it will not be connected to the mixer. Depending on the size and compkexity of the wedding the sound person may not have time or be willing to monitor the sound you are getting.

Sam Gates

Now I was wondering if I could get an audio feed from the churches house sound system to my camera. If there is a way to do this please advise in detail. Thanks in advance.

Tim

First, I would try and avoid connecting to house sound without testing thoroughly first.

Should you want to connect, make sure your cables are balanced. The quickest, quietest and most foolproof method to connect balanced and unbalanced is to transformer isolate all unbalanced connections thereby minimising any possible external interference.

Ascertain what outputs are available from the church's house sound and then make up/purchase a cble for that purpose bearing in mind my previous comment.

Let me know if you need further info

Cheers

I don't have a device to go in between the house sound and camera. It all sounds pretty complicated, I'll just stick with the shotgun mic. for now. Thanks for the input.

The house mixer probably has a variety of outputs. Line out, Aux. Be it a 1/4 inch or xlr. Radio shack will have a 1/4 inch to xlr adapter. Line out would be preferred.

Tim - you might consider at least getting a cheap VHF wireless to mic the groom. I've got one I might be selling soon.

Our approach:

wireless on groom.

Wireless on officiant

wireless off house sound.

One shotgun.

that's four audio sources so you're pretty covered.

Sorry to hyjack the thread.....

Hey Mike,
Do you record all those sources independently or do you mix them to one feed to the camera? If you record all of them what do you use?

Randy