X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? at DVinfo.net

Yiannis Hadjis · April 23rd, 2016, 02:27 AM

I just want to check to make sure I'm understanding this properly. When I record with a mono mic in XLR 1 on the X70, and have the switch set so that the audio is written to both CH1 and CH2, Premiere thinks it is a stereo recording. Are there any in-camera setting to make the audio be treated as two separate mono tracks, and not as a stereo pair? I've not been able to find any so I expect it is not possible in camera, and has to be done in the editing software.

I know about the setting in Premiere so that it treats stereo audio as a mono pair, and also how to convert stereo to separate mono tracks if that wasn't set, but the issue is that this requires my students remembering either to set their Premiere audio preferences, or split the audio in the Source monitor, before they drag the clips to the Timeline and start editing. The problem I have is that they discover they have a problem only after they are well into editing and going back and redoing everything is not practical.

Thanks!

P.S. The reason for two mono tracks is that one is recorded at a lower level than the other to provide a backup in case of clipping.

Paul R Johnson · April 23rd, 2016, 05:18 AM

The X70 doesn't have a dual mono facility, does it? I thought it was always an interleaved stereo track? That's what triggers Premiere to bring the recording in as stereo.

Roland Achini · April 23rd, 2016, 10:07 AM

I quite often use the X70 Audio in dual mono mode. In Avid Media Composer, I can define (with "Modify") the audio as dual mono or Stereo.

Paul R Johnson · April 23rd, 2016, 10:46 AM

That's what I mean - when you use two microphones, or shunt one to also be the same on the other, it doesn;t record with two mono tracks, it just records stereo. Splitting it out in the editor is the only solution?

Paul Anderegg · April 23rd, 2016, 04:30 PM

FCPX is equally stupid in this respect.......

Christopher Young · April 24th, 2016, 01:13 AM

I think a lot of NLEs are the same in this respect. In Vegas I just duplicate the track and select just the left channel on the first track and right channel on the second second track, dual mono. Otherwise the pair of tracks are looked as just that, a 'pair,' a stereo pair if you like, regardless of what you have put into them, line, mic, level etc.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Noa Put · April 24th, 2016, 02:15 AM

Quote:

I think a lot of NLEs are the same in this respect

In Edius I can map my left or right audio to separate audio tracks so once I drag the videofile to the timeline the audio tracks are automatically split up on 2 different audio tracks, one for the left channel and one for the right or I can just choose to keep the left and right channel in one file.

Yiannis Hadjis · April 24th, 2016, 03:18 AM

Thanks for the replies, but just to be clear I'm not asking about or criticising the editing software, but whether there is a camera setting as per the OP.

Premiere has a couple of simple ways of dealing with this, but with a class full of 19 year olds who have never shot or edited before using the school's computers, it isn't so simple. Dealing with this at the camera-setting level would save everyone a lot of trouble and simplify the workflow for them.

Paul R Johnson · April 24th, 2016, 07:38 AM

No - there isn't.

Paul Anderegg · April 25th, 2016, 01:29 AM

My X70 and Z150 both show as dual mono in FCPX.........my JVC 850 shows as stereo. Perhaps it's the codec you select that determines this?

Noa Put · April 25th, 2016, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yiannis Hadjis

but with a class full of 19 year olds who have never shot or edited before using the school's computers, it isn't so simple.

Isn't that a part of a learning process, to know how you can split one audiofile into 2 separate? You say Premiere has a couple of simple ways to do this, surely these 19 year old can't be that dumb not to comprehend that. The hardest part is actually not the editing, it's shooting with the camera.

Paul R Johnson · April 26th, 2016, 07:34 AM

Oh come on! If you are teaching Premiere to 19 year olds then splitting the odd audio file as a one-off just needs the teacher to supply the knowledge, but if it is an everyday process, then a few sheets of A4 on the wall for crib sheets is the first thing they teach in teacher training - like in the French Room - at heigh school there is ALWAYS a sheet saying:
Je Suis
Tu es
etc etc

My 4 year old grandson has already mastered quite complex processes on my mac - and realised it's different from his dad's PC. 19 year olds who cannot split an audio track? Should they really be doing media?

Vincent Jurgens · May 4th, 2016, 04:02 PM

No in-camera settings (though I don't know if using a codec other than xvac, which is the only one I use, would effectively accomplish what you want.)

I do think the main structure of xavc recording in the X70, via the mic-shoe inputs, is 4 mono channels. 3 and 4 are not even addressable, they just show up silently in Premiere (or maybe that is Premiere's issue.)

If you connect a stereo mic to input 1 and 2, and enable auto level switches, they are each leveled separately. So you can get some "pan-pumping" going on. Sounds like you're doing single input, manual levels though.

I would hope the "internal" stereo mic's auto-level is smarter.

April 23rd, 2016, 02:27 AM	#1
Yiannis Hadjis Tourist Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Brighton Posts: 4	X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? I just want to check to make sure I'm understanding this properly. When I record with a mono mic in XLR 1 on the X70, and have the switch set so that the audio is written to both CH1 and CH2, Premiere thinks it is a stereo recording. Are there any in-camera setting to make the audio be treated as two separate mono tracks, and not as a stereo pair? I've not been able to find any so I expect it is not possible in camera, and has to be done in the editing software. I know about the setting in Premiere so that it treats stereo audio as a mono pair, and also how to convert stereo to separate mono tracks if that wasn't set, but the issue is that this requires my students remembering either to set their Premiere audio preferences, or split the audio in the Source monitor, before they drag the clips to the Timeline and start editing. The problem I have is that they discover they have a problem only after they are well into editing and going back and redoing everything is not practical. Thanks! P.S. The reason for two mono tracks is that one is recorded at a lower level than the other to provide a backup in case of clipping.

April 23rd, 2016, 05:18 AM	#2
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? The X70 doesn't have a dual mono facility, does it? I thought it was always an interleaved stereo track? That's what triggers Premiere to bring the recording in as stereo.

April 23rd, 2016, 10:07 AM	#3
Roland Achini Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Therwil, Switzerland Posts: 45	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? I quite often use the X70 Audio in dual mono mode. In Avid Media Composer, I can define (with "Modify") the audio as dual mono or Stereo.

April 23rd, 2016, 10:46 AM	#4
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? That's what I mean - when you use two microphones, or shunt one to also be the same on the other, it doesn;t record with two mono tracks, it just records stereo. Splitting it out in the editor is the only solution?

April 23rd, 2016, 04:30 PM	#5
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? FCPX is equally stupid in this respect.......

April 24th, 2016, 01:13 AM	#6
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? I think a lot of NLEs are the same in this respect. In Vegas I just duplicate the track and select just the left channel on the first track and right channel on the second second track, dual mono. Otherwise the pair of tracks are looked as just that, a 'pair,' a stereo pair if you like, regardless of what you have put into them, line, mic, level etc. Chris Young CYV Productions Sydney

April 24th, 2016, 03:18 AM	#8
Yiannis Hadjis Tourist Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Brighton Posts: 4	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? Thanks for the replies, but just to be clear I'm not asking about or criticising the editing software, but whether there is a camera setting as per the OP. Premiere has a couple of simple ways of dealing with this, but with a class full of 19 year olds who have never shot or edited before using the school's computers, it isn't so simple. Dealing with this at the camera-setting level would save everyone a lot of trouble and simplify the workflow for them.

April 24th, 2016, 07:38 AM	#9
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? No - there isn't.

April 25th, 2016, 01:29 AM	#10
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? My X70 and Z150 both show as dual mono in FCPX.........my JVC 850 shows as stereo. Perhaps it's the codec you select that determines this?

April 26th, 2016, 07:34 AM	#12
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? Oh come on! If you are teaching Premiere to 19 year olds then splitting the odd audio file as a one-off just needs the teacher to supply the knowledge, but if it is an everyday process, then a few sheets of A4 on the wall for crib sheets is the first thing they teach in teacher training - like in the French Room - at heigh school there is ALWAYS a sheet saying: Je Suis Tu es etc etc My 4 year old grandson has already mastered quite complex processes on my mac - and realised it's different from his dad's PC. 19 year olds who cannot split an audio track? Should they really be doing media?

May 4th, 2016, 04:02 PM	#13
Vincent Jurgens New Boot Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Oakland CA Posts: 7	Re: X70 recording as twin mono not stereo? No in-camera settings (though I don't know if using a codec other than xvac, which is the only one I use, would effectively accomplish what you want.) I do think the main structure of xavc recording in the X70, via the mic-shoe inputs, is 4 mono channels. 3 and 4 are not even addressable, they just show up silently in Premiere (or maybe that is Premiere's issue.) If you connect a stereo mic to input 1 and 2, and enable auto level switches, they are each leveled separately. So you can get some "pan-pumping" going on. Sounds like you're doing single input, manual levels though. I would hope the "internal" stereo mic's auto-level is smarter.