Wiring a shotgun mic to the front inputs of a F350 at DVinfo.net

Peter Newsom · June 21st, 2007, 03:25 PM

Hi, I just bought a Rode NTG-1 microphone, and I'd like to plug it into the 5-pin xlr mic input at the front of the camera and make it available to both channels. When making the 3 pin to 5 pin cable, is it ok to send the mic to both sides, or will it create a load that affects the sound?

Thanks,

Peter

Greg Boston · June 21st, 2007, 04:14 PM

I would send it to one side. In fact, I would recommend making a 5 pin to dual 3 pin pigtail so that you can use both channels if need be.

Go into page M01, the Audio-1 page, and set front mic to mono. See if that doesn't couple your NTG onto both channels one and two. It may be a 2 into 1, rather than 1 bridged to 2. But it's worth a try. I don't have a pigtail made up or I would be able to tell you for sure.

I don't recommend physically wiring one input to both channels.

-gb-

Tip McPartland · June 21st, 2007, 08:00 PM

I had a company make a Y cable, lets see, it should be 5-pin male XLR on one end and two 3-pin XLR females on the other end. You can then plug your shotgun mic into one of these plus something else if needed. I had them make a second cable too, a female 5-pin to two male 3-pins for the output on the back of the camera so I can take audio out without having to use the headphone jack.

I use my front Y-cable with my dual channel Audio Technica wireless receivers (AT-1800 series) which can each receive from two wireless lav mics (or handheld transmitters) and then output two separate signals to XLR inputs. I plug the output cables from one unit into the two rear XLRs then plug the other two into the Y-cable, voila, all four wireless mics record separately to their own audio tracks.

Not having to mix down to two channels helps reduce the need for a mixer. Another factor in going mixerless is that F350 limiters are very good. You set the mics a bit conservatively for normal speech and if things get loud the limiters kick in. I'm sure the sound is cleaner without going through a mixer and then being transmitted a second time through the "hopper" wireless from mixer to camera.

I just read an article on "Ice Road Truckers" because the DP is an old friend (or is it ex-friend?) Gavin Brennan. He specified the XDCAM HD and did audio much this way with no over the shoulder mixer bag (and no soundman?) and with the cam-ops monitoring their own sound. I think this is the wave of the future.

You can also combine the two mic channels in one (or both of course) of these wireless receivers to one of its outputs. This pairs two mics into one channel. This means you could leave your main characters on their own channels on one receiver, but combine two other characters into one channel on the other receiver.

This leaves one XLR plug and recording channel open for a boom mic... so just like that, four wireless and a boom mic into one camera with your main characters getting discrete channels.

Tip

Uli Mors · June 22nd, 2007, 12:31 AM

What I dont like about mixing wireless mics externally is that you get bad phased sound when both acters get to close to each other (eg one voice is captured by two mics with short distance -> phased sound).

I like to have 2 discreet channels to avoid that.

anyway, having 4 channels to feed externally (5pin + 2 x XLR) should offer enough solutions for any situation.

ULI

Peter Newsom · June 22nd, 2007, 12:38 PM

Greg, you called it right, in mono mode the mic signal is sent to both channels. Interestingly, the mic only works if it is wired to the Ch-1 side, nothing on the other side. I suspect there is only phantom power on pin 2.

June 21st, 2007, 03:25 PM	#1
Peter Newsom Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 182	Wiring a shotgun mic to the front inputs of a F350 Hi, I just bought a Rode NTG-1 microphone, and I'd like to plug it into the 5-pin xlr mic input at the front of the camera and make it available to both channels. When making the 3 pin to 5 pin cable, is it ok to send the mic to both sides, or will it create a load that affects the sound? Thanks, Peter

June 21st, 2007, 08:00 PM	#3
Tip McPartland Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Crestline, California Posts: 351	Y cable, AT-1800 series dual channel receivers I had a company make a Y cable, lets see, it should be 5-pin male XLR on one end and two 3-pin XLR females on the other end. You can then plug your shotgun mic into one of these plus something else if needed. I had them make a second cable too, a female 5-pin to two male 3-pins for the output on the back of the camera so I can take audio out without having to use the headphone jack. I use my front Y-cable with my dual channel Audio Technica wireless receivers (AT-1800 series) which can each receive from two wireless lav mics (or handheld transmitters) and then output two separate signals to XLR inputs. I plug the output cables from one unit into the two rear XLRs then plug the other two into the Y-cable, voila, all four wireless mics record separately to their own audio tracks. Not having to mix down to two channels helps reduce the need for a mixer. Another factor in going mixerless is that F350 limiters are very good. You set the mics a bit conservatively for normal speech and if things get loud the limiters kick in. I'm sure the sound is cleaner without going through a mixer and then being transmitted a second time through the "hopper" wireless from mixer to camera. I just read an article on "Ice Road Truckers" because the DP is an old friend (or is it ex-friend?) Gavin Brennan. He specified the XDCAM HD and did audio much this way with no over the shoulder mixer bag (and no soundman?) and with the cam-ops monitoring their own sound. I think this is the wave of the future. You can also combine the two mic channels in one (or both of course) of these wireless receivers to one of its outputs. This pairs two mics into one channel. This means you could leave your main characters on their own channels on one receiver, but combine two other characters into one channel on the other receiver. This leaves one XLR plug and recording channel open for a boom mic... so just like that, four wireless and a boom mic into one camera with your main characters getting discrete channels. Tip

June 21st, 2007, 04:14 PM	#2
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	I would send it to one side. In fact, I would recommend making a 5 pin to dual 3 pin pigtail so that you can use both channels if need be. Go into page M01, the Audio-1 page, and set front mic to mono. See if that doesn't couple your NTG onto both channels one and two. It may be a 2 into 1, rather than 1 bridged to 2. But it's worth a try. I don't have a pigtail made up or I would be able to tell you for sure. I don't recommend physically wiring one input to both channels. -gb-

June 22nd, 2007, 12:31 AM	#4
Uli Mors Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 565	What I dont like about mixing wireless mics externally is that you get bad phased sound when both acters get to close to each other (eg one voice is captured by two mics with short distance -> phased sound). I like to have 2 discreet channels to avoid that. anyway, having 4 channels to feed externally (5pin + 2 x XLR) should offer enough solutions for any situation. ULI

June 22nd, 2007, 12:38 PM	#5
Peter Newsom Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 182	Greg, you called it right, in mono mode the mic signal is sent to both channels. Interestingly, the mic only works if it is wired to the Ch-1 side, nothing on the other side. I suspect there is only phantom power on pin 2.