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Connecting audio mixer to camcorder
Hello,
Firstly, I hope I am posting this in the correct forum. I may post this in a video forum as well just in case.
I have a YouTube show that has picked up a bit of steam and I decided it is now time to upgrade our sound and production. However, I am not an audio, video or technology guru by any stretch of the imagination and would like to run my idea for my equipment set up by you to see if I am setting up my equipment properly. It would be nice to know if I am planning to buy unnecessary equipment or if I am missing any equipment to achieve my goal. I hope it will not take too much of your time. To help detail this out as much as I can, I will list the equipment name and website I plan on buying from.
Goal:
To have my audio AND video captured by the camcorder so I can easily transfer both to my computer for editing. I am currently editing with Widows Movie Maker and I do have Audacity installed on my computer. However, if I can avoid recording both video and audio separately, it would be fantastic to not have to do too much editing.My plan:
1. Starting with my Sony Handycam HDR-CX430V camcorder, which has a mic and head phone jacks.
2. Hook a XLR converter for camera (plus cables) to the camera to eventually connect the camcorder to the mixer (https://www.studio1productions.com/xlr-bp_3_pro.htm ) by connecting one end of the converter to the mic input on the camcorder, then use the cords found on the website provided to hook up to the mixer (https://usa.yamaha.com/products/live_sound/mixers/analog-mixers/mg_series_c_models/mg124c/ ).
3. Once the camera is hooked up to the mixer via the XLR converter, I would then plug in the 3 needed microphones into the mixer. I see that this brand of mixer has a built in compressor, so I am assuming that I will not need to purchase a separate one. Would I be correct or is the compressor on this mixer different from a standalone mixer?
4. To monitor the audio during the filming, all 3 host will be wearing headphones, so I will hook the headphones amplifier (https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PHA40-4-Channel-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B003M8NVFS/ref=zg_tr_13880161_6 ) to the mixer itself.
Additional question:1. We will have interview guest call in and would like to know how we would accomplish this. It will be important for the sound to be directed into the host headphones and also captured the camcorder. We also want to make sure the interviewee can hear us but not hear themselves during the interview.
I do hope that I have explained my goal appropriately and in enough detail in order for you to help me. Any assistance you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Especially if it can save us money but offer great audio and convenience.
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6 Replies
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You are probably out of your depth as you mentioned that “You are not an audio, video or technology guru by any stretch of the imagination”
Yes….. It is possible but you will need a dedicated audio person to set it up and also to operate it on the day as would be a long way from a set and forget sort of thing.
Additional to your list you will also be in need of a Telephone Hybrid Unit that will get your signals in and out of the mixer and telephone line.Trying to describe the setup and connections on a forum like this may give you more problems than you can deal with.
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Brian, he’s shooting with a sub $1000 camcorder. I doubt he can afford an audio tech. I would seriously consider using a separate recorder. You’ll get way better audio. Cheap camcorders have crappy sound. Do a search on google for recording a telephone interview and another for syncing audio with video in movie maker.
I’m not saying this meets your needs but there are many others:
https://www.ehow.com/how_7653593_sync-video-windows-movie-maker.html
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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Brian,
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question!
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Craig,
Thank you as well for taking the time to answer my post. I greatly appreciate it!!
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Warren, you probably thought my reply to your question was a bit flippant, well let me explain.
This is quite a standard sort of set up for pro AV people but for someone new to the world of audio it could be quite complex.Let me give examples…..You are wanting to get several (1-4 mics) into a mixer and feed them to a domestic video camera. The mixer has a balanced output at line level, this needs to be padded down to mic level (approx 40db) and unbalanced to suit your camera.
You then need to deal with the telephone hybrid which will need a feed of ONLY the mics from the desk but NOT the output of the hybrid. This is what is called a ‘mix minus’ output from the mixer it is normally generated from an AUX feed from the desk… The AUX outputs will probably be unbalanced and will need to be fed into a balanced input of a hybrid unit which may need +4 level to get best results. (hopefully the mixer has enough gain for this)
The output of the hybrid will be +4 level and be padded down to -10db and unbalanced to input the line inputs of your mixer to prevent distortion. The mixer channel that has the hybrid on it needs to be fed to the main mix output but NOT the AUX out feeding into the hybrid.
Another feed from AUX2 of the desk could be fed to a powered speaker / or some sort of monitoring to listen to the the telephone hybrid ‘return’.
So each step in itself is quite simple but overall it is quite complex for a non audio person and you need to get the levels right in gain structure, get them wrong and you will go round in frustrating circles.
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Brian,
No sir, I didn’t take it as flippant. I took it how I think you meant it which is what I am attempting may be a bit more complicated than just explaining it on message board. I’m grateful you even took the time to answer. I don’t know anyone that has an audio background nor do I know of any services that would help me set this up so my best bet is to ask around to get an idea of how to accomplish it. It may take a few trial and error runs before we even get around to using it for our broadcast. Thanks again!!!
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