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My sound keeps dropping out
I operate on a Canon XA10 with Audio-Technica transmitters (lavalier mics) and receivers (Model: ATW-T1001) and lately the sound keeps dropping off. Like I’ll be in the middle of a shoot and the sound just cuts off and I noticed the pairing shuts off with the camera. I connect the mics through the 2 XLR inputs on the camera. I constantly change batteries but I don’t think that’s the problem. They are about 6 years old though, maybe it’s time for new mics? Any suggestions would be great!
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15 Replies
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Hello Ryan and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.
Are you using rechargeable batteries?
Sorry, I don’t know what you mean by, ” the pairing shuts off with the camera.” Can you please explain more?
Regards,
Ty Ford
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We are not using rechargeable batteries, and what I mean by “the pairing shuts off with the camera” is that the lavalier mic loses connection with receivers mounted on the camera.
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Gotcha.
How far apart are the transmitter and receiver?
Ty
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Not far at all, typically just a few feet from each other.
These are the types of videos I do:
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Hmmmm,
Yeah, that shouldn’t happen unless you’re parking the receivers on top of a wireless router.
May need a trip to the mothership.
Are you in the US? If so, give service a call at (330) 686-2600 Monday-Friday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (EST) i
Pleas let us know how it goes. AT is usually a very responsive company.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum LeaderWant better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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Hey Ryan,
I notice a lot of metal present in the area where you are shooting that video. There is a phenomena called reflectance with wireless that can cause dropouts if the receiver is NOT a true diversity receiver. I experienced this once filming at a power plant in Orlando. Metal everywhere. Had to do a lot of online searching to figure out what happened on that shoot. Since then, I always use a receiver that is true diversity. They will lessen reflectance problems. Read up on the receiver you’re using and see if it is diversity or not.
Here’s one brief article: https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/site/b952cb131b9c2d54/
Hope this helps.
Roger
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Yes, watching the video clip in it’s entirety I see many large, flat, metal surfaces. Just as sound waves can bounce, so can radio waves.
Roger
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While not exactly the same as phase problems that can make audio go silent, the physics is similar. The reflected radio wave bouncing off the metal surface is picked up simultaneously by the receiver with the signal coming from the transmitter. This, as best I understand the phenomena, the reflected signal cancels out the transmitted signal. The diversity antenna receivers compensate for this.
Roger
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Hey Roger,
As far as I know that digital AT system is triple diversity.
I setup in the lower level of a concrete parking area full of cars (reflective metallic surfaces) and got 125-140 feet last year with the same system.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum LeaderWant better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog -
Wasn’t sure of his particular model. Noticed all the flat metal surfaces and remembered that power plant gig. Because I could hear the audio dropping out through my headphones, I tried to get the client to switch to a cabled microphone, but wasn’t able to convince him. Plus, was wondering about magnetic fields too. When I worked in health care, cell phones would drop out near the NMR scanners.
Still, I wonder if enough metal could overpower even diversity receivers. Some environments just cry out for cabled microphones.
Roger
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