Adjust audio levels during capture

[Graham Quince]

Hi everyone

I’m struggling with audio capture in PP1.5 Before I go any further, I should say that the school I work at is about a month away from upgrading to CS3 so this issue may be moot.

We’re trying to use a mixing desk to get a better mic result than straight camera mics and have been using an Canopus ADVC 110 external box, which takes analogue inputs and produces a firewire output. The problem we’re having is that the audio levels are really, really quiet. The quality when boosted sufficently is pretty good, but they are so quiet.

Is there a way i can boost the audio during capture with PP1.5 and if not, will onLocation offer that facility?

Graham

https://www.quinceweb.com – web design
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[Mike Smith]

Would you do better to feed the mic into an appropriate pre-amp or mixer, which could then give you firewire out to feed to your computer or a signal you could input to the canopus?

Isn’t firewire audio in a straight digital copy – any adjustment at that stage won’t put back whatever detail was lost in the sound before or when it was digitised …

[Vince Becquiot]

As Mike said, you’ll need a mixer, and possibly a better mic.

Once the signal comes out of the Canopus box, it’s uncompressed digital, and there’ s no way to make on the fly adjustments.

Vince

[Blast1]

[Graham Quince] “We’re trying to use a mixing desk to get a better mic result than straight camera mics”

What kind of mixing device are you using??

[Graham Quince]

We borrowed an amp with mix controls from the Music department. And on their advice have ordered a Tapco 120 Mixer, which on paper seems about the right level for us. My concern is that the audio right on the desk, seemed really quite quiet post-capture.

I’ve also noticed before that I often have to increase audio even from the camera’s mic. I guess our sound equipment may need adjusting up.

Thanks for the advice

Graham

[Blast1]

[Graham Quince] ” My concern is that the audio right on the desk, seemed really quite quiet post-capture.”
One thing, you didn’t mention what kind of cam you are using?
digital or analog?

Problem is that there is no place in premiere to monitor audio levels when capturing via firewire, there are a couple of things you can do though, if you have a DV camcorder plug the output of the mixer into the cam’s mic input,you might need a pad to match impedence, and use the cam’s firewire to capture, If a analog cam use the converter like you are doing, There is a program called Scenalyzer it has a reasonable accurate audio bargraph under its video view window, just keep the peaks out of the red going into the yellow is ok, you can either capture your dv video with scenalyzer for use in premiere, or just use it to calibrate your audio levels and capture in premiere, either way you will have a better idea of audio levels

[Mike Smith]

Quite likely the channel you are using for mike input into the mixer is not set up to receive “mike level” rather than “line level” – can you find settings for this somewhere on the mixer? Could whoever lent you the mixer help with this?

At a simpler level, what are the sound levels like if you plug your mike directly into your computer’s microphone in socket and capture in an audio app (Audition?)

[Graham Quince]

Thanks for that Blast,

Does anyone know if OnLocation, Adobe’s acquired DV Rack, give audio monitoring during capture?

Graham

[Sam in Leeds]

One thing that I have had problems with in the past with audio capture is the type and standard of mic being used. In particular whether the mic is a stereo or mono and how this is set up in the mixer/camera. The smaller stereo jacks are generally a big no no for decent quality sound

[Mike Smith]

If you check out this link
https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/onlocation/#head2
and select the “features” tab there’s an answer.