Audio track from Panasonic HC-V770 very low

[Dave B real]

I have no such problems on my V770, didn’t want this thread to dissuade future owners. I honestly believe the problem here to be user error. The V770 has a headphone monitoring jack, a mic input jack, as well as customizable audio settings (zoom, auto gain control etc). I do not believe OP read the manual or explored the best settings.

[Rick Potter]

I was past my 30 day return at B&H but they were kind enough to swap my 770 with a new one. Same audio issues. The V770 has great optics, controls and records audio beautifully when played on a TV or monitor. Actually it’s fantastic!

However when editing in Vegas or Premiere utilizing the in camera audio, the audio line is almost flat. Yes I have experimented with all the audio controls and found increasing the in camera recording levels do work, however the white noise is ridiculous. My work around is modifying the audio in Audacity and properly adjusting the levels. I did purchase a Canon G40 and find the 770 to have better video, however I just love the G40’s 26mm lens and pristine in camera audio!

Currently I use a Rode Pro mic on my 770 with success in editing software. In this thread you can see others have verified my findings and Panasonic tech support said to me….. “This camera was not meant for production work”….”I said to the tech, “You mean because the camera has inherently weak audio codec’s when interpreted by editing software I should just ignore the white noise?” He said “That’s your choice”. Panasonic did acknowledge an issue with the audio codec, actually he called it a driver. I have tried converting the raw 770 file in Hijak and find increasing the audio to also work.

Oh well, I still enjoy the camera with its issues.
—-Sound quality poor when imported into editing software. Vegas 11, Pro, Camtasia and Premeire
—-Battery life is poor.

Rick

[Dave B real]

Rick – Did you adjust the auto gain control at all?

How was the audio inputted on the V770 – built-in mic or auxiliary mic?

[Dave B real]

Did you try to monitor the audio using headphones during recording with the V770? If so, what did it sound like? Quiet? Good?

[Rick Potter]

Let me first say I am a huge Panasonic fan! I have 2 of their Plasma TV’s from 6 years ago, both rock solid. Also have the Camcorders TM90, TM900k and the 770. (had the 550 but traded it in to B&H for the 770 as it had the same audio issues)

The 770 is a rock solid camera and still the best bang for your money for normal family use and the feature set is great, (really love the timelapse) It’s my opinion whomever Panasonic hired to write their audio codec is the culprit. My older TM90 and TM900k (japanese verion) both have great audio with no issues in Vegas or Camtasia. The audio issue started on the 550 and possibly continues thru their consumer line.

“”””Rick – Did you adjust the auto gain control at all?
How was the audio inputted on the V770 – built-in mic or auxiliary mic?””””
“”””Did you try to monitor the audio using headphones during recording with the V770? If so, what did it sound like? Quiet? Good?””””

–Mic Level – Auto, AGC on, AGC off, adustments in Manual mode also.
— 5.1, 2 channel both tried.
–Rode Pro input (better sound and audio line in Vegas) mic self powered
–Tried ATR3350 clip on mic (better sound and audio line in Vegas) mic self powered
–Monitor with headphones audio was very quiet.
–MP4 and Avchd, same

I was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out, now I just accept it an hope Panasonic makes some changes.

Thanks for responding,
Rick

[Gareth Williams]

I have this exact problem on my Panasonic Mini-DV Camera. NV-GS280. The audio is practically a flatline in Premiere with just a few little bums on it. However, the sound level is fine when you play back in the camera. This is annoying. It was bought in 2006, cost me £700, but I only used it for the first time in April 2016. I’m absolutely gutted because I bought it to make a low budget film, spent 10 years writing the script and now I’ve found it’s pretty much useless!

It’s especially annoying as a bought a Panasonic on purpose because we used Panasonic Mini-DV video cameras on my degree course (BA Graphic Design: Salford University 2002-5) and the sound was fine and everything worked perfectly.
I’m not happy with Panasonic’s response that it is not meant for “production work”. If you’re not meant to edit the footage on software why has it got a DV output! I would love to get my money back but I doubt I will after 10 year!

[Francois Pénzes]

Video cameras are notorious for crappy audio. God knows why, they keep using sub-par preamps in their audio circuit design. All efforts at improving cameras are directed towards the video end of things. As a rule, I only use the on board audio as a backup and for cuing purposes. I personally use a Tascam DR-70D. I get way better quality and versatility. You don’t have to get that precise model. For the type of work I do, the 4 XLR inputs are nice to have. There are many different models available out there. Read up on them from the users. I am sure you will find a model that will suit your needs.

If you can live with a somewhat almost OK sound, stick with the camera’s audio option.