DV Mode Interviews 1st day

[Nate Stephens]

Thanks Tom,

I will google the mixer now… It is nice to know that it isn’t my ears going bad, just low volume out of the headset jack… I am used to shooting Betacam SP and it is much more tolerant of excited voices..

I appreciated the suggestion…. Is the limiter on the Sound Devices very noticable or adjustable?

The HVX has on doesn’t it? Any experience with it… My experience with limiters is not a happy one..

[Tom Brooks]

The HVX has AGC that can be engaged but I wouldn’t use it for interviews. The Mix-Pre limiter has an adjustable threshold for each channel, so that it doesn’t affect normal levels and only controls the overages in a very smooth and natural way. It also has very bright but dimmable LED peak reading level meters. It’s normally powered by 2 AA batteries, but you can get an AC adapter or an adapter for a larger rechargeable battery such as an NP-1. It has a tape return input and the headphone jack is 1/4″. I don’t usually try to sell people on gear and this mixer costs about $700, but I think it really solves some quality issues for me. It’s also a really well-constructed little thing (US made).

[Jeremy Garchow]

That sounds like a good thing.

Nate, we always run mics through a mixer, always. We end up usually sending line level to the HVX or any other cam.

Jeremy

[Nate Stephens]

“we always run mics through a mixer, always”

That explains how you are getting the control you were talking about….

Which makes Tom’s suggestion on a good little mixer a damn great idea…

Thanks to both….

Question, is the HPX500 audio controls response similar to the HVX,, If so, that would confirm the need for the Sound Design mixer… I can use it with both cameras..

thanks guys

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Nate Stephens] “Question, is the HPX500 audio controls response similar to the HVX,, If so, that would confirm the need for the Sound Design mixer… I can use it with both cameras..”

I don’t know for sure, but I am pretty sure they are similar.

You won’t go wrong with using it on both anyway.

Jeremy

[Tom Brooks]

https://sounddevices.com/products/

This stuff is gorgeous. I first got turned on to them by the number of posts about their gear in the Cow’s Audio Professional forum.

[Christopher Wright]

I really feel for you trying to use the DV option with the HVX-200. Whenever I just have to use it I do, but I always cringe at the resultant DV footage quality versus the 720P HD footage quality. They are miles apart with this camera. I don’t know why anyone would even dream of shooting DV instead of HD on a professional paying job with the HVX.

Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
Octocore 8 GB Ram, Radeon card, MBP, MXO
Windows XP Adobe Studio CS3, Vegas 8.0, Lightwave 9.2, Sound Forge 9, Acid Pro 6, Continuum 5, Boris Red 4, Combustion 2008, Sapphire Effects

[Nate Stephens]

Christopher,

“would even dream of shooting DV instead of HD on a professional paying job with the HVX.”

I guess it would be the definition of professional paying job….

This is the third year in a row for this three week contract. We started with DV and Nikon stills to document this event… This year they cut my budget by 40% – 4 weeks before the event….. They have the money (federal grant) It is just the Old Dr. Geezer professor who is in charge, wants to make points or feed his pockets…

If I had had another “Pro” job to fill this three weeks,,, Yes, I would have walked…

But low pay is never a reason to do bad video, just do not give them the pretty stuff…. They can’t understand, or see the difference… so don’t kill yourself, for fools….. just do a good job and take the money………

Yes, I know the HD is so much prettier….. just show me the money…

[Christopher Wright]

Yes, I know, that is why I say I cringe when I have to resort to DV on the HVX myself! And even slashing that budget further has got to hurt!

Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
Octocore 8 GB Ram, Radeon card, MBP, MXO
Windows XP Adobe Studio CS3, Vegas 8.0, Lightwave 9.2, Sound Forge 9, Acid Pro 6, Continuum 5, Boris Red 4, Combustion 2008, Sapphire Effects

[Richard Herd]

Mic rattle (and the opposite whisper interviewee)

Here’s what I do:
Input mic into Channel 2 and set the switches as follows:
CH2 Select > Input 2
CH1 Select > Input 2

Now, you can use the in-camera dials (on the back) to record the same signal twice. I use Ch 2 as the “main mix” and Ch 1 as the “low mix” or “rattleless mix” depending on the interviewee.

That is, if the voice rattles on the main mix, I’m not too concerned because the “low mix” has it.

Finally: I picture-lock in FCP, then export to STP for a final audio mix. Export stereo pair to aiff, import into FCP for mastering.