Field mixer for 2 video cams at the same time

[John Fishback]

I believe the SD302 can do what you want. It has XLR line outs as well as tape outputs that have the same output. I think the tape output is a different connector. I’m not at the office and can’t confirm this, but I’m sure the SD site has the manual.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.8 QT7.6.4 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870, 24″ TV-Logic Monitor, ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID 5
FCS 3 (FCP 7.0.2, Motion 4.0.2, Comp 3.5.2, DVDSP 4.2.2, Color 1.5.2)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO & 192 Digital I/O, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[Deleted User]

The Wendt X3 can handle dual output using the balanced XLR, & unbalanced 5-pin mini XLR stereo (good for wireless hops or to a backup recorder). (B&H = $1140). I picked up mine used for $550, but they don’t come around too often.

If you’re looking for something more affordable you might want to look at the PSC DV Promix 3 or the Sign Video ENG-44 (B&H = $475) both of which have a 3.5mm (1/8″) tape return output which would work for your wireless hops, again- since the tape returns are unbalanced you wouldn’t use that for a cable run.

John Moore
Soundblog

[Michael Martin]

I own the PSC Promix 6. It has left and right XLR outs for two cameras plus aux returns.

-Michael Martin
Martin Media Designs
Location Sound/Audio Post Production/Sound Design

[Jon Goodman]

John is correct. You can feed a second camera with the tape out. It is a mini 5 pin and you can get a 5 pin to 2 XLR cable from remote audio. However, the 302 mixer doesn’t have the provision to monitor both outputs.
Cheers
Jon

[Richard Crowley]

You can do this with virtually ANY mixer. Since your mixer is the source of the audio signal, you can use a simple Y-adapter cable that will feed the (presumably low impedance source) to two different high impedance loads (the camera audio inputs). The reason so few mixers have multiple outputs is because there are simple external solutions like this.

[Ty Ford]

Hello Brian and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Sadly, the Sound Devices 442 is no being made. A lot of guys dumped their 442s to get a 552, so you may be able to find a used one. They are truly remarkable mixers. I’m pretty certain Sound Devices will continue to support the 442s.

You said two lavs and a boom. That’s only 3 inputs. A Sound Devices 302 will do that trick and as mentioned there is an unbalanced mix out. I like Richard’s idea about using a splitter cable, provided both cameras are operating at either mic or line level.

The main XLR outputs are “active balanced.” Because that sometimes means you have to play really clean, I’d call Sound Devices Technical Support and ask whether they think the main outputs can be passively split.

I’d stay away from the ENG-44 for hard use. It just doesn’t have the feature set of the 302 or 442.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar

[Craig Alan]

Just curious. Why do you need to record to two cameras at once?

OSX 10.5.7; MAC Book PRO (EARLY 2008); Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30, Sony vx2000/PD170, Canon xl2; Pana, Sony, and Canon consumer cams; FCP certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Ty Ford]

Craig,

Brian may have different reasons than this but two cameras are good for:

1. Simple interviews where you want to see several angles of the interviewee or interviewer and interviewee.

2. Dramatic scenes to make sure you have two good angles so you don’t have to sweat continuity during the edit.

Here’s a two camera shoot with a second pass to get the reverses of the guy with the white hair.
https://gallery.me.com/tyreeford#100315

We actually did another pass, a medium closeup of the principal, but his handling of the glass wouldn’t cut. It could have been that shooting film style (single camera, multiple angles) would not have cut due to continuity problems.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.

[Craig Alan]

Ty,

Sorry, I wasn’t asking why you would shoot with multiple cameras. I was asking why the audio mixer needed to feed more than one recording device be it a camera or a stand alone audio recorder.

OSX 10.5.7; MAC Book PRO (EARLY 2008); Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30, Sony vx2000/PD170, Canon xl2; Pana, Sony, and Canon consumer cams; FCP certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.