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HMC-150 Audio Issue – digital crackling on recorded clips
I’ve had my HMC-150 since May 2011. I have been using it a lot. I have never had any audio issues. Used it 5 times this week in several different locations and today, on the 8th clip of shooting in the same location (a house) it started in a minute into the clip. The digital crackling, scratching, millisecond drop out if you will, began and lasted into a second 16 gig class 10 card and only stopped after I checked one clip and heard it, then it was gone after that. all my interviews and b-roll were ruined. the last 10 clips on the second card were fine. I monitored every single clip while I was shooting and all sounded fine and the levels were solid. I was using different audio configs, shotgun mic, sennheiser wireless lavs, shotgun on boom pole, audio from channel 2 going to both channels, desperate channels, etc. The problem was consistent throughout the clips.
The only new thing I introduced this week was I turned on ALC. I had no sound problems using the camera that way for four days. All of my footage sounded fine with it on until today. I even recorded in the same location yesterday and no issues. NOTE: I was using another card, different brand, but class 10. All three of my cards have never given me any trouble in this camera though. The two cards on which the issue occurred are the same brand. I can’t remember the brand because I have them at my office right now, but will check and let you know tomorrow.
I am going to have to pay to rent another camera, pay for the producer to take a later flight home and of course not charge her for the make up day.
Do any of you have information on the issue? Have you had any problems with your HMC-150? Has Panasonic addressed this issue? I find it hard to believe this is an SD card issue.
Could it possibly be interference with wi-fi or RF? If so, why wouldn’t I have heard it while monitoring recording?
This is an issue I can not have, I make my living with this camera.
Thanks for your info, it will help me solve this problem.
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4 Replies
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Hey Nic,
Maybe you have solved your problem by now, but I had something like crackling the other day, but I’m using a AG AC-160P. I was just doing some audio tests, trying to figure out how the “auto” switch worked for both channels, then I tried later setting the internal limiter. The crackling sound for me was the audio meters maxing out (ie hitting into the red) with the auto on, but without the limiter.I’ve also had a crackling sound from a wireless lav we used years ago in an outdoor shoot. It was just interference and we later had to do a ADR in the studio.
I hope you figure out the cause quickly if you haven’t already. All the best!
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Hi Christopher,
Thanks for your info. Sorry you had an issue as well. Was your crackling sound like this? https://vimeo.com/31374644I have suspected that it might have happened because I turned AGC on for the first time, but it had worked without incident for two days, then it happened on the third day of shooting.
I also think it might have been condensation, but if it was, it was a minimal amount of condensation inside the camera.
I haven’t been able to duplicate the issue, which is good and bad I guess. I still use the cam and it is working fine, until the next time it happens! But I have turned the AGC off.
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Hello, I recently had the same audio problem with the HMC150. Were you able to fix the audio in post?
If so, what did you do.Thanks
Bill -
No I wasn’t able to fix it and it never happened again. Sorry you had this problem as well. It appears to be extremely rare and I couldn’t trace down the cause.
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