Not making the sound pro crazy

[Ty Ford]

Hello Stephen and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum,

Try Comtek.

https://www.comtek.com/film.html

Regards,

Ty Ford

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[Stephen Lovett]

Ty,

Thank you kindly for your guidance.

Having looked at the comtek equipment, it appears that I’d have to run an AC powered base station for any and all applications.

This isn’t a practical solution for me as ~50% of my shoots are in the field with no reliable access to A.C. power.

Any other suggestions?

And as a logical extension of this conversation, as I’m going to take your advice and add a couple of countryman’s to my set up, is there some synergy possible here.

I’m ok with separate solutions to these problems.
1) set communcation
2) wireless connectivity to mics

But less equipment is better than more equipment IMHO.

I don’t use my wireless stuff much now (Senhieser G2 series) as I’m not thrilled with the sound of the lav and the SKP100 doesn’t have phantom power, so my boom is wired.

Given that the countryman is available in dozens of flavors… if it were you, and you needed to be A.C. free regularly, what would you choose.

(If it helps almost all my source material is gathered on a boomed, wired 416)

All the best,

Steve

[Ty Ford]

“Having looked at the comtek equipment, it appears that I’d have to run an AC powered base station for any and all applications.

This isn’t a practical solution for me as ~50% of my shoots are in the field with no reliable access to A.C. power.

>>Roy Cox out of Walnut creek had comteks and I don’t think we had any AC power. Call Comtek and see what they say.

And as a logical extension of this conversation, as I’m going to take your advice and add a couple of countryman’s to my set up, is there some synergy possible here.

I don’t use my wireless stuff much now (Senhieser G2 series) as I’m not thrilled with the sound of the lav and the SKP100 doesn’t have phantom power, so my boom is wired.

Given that the countryman is available in dozens of flavors… if it were you, and you needed to be A.C. free regularly, what would you choose.

>>What countryman?

Regards,

Ty Ford

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[Stephen Lovett]

Thanks again Ty,

I’ll check in with comtek. I’m heading out to NAB on Monday, and was surprised that they are listed as one of the vendors.

On the countryman, (for dialog) I am planning on going with the countryman E6i omni.

Have you had a chance to evaluate the newer compact model?

All the best,

Steve

[Ty Ford]

[Stephen Lovett] “I’ll check in with comtek. I’m heading out to NAB on Monday, and was surprised that they are listed as one of the vendors.

>>Comtek is an industry standard.

On the countryman, (for dialog) I am planning on going with the countryman E6i omni.

Have you had a chance to evaluate the newer compact model? ”

>>No.

Regards,

Ty

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[Greg Curda]

Hi Steve,

I have read through this entire thread and I still don’t know what you are trying to do. Add 2 way communication to your kit? Select new lavs? add an assistive listening set-up for clients?

The Comteks all run on AC and 12v DC. The B6 is fabulous. But I still don’t understand the application…

[Stephen Lovett]

Hi Greg,

Yes the thread kind of morphed in the middle, so the answer is “yes” to your question… did that help? 🙂

The genesis of the mail, and the primary need is on set communication.

Specifically on multi camera shoots, where the guys are mobile we need the OK “you hold the wide shot I’m going in for a ECU on foobar” etc so that I don’t get stuck in editing because all the cameras are panning or moving at that moment leaving me with nothing to cut to.

four to six radios that can do the surveillance style headsets would be a good fit. All radios should be able to communicate with all other radios. There should operate silently and be sensitive enough to allow crew communication without creating an obstacle for the sound team.

I asked here because I I don’t want cross talk, or whatever unknown to me downside of my proposed solution to cause headaches for the sound pros. I’ve learned through hard experience that sound is at least 50% of the equation.

The thread morphed because Ty recommended Comtek, which evidently does both.

Orthogonally I need to add some lavs that suck less than my Sennheiser’s and thus the deviation into the mic comments.

I’m completely happy for these two issues to be unrelated. That said fewer on boxes and cables on set is better IMHO.

I still haven’t follow up with Comtek, I was at NAB last week, and I’m still digging out.

Thanks,

Steve

[Greg Curda]

I have done plenty of multicam shoots and usually there is a cam director looking at all monitors and directing all the cams. For this application Comteks are perfect. They are one way, not duplex. Director calls the shots and cams get the direction, no need for cross comm. They are inexpensive and out of the way of any other RF traffic.

If you really need duplex communication, the Motos could do it. They can be of value in other situations too. Car to car, keeping track of crew, scouting, etc. There are other duplex solutions… I’ve always liked the Anchor wireless.

RE: lavs, there are plenty of fine mics. I like the Sanken COS11, the Countryman B6, Sony 77s, or 88s, and, of course, the DPAs. All depends on your applications, ear, and budget.

[Stephen Lovett]

Thanks for the response Greg.

If one has the ability to route video back to a central location, as in your example the Comtek’s would be ideal.

In many of venues we work stringing a bunch of HDSDI cables hundreds of yards back to a booth isn’t feasible.

The Anchors look like they kinda sorta might work, but the camera folks are gathering wild sound concurrent with their camera work. The Anchor headsets look bulky, but I’ll arrange to see them in person.

So far the old school Moto’s with Klien headsets have the lead.

Thanks for your input,

Steve

[Craig Alan]

Hi,

Just so I’m clear because this thread is of interst to me:

Are you not pleased with the sound of the Senhieser G2 series as a system or just not the lav that comes with it?

Thanks

OSX 10.5.3; MAC PRO 2 X 2.8 GHZ (EARLY 2008); FCP Suite; Sony camcorder vx2000/pd170;Canon xl2; Pana consumer cams; write professionally for a variety of media;teach video production in L.A.