[Craig Alan]

Thanks John,
We are putting together a fly pack with a panasonic video mixer and a Mackie Onyx 1220i audio mixer. The recording device is a AJA KI PRO.
I would like to add a SD recorder when funding becomes avail.
What would your advise for a tri-level sync?

would this do the trick: AJA Video Systems Inc GEN10
HD/SD Sync Generator, Blackburst and Tri-level Sync Generator

I see more expensive units. A one you prefer and pros?

Where would this fit in the chain? Will it work with the set up we have so far?

I’ll do a search for a tutorial on using a try-level sync but if you know of one please refer me.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Thanks Brian. This is all being used in an educational setting and I don’t mind it as a learning experience and though I aim for professional practices, it’s ok if I we miss fire. That said, I also will add to the program what I can when I can.

I did a search on-line for the Zoom H6 and it seems pretty impressive for a small recorder. I have a sony but it accepts only one mini-plug. The H6 with an accessory has 6 xlrs inputs on 6 channels. Wow! It’s now on my wish list.

Everything is bought with grant money and opportunities tend to come once a year. This year I’ve concentrated on finishing our studio and moving to P2 camcorders.

I’ve wanted a SD mixer/recorder for a while and when funding becomes available I will look into it and adding a H6 or whatever is the best in its class at the time. We are also just got a Canon 5D and it would be great for those shoots.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Yes crystal. Had no idea that audio wasn’t perfectly aligned with a single video frame. Gives me motivation to dig into a sound editing program. I have heard that metallic echo sound in recordings and just figured it was the acoustic environment not a sync issue. Thanks again.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Thank you Peter. I have not used pro tools but will look into it in the future. Glad I posted. Kinda thought I was over-reaching but figured I’d check with this forum.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

[Rob Neidig] “I’d probably try the AT4053b first. On acoustic guitar point it at the neck at the 12th fret. Changing the angle slightly toward the sound hole will give you less/more low end, which can sometimes become boomy. This is usually done with a cardioid pattern mic rather than the hypercardioid AT4053b, but the tighter pattern might actually help you isolate the guitar is this instance.”

Thank you. That makes sense. I have several of these mikes and will set up both guitars with two of them.
I will use a third one for the bongos. I’ll need to run 2 xlr cables to my mixer. I was using 3 cordless transmitters. My transmitter plugs do not provide phantom power. I will use the vocal mike for the singer

(unless a third AT would be a better choice?).

I will (for now) put both guitars on one channel and the vocals on the other (for camera one). Judging by the other posts, I will run into problems syncing the second camera’s audio to the first. We will try it anyway and can always not use the audio track but use the second cam for different angles of the performers.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

How hard is this to do? We have 4 countryman E6 headsets with interconnects that need to be changed to .5mm TRS with a locking collar to plug into a G2 or G3 transmitter. New interconnects are about $60.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Yes that is correct. However, on small consumer level cams -12 is marked and -20 is not and I find it depends on what you are recording. Sometimes more headroom is needed and sometimes you need to use more of the cam’s preamp to end up above -12. on better cams with better audio -20 is marked and is correct. Since the mix-pre D is designed to mount under the cam, I just find that eyeballing at what level on the mix-pre the proper level is achieved on the cam is the way to go. If you can’t get a high enough level when calibrated below -12 (and its a guess where -20 is) then make the adjustment.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

[Peter Groom] “You will find there’s an issue with this when you try to mix. There will always be up to a frame difference between the tracks.”

what if we use a clapper? Did your nudging solve the sync issue or just help a bit?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

[Rob Neidig] “There shouldn’t be any real problem syncing these up in post. You may get a small drift over time, but you could re-align song by song if you are doing a longer program.

that’s what I was asking. Sounds doable.

[Rob Neidig] The problem you will have is that you have to mix the 3 mics on each mixer together down to a stereo file on each camera. Normally for music post-mixing you would want all six of your tracks to be recorded separately so you could mix them together in post. Since I’m assuming your cameras only record stereo, you are going to have to do a submix of boths sets of 3 mics, then mix those two stereo files together. So it’s possible, but not optimal.

Granted. A mixer recorder is on my wish list.

[Rob Neidig] Regarding using the AT4053b or Shure vocal mic on instruments –

It depends. What instruments? What Shure vocal mic?

Shure SM58. Acoustic guitars. bongos.

Would it help to send one input to L one input to R channels and the third to center? There are three main talents. Guitar Guitar lead Vocalist.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I hope you’re kidding. A four year old computer stopped working and therefore PCs are more reliable and logical than Macs. Maybe the system drive died. (used on both platforms) Maybe the power supply died. (used on both platforms). Maybe the ram died (used on both platforms). Maybe the OS got corrupted. Reinstall. Maybe a lot of things. If the Mac Pro with FCP was making you a living then get it fixed. You can’t run FCP on your PC laptop.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.