Joel Servetz
Forum Replies Created
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Look in markertek.com for firewire hubs and distribution amplifiers. Make sure you buy whatever additional cables you need with the right connectors (4 pin, 6 pin)
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
Everything I’ve ever read about oxygen free cables says it’s all bunk, mostly sales hype. Get good quality cables with good soldered (not molded) connectors, treat them well and they should last you for many years. I have 50 and 100 foot speaker cables that have lasted for 10 – 15 years, some even longer.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
The vga to cat-5 extender is a very good idea for long runs. I have done literally hundreds of events involving multiple long (100′ – 150′) vga runs to projectors and monitors using Extron VGA-DAs which are capable of runs of up to 250′. Long (100′ or more) VGA cables are thick and heavy and prone to failure from mis-handling so treat them with care and have plenty of backups.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
By all means go hard-wired. I have considerable experience with the moderately priced wireless equipment from Supercircuits and other suppliers and can tell you from first hand experience that they are unreliable and prone to dropouts and other issues. In apreofesiional setting you do not want your clients to see and hear an unstable send.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
Yep, dealing with these union controlled venues always sucks. A short story: many years ago the Photo Marketing Association used to have their huge annual trade show in Chicago. The unions had such a tight grip on everything that an exhibitor had to pay one to have their stuff carried into the hall, another to unpack it, and an electrician to plug in anything, all separate charges, on top of their fees as an exhibitor. They eventually moved their show out of Chicago. But it’s like that everywhere.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
There’s no real advantage to the higher or lower band. The choice will be governed by the available frequency groups in your area. Check the FCC website or links to it from whatever manufacturer you choose. I know that both the Audio Technica and Sennheiser websites have excellent links for this info.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
Sebastian, you didn’t state your budget. At the low end are units from Azden and some others, but I wouldn’t advise going there. Even though you need to keep the budget low, you’re not saving any money by buying the absolute low end, only to have to spend more soon to replace it. Also, at the very low end is where you’ll find the few remaining VHF units and you definitely want to stay away from there as you are most likely to experience the most interference in VHF. Look at the Audio Technica 1800 series on the B&H Photo and Full Compass websites. They have different configurations at many different price points. For $500 – 700.00 you will get a professional quality mid-grade system that will serve you well for many years. Definitely only buy something frequency agile and full diversity. Fequency agile so that you can find an unused channel and avoid interference, and full diversity to minimize dropouts and other nasty problems.
The FCC has re-allocated the so-called 700Mhz. band (698 – 806Mhz.) for public safety and broadcast use, so wireless microphones and other users have been banned. Go to the FCC website for information on which frequency groupings are safe in your area. You can also get that information from the Audio Technica website. You are correct in stating that no reputable dealer would sell gear in that band, but you don’t need me to tell you that not everyone is so honest. Do not buy used stuff on E-Bay or any other auction site, you could easily get stuck. Anything below 698 and above 806 is fine.
Good luck.Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
I’m assuming from your post that this could be any number of venues and not just one fixed setting. Since this is a single camera recording, your best bet is to visit the venue in advance to establish the best camera location. Ideally, if you can set up at the back from an elevated central position this will eliminate any audience interference and will allow you to pull back the shot to include the audience when desired or zoom in for close ups of band members, especially when someone has a solo.
Establish a rapport with whoever is doing sound and arrange to take a feed from the front of house mixer. If running a cable is not feasible, it’s good to invest in a reliable wireless system, but make sure it is frequency agile and full diversity, and does not infringe on the 700 Mhz. band. Also, make sure you get a system that does not infringe on fequencies in use in your area. The FCC website can guide you there.
Don’t rely solely on the feed from the house mixer. That can fail for any number of reasons, and always at the wrong time. Have a backup, usually in the form of a shotgun mic at the camera position. This can also be used to mix in some ambience at just the level you want. In any case, the sends to your camcorder should go through a good external mixer so that you can indidually control them for the right balance and to deal with any sudden changes. Make sure you have a nice kit of pads, ground lifters and phase reversers to deal with any signal issues from the house send. And by all means, always use good headphones to monitor the sound from the mixer and from the camcorder to immediately pick up and deal with ay issues.Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
Keith, you didn’t mention what camcorder you’re using. Is it a consumer/prosumer type that combines the left/right audio channels or a more professional model with separate controls? Do you have a mixer so that you can control the two channels separately and then send the feed to the camcorder? If your camcorder combines the two channels, do you have a digital recorder like a Zoom H4N or similar so that you can do double system recording and then manage the audio tracks during editing the way Ty suggested (a lot trickier but a way around a camcorder that combines tracks)? Do you have a shotgun mic. that you can use instead of the camcorder mic to record the audience?
I’ve used wireless sends, either plug-on or beltpack transmitters with the appropriate cables, for many years when running cables just wasn’t feasible. Cable is always better, just not always possible. But beware, always have a backup plan (could be the shotgun).Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com -
Good advice Ty, always listen all the time, exactly what I’ve been doing for more than 25 years, but I agree, it’s good to emphasize.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com