[Roger Van duyn]

Well, part of the problem is the two different brands of tape. Pick just one brand of tape, and stick to it. The different manufacturers lubricate the tapes differently. Mixing the lubricants leads to problems. There are plenty of threads online about this.

Cleaning the heads will usually solve the problem for a while, as you’ve experienced.

You can get an external recorder for your XH-A1. That’s what I do. I have an XH-A1 and an XH-A1S. One has the external recorder. The other captures directly to laptop through the firewire port. Each camera records to both tape and an external source, whenever possible.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Hello Michael,

I’m not an audio pro, but the situation you describe is fairly common for a “one man band” style videographer. I’m inclined to agree with Peter’s suggestion of using a mixer with 3 separate microphones for the 3 people speaking on camera because you mentioned they won’t be standing close to each other. I have a field mixer, an older model bought used from a pawn shop, until I can afford better.

However, if you can persuade the three people to work a little differently, you could have one of them to act as the interviewer, like the tv news reporter, and use a single hand held microphone. (And if they suggest passing the microphone back and forth, don’t do it, let just one of them handle the microphone). You could use the second channel on your camera for the shotgun. A lot depends on the room, and how used to being on camera the people might be. Are they alone in the room with you, or is it a panel discussion in front of other employees (captive audience) at a meeting?

If you’re going to be doing this regularly, hope your employer will budget for some equipment to do it properly.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Since you said the hiss disappears on line in, IF you have a mixer, plug the microphones into the mixer. Set the XH-A1 for line in and connect to line out on the mixer.

Of course, mixers aren’t right for every shoot.

Sounds like the camera may need to be serviced. I recently got a second XH-A1S. Not such a problem anymore to send one camera for servicing since I now have two.

Check your local pawn shops and music stores, Guitar Center etc. for used mixers at good prices.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Make sure that everything has been cleared with the Hospital’s Risk Management people, not just the surgeon.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Hello Wade.

I took a similar path as you back in the summer of 2009, starting with two HV30s I already had.

Instead of the latest and greatest, I providentially came across a good deal on a used XH-A1, with wireless microphones, pelican case etc. The two HV-30s matched up well with the A1.

Plus, there was an unexpected benefit. Several videography hand over the tape clients specified standard definition mini-DV in the specs, and the XH-A1 shoots that too, in addition to HDV.

Also, a large corporate client that I had twelve jobs with wanted standard def, 4:3 aspect ratio in files uploaded to their servers. Although they took guys with any camera, provided the files were converted to their specs, there is much less work involved if the original footage is shot that way to begin with. You will find that time is money in a business, and it’s not an easy business. Plus, that client liked, and paid extra, if you could send in original tapes to their facility too.

Tape isn’t quite dead yet, at least in my area. I’ve since added another used Canon XH-A1S in new condition at a fraction of the cost of the latest and greatest. Business loans are hard to come by. If you’re paying for your startup yourself, don’t dig too deep a hole to climb out of. Be careful with cash flow. Expect to spend a lot of time marketing your business. Networking (as in the good ole boy style of networking, AKA “smoozing” with prospects) and strategic pro-bono work has been the most effective marketing strategy for me, at least so far. Clients are careful, they want real value.

Roger