Cellular Signal Noise at DVinfo.net

Clint Harmon · May 13th, 2009, 09:14 AM

Anyone have any experiance hearing this noise?

YouTube - cell noise

My cameras all use Azden SMX-10 shotgun microphones wired directly into the camera. Why are these microphones picking this up and how can I stop it. Also on a side note none of my wireless microphones pick this up...

Edward Carlson · May 13th, 2009, 10:24 AM

What wireless system do you have?
It can be for a number of reasons. A cell phone close to the mic or cable is the most likely. The reason you aren't hearing it on the wireless is probably because it is shielded better than the SMX-10 or it's cable. You also get this with computer speakers and guitar amps. They are usually not shielded, or at least the cables aren't. The cables end up working like an antenna. If it were a cell phone, that buzzing would be the data for your phone call.

Clint Harmon · May 13th, 2009, 11:05 AM

My wireless system I use is an azden 105upr and works like a charm. I know its a cell signal, but the issue is I don't carry my cell phone on me during shoots but my photographer does and if he is within say 20 ft these mics pick up the signal. Any ideas how to fix this? And just telling my photographer not to carry cell phone doesn't fix the problem.

Edward Carlson · May 13th, 2009, 11:17 AM

There's really no way to fix it besides either turning the cell phones off (OFF off, not vibrate or silent, as some people think), or getting a different microphone. I have never had a problem with my Røde NTG-1 hooked up to my camera with any length of XLR.

Dennis Kane · May 13th, 2009, 11:37 AM

I have heard that the Apple iphone, which I use, creates the most noise of all the cell phones on the market. My iphone drives my hard wired telephones crazy, and the noise sounds just like the utube example. My Sennheiser 416 is affected by this radiation, but my Rode NTG 3 is not. The Rode has better shielding and it looks like this is going to be a major factor in microphone selection in todays world.

Matt Abramson · May 13th, 2009, 01:11 PM

This is also happened to me while using wired lav mics. You're never safe unless the phones are off.

Battle Vaughan · May 13th, 2009, 07:15 PM

And don't get me started on what a Blackberry close to your wireless will do....aarrrgH! :) Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

Clint Harmon · May 21st, 2009, 07:15 AM

Anyone have any experience constructing a "shield" for their microphone? When I get some free time I am going to try wrapping the wires in aluminum foil and see if that cuts that signal.

John Peterson · May 21st, 2009, 07:41 AM

This noise is becoming an increasing menace. Listen to C-Span and you will hear it at news conferences, on the floor of the US House and Senate, etc. So even with the broadcasters the problem is not easily solved.

I recently ran into this problem, but it was easily solved because I was recording in stereo and it was only on the left channel. All I did was delete the left channel and duplicate the right channel. Noise was gone.

There is a software that will easily remove it if it is on both channels. It is called iZotope RX.

iZotope RX - Complete Audio Restoration: Declipping, Declicker, Hum Removal, Denoiser, Spectral Repair, Restore, Remaster, Download

John

Chris Rackauckas · May 21st, 2009, 05:18 PM

Don't trust noise-reduction software too much, it can kill the sound. Just make sure the phones are off if it's that important.

PJ Gallagher · May 21st, 2009, 11:15 PM

As others have said, there's not much you can do beyond turning the phones off.

And if I can tell the Prime Minister of Australia and his staff to turn their phones off while they're in our studio, I'm sure you can do the same with your photographer ;-)

Graham Bernard · May 22nd, 2009, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Rackauckas

Don't trust noise-reduction software too much, it can kill the sound. Just make sure the phones are off if it's that important.

But, if you CAN'T get all phones off, then IzoRX is great at this. I've also removed reversing beeps from lorries that were NOT part of the shot and clambering over the interview.

Why not use all the tools, if they are available? Get the best audio signal you can, then if that falls through the cracks, use IzoRX.

Simples!

Grazie

Giroud Francois · May 22nd, 2009, 01:02 AM

R2hobbies.com - Portable Mobile Cell Phone GSM Signal Jammer, Exotic Electronics, deph82006

Chris Rackauckas · May 22nd, 2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

Why not use all the tools, if they are available? Get the best audio signal you can, then if that falls through the cracks, use IzoRX.

Yeah, but I'm saying don't trust it. Don't buy it thinking it will fix everything, it won't. If it's really bad, sometimes the audio won't be fixable, and if it does fix it, it will sound horrible. It can be a savior sometimes, but don't trust it to do everything.

I remember when I said "fix it in the post" to noise... you can't do too much noise reduction no matter the program.

Colin McDonald · May 22nd, 2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Harmon

Anyone have any experience constructing a "shield" for their microphone? When I get some free time I am going to try wrapping the wires in aluminum foil and see if that cuts that signal.

Don't hold your breath. I noticed that my Phone still works (= takes and makes calls) inside a metal framed chicken wire cage in a store area. It has obviously never heard of a Faraday cage.

May 13th, 2009, 09:14 AM	#1
Clint Harmon Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Port Charlotte, Florida Posts: 104	Cellular Signal Noise Anyone have any experiance hearing this noise? YouTube - cell noise My cameras all use Azden SMX-10 shotgun microphones wired directly into the camera. Why are these microphones picking this up and how can I stop it. Also on a side note none of my wireless microphones pick this up...

May 13th, 2009, 01:11 PM	#6
Matt Abramson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 42	Also This is also happened to me while using wired lav mics. You're never safe unless the phones are off.

May 13th, 2009, 10:24 AM	#2
Edward Carlson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North Hollywood, CA, United States Posts: 807	What wireless system do you have? It can be for a number of reasons. A cell phone close to the mic or cable is the most likely. The reason you aren't hearing it on the wireless is probably because it is shielded better than the SMX-10 or it's cable. You also get this with computer speakers and guitar amps. They are usually not shielded, or at least the cables aren't. The cables end up working like an antenna. If it were a cell phone, that buzzing would be the data for your phone call.

May 13th, 2009, 11:05 AM	#3
Clint Harmon Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Port Charlotte, Florida Posts: 104	My wireless system I use is an azden 105upr and works like a charm. I know its a cell signal, but the issue is I don't carry my cell phone on me during shoots but my photographer does and if he is within say 20 ft these mics pick up the signal. Any ideas how to fix this? And just telling my photographer not to carry cell phone doesn't fix the problem.

May 13th, 2009, 11:17 AM	#4
Edward Carlson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North Hollywood, CA, United States Posts: 807	There's really no way to fix it besides either turning the cell phones off (OFF off, not vibrate or silent, as some people think), or getting a different microphone. I have never had a problem with my Røde NTG-1 hooked up to my camera with any length of XLR.

May 13th, 2009, 11:37 AM	#5
Dennis Kane Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: san francisco, ca Posts: 106	I have heard that the Apple iphone, which I use, creates the most noise of all the cell phones on the market. My iphone drives my hard wired telephones crazy, and the noise sounds just like the utube example. My Sennheiser 416 is affected by this radiation, but my Rode NTG 3 is not. The Rode has better shielding and it looks like this is going to be a major factor in microphone selection in todays world.

May 13th, 2009, 07:15 PM	#7
Battle Vaughan Trustee Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami, FL USA Posts: 1,505	And don't get me started on what a Blackberry close to your wireless will do....aarrrgH! :) Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

May 21st, 2009, 07:15 AM	#8
Clint Harmon Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Port Charlotte, Florida Posts: 104	Anyone have any experience constructing a "shield" for their microphone? When I get some free time I am going to try wrapping the wires in aluminum foil and see if that cuts that signal.

May 21st, 2009, 07:41 AM	#9
John Peterson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Monroe, NY Posts: 703	This noise is becoming an increasing menace. Listen to C-Span and you will hear it at news conferences, on the floor of the US House and Senate, etc. So even with the broadcasters the problem is not easily solved. I recently ran into this problem, but it was easily solved because I was recording in stereo and it was only on the left channel. All I did was delete the left channel and duplicate the right channel. Noise was gone. There is a software that will easily remove it if it is on both channels. It is called iZotope RX. iZotope RX - Complete Audio Restoration: Declipping, Declicker, Hum Removal, Denoiser, Spectral Repair, Restore, Remaster, Download John

May 21st, 2009, 05:18 PM	#10
Chris Rackauckas Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 113	Don't trust noise-reduction software too much, it can kill the sound. Just make sure the phones are off if it's that important.

May 21st, 2009, 11:15 PM	#11
PJ Gallagher Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 78	As others have said, there's not much you can do beyond turning the phones off. And if I can tell the Prime Minister of Australia and his staff to turn their phones off while they're in our studio, I'm sure you can do the same with your photographer ;-)

May 22nd, 2009, 01:02 AM	#13
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	R2hobbies.com - Portable Mobile Cell Phone GSM Signal Jammer, Exotic Electronics, deph82006