Sony UWP Series - AF Indicator
 

Hi,

I have several Sony UWP Series Wireless Mics, Body Pack Transmitters, with Receivers.

I have just noticed that there is an 'AF (audio frequency) indication' (from the manual - I'm pretty sure that it should say 'indicator' but anyway) on the Body Pack Transmitters (as well as on the Mics).

The description from the manual is as follows:

'Appears whenever the output audio signal is stronger than the reference signal'

What are they trying to say (technically)?

SHOULD the output audio signal be stronger than the reference signal or not?

How should this indicator appear when things are working correctly i.e. I have noticed that the indication can range from 'blank' or no indication right up to a dot in the middle with stripes or lines on both sides (x1 or x2 lines).

Should the indicator display nothing; or should there be a dot; or should there be a dot with all of the lines displayed? Which is it (as the manual says nothing about what this indicator is shouting about).

The reason for my asking is that (partciularly with the Body Pack Transmitters) I am not getting the quality of sound that I feel that I should be getting - i.e. it just does not sound clear enough (epecially for the price that I paid for this lot).

Is anyone else using this series with Sony VX2100's and Sony FX1's?

Is there an 'optimal' setting for the attenuation level setting on the transmitters as this seems to be where my problem lies and is definitely linked to the appearance of the indicator described above.

If set at ATT-00 (factory default) it appears to be (slightly?) distorted even although the VX2100's audio level (manual setting) is correctly set i.e. no (visible) clipping. If set at ATT-21 the sound is very weak and you can pretty much hear a sort of 'ssshhhhhh' at the end of every word or phrase (it seems to decay very rapidly but is nontheless there).

Playing around with the attenuation levels the sound seems either (mildly) distorted, or weak.

Is there any (scientific or technical way) of setting these things correctly / matching them up to the cameras input. Any special technique that I don't know about?

I don't seem to have a problem with the UTX-H1 Mics - when set at ATT-03 this seems to work pretty well.

Could it be the Sony Lavalier Mics?

Any ideas or input greatly appreciated!

Regards,

Dale.