XLR Module and Balanced microphones on A1

Mark Bryant · January 9th, 2006, 02:06 AM

Stu, Tracy,

I got the HC1 in the end, and the Bescor adapter, and I'm happy with it and my Videomic. Maybe I use it in nosier environments or have poorer hearing, but I don't find motor noise an issue with it. The one thing I do pickup which bothers me is the cheap tripod I have makes a creaking sound when I pan... but I plan to solve that by getting a better tripod!

Mark

Michael OKeefe · January 29th, 2006, 09:43 PM

Are you guys able to use the Rode Videomic on the HC1 hotshoe?

EDIT: also, does the Hi-pass filter on the Videomic do anything to negate the handling noise?

Alexander Karol · January 30th, 2006, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael OKeefe

Are you guys able to use the Rode Videomic on the HC1 hotshoe?

EDIT: also, does the Hi-pass filter on the Videomic do anything to negate the handling noise?

Nope, it is a SONY proprietary hot shoe. Only SONY accessories can be used on it. Many people have created adapters that allows you to use other accessories to be used with it, but as of yet, there is nothing officially made by a manufacturer.

The Hi-pass filter from the Videomic does seem to avoice handling noise from being picked up. I haven't heard any complaints about it.

Graham Hickling · January 30th, 2006, 11:32 PM

There's a photo of one in use on an HC1 here (just so you can see how it relates to the LCD etc...):
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=59056

Bill Binder · February 16th, 2006, 12:18 PM

Two things:

(1) using the high-pass filter on the VideoMic can significantly help cut down motor noise (not to mention wind chop).

(2) Slapping a mini-to-XLR adapter onto the end of the VideoMic doesn't necessarily get you a "balanced" connection. It will let you plug the VideoMic into an XLR input, but to be truly balanced for long cable runs, there's more to it than that.

John Dombrowski · March 26th, 2006, 12:35 PM

Can you explain #2 a little more?

Thanks......JD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Binder

Two things:

(1) using the high-pass filter on the VideoMic can significantly help cut down motor noise (not to mention wind chop).

(2) Slapping a mini-to-XLR adapter onto the end of the VideoMic doesn't necessarily get you a "balanced" connection. It will let you plug the VideoMic into an XLR input, but to be truly balanced for long cable runs, there's more to it than that.

Alex Thames · March 29th, 2006, 03:12 AM

Sorry, elementary learning question: what does balance and unbalanced mean, and what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Mark Bryant · March 29th, 2006, 03:30 AM

This link gives a nice overview:

http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/ar...ced_cables.htm

In short the advantage of balanced audio is less noise (e.g. electrical interference). But this only becomes significant for "long" cable runs. I.e. if you are talking about a camcorder mounted mic there is no real advantage (other than many high end mics use the XLR connectors).

I'm not sure how "long" the cable needs to be before the difference in balanced/unbalanced becomes significant... some number of meters...

No disadvantage to balanced, other than it needs a XLR type connector.

Mark

January 9th, 2006, 02:06 AM	#16
Mark Bryant Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bath, England Posts: 119	Stu, Tracy, I got the HC1 in the end, and the Bescor adapter, and I'm happy with it and my Videomic. Maybe I use it in nosier environments or have poorer hearing, but I don't find motor noise an issue with it. The one thing I do pickup which bothers me is the cheap tripod I have makes a creaking sound when I pan... but I plan to solve that by getting a better tripod! Mark

January 29th, 2006, 09:43 PM	#17
Michael OKeefe Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hudson, NH Posts: 53	Are you guys able to use the Rode Videomic on the HC1 hotshoe? EDIT: also, does the Hi-pass filter on the Videomic do anything to negate the handling noise?

January 30th, 2006, 11:32 PM	#19
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	There's a photo of one in use on an HC1 here (just so you can see how it relates to the LCD etc...): http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=59056

February 16th, 2006, 12:18 PM	#20
Bill Binder Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 542	Two things: (1) using the high-pass filter on the VideoMic can significantly help cut down motor noise (not to mention wind chop). (2) Slapping a mini-to-XLR adapter onto the end of the VideoMic doesn't necessarily get you a "balanced" connection. It will let you plug the VideoMic into an XLR input, but to be truly balanced for long cable runs, there's more to it than that.

March 29th, 2006, 03:12 AM	#22
Alex Thames Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 508	Sorry, elementary learning question: what does balance and unbalanced mean, and what are the advantages and disadvantages?

March 29th, 2006, 03:30 AM	#23
Mark Bryant Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bath, England Posts: 119	This link gives a nice overview: http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/ar...ced_cables.htm In short the advantage of balanced audio is less noise (e.g. electrical interference). But this only becomes significant for "long" cable runs. I.e. if you are talking about a camcorder mounted mic there is no real advantage (other than many high end mics use the XLR connectors). I'm not sure how "long" the cable needs to be before the difference in balanced/unbalanced becomes significant... some number of meters... No disadvantage to balanced, other than it needs a XLR type connector. Mark