Using 1/8 to XLR adapter w/PD170 at DVinfo.net

Frank Pietrantoni · December 13th, 2004, 01:46 PM

Has anyone had problems/success using the on camera mic with a second mic (lav mic/receiver with 1/8 stereo mini to XLR)? I am trying to use my Audio-Technica Wireless Lav with my PD170, but am not getting any input signal. I am using an adapter cord I purchased from BH Photo (1/8 stereo to XLR Male), and I have checked that all cords/inputs/outputs are working fine.

I found that I can get signal if I plug the adapter into the headphone out of the receiver, but the signal is way too hot/distorted. If I come off the mic output, I get nothing. Can anyone help out here? Thanks.

Mike Rehmus · December 13th, 2004, 02:07 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : Has anyone had problems/success using the on camera mic with a second mic (lav mic/receiver with 1/8 stereo mini to XLR)? I am trying to use my Audio-Technica Wireless Lav with my PD170, but am not getting any input signal. I am using an adapter cord I purchased from BH Photo (1/8 stereo to XLR Male), and I have checked that all cords/inputs/outputs are working fine.
-----------------
Something isn't set correctly or the cable is not wired for your setup.
------------------
I found that I can get signal if I plug the adapter into the headphone out of the receiver, but the signal is way too hot/distorted. If I come off the mic output, I get nothing. Can anyone help out here? Thanks. -->>>
---------------------
Do you have the XLR input set up for microphone with the attenuator turned off?
----------------------

Frank Pietrantoni · December 13th, 2004, 02:53 PM

------------------
I found that I can get signal if I plug the adapter into the headphone out of the receiver, but the signal is way too hot/distorted. If I come off the mic output, I get nothing. Can anyone help out here? Thanks. -->>>
---------------------
Do you have the XLR input set up for microphone with the attenuator turned off?
---------------------- -->>>

Yes I've tried all settings to no avail. Do you know if there is specific adapter to use for this aplication? I assumed that the 1/8" to XLR from BH Photo would have done the trick.

Mike Rehmus · December 13th, 2004, 03:52 PM

It still sounds like a level mismatch or a wiring error.

If B&H said it would work, then I'd expect it to be wired correctly.

If you set the XLR input for Line and then feed in the earphone output, does that approximate a reasonable signal?

Frank Pietrantoni · December 13th, 2004, 06:49 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Mike Rehmus : It still sounds like a level mismatch or a wiring error.

If B&H said it would work, then I'd expect it to be wired correctly.

If you set the XLR input for Line and then feed in the earphone output, does that approximate a reasonable signal? -->>>

Well...B&H didn't actually say this would work for this application, but I assumed it would (my mistake I guess). I tried setting input to Line but the signal is still too hot.

Maybe there's a different type of mini to XLR adapter that I need. I know that Sony's wireless lav system (UWPC1) uses what they call a 3-pole mini to XLR cable. But I haven't been able to locate that exact spec.

Frank Pietrantoni · December 14th, 2004, 12:10 PM

I found that Audio-Technica makes a mini to XLR Line Matching Transformer/Cable for this purpose. I'l give that a try.

Frank Pietrantoni · December 17th, 2004, 07:51 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : I found that Audio-Technica makes a mini to XLR Line Matching Transformer/Cable for this purpose. I'l give that a try. -->>>

In case anyone was wondering, the Audio-Technica Cable solved my problem.

Mike Rehmus · December 17th, 2004, 08:19 PM

Great

Ty Ford · December 17th, 2004, 11:09 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : <<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : I found that Audio-Technica makes a mini to XLR Line Matching Transformer/Cable for this purpose. I'l give that a try. -->>>

In case anyone was wondering, the Audio-Technica Cable solved my

>>I think the original problem was caused by you thinking the cable was a one inch stereo mini. Just because a mini has three conductors doesn't mean its stereo.

It's just a cable. It could be stereo. It could be mono. It depends on what it's plugged into on each end and the way in which the cable is configured.

A USUAL female XLR to mini TRS is NOT a stereo cable. It's a balanced mono cable. If the female XLR is wired with pin #2 connected to BOTH the tip and ring of the mini TRS, now you have a cable that allows a mono mic to be plugged into a stereo unbalanced camera input.

There are a lot of tips like this in the "Audio Bootcamp Field Guide", which makes a nice stocking stuffer, btw. ;)

Regards,

Ty Ford

December 13th, 2004, 01:46 PM	#1
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	Using 1/8 to XLR adapter w/PD170 Has anyone had problems/success using the on camera mic with a second mic (lav mic/receiver with 1/8 stereo mini to XLR)? I am trying to use my Audio-Technica Wireless Lav with my PD170, but am not getting any input signal. I am using an adapter cord I purchased from BH Photo (1/8 stereo to XLR Male), and I have checked that all cords/inputs/outputs are working fine. I found that I can get signal if I plug the adapter into the headphone out of the receiver, but the signal is way too hot/distorted. If I come off the mic output, I get nothing. Can anyone help out here? Thanks. __________________ Choose your attitude...Be Positive!

December 13th, 2004, 02:53 PM	#3
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	Re: Re: Using 1/8 to XLR adapter w/PD170 ------------------ I found that I can get signal if I plug the adapter into the headphone out of the receiver, but the signal is way too hot/distorted. If I come off the mic output, I get nothing. Can anyone help out here? Thanks. -->>> --------------------- Do you have the XLR input set up for microphone with the attenuator turned off? ---------------------- -->>> Yes I've tried all settings to no avail. Do you know if there is specific adapter to use for this aplication? I assumed that the 1/8" to XLR from BH Photo would have done the trick. __________________ Choose your attitude...Be Positive!

December 13th, 2004, 03:52 PM	#4
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	It still sounds like a level mismatch or a wiring error. If B&H said it would work, then I'd expect it to be wired correctly. If you set the XLR input for Line and then feed in the earphone output, does that approximate a reasonable signal? __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

December 13th, 2004, 06:49 PM	#5
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	<<<-- Originally posted by Mike Rehmus : It still sounds like a level mismatch or a wiring error. If B&H said it would work, then I'd expect it to be wired correctly. If you set the XLR input for Line and then feed in the earphone output, does that approximate a reasonable signal? -->>> Well...B&H didn't actually say this would work for this application, but I assumed it would (my mistake I guess). I tried setting input to Line but the signal is still too hot. Maybe there's a different type of mini to XLR adapter that I need. I know that Sony's wireless lav system (UWPC1) uses what they call a 3-pole mini to XLR cable. But I haven't been able to locate that exact spec. __________________ Choose your attitude...Be Positive!

December 14th, 2004, 12:10 PM	#6
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	I'll Try Something else... I found that Audio-Technica makes a mini to XLR Line Matching Transformer/Cable for this purpose. I'l give that a try. __________________ Choose your attitude...Be Positive!

December 13th, 2004, 02:07 PM	#2
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Re: Using 1/8 to XLR adapter w/PD170 <<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : Has anyone had problems/success using the on camera mic with a second mic (lav mic/receiver with 1/8 stereo mini to XLR)? I am trying to use my Audio-Technica Wireless Lav with my PD170, but am not getting any input signal. I am using an adapter cord I purchased from BH Photo (1/8 stereo to XLR Male), and I have checked that all cords/inputs/outputs are working fine. ----------------- Something isn't set correctly or the cable is not wired for your setup. ------------------ I found that I can get signal if I plug the adapter into the headphone out of the receiver, but the signal is way too hot/distorted. If I come off the mic output, I get nothing. Can anyone help out here? Thanks. -->>> --------------------- Do you have the XLR input set up for microphone with the attenuator turned off? ---------------------- __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

December 17th, 2004, 07:51 PM	#7
Frank Pietrantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 29	Re: I'll Try Something else... <<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : I found that Audio-Technica makes a mini to XLR Line Matching Transformer/Cable for this purpose. I'l give that a try. -->>> In case anyone was wondering, the Audio-Technica Cable solved my problem. __________________ Choose your attitude...Be Positive!

December 17th, 2004, 08:19 PM	#8
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Great __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

December 17th, 2004, 11:09 PM	#9
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Re: Re: I'll Try Something else... <<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : <<<-- Originally posted by Frank Pietrantoni : I found that Audio-Technica makes a mini to XLR Line Matching Transformer/Cable for this purpose. I'l give that a try. -->>> In case anyone was wondering, the Audio-Technica Cable solved my >>I think the original problem was caused by you thinking the cable was a one inch stereo mini. Just because a mini has three conductors doesn't mean its stereo. It's just a cable. It could be stereo. It could be mono. It depends on what it's plugged into on each end and the way in which the cable is configured. A USUAL female XLR to mini TRS is NOT a stereo cable. It's a balanced mono cable. If the female XLR is wired with pin #2 connected to BOTH the tip and ring of the mini TRS, now you have a cable that allows a mono mic to be plugged into a stereo unbalanced camera input. There are a lot of tips like this in the "Audio Bootcamp Field Guide", which makes a nice stocking stuffer, btw. ;) Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog