recommend you do a search on the term 'Africa', to see the large number of posts on this specific topic.

Good luck.

Nady UHF 10 -- $199
 

I was away (just returned) in Oregon and Washington states for a couple of weeks. I stopped into Fry's Electronics just to check out the "famed" store and see what was up. All-in-all I was rather UNimpressed. They carry absolutely NOTHING in the way of pro video/audio gear, and their prices aren't so hot on the items they do carry (I'm near NYC, so perhaps I'm spoiled).

I bought a good set of Sony headphones and a Nady UHF 10 wireless lav setup because it was only $199 (no sales tax in OR, schweet). The construction of the bodypack transmitter is fairly cheesy, but I baby my gear and construction is secondary to me. It's a "true" UHF "Diversity" mic system and is available in both lav and handheld for the same price. The receiver is AC powered only with both 1/4" and balanced XLR outputs!

Well, I am impressed with the audio quality of this cheap unit. This is the new version with the detachable lav mic (the last version was hardwired to the bodypack), so you can use a better mic if you wish.

For $199 it's a big-time no brainer. I wouldn't use it in bad weather or under physically demanding conditions as it's built in accord with its price, but for most circumstances I believe that just about everyone will be impressed.

Geeze the Fry's I checked out in Pheonix had a VX2000. Good deal on the UHF.

Get whatever is approved in that region and does not attract much attention.

BTW, they just threw out one reporter in Zimbabwe after trying to scare the begeezus out of him.

XLR adapter question
 

Does anyone know what the line/mic switch on a Studio 1 Pro XLR adapter does exactly? I assume it attenuates the signal from line level to mic level, but how much does it attenuate? The Sign Video Web site (I guess they’re making it now) says “Line Level Attenuation: Varies with camera input - approx 54db”. How can that be? Also, anyone know how I could mount one of these units on a belt? It would be cool if someone made a belt clip that screws into the bottom.

They had the VX2000, but no real pro gear or pro accessories. I don't really consider the VX2000 a pro camera, but rather for the higher-end or more discriminating consumer.

I believe Sony does not consider it a pro camera either.

The Sign Video box comes with a belt clip that screws on to the bottom. Also comes with the mini jack extension cable.

Cool. Thanks. I hope they sell it seperately.

SGM-2X as boom mike
 

I have decided, after much research (mostly through y'all!) to buy the SGM-2X for my vx 2000. My question is, if I were to interview someone, could I improvise a boom situation? I will be working alone, but am anticipating situations in which i would be able to rig the mike to a pole. How rugged can one get with this? How long a cable can I get away with, and what would I need besides what the SGM-2X comes with (besides the XLR to miniplug adapter)?
If i can get the mike nearer to my subject i would prefer it to the camera mounted option.

Thanks,

Marcello

Re: SGM-2X as boom mike
 

I have a mic boom stand that I use for static shots, ie. where the subject is not moving. It works great for interviews where the subject is seated or standing in one position.

If the subject will be moving, you'd need a boom operator to hold the mic or you'd have to camera-mount it.

<<<-- Originally posted by Marcello Mongardi : I have decided, after much research (mostly through y'all!) to buy the SGM-2X for my vx 2000. My question is, if I were to interview someone, could I improvise a boom situation? I will be working alone, but am anticipating situations in which i would be able to rig the mike to a pole. How rugged can one get with this? How long a cable can I get away with, and what would I need besides what the SGM-2X comes with (besides the XLR to miniplug adapter)?
If i can get the mike nearer to my subject i would prefer it to the camera mounted option.

Thanks,

Marcello -->>>

Thanks for the info. Are there any technical specifications to look out for (how i mount it, etc.), or can i cowboy it? What about the cable? What kind of cable should I buy, and does more length make the quality inferior?

Thanks again.

Marcello

About Professional Sound Service in NY
 

I got a tip in this forum regarding Eric Perez at Professional Sound Services, in New York. They custom make and provide short (1 foot, for example) XLR M-F cords with right-angle connectors. Perfect for my VX2000, Beachtek and Azden SGM-2X. I called and ordered a 1-foot cord with right angles at both ends, cost totalled $34.00.

That was on May 5. I was told by Eric Perez it would be shipped that week. As of today, June 9, I have talked to Eric Perez three times in the last three weeks, and his receptionist "Mona," three times, and both of them -- each time -- have stated that they wold send the cord out by Next-day shipping "because they had taken so much time with it." Mona *promised* she would send it out Next-Day UPS, back on Wednesday, June 4. Today, June 9, I called her and asked where it might be? She gave me a tracking number ... it was shipped via UPS GROUND and should be delivered here June 11. Just a ¡¡CAUTION!! to people dealing with this company; you practically have to FORCE them to send your goods. Six weeks for a 1-foot cord? Inexcusable. Maybe in New York they think they're immune from customer relations.

Playing audio and recording at the same time...on different tracks.
 

Hey, I've tried everything to play back a loop through fruityloops and record with a microphone in a few different programs (vegas, cool edit pro, and some small program)....it doesnt work. I need a playback through my headphones to "sing" to the music (i'm making stupid songs, for fun) and it records the playback from fruityloops along with the input from the mic everytime. I know a simple way would be to make a cd of the loop and play it back from like a cdplayer, but it should be easier then that.

In my sound properties, disabling the wave in the record, would fix it, but that also disables it in the playback properties...

Do you have to have a special sound card or what?

Alex look into Pro tools i believe they have a free 8 track version but im not positive.this should allow you to monitor the playback track while cutting the vocals to a second track.

Good deal on MM-1 mic pre-amp
 

I just wanted to share a good deal I've had with AudiMidi regarding the Sounddevices MM-1 pre-amp.

You may have heard about this (very) rugged device that gives you total control over your sound recording. I like it's versatility and performance over the regular XLR adaptor boxes :

- active mic amplifier (up to 66dB) …. So you can the cam's gain all the way down to avoid it's crappy pre-amp stage.
- Great headphone monitoring (you won't never come back to the cam to monitor the sound)
- Active limiter so when shooting single man you wont clip the audio
- Phantom power (12 or 48V) out of 2xAA batteries.
- Can be used with a camera (belt mounting or on a shoulder mount) but also as a single unit for a boom operator recording on DAT or Minidisc for example.

It's a mono unit (see the mixpre and others but more expensive).

Bottom line is you can usually find this unit at $475 from the manufacturer's website. I paid $305, including free ground shipping from Audiomidi.com (it's not on their website but they get it for you).
Zotz was also pretty close to that price too so check with DVinfo sponsors.

Again I couldn't believe how rugged and well built this unit is. You can drive you SUV over the MM-1 .. It wont break.

So I hope others will enjoy this incredible accessory (who said gadget?)…

Dany

PS: I'll be back with some other deals