The best connection?
 

I currently connect my Audio Technica 815b microphone to my Panasonic gs500 camera like this but it is a very heavy and fragile connection:

http://www.box.net/shared/yyytfxc4cv

http://www.box.net/shared/anxpjex95h

http://www.box.net/shared/koyj2aciss

Is there a better way?

Yes. Remove the 1/4" plug from your cable and install an 1/8", stereo plug.

Also, you might look into a Beachtek, or Studio 1, passive mixer. It'll allow the 3 pin XLR connection directly in from your mic, and deliver it to the camera with an 1/8" stereo plug. Plus, you'll get external control over the audio.

If price is a concern, go with my first suggestion.

Mark

If you follow Mark's suggestion and replace the existing plug (or makeup your own cable from scratch), make sure you wire the plug correctly - XLR pin 2 to both the TRS tip AND ring connectors, XLR pins 1 & 3 to TRS sleeve. You might also need to add a 'mic power' blocking capacitor into the hot line from XLR pin 2

Thanks Steve. I wasn't sure how much detail to get into. You said it well.

Thank you for the replies.

My only choices are to buy a passive mixer or build a custom cable?

Would it be possible to just get rid of the XLR-1/4" cable that shipped with the mic and use a XLR-XLR cable with a XLR to mini DV adapter like this one?

http://secure.netsolhost.com/517570....ry_Code=CAMSND

(In case the link does not work, this is the product description from Equipment Emporium)

XLR-DV (XLR to stereo mini) audio adapter cable (without DC blocking) for most Canon and Panasonic camcorders. Some of the newer DV camcorders do not require DC blocking. This basic cable feeds a mono XLR mic level input to both camcorder channels, via a right angle stereo mini plug. Note that standard, off-the-shelf XLR-stereo mini cables may look the same, but often result in left and right audio being out of phase. Our cables are re-wired so that left and right channels of the camcorder will be in phase.

That cable should work fine. But building a custom cable should not be a daunting task. I built my first 5-tube shortwave radio at age 10 so soldering skills aren't that hard to learn and it's a basic skill that I think every video and sound guy needs to master very early in their career.

Now that my soldering skills are truly up to snuff, my ability to see things up close has gone down the drain!

Presbyopia sucks. :-)

Short answer...it looks like it would work. If I couldn't build my own, or afford a passive mixer, this looks like it could be a good choice. Good searching, Raymond! Let us know how it works out, ok?

Yes. Trew Audio among others sells a female XLR to male mini TRS wired to feed both camera channels. It's about $50, but includes a small blocking cap to keep low camera voltage from messing with the mic.

Very worthwhile.

Regards,

Ty Ford

A bit off topic, but can you make a capacitor block current just by installing it reversed (i.e., against the flow)? Should the rating of the capacitor be equivalent to what you expect to be blocking?

There is no "reversed" for a capacitor as they are not directional. Electrolytic types have a polarity that non-electrolytics don't but that's something else. Capacitors basically allow AC to pass through but appear as an open circuit to DC. The DC blocking capacitor is usually as disk or ceramic film type with a value of .1 to 10 mf