Audio Buzz frp, DR-HD100 at DVinfo.net

Rhea Gavry · August 24th, 2008, 05:47 PM

Has anyone figured this problem out? Saw old posts - We have been shooting with the DR-HD100 for a year now - 100s of hours and no problem until two weeks ago - We always shoot tape and capture to disk at the same time. When I brought the media from the disk into FCP Studio 2 I had the horrible noise like an electronic warble under water plus a high pitched hum. Recaptured to hard drive from tape (to avoid the continues breaks created by the JVC100UA) and again had the noise. Went from Tape - clean as a whistle. Tried replacing firewire cable with drive, same noise from the tape. Tried going from Firestore battery instead of tap to camera battery, still had the noise. Tried from a different tape we knew was clean - NO Noise!!!! Baffled. Any info would be appreciated. Afraid to use the drive now.

Jamon Lewis · August 24th, 2008, 10:06 PM

I've noticed the high frequency hum after a while using the DR HD, do you use it close to the camera like on the Anton Bauer mount? I haven't figured out what it is exaclty seems like it may be the frequency from the drive spinning...

Robert Castiglione · August 31st, 2008, 06:17 AM

Yes, its is a serious problem and it appears to be an issue with recording to quicktime files only. It is not present on the other hdv format. It is a kind of high pitched digital chirruping noise. It is definitely an issue with the drive itself so don't go mad trying all sorts of alternatives eg different microphones etc I have already been down been down that path.

Rob

John-Paul Bonadonna · October 16th, 2008, 08:49 PM

Just discovered this problem for myself! Any remedies out there?

Robert Castiglione · October 16th, 2008, 08:59 PM

I have used two units now and they both have the same problem recording QT files - unusable sound.

I do not believe that there is any solution. JVC tried to fix the problem here and was not successful. I opted to return the unit.

Regards,

Rob

John-Paul Bonadonna · October 16th, 2008, 09:02 PM

Thanks for the quick reply. Wow, that is rather unfortunate and mind-boggling as to how this problem could be 'allowed'. Can anyone else shed some light on this issue? How easy is it (and time-consuming) to convert files from m2t to mov? (assuming this fixes the problem!)

Robert Castiglione · October 16th, 2008, 09:14 PM

The whole point of buying the unit for me was to be able easily to transfer files across. Because Quicktime is essentially unusable the unit lost a lot of its appeal.

You can use Mpeg Stream clip to convert files but then why not simply digitise from the tapes?

Rob

Ben Lynn · October 16th, 2008, 09:15 PM

It's a lot easier than you think to convert the files. Here's a link from the Sticky column: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/jvc-pro-h...available.html

Tim Dashwood and others have had excellent results with this product.

Alex Pitstra · December 3rd, 2008, 08:56 PM

I have the same problem.

Audio in QT HDV on DR-HD100 has annoying high frequency tone/buzz/noise in it.

Did'nt hear it on the headphones while shooting. It's not on tape, and not in M2T's.

My specs: GY-HD201E, HDV25P, DR-HD100 with firmware 3.0. I'm using different kind of mics and setups (mixer, phantom powered, sennheiser lav mic), but doesn't matter.

I've shot many hours and only found out the problem this night. Since we backup to double harddrives, we re-use the same tapes, just in case the main drive fails. We checked if all files played back well, but used a laptop with not so good speakers. Now we discovered the problem en are stuck with many QT's with bad audio (and no tape backup).

My suggestion is to put a sticky on the board, warning people not to use the DR-HD100 in QT mode while shooting HDV (or at least check if their unit has the same problem)

All be warned.

Claude Mangold · December 7th, 2008, 03:47 AM

For any material that goes into release, the audio is recorded on independent device !

Fully independent, not even battery tap !

And the embedded track used just for sync purposes.

I use the embedded audio on DR-HD100 only with test or "trash" shoots or scouting. Have been wondering why sound is particularly lousy on the DR-HD100 until I read a recent post in another thread here.

BTW - my golden rule was set up many years ago after audio hum with a faulty Sony broadcast camcorder. It can happen with any camcorder.

Independent recorders need not be costly or large: see Edirol or similar. But we mostly use field audio equipment with TC sync like Fostex.

August 24th, 2008, 05:47 PM	#1
Rhea Gavry Tourist Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pleasant View UT Posts: 4	Audio Buzz frp, DR-HD100 Has anyone figured this problem out? Saw old posts - We have been shooting with the DR-HD100 for a year now - 100s of hours and no problem until two weeks ago - We always shoot tape and capture to disk at the same time. When I brought the media from the disk into FCP Studio 2 I had the horrible noise like an electronic warble under water plus a high pitched hum. Recaptured to hard drive from tape (to avoid the continues breaks created by the JVC100UA) and again had the noise. Went from Tape - clean as a whistle. Tried replacing firewire cable with drive, same noise from the tape. Tried going from Firestore battery instead of tap to camera battery, still had the noise. Tried from a different tape we knew was clean - NO Noise!!!! Baffled. Any info would be appreciated. Afraid to use the drive now.

December 7th, 2008, 03:47 AM	#10
Claude Mangold Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Berlin and Geneva Posts: 259	My GOLDEN RULE for audio For any material that goes into release, the audio is recorded on independent device ! Fully independent, not even battery tap ! And the embedded track used just for sync purposes. I use the embedded audio on DR-HD100 only with test or "trash" shoots or scouting. Have been wondering why sound is particularly lousy on the DR-HD100 until I read a recent post in another thread here. BTW - my golden rule was set up many years ago after audio hum with a faulty Sony broadcast camcorder. It can happen with any camcorder. Independent recorders need not be costly or large: see Edirol or similar. But we mostly use field audio equipment with TC sync like Fostex.

August 24th, 2008, 10:06 PM	#2
Jamon Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NY NY USA Posts: 95	I've noticed the high frequency hum after a while using the DR HD, do you use it close to the camera like on the Anton Bauer mount? I haven't figured out what it is exaclty seems like it may be the frequency from the drive spinning...

August 31st, 2008, 06:17 AM	#3
Robert Castiglione Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 253	Yes, its is a serious problem and it appears to be an issue with recording to quicktime files only. It is not present on the other hdv format. It is a kind of high pitched digital chirruping noise. It is definitely an issue with the drive itself so don't go mad trying all sorts of alternatives eg different microphones etc I have already been down been down that path. Rob

October 16th, 2008, 08:49 PM	#4
John-Paul Bonadonna Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Windsor, ON, Canada Posts: 47	Just discovered this problem for myself! Any remedies out there?

October 16th, 2008, 08:59 PM	#5
Robert Castiglione Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 253	I have used two units now and they both have the same problem recording QT files - unusable sound. I do not believe that there is any solution. JVC tried to fix the problem here and was not successful. I opted to return the unit. Regards, Rob

October 16th, 2008, 09:02 PM	#6
John-Paul Bonadonna Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Windsor, ON, Canada Posts: 47	Thanks for the quick reply. Wow, that is rather unfortunate and mind-boggling as to how this problem could be 'allowed'. Can anyone else shed some light on this issue? How easy is it (and time-consuming) to convert files from m2t to mov? (assuming this fixes the problem!)

October 16th, 2008, 09:14 PM	#7
Robert Castiglione Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 253	The whole point of buying the unit for me was to be able easily to transfer files across. Because Quicktime is essentially unusable the unit lost a lot of its appeal. You can use Mpeg Stream clip to convert files but then why not simply digitise from the tapes? Rob

October 16th, 2008, 09:15 PM	#8
Ben Lynn Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bloomington, IL Posts: 636	It's a lot easier than you think to convert the files. Here's a link from the Sticky column: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/jvc-pro-h...available.html Tim Dashwood and others have had excellent results with this product.

December 3rd, 2008, 08:56 PM	#9
Alex Pitstra New Boot Join Date: May 2007 Location: Groningen, The Netherlands Posts: 15	I have the same problem. Audio in QT HDV on DR-HD100 has annoying high frequency tone/buzz/noise in it. Did'nt hear it on the headphones while shooting. It's not on tape, and not in M2T's. My specs: GY-HD201E, HDV25P, DR-HD100 with firmware 3.0. I'm using different kind of mics and setups (mixer, phantom powered, sennheiser lav mic), but doesn't matter. I've shot many hours and only found out the problem this night. Since we backup to double harddrives, we re-use the same tapes, just in case the main drive fails. We checked if all files played back well, but used a laptop with not so good speakers. Now we discovered the problem en are stuck with many QT's with bad audio (and no tape backup). My suggestion is to put a sticky on the board, warning people not to use the DR-HD100 in QT mode while shooting HDV (or at least check if their unit has the same problem) All be warned.