Hissy recording on HVX200?

S

stringz

Active member
Working with the HVX200 today for the first time and just listened back to the footage and there seems to be a small amount of hiss on everything. It sounds great out my mixer but not off the P2. has anyone else experienced this.
 
Are you certain that the hiss isn't coming from your playback setup? Do you hear the same hiss from the camera's playback?

Also, during production were you monitoring the mixer or the camera's headphone output?
 
SMuir said:
Are you certain that the hiss isn't coming from your playback setup? Do you hear the same hiss from the camera's playback?

Also, during production were you monitoring the mixer or the camera's headphone output?
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I switch between monitoring the mixer output and camera output. But mainly i liten to the mixer as the camera return sounds so crappy.

Yes, the hiss seems to be there on playback on the camera and also when i listened back to it once we had uploaded it onto final cut pro. We are filming with two DVX200 and it happens on both of them. As i said the mixer output sounds great. Harumph!
 
What do you mean "the camera return sounds so crappy"? If the camera return sounds crappy, then what the camera's recording is crappy. Sounds like you have a gain-staging problem - either your recorded levels on the camera are too low, so you get hiss when cranking up your playback system, or you're using the cameras hissy gain rather then the full potential of the mixer. Make sure your camera gains are no higher than necessary, and properly calibrate the mixer and camera.
 
stringz said:
But mainly i liten to the mixer as the camera return sounds so crappy.
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I think you just answered your own question, there.

Always monitor the output of your primary recorder. Plugging your cans into the mixer rather than the camera's headphone return tells you absolutely nothing about the audio your recording.

If the camera's return sounds crappy, then you're either dealing with a bad recording, or else the camera's headphone preamp isn't working very well. If its a headphone preamp problem, then you can always take a line-level output from the camera to drive an external headphone preamp. If your mixer has an unused stereo bus and an unused stereo fader, you can run the camera's output into the fader, route the fader to the unused bus, and switch your headphones monitoring to that bus only. This is easy enough to do with a sit-down mixing desk, not so much with a bag mixer. Alternately, you can easily build your own battery-powered headphone preamp (search the web for DIY altoids-tin headphone preamps).
 
SMuir said:
If your mixer has an unused stereo bus and an unused stereo fader, you can run the camera's output into the fader, route the fader to the unused bus, and switch your headphones monitoring to that bus only. This is easy enough to do with a sit-down mixing desk, not so much with a bag mixer.
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SMuir - what your describing is basically what the dedicated "tape return" on most production ("bag") mixers does!
 
ullanta said:
SMuir - what your describing is basically what the dedicated "tape return" on most production ("bag") mixers does!
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True enough. I just thought I'd cover the bases in case Stringz is working with a mixer that lacks the convenience of a camera return.
 
I sent line level tone to the DVX200 and set it at -20db on the camera, which is what I usually do and have no problem.

No, i am using an sqn mixer with camera return switch.
 
What were your final levels like? What level was the tone coming out of the mixer?

-20dBFS as an average will indeed be pretty crappy sounding once boosted.

For best sound quality recording to the camera, If you can, set the mixer output level to right below peaking, set the camera to consider this level to be right below peaking, and try to keep your levels as high as you can without risking peaks. Depending on the situation, you'll have to be more or less conservative...

Consider going double-system if you don't find the camera audio adequate... I've done a lot of testing, and even a cheapo MicroTrack sounds MUCH better than a DVX/HVX when boosted by 12dB!
 
ullanta said:
What do you mean "the camera return sounds so crappy"? If the camera return sounds crappy, then what the camera's recording is crappy. Sounds like you have a gain-staging problem - either your recorded levels on the camera are too low, so you get hiss when cranking up your playback system, or you're using the cameras hissy gain rather then the full potential of the mixer. Make sure your camera gains are no higher than necessary, and properly calibrate the mixer and camera.
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although i monitor from camera i will definitely agree that is sounds crappy. listen to return without running any mics. nice and hissy.

with this series of camera( the dvx100s and 200s) peaking one to 2 bars in red gives good S/N level
 
The HEADPHONE AMP is pretty ugly and hissy. The RETURN (Line level outs on on RCA jacks) is not too bad. Running the Line outs to a mixer's tape return will give you the best indication in the field. As with any digital device, SN is maximized by peaking as close to 0dBFS as possible... but going over is ugly, so you need to leave a safety margin that will vary with the material you're recording and with your opportunity for sound checks... in a well-controlled situation with a lot of sound check I sometimes aim for peaks of -3dB; in the average situation, though, I'll lower that to -6; and -12 in wild situations!
 
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wrong , the rca outs on 200 could not be passed and alwais have very large delay which penetrate if you dont sit 2 blocks from the recording stage , usially good only to hear pb but not for real time .
learn to live with the hiss you have from your headphne amp and imagine the real sound ( spot checks from time to time to mixer out).
there is no perfect life , esspesialy for indy filmakers :-)
 
Yes, if that's a problem... usually not an issue for me (and my HN-7506's!!!). Even in other situations, with the delay, it should be good for an occasional sound quality check, while generally "living with the hiss."
 
cheers guys,
i've gone with a separate system approach as i was becoming very concerned the hiss was being recorded.
 
waist of money if yo are asking me, at least till someone will invest in your film :-)
but if you need 2 channel zaxcom zfr is what you need to look for -1300usd incl tc 2 channel recorder
up to 6 hours uncompres 24/48 stereo track on 2 gb card
tc in out sync , running with tc camera rec run ( not really intersting you as 200 doesnt have tc out)
less the 200grams , will work perfect with your 302
 
Oleg 2 said:
waist of money if yo are asking me, at least till someone will invest in your film :-)
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not really Oleg, I've hired a dat recorder for a couple of days which production are paying for. I am now certain that the sound being recorded is decent.
 
never did on 200 for cinema reliece but never had any problem to make prime time tv with that one ,
sorry , real life is 2 cent monitors in your viuers house , dialog editor and mixing room - hiss - its only your imagination :-)
think more about your script and live the hiss allone .
for cinema reliece it might be different but sorry dissapont you you dont have allota chances to make it and even you make it the hiss is not something anyone who will invest in yor movie even consider if he make celloid or not
real lfe - not hobbie
 
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