VaricamLT: Audio output via SDI and Odyssey 7Q audio issue

[Milan O.]

This Wednesday I shot three short TV-commercials. I used the Varicam LT on two of them (and a BMPCC on one due to limited space). I connected my Odyssey 7Q to the Varicam LT as a director's monitor and a 17" TVLogic as a client monitor. The audio technician made it possible for the client (several people) to listen to the audio in real-time in another room by using some wireless kit, and the monitor was connected via SDI to the camera (the Varicam LT has two "regular" SDI outputs and one for the viewfinder).

I set the O7Q to "other camera" and made it possible for the director to record the PsF signal so that he could have instant playback if he desired.
Since we also recorded audio directly into the camera (via the external recorder) I wanted to make it possible for the director to hear the audio via the O7Q. This turned out to be a poblem. I could clearly see that the audio was being recorded (via the Varicam LT's channel 3 and 4) on the O7Q, but I couldn't hear anything when connecting headphones to the O7Q audio out socket.

When we tried to view the recorded matieral on the O7Q, there was no sound (as stated above), and it couldn't be heard on the client monitor either (when it was connected to the O7Q for playback). The same thing happend when we instead tried to play the recorded material from the Varicam LT, we could hear it from the camera headphones output but not on the client monitor (connected via SDI).

Has anyone else had this problem? Is it because the sound was recorded on channel 3 and 4?
Is this also why the sound can't be heard on the O7Q?

 

[Mitch Gross]

The issue was audio on channels 3 & 4. These will be recorded by the Odyssey7Q+, but the headphone output will only play back channels 1 & 2.

 

[Milan O.]

Thanks Mitch! Then it is as I suspected. I guess it's the same issue then when the audio is sent to the other monitor or via the O7Q to another monitor.

 

[Milan O.]

In case anyone wants to know it's easy to "solve" this by changing the audio inputs/channels, so just make input 3 and 4 record to channel 1 and 2. Then you will also be able to hear them in real-time and playback on the O7Q. The good thing is that you can still record input 3 and 4 to channel 3 and 4 and set them to another input level. By doing that you can have a lower input version on those channels as safety in case the "main channels" clip. Of course, by doing this you will not be able to use the stereo XLR-input on the camera.