Audio Popping/ Cracking???

I sent an email to this address:

pbtscservice@us.panasonic.com

They got back to me with these questions, and a FTP link to upload the footage to (each link is unique to the individual, so I blanked it below). I'd suggest to those who are having problems to email them so they'll send you a FTP link of your own and we can figure out what's going on.

Could you describe more when/ how audio problem exhibits?
 Any specific recording bitrate or format?
 Audio settings during recording?
 Sound recorded with internal or external microphone?
 Type/ level of sound being recorded?

 Would it be possible for you to make short sample recording on new SD card and upload content of the SD card to the following ftp website (copy all folders structure the way it is on SD card) ?

 [SIZE=+0] URL for Browser: ftp://ftpXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
This website will be valid only for 2 days (valid until: 2009/03/25 11:52:22 (JST, UTC+9)), so please let us know as soon as you upload your sample footage.

 Regards,
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company​
Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America​
Technical Support Center (USA)​
[/SIZE]
 
I'll be shooting a local garage band on Friday; The primary source of audio will be recorded through a mixer into a Pro Tools setup, but I will record audio in camera using the stock mic, purely as a reference guide.
 
I haven't talked to Panasonic, but I think I will call them soon. I'd like to see if they have had these complaints all along, or just recently.

The last live band I recorded, I basically turned off the levels and still got clipping. The overall sound was very low on playback. So low in fact, I wouldn't have been able to use it at all!! This points to being a mic issue. But, there could also be something wrong with ALC circutry.

I'm trying to be unemotional and well informed before I call Panny. But I'm pretty annoyed that I can't use a lick of my 150's sound track! Recording live bands are my gigs lately! I hate having to skirt this issue with my customers.

I talked to a friend of mine who is a studio engineer. He says: Most definitely that SPL's are the problem here. And "IF" the mic is inferior, or just not designed for the job that it will cause a problem. Especially, being a small head condensor, which is not designed for loud signals. The heads on these mics are very thin and sensitive, and electrically charged.

He suggested using a good dynamic (unpowered) mic, through the xlr's. I'm going to try that this Saturday night. I'll report my findings next week.
 
**ATTENTION**

I've noticed 2600+ views on this thread!

IF YOU ARE HAVING, OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS HAVING THIS AUDIO PROBLEM WITH A PANASONIC CAMERA PLEASE POST TO THIS THREAD!!

THIS COULD BE OUR WAY TO BE PROACTIVE IN GETTING THEM FIXED!

THANKS From the problem-ees!
 
ronedee said:
He suggested using a good dynamic (unpowered) mic, through the xlr's. I'm going to try that this Saturday night. I'll report my findings next week.
Click to expand...

Thank you Ronedee for taking the initiative on this project. I know everyone appreciates it! I definitely do! I just got my HMC-150 and I haven't had an opportunity to see if I have the cracking or popping. I will post my results as soon as I get a chance though.
 
No problem bro! I just hope I'm on the right track with this problem.

I'm doing what I would want done for me. I've benefitted greatly from others on this forum regarding several issues.

Just glad to give back whatever I can.

This place ROCKS for DVer's!!
 
I don't have any loud bands to record, so how would one correctly go about checking to see if their camera suffers from this?

So far I have not been paying much attention to my audio (except for the zoom noise I noticed early on). But when the time comes to record something loud I'd like to know if there is an issue.
 
I have audio cracking problems too with internal mic and ALC on, I also have hiss problems, even with external mics, I think the HMC mic preamps have to be improved in terms of dynamic range.
I don't speak english very well, sorry.
 
Hiss is related to low levels and/or analog tape. Is your external recorder a tape/analog machine?

Hiss may also be from your levels being recorded low. On playback you would then have to set the gain high to compensate, and that may cause it.

If you are staying in the digital format Hiss shouldn't be present, except from a recorded source.
 
ronedee said:
If you are staying in the digital format Hiss shouldn't be present, except from a recorded source.
Click to expand...
Well, since the source is fed through the cameras crappy pre amps, the hiss they produce will indeed be recorded.

Try to set the recording levels to zero and record and then play back the clip in your NLE. You cannot say that the audio has no hiss because it is in the digital format. No pun intended, but if you cannot hear the hiss you are too old since the human ear is less sensitive for high frequencies when we get older, and hiss lives in the higher frequences. :)

If i do the same record-at-zero-levels with my Sony PCM D50 i have to turn up the volume really high on playback to hear the hiss.

Bottom line:
All camera manufacturers must wake up and realize that crappy audio does not belong in cameras that produce stunning images. :)

/Roger
 
Averdahl said:
Well, since the source is fed through the cameras crappy pre amps, the hiss they produce will indeed be recorded.
/Roger
Click to expand...

Right said, I'm a recording engineer, I know well what I'm saying, I think the crack could be caused by internal condenser mic (or its own first stage preamp), but the hiss (or noise) is still present with external mic (Rode NTG2), is not so loud but worse than my XHA1, I noticed it in interviews,with knobs in middle position for optimal recording level, the ALC always on (but it has a very poorly effectiveness).
Sorry again for my bad english
 
Averdahl said:
Well, since the source is fed through the cameras crappy pre amps, the hiss they produce will indeed be recorded.

Try to set the recording levels to zero and record and then play back the clip in your NLE. You cannot say that the audio has no hiss because it is in the digital format. No pun intended, but if you cannot hear the hiss you are too old since the human ear is less sensitive for high frequencies when we get older, and hiss lives in the higher frequences. :)
/Roger
Click to expand...

Didn't I say that?

You would have to compensate by boosting your playback amp, thus creating a higher db level and too much headroom. Which in fact would sound as noise(Hiss).

That has nothing to do with the preamps on the camera.
 
Just wanted to say that I have on occasion experienced the popping issue that everyone on this thread is having. I normally use a shotgun mic on channel 2, limiter off without phantom power.

Weird thing is, I've shot outdoors where wind would sometimes peak and I wouldn't have any distortions. But the only times I have experienced (to my recollection, it's been a month or so since I have filmed anything) were during indoor shoots where the audio was very much controlled. It was fairly infrequent and noticed that when I converted my video to a dvd the popping noise was significantly reduced/almost unnoticeable.

But granted the issue is that the noise should not even be there from the start. We shouldn't have to come up with tricks for something so essential to video production.
 
Averdahl said:
Of course it has to do with the preamps:
- Crappy preamps=more hiss
- High quality preamps=less hiss

/Roger
Click to expand...
--------------------

Recording at low volume? You were talking about preamps recorded at "low levels".

What do preamps have to do with noise at low, recorded levels?

"IF" preamps are nosey, they are nosey at any level. Period.

"Low levels" create massive headroom, and YOUR PLAYBACK system will generate "Hiss" because of the amplitude needed to hear a weak signal.

I don't know how bad your 150 is, but mine doesn't generate any earth shattering Hiss. They might be low quality, but I've heard worse...and better.

Now, if the "clipping" is from the preamps, that's a different problem that needs addressing.
 
Last edited:
Maybe it has something to do with recording one external and one on-board mic in a high pressure environment?


I just listened to the only footage I had that had this issue, and it seems as if
I ONLY had the problem with the XLR input from the main board, set to line input, and peaking at -12db

In this instance, I did not have the problem with the on-board mic, but it seems as if it was set to peak at -18, so that could explain it.


Camera set up in the back of a 25 foot room, maybe 20 feet from the band.


The other camera I was using (Canon HF S100) did not have this problem from the on camera mic.
 
Hey Hornet! I'll be recording musical acts all night Saturday. I'm hoping to experiment with several setups because I'll be stationary all evening. I don't know if the SPL's will be there though. The acts are mostly acoustic through a PA. But I do have the same rock band I found the clipping problem with, again on the 14th.

Hopefully, together we can package this up for Panny to deal with soon!

This problem has kinda put a damper on my excitment for the 150. Probably because of all the music gigs I've been doing lately! Wish I had a boring wedding to take my mind off of it for awhile ! LOL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top