The Noble Robot
Active member
There's my idea... have a USB or Firewire or perhaps proprietary interface that connects to an external audio mixer that can have anywhere between 4 and 50 channels.
Users who want to record 4-tracks can just use the internal audio setup (which I assume will include around 4 XLR inputs, right?) But for those who want more, they could buy one, of multiple, external RED Mixers. for example: A "standard" 8-track version that could get it's own power and phantom power from the camera; a higher-end but still portable 16-track version that wouild probably need to be powered independantly; and a studio-sized 48-channel console for soundstages and theatres.
This would be amazing for doing live/documentary events or even complicated film setups like in an Altman-style film. It would eliminate the normally complicated hassle of seperate audio recording systems (something indie filmmakers often avoid in favor of their cam's onboard 2-channel system), but it would still be capable of everything that a seperate audio system would bring, and would be scalable and adaptable to the needs of the user.
Since RED media is all digital, each channel could be recorded individually to the RED drive, to be edited later in any pro audio software, like ProTools. Theoretically, the RED camera could record hundreds of audio channels simultanously, provided that bandwidth from the mixer to the cam was high enough. USB can easily transfer 8 tracks of 24-bit audio, I don't know exactly how fast it would need to be or if USB or Firewire would be able to carry enough to make it really worth it, but if it were a propriatary protocol, it could be specifically designed for as many tracks as would be efficient and affordable, say, 16 tracks. Even if that's the upper limit, what an improvement for in-camera audio!
Also, the RED mixer would have a stereo output, and could either record a master mix directly to the camera, or just use the stereo mix for the headphones of the director and sound person. The mixer would also send the stereo channel back to the cam even if you aren't recording it, so the DP can use the regular headphone jack on the cam to monitor, while the sound guy can use a headphone jack on the mixer.
Thoughts?
Users who want to record 4-tracks can just use the internal audio setup (which I assume will include around 4 XLR inputs, right?) But for those who want more, they could buy one, of multiple, external RED Mixers. for example: A "standard" 8-track version that could get it's own power and phantom power from the camera; a higher-end but still portable 16-track version that wouild probably need to be powered independantly; and a studio-sized 48-channel console for soundstages and theatres.
This would be amazing for doing live/documentary events or even complicated film setups like in an Altman-style film. It would eliminate the normally complicated hassle of seperate audio recording systems (something indie filmmakers often avoid in favor of their cam's onboard 2-channel system), but it would still be capable of everything that a seperate audio system would bring, and would be scalable and adaptable to the needs of the user.
Since RED media is all digital, each channel could be recorded individually to the RED drive, to be edited later in any pro audio software, like ProTools. Theoretically, the RED camera could record hundreds of audio channels simultanously, provided that bandwidth from the mixer to the cam was high enough. USB can easily transfer 8 tracks of 24-bit audio, I don't know exactly how fast it would need to be or if USB or Firewire would be able to carry enough to make it really worth it, but if it were a propriatary protocol, it could be specifically designed for as many tracks as would be efficient and affordable, say, 16 tracks. Even if that's the upper limit, what an improvement for in-camera audio!
Also, the RED mixer would have a stereo output, and could either record a master mix directly to the camera, or just use the stereo mix for the headphones of the director and sound person. The mixer would also send the stereo channel back to the cam even if you aren't recording it, so the DP can use the regular headphone jack on the cam to monitor, while the sound guy can use a headphone jack on the mixer.
Thoughts?