HELP! Audio Channel problem

Z

zdakota

Member
If anyone can give me some advice, I'd be very grateful. Tech support is closed (why do they call it "24 hour emergency" tech support? It really isn't), and I have a shoot Sunday night.

I have purchased a nice pair of wireless mics. I can plug either of them into Channel 1 and get great audio, but Channel 2 does not seem to record any audio. The indicators show it is receiving a signal, and all of the settings are correct on both the camera and the mic, but Channel 2 pics nothing up.

The manual does not cover this, and I have not been able to find any info on the web. I have tried everything, at least twice. Does anyone have any insight into this?

Any advice given would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
I am going to make the assumption that you are using a DVX. That being said, the best method to trouble shoot anything is by substitution. Take the output of the wireless receiver that is connected to Channel 1 and move it to Channel 2. If there is output (can be verified by using a set of headphones plugged into the DVX) then the problem is not with the camera. If there isn't then it is in the camera or camera setup.

Post your results here and if I see the thread, I'll reply with the next trouble shooting steps.
 
Sorry, yes I am using a DVX.

I have tried crossing the mics back from Channel 1 and Channel 2, and the issue is not the mics. It's Channel 2.

Channel 1 picks up both mics and reproduces audio beautifully. However, Channel 2 does not seem to "record" the audio, but does show it on the audio level meter display.

I am confused and have tried everything I can think of. Thought?

Thanks a million.
 
OK, at least we know which camera you have. Let's take this a step at a time.

You say that "Channel 1 picks up both mics...", is this channel 1 of the DVX or of the receiver?

You also say that "...but does show it on the audio level meter display", are we talking about the receivers display or the display on the DVX?

Have you put headphones into the DVX yet?
 
khmuse,

Thanks for your response.

Yes, I have tried the headphones in the DVX and I can hear the audio clearly. It still is not being recorded, and I am stumped.

As for Channel 1, I was referring to the DVX. The audio level meter display I mentioned was also the one on the DVX.

Any other ideas? Thanks again for the assistance.
 
OK, if you are getting audio in both channels of the headphones connected to the DVX and both channels of the DVX's level meters are showing level, what is leading you to conclude that you only have audio on one of the two tracks?

Back to you...
 
Because the audio only records on Channel 1. Nothing gets recorded on Channel 2. Both mics are on different frequencies, and both work in Channel 1. However, nothing gets recorded through Channel 2.

Thoughts?
 
Jump in here...are you saying you can hear the mic that is attached to the second input but that mic is not getting recorded or are you saying that thru the headphones you here channel one on both ears? If it is the second one, there is a switch that directs the channel onto track one or track 2, make sure channel one is set to track one and channel 2 is set to track 2.

If this is not it, have you checked that channel 2 is set to mic level and not line?

Cheers
 
I think were are missing a few steps here. Lets try again.

Are you saying that one of the two wireless Mic's is failing to transmit to the receiver?

or

Are you saying that both Mic's get to the receiver and that both outputs of the receiver are active (verified by substitution)?

Does the receiver have a monitor tap (headphone jack)?

Trouble shooting can only be accomplished by an extremely methodical process, do not jump ahead of what I am telling you to try or you might just invalidate the entire process of discovering your problem.

One step at a time and report back your findings.

I think that we might need to kill this thread when its finished as this might be a little too specific to your situation to be of general interest to everyone on this board.
 
khmuse,

What I am saying is that, Channel 1 aside (no problems there), Channel 2 receives signal, but for whatever reason, does not get recorded onto the video. I do not have a monitor tap on the wireless receiver.

Through the mixer, I can hear the audio. I can hear it through the headphones on the DVX, and see the audio level meter respond accordingly, but nothing gets recorded.
 
OK, but how are you confirming (what steps have you taken, NLE, etc) that nothing is being recorded on Channel 2 of the tape?

This is an important detail for me to understand in order to point you in the correct direction.

Give me a step-by-step method that you have used to verify that nothing is actually being recorded. You are saying that it appears on the DVX meters, that you hear it in the DVX's monitor, but you are not recording anything. How is this being verified?
 
When I play the video on a monitor, only the mic from Channel 1 has any dialogue recorded. The subject with the mic connected to Channel 2 has no audio. I verify the lack of signal in the playback. I have checked every setting, and everything is in it's proper place.
 
This opens up a number of other possibilities. They are as follows:

1) Your DVX is truly defective and it is not actually putting anything on one audio channel of the tape.

2) Your monitor output (either the camera or the connecting cable) is defective on one channel. Again, substitution (L<->R exchange) could help verify this.

3) Your monitor is defective on one of its channels.

This may be getting to be too much for this thread. If you would like to PM me, I will give you my telephone nubmer and walk you through the steps to trouble shoot this completely. I'll let you decide how you want to proceed. I'll be here at the office for another 30 minutes or so.

And he smacks the ball back to the other side of the net...
 
zdakota,
Have you played the tape in another deck or camera? If so and there is audio, you might want to check the audio output menu in the DVX to see if it is set on "only chan 1 output".
I'm not sure if there is a balance or pan control for the speaker out, look for that also, it might be set to only one channel..
 
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