I just picked up a Beachtek adapter, which allows me to connect 2 external shotgun mics into the minijack on the HV20. My urgent question (I shoot tomorrow) is about levels and settings, because there are two places to adjust sound level: internally I can boost or lower audio levels in the HV20, or externally on the Beachtek I can turn the volume knobs for each mic to boos or lower audio. Where should I be concentrating? When I boost the internal mic, I hear a bit of hiss through the headphones (but then again, I've also boosted the headphones volume). Should I keep internal low and take Beachtek up to 10? Or keep internal med to high, and keep Beachtek down around 6? Advice certainly appreciated!
HV20 + Beachtek external mic settings
- Thread starter sean90291
- Start date
saneproductions
Veteran
I really have no idea, but I would probably try setting both at unity and then making adjustments on the beachtek. If you still are not getting enough gain in the situation you are recording, turn the camera up more, if it is too loud, turn it down. Find a happy setting in camera that will let the control happen on the beachtek since, I assume, it is easier to adjust.
Practice, Practice, Practice...
Practice, Practice, Practice...
USING A BEACHTEK ADAPTER WITH MICS PLUGGED DIRECTLY INTO IT
1- Make sure you have set your HV20 to MANUAL sound level mode, so you can adjust the camera's preamp level.
2- If you are NOT using a mixer to feed the BeachTek, then make sure each channel of your BeachTek is set to MIC level, NOT LINE LEVEL.
3- Make sure your BeachTek is set to STEREO mode. ( if you are using 2 mics you do not want the BeachTek to mix these into a MONO signal )
4- Plug a good set of closed-back headphones ( Sony 7506's are the standard, but some DJ headphones aren't too bad ) into your HV20's headphone socket.
5- If you are using 2 mics, then pick the mic with the weakest signal ( test by seeing which mic sounds quieter, and shows a weaker signal on your HV20's sound level display ), and set the BeachTek trim control as loud as it will go for this channel.
6- While talking as loud as you plan on recording into the weakest mic, adjust the HV20's mic level until the level indicator is flashing beside the little perpendicular line on the HV20's display ( this the the HV20's -12 dB mark ), which is where you want your maxium level to sit. OK, once you've done this, the level for the weakest mic is now set up correctly.
7- Connect the stronger ( louder ) mic to the other BeachTek channel, and repeat the process, except DO NOT ADJUST YOUR HV20's MIC LEVEL!!! ( you have already set this up ) ...Instead, adjust the channel trim pot on your BeachTek until the level for the stronger ( louder ) mic is also hovering around the -12 dB mark on your HV20's level display, when you are talking as loud as you want to record. If you do this correctly, both mics should now show levels around the -12 dB mark, when they are recording the loudest sound you want to record.
8- You may have to repeat this process every time you set-up a different shot.
9- If you are getting any hum or buzzing, try the BeachTek G1 / G2 ground lift switch to see if this cures it.
MICS PLUGGED INTO A MIXER, MIXER PLUGGED INTO BEACHTEK ADAPTER
1- Make sure you have set your HV20 to MANUAL sound level mode, so you can adjust the camera's preamp level.
2- Set your mixer output to LINE LEVEL, and set your BeachTek LINE LEVEL too.
3- Make sure your BeachTek is set to STEREO mode. ( if you are using 2 mics you do not want the BeachTek to mix these into a MONO signal )
4- Plug a good set of closed-back headphones ( Sony 7506's are the standard, but some DJ headphones aren't too bad ) into your HV20's headphone socket.
5- Set BOTH BeachTek channel trim controls to maxium ( as loud as they can go ).
6- Run 1000 mhz tone from your mixer ( use a GTC Tone plug if your mixer doesn't have a tone oscillator ) into your BeachTek. If your mixer can adjust it's output level, make sure your MIXER level indicators are showing 0 db when the tone is on. With the tone on, adjust your HV20's mic level until it lines up with the -12 dB indicator. Your HV20 is now setup for your mixer.
7- While talking as loud as you plan on recording, adjust the mixer's preamp control for each mic, the MIXER's level indcator should be at 0 dB or a bit under this, though it might flash for an instant slightly into the + dB side. If your MIXER has a limiter switch, you may want to turn this on to pretty much guarantee that a distorted signal will never be sent to the camera. If you check your HV20's sound level, the camera's indicator should be peaking at the -12 dB mark. ( The MIXER is peaking at 0 dB )
8- When you put a new tape into your camera to shoot, record 30 seconds of the tone from the mixer at the beginning of your tape. This will establish a reference for what the maximum sound level was when you shot your footage, and you can then use this tone to match the sound levels of different tapes when you are editing.
9- You may have to repeat this process every time you set-up a different shot.
10- If you are getting any hum or buzzing, try the BeachTek G1 / G2 ground lift switch to see if this cures it.
...Make sure you go through this process BEFORE your shoot. If you have the time, record your setup on videotape, and check the results with your editor. The sound should be completely clear and distortion free. If the sound is a little too quiet, you can always adjust this with your NLE's audio controls.
Good-luck.
Practice, Practice, Practice...
USING A BEACHTEK ADAPTER WITH MICS PLUGGED DIRECTLY INTO IT
1- Make sure you have set your HV20 to MANUAL sound level mode, so you can adjust the camera's preamp level.
2- If you are NOT using a mixer to feed the BeachTek, then make sure each channel of your BeachTek is set to MIC level, NOT LINE LEVEL.
3- Make sure your BeachTek is set to STEREO mode. ( if you are using 2 mics you do not want the BeachTek to mix these into a MONO signal )
4- Plug a good set of closed-back headphones ( Sony 7506's are the standard, but some DJ headphones aren't too bad ) into your HV20's headphone socket.
5- If you are using 2 mics, then pick the mic with the weakest signal ( test by seeing which mic sounds quieter, and shows a weaker signal on your HV20's sound level display ), and set the BeachTek trim control as loud as it will go for this channel.
6- While talking as loud as you plan on recording into the weakest mic, adjust the HV20's mic level until the level indicator is flashing beside the little perpendicular line on the HV20's display ( this the the HV20's -12 dB mark ), which is where you want your maxium level to sit. OK, once you've done this, the level for the weakest mic is now set up correctly.
7- Connect the stronger ( louder ) mic to the other BeachTek channel, and repeat the process, except DO NOT ADJUST YOUR HV20's MIC LEVEL!!! ( you have already set this up ) ...Instead, adjust the channel trim pot on your BeachTek until the level for the stronger ( louder ) mic is also hovering around the -12 dB mark on your HV20's level display, when you are talking as loud as you want to record. If you do this correctly, both mics should now show levels around the -12 dB mark, when they are recording the loudest sound you want to record.
8- You may have to repeat this process every time you set-up a different shot.
9- If you are getting any hum or buzzing, try the BeachTek G1 / G2 ground lift switch to see if this cures it.
MICS PLUGGED INTO A MIXER, MIXER PLUGGED INTO BEACHTEK ADAPTER
1- Make sure you have set your HV20 to MANUAL sound level mode, so you can adjust the camera's preamp level.
2- Set your mixer output to LINE LEVEL, and set your BeachTek LINE LEVEL too.
3- Make sure your BeachTek is set to STEREO mode. ( if you are using 2 mics you do not want the BeachTek to mix these into a MONO signal )
4- Plug a good set of closed-back headphones ( Sony 7506's are the standard, but some DJ headphones aren't too bad ) into your HV20's headphone socket.
5- Set BOTH BeachTek channel trim controls to maxium ( as loud as they can go ).
6- Run 1000 mhz tone from your mixer ( use a GTC Tone plug if your mixer doesn't have a tone oscillator ) into your BeachTek. If your mixer can adjust it's output level, make sure your MIXER level indicators are showing 0 db when the tone is on. With the tone on, adjust your HV20's mic level until it lines up with the -12 dB indicator. Your HV20 is now setup for your mixer.
7- While talking as loud as you plan on recording, adjust the mixer's preamp control for each mic, the MIXER's level indcator should be at 0 dB or a bit under this, though it might flash for an instant slightly into the + dB side. If your MIXER has a limiter switch, you may want to turn this on to pretty much guarantee that a distorted signal will never be sent to the camera. If you check your HV20's sound level, the camera's indicator should be peaking at the -12 dB mark. ( The MIXER is peaking at 0 dB )
8- When you put a new tape into your camera to shoot, record 30 seconds of the tone from the mixer at the beginning of your tape. This will establish a reference for what the maximum sound level was when you shot your footage, and you can then use this tone to match the sound levels of different tapes when you are editing.
9- You may have to repeat this process every time you set-up a different shot.
10- If you are getting any hum or buzzing, try the BeachTek G1 / G2 ground lift switch to see if this cures it.
...Make sure you go through this process BEFORE your shoot. If you have the time, record your setup on videotape, and check the results with your editor. The sound should be completely clear and distortion free. If the sound is a little too quiet, you can always adjust this with your NLE's audio controls.
Good-luck.
Last edited:
The trim is the channel trim pot ( potentiometer ), that allows you to decrease the signal level for the channel. ( Most BeachTek's are passive, so they do not have a preamp to amplify the signal, so the the trim pot can only decrease the signal )
BEACHTEK DXA2s ( designed for small cameras like the Canon HV20 )
BEACHTEK DXA2s ( designed for small cameras like the Canon HV20 )