Need audio monitor for gh2!!!

J

Jamal Jonesy

Active member
Ok, so Panasonic dropped the ball not including a headphones jack in the gh2. I already tried using a splitter on the 2.5mm port in two 3.5mm jacks; one for shotgun mic, other for sennheiser headphones. In the end it failed, so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with a device that allows this, for ex,

this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Azden-CAM-3...ltDomain_0&hash=item588ce8c3c3#ht_2493wt_1189

or this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ART-USB-Phono-P...ultDomain_0&hash=item3f08117b4a#ht_1010wt_905

I heard a little about the USB preamp, but it looks a little too bulky. Shooting a documentary soon, don't want to use my big tascam dr 100. Remember, I have to be able to monitor sound as well as record.

ANY SUGGESTIONS?
 
I would mount a Zoom H4n on the shoe or an arm. Plug your XLR mics into it. Then split the 3.5mm output connection on the H4n. Use one for headphones. Then put a 3.5mm to 2.5mm on the other one and put it into the input on the GH2.

Then you have a backup recorded onto the SD card of the H4n. As far as preamp and all, I'm not really sure how it'll sound on the GH2 files. I would think it would sound good, though.

Edit: Ah, now I see that the Tascam is pretty much the same as the Zoom H4n.
 
JuickedLink DS214

3.5mm mix input
mic output
headphone out
headphone volume level
Left, Right channel volume levels
AGC defeat ( if you need it... don't on GH2...)
etc...

I'll post a test I did on my GH2... have to look for it...

Tony
 
Also, Tony from what I've been reading the GH2 does have AGC, but adjustable amounts of it? HAve you tried disabling the AGC with the DS214 going into the GH2?

OH yes one last question - how loud does it drive the headphones?
 
KarlSutton said:
Also, Tony from what I've been reading the GH2 does have AGC, but adjustable amounts of it? HAve you tried disabling the AGC with the DS214 going into the GH2?

OH yes one last question - how loud does it drive the headphones?
Click to expand...

Karl,

The handle is called a Media Cage... will have to look up the website for you....

http://web.me.com/markwatkins/northsidesports.tv/Media_Cage.html

Yes, the GH2 has AGC, BUT.... according to the instructions on the JuicedLink site, they recommend setting the camera mic level to 1 which is the lowest setting, setting the GAIN on the DS214 to Low and adjusting the left/right channel pots on the DS214 by using the on camera level indicators. This way, you're not plugging up one channel with the AGC defeat tone and having to mess around with audio copying and pasting in post.

The DS214 does a great job of driving the headphones since it uses a separate preamp for that. IT's really a nice unit.

Hope that helps!

Tony
 
Now what's the advantage of this over a tascam or H4n unit?

By the way, I really like that media cage. Might have to buy one once I can get my hands on a GH2! :)
 
BrandonT said:
Now what's the advantage of this over a tascam or H4n unit?

By the way, I really like that media cage. Might have to buy one once I can get my hands on a GH2! :)
Click to expand...

Well, the main advantage is that you can monitor your audio with headphones through this unit. On the H4n (which I have also...) you're using the headphone/line out to feed the camera so you're not able to monitor. The beauty of having BOTH is that you can feed your mics into the H4n, therefore being able to utilize the XLR plugs or the 3.5mm. Then feed the H4n into the DS214 so that you can monitor the audio with headphones while recording directly to the camera. AND........ you can record dual audio JUST IN CASE....

I call that a win/win!!

Hope that answers your questions.

Tony
 
BrandonT said:
I would mount a Zoom H4n on the shoe or an arm. Plug your XLR mics into it. Then split the 3.5mm output connection on the H4n. Use one for headphones. Then put a 3.5mm to 2.5mm on the other one and put it into the input on the GH2.

Then you have a backup recorded onto the SD card of the H4n. As far as preamp and all, I'm not really sure how it'll sound on the GH2 files. I would think it would sound good, though.

Edit: Ah, now I see that the Tascam is pretty much the same as the Zoom H4n.
Click to expand...

You should need this to do so....
http://www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk/pinknoise-25db-35mm-dslr-cable-p-459.html
 
Seb33 is correct... I forgot that the headphone/line out of the H4n is pretty hot. The cable that he suggested or the Sescom line to mic cable would be needed. The DS214 had the pad built in so it eliminates the need for special cables.
 
ok what if i'm feeling lazy and actually don't want all that stuff for rigging. Can't I just get a sescom cable and connect it to the gh2. Will I then be able to use a mounted Rode Video MIc Pro at +20db, and use a Sony 7506 on the other end for monitoring. Does any one know if this system will work, I will be a one person crew, and I can't lug around the Tascam DR-100 all day, gotta be as light as possible...
 
Jamal Jonesy said:
or this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ART-USB-Phono-P...ultDomain_0&hash=item3f08117b4a#ht_1010wt_905

ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Click to expand...

The Art unit is promising, although bulky, as it has headphone out for monitoring plus line out that can be directed to the GH2 via a line-to-mic padded cable. Unfortunately the volume of the two outputs are linked, and so far I have not found headphones that give me a suitable volume for monitoring while the units is outputting a suitable line-out signal (i.e., all my 'phones lack sufficient volume). If anyone has this method working well for them, I'd be interested to hear.
 
Anything 'bout the Sescom cable method I mentioned before? I wouldn't know how to bring the Art USb Preamp with me on my shoot...
 
The line-to-mic cable I mentioned is indeed a Sescom, and it is definitely necessary for the Art to feed the GH2. But when I do, I don't get adequate headphone volume out of the Art's 3.5mm output to be able to hear anything. If I crank up the volume, the line-to-mic signal overloads. I suppose I could try a different dB pad for the line-to-mic, but I think I'll just look for an alternative with independent headphone volume.
 
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Jamal Jonesy said:
ok what if i'm feeling lazy and actually don't want all that stuff for rigging. Can't I just get a sescom cable and connect it to the gh2. Will I then be able to use a mounted Rode Video MIc Pro at +20db, and use a Sony 7506 on the other end for monitoring. Does any one know if this system will work...
Click to expand...

That won't work. The GH2 and all other "DSLR" style cameras lack headphone outputs. No special cable is going to give you an output.

It should be mentioned that the DS214 lets you monitor the audio that passes through it on headphones, but this audio is not coming from the camera itself. No "DSLR" style cameras currently feature headphone outputs. If you connect a DS214, you can listen to the sound that passes through it. It's possible that the output cable on a DS214 could lose its connection with the camera, and if you're just listening on headphones - you wouldn't know it. That's why it's important to always leave your audio meters on screen when you use the DS214 with a GH2. That way you can at least visually see that the camera is picking up sound.

Jamal - the lack of a true headphone monitor is par for the course for using this kind of camera. It's a limitation you're just going to have to deal with. You either rig up with a juicedLink box or a Sescom cable & recorder combo, or you don't do any headphone monitoring at all.
 
For doc work (which the OP mentioned) I'm thinking i'm going to
1) use the VMP without real headphone monitoring--just run the AV out from the camera into a cable that links the L,R into a 2.5 female for headphones to listen to test clips and then watch the LCD screen read
2) get cables long enough to drop a Dual Pre into a fanny pack and hook up mics to the Dual Pre (mounted on camera and wireless lav), monitor audio through Dual Pre (again, not real camera monitoring) and listen to test clips via the method mentioned above.
There is no real workaround for listening to the audio the camera's recording live unless....
 
my setup is working well - Rode NTG-2 into a Tascam DR-100, line out of DR-100 into GH2 via sescom -25db cable, Sony 7506 headphones driven by DR100 amp.

But I'm going to switch my sescom cable out for the -35db one & use a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter. The level is pretty hot on the GH2 with the -25 cable, even at the lowest audio setting.

When I was looking into all the juiced link concepts I thought that the separate recorder could function as preamp, headphone monitor & bonus, back up audio. (Primary audio in my case as I don't mind syncing)

Being an audio editor for over 20 years I''m a little hesitant to record anything without listening to it!
 
What a shame, I'll never just have a GH2 and a mic to monitor at the same time.But how about this scenerio:

1) Get Zoom H1 ( or Small Tascam recorder) and mount on top GH2

2) Connect said recorder to GH2 via Sescom cable

3) Monitor Audio from recorder; or from Sescom cable ( the Sescom cable for the GH2 says monitoring is possible?!)

Can anyone verify if this setup is possible? Sorry for holding put on this premise, it seems to me that sound recording (aside from second system audio; which for the purpose of this shoot won't be possible) is problem on the GH2.
 
I've drawn up a simple diagram. Would this work right? Possibly substituting the -25 dB for the -35 dB if that proves to work best.

And would the Sescom cable instead need to come BEFORE the splitter? Then the splitter of course would have to be 1 female to 2 females. I've used the H4n with headphones plenty of times and didn't have any trouble, so I don't see why I would.


GH2 audio diagram.jpg
 
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