LuckyProducer
Well-known member
sorry for being a pain guys...
(although this can be useful to other dvx users...lol)
(although this can be useful to other dvx users...lol)
Peak Levels and Clipping
- Thread starter LuckyProducer
- Start date
LuckyProducer
Well-known member
ok, you guys still didn't answer my question...lol? How would I know if it is clipping by just using the DVX? Is there even a way?
LuckyProducer
Well-known member
Yes I do have headphones. I recorded a church service and let it go to the red and the levels were fine. The ALC was on as well.
I did that.... are your ears still ringing....mine are....:grin:
MattC
Veteran
Ok lucky here's the bottom line (it's late, I'm tired and have to go to bed, so if this is too brief or blunt don't take it personally - and by the way, Exile already gave you the answer, but I'm going to make it more simple for you).
I the digital world, which you working in with the DVX, 0db is a line you cannot cross. In the analog world if you went past 0db you would get a pleasant distortion. In the digital world, you will get a very ugly, ugly sound.
I don't own a DVX so I'm taking Exiles info and breaking it down. I've read enough of his posts to know he knows what he's talking about...
For some reason Panasonic decided to make -12db "red". I have no idea why they did that, as it doesn't conform to any standards I'm familiar with, but so be it - the first red led is -12db and everyone after that is an increase of 2db. That means you should have 6 red LEDs until you hit 0db (right?). That means you'll clip at your sixth red led. The color of the LED that Panny chooses to use means nothing, they could be teal, for all it matters. What matters is that you know where 0db is and that you know where your signal is at in realtion to 0. That's it. If you never hit 0 you never clip. If you do hit 0 you do clip. The reason for keeping the average volume at around -12db is because it's hot enough to deliver a good signal (assuming good recording technique) and yet allows you 12db of headroom for spikes. if you have no spikes and you're scene is just two people whispering and you don't need the head room, you could record at say -6db (always good to leave yourself some headroom regardless).
Since I'm not a DVX user, I may not have given you the best camera specific advice, but the lesson is universal. It doesn't matter if you're recording to a DVX, and XL2, a ProTools rig or a DAT, if you hit 0db in the digital world and your toast - that's it.
I the digital world, which you working in with the DVX, 0db is a line you cannot cross. In the analog world if you went past 0db you would get a pleasant distortion. In the digital world, you will get a very ugly, ugly sound.
I don't own a DVX so I'm taking Exiles info and breaking it down. I've read enough of his posts to know he knows what he's talking about...
For some reason Panasonic decided to make -12db "red". I have no idea why they did that, as it doesn't conform to any standards I'm familiar with, but so be it - the first red led is -12db and everyone after that is an increase of 2db. That means you should have 6 red LEDs until you hit 0db (right?). That means you'll clip at your sixth red led. The color of the LED that Panny chooses to use means nothing, they could be teal, for all it matters. What matters is that you know where 0db is and that you know where your signal is at in realtion to 0. That's it. If you never hit 0 you never clip. If you do hit 0 you do clip. The reason for keeping the average volume at around -12db is because it's hot enough to deliver a good signal (assuming good recording technique) and yet allows you 12db of headroom for spikes. if you have no spikes and you're scene is just two people whispering and you don't need the head room, you could record at say -6db (always good to leave yourself some headroom regardless).
Since I'm not a DVX user, I may not have given you the best camera specific advice, but the lesson is universal. It doesn't matter if you're recording to a DVX, and XL2, a ProTools rig or a DAT, if you hit 0db in the digital world and your toast - that's it.