read barry's booka nd still dont understand 4 audio tracks

R

Richter Video Equipment

Well-known member
Hi,

So on a dvx 100, you had 2 audio tracks and the selectors chose what goes to what. On the hvx there are 4 audio tracks but still only 2 selectors and 2 xlr ports. At my last shoot i though i had channel one set to xlr 2 and channel 2 set to xlr2. I liek to run both channels off the same input so i can run one a little lower. If the speaker over modulates i just switch tracks in editing since everything is mono. Some how track 2 recorded the internal cam mic. I could have had it set wrong, but i monitored the audio through head phones the whole time and it sounded good. (unlike the cam mic i heard in post.)

So here's my question...What goes on the other 2 channels and how can you control them if there is only 2 gain nobs? are track 2 an4 just copies of 1 and 3 or do they record on cam audio all the time?
Thanks
 
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There are four total tracks, and they are all active at all times.

There are four inputs, and four tracks. XLR 1, XLR 2, INT MIC L, and INT MIC R.

When you use the switches, you're assigning what input goes to what track (or channel). You can tell the system to put the internal mic L on channel 1; if you do so, it will automatically move XLR 1 onto channel 3. Or, you can tell the system to put XLR 1 on channel 1; if you do so, it will automatically move the INT MIC L onto channel 3.

Same with the other channel. You can assign INT MIC R to channel 2, in which case it will put XLR 2 onto channel 4. Or, you can put XLR 2 onto channel 2, and it will move INT MIC R onto channel 4.

In either case, you're always getting four channels, and those four channels are always made up of INT MIC L, INT MIC R, XLR 1, and XLR 2.

The only exception is if you assign XLR 2 to both Channel 1 and Channel 2. In that case, XLR 1 is ignored. But INT MIC L and INT MIC R will still be on channels 3 & 4.
 
Barry_Green said:
There are four total tracks, and they are all active at all times.

There are four inputs, and four tracks. XLR 1, XLR 2, INT MIC L, and INT MIC R.

When you use the switches, you're assigning what input goes to what track (or channel). You can tell the system to put the internal mic L on channel 1; if you do so, it will automatically move XLR 1 onto channel 3. Or, you can tell the system to put XLR 1 on channel 1; if you do so, it will automatically move the INT MIC L onto channel 3.

Same with the other channel. You can assign INT MIC R to channel 2, in which case it will put XLR 2 onto channel 4. Or, you can put XLR 2 onto channel 2, and it will move INT MIC R onto channel 4.

In either case, you're always getting four channels, and those four channels are always made up of INT MIC L, INT MIC R, XLR 1, and XLR 2.

The only exception is if you assign XLR 2 to both Channel 1 and Channel 2. In that case, XLR 1 is ignored. But INT MIC L and INT MIC R will still be on channels 3 & 4.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification..I read this part in your book a few times and just didn't get it. So does the cam use AGC for tracks 3 and 4? The nobs only adjust 1 and 2. (or so it seems) So If i have xlr 1 & 2 going to track 1 and 2, it records the internal mics on 3 and 4 but do I have any control over them?

So if using the internal mics on 1 and 2, with no xlr plugged in, 3 &4 just record dead air?

Thanks

P.S., is there away to limit it to 2 tracks to save p2 card space? What about disabling it all together on my b cams?
 
No control over audio levels on 3 & 4. They come in at a fixed level equiv to the pots at top dead center.

If you put internals on 1 & 2, that moves the xlrs to 3 & 4. If nothing is connected to them, they will indeed record dead air.

And no, no way to disable 3 & 4. The space is really minimal anyway, I think it is 1.5mbps for both.
 
Thanks for all the clarifications Barry....You answered exactly what I was looking for. So in reality, i just want to delete tracks 3 and 4 in post, but they are a nice back up in case it totally messed up my primary recording.
 
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