Setting up a Rode NTG-2 with the HVX200

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dalethompson

Well-known member
I just got a Rode NTG-2 mic (the only one I could afford right now) for my HVX200.

Is there a specific way to set it up the mic or what should I be looking at in terms of settings? Mostly, the mic will be used for interviews but my first shot is actually in a private room of a restaurant this Friday. I'm going to go to the restaurant in the next day or so (at nighttime actually) to do some test shots and get all the video settings I will need because the wall colours and lights are really vibrant in this place.

What settings should I start off with for sound with the NTG-2?

TIA,
Dale
 
You wouldn't really need another shotgun mic! Rode are excellent! Good purchase.

If you're doing set interview shots, I'd run a mic lead to the camera and get the shotgun as close as possible but out of shot. For example, if your framing is tight say, chest and up, get a mic stand and sit the mic out of frame pointing directly at the subjects mouth. As great as shotguns are, they still pick up plenty of ambient noise, and with an interview, you'll want to get the mic to resemble as close to a lapel as possible, so get it in there nice and close. You can run the NTG-2 on phatom power ( +48v switch on your HVX ) or on a battery, but the phantom power is there so you may as well use it.

One thing I have noticed on occasion is that for some reason, if you have bad leads or fluros or any other sort of potential interferance, the HVX tends to get a hi-frequency square wave type buzz when running an external mic. I notice it mostly when running the phantom power and recording in quiet environments. Drove me insane there for a while. Might be just a 50Hz thing in PAL land but make sure you get a set of headphones and monitor the input on your camera. Default settings for audio should be fine for speech. Just don't let your input levels creep too high. Sit your peaks at about say, -3db... and if there's gonna be yelling and shouting, better to wind input levels back than clip... it's your direct source ( voice ) vs your ambient noise ( room ) that's most important.

And another thing, I'd flick your HPF switch on for interviews. I think it defaults to flat, but flicking this will get rid of some of the low end rumble you tend to get in these sorts of environments.

Cheers,

Himy
 
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Thanks for both of your suggestions and input, I really appreciate it!

How to I know (or set) if I'm in +48v? Is it just the setting inside the LCD panel then (Input 1 and Input 2) turned to "on"? Are there any other settings I need to do in the menu?

As well, stupid question I know, but when people mention "Phantom Power", I know it means it's running off the HVX. Is there a control or setting for this too or is it done automatically through the XLR cable?

OK, so here's what I've got so far in terms of audio:

1) XLR cable from the Rode to the Input 2 slot.
2) Set Both Input 1 and Input 2 slots to mic.
3) CH1 Select and CH2 Select both turned to Input 2.
4) Input 1 and Input 2 both turned to "on"

I went into the menu and switched it to 50Hz as well.

In terms of the Audio controls on the back of the HVX, currently both CH1 and CH2 are set to the middle (I'm thinking this is default or something). Should they be different from one another and, if so, what settings should I start them at?

Sorry for all the newbie questions too, I'm trying not to get confused right now with the audio.

TIA,
Dale
 
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