GH2 syncing gh2 & audio recorder using remote

C

cesardeuve

Member
hi all
i don 't know anything about electricity, but i was thinking something (after read this)... maybe someone can help to put out this idea
gh2 has a remote input, and some audio recorders too (like, for ex., one that i'm following, marantz pmd661)
it would be posible to build something that can make that both devices starts to record at the same time?
probably, sometimes, you will have to make little retouches to sync in post, but, at least, you will never forget to push both rec buttons, and you always gonna have the same number of clips (video, audio), so syncing in pospo will be easier
maybe i'm crazy, but i found it useful, and possible
regards
 
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gonzo_entertainment said:
A little, but you're building a rube goldberg machine to flip a light switch.
Click to expand...

thank gonzo for the answer, very ilustrative, and informative too ...but excuse me,
are you meaning cost? engineering process? is a tecnological or a money problem....?
the question is... can be done?
obviusly, if cost 3000usd, don't worry, i don't need it... but if the cost is 30usd... i want it. simple.
i don't see you point, really... i proposing just one more option, maybe not needed for your workflow, sure, but interesting, if doable, for me
in a profesional environment there are some ways, similar, to do something like this without clapping or "build a rube goldberg machine" : freerun, timecode start&stop, ...
i 'm just trying to imitate this with non profesional tools (gh2 is nice, i'm really happy... but just for the sensor and from what vitaly do ;-)
if you check the specs of the incoming device from fostex, DC-R302 you will see that, someway, they are thinking on that too ("Auto Slate Tone function convenient for start sync at editing", "wired remote controller for simultaneous start with video recording")
 
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I've been thinking about this too. Technically, it's perfectly possible. It would even be possible to write a script that could replace the audio in the MTS files with that of the sound recorder's recordings, perfectly in sync (only if the camera and recorder have a consistent start time, however).

I have a Zoom H1 & H2, but they both unfortunately use very tiny solder points for the buttons (and they're the pressure type), which means that hardwiring is out of the question for those two devices. I'm sure that there are other recorders out there that would be ideal though... but I have no idea which.

Edit: Looks like the H4N has a remote control accessory. It would probably be possible to make that start the GH2 as well.
 
thanks for answering, matthew, quite interesting...
regarding start time, i realize, sometimes, that gh2 delays a bit to start recording... or maybe i just have this feeling
i supose that, anyway, the important thing would be that the delay was always the same

i have to find a good electrician around...

pmd661 remote (original):

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gh2 remote (example)

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Matthew P said:
I've been thinking about this too. Technically, it's perfectly possible. It would even be possible to write a script that could replace the audio in the MTS files with that of the sound recorder's recordings, perfectly in sync (only if the camera and recorder have a consistent start time, however).

I have a Zoom H1 & H2, but they both unfortunately use very tiny solder points for the buttons (and they're the pressure type), which means that hardwiring is out of the question for those two devices. I'm sure that there are other recorders out there that would be ideal though... but I have no idea which.

Edit: Looks like the H4N has a remote control accessory. It would probably be possible to make that start the GH2 as well.
Click to expand...
 

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You are assuming that the delay between when you press the button and when recording starts is the same for both devices. Thay may or may not be true.
 
It might be a simple case of hard wiring the record buttons together.

fde101 said:
You are assuming that the delay between when you press the button and when recording starts is the same for both devices. Thay may or may not be true.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter. Just so long as the delay is consistent (but not necessarily the same) on both devices, AVISynth can be used to match up the audio streams. If the delays are not consistent, however, then there's no easy way of syncing.
 
My point, I guess, is I just don't get the obsession with going through all kinds of crazy contortions to do something as simple and fast as sync audio. If you're running 3 or 4 cameras at a live event, sure, that's why they make cameras and recorders that all sync to timecode, but for general 1 camera use... As I said, just don't get it.
 
Well that's fine. I'd personally like to know if it can be done, and if it would even work. Just different priorities and interests. Just because you're not interested in it, it doesn't mean that it's a stupid thing to pursue ;)
 
I never said it was stupid.
I said I don't understand why people are so obsessed with "fixing" something we figured out 90 years ago the first time they clapped s late in front of a camera.
 
Yep, seems a stretch to be bothered with putting this together, but it is still an interesting question just from a theoretical perspective.
 
Been thinking about this as well.
One thing you can easily do is at least put both button next to each other on your rig at least you don't have to reach machine to start them.
 
I believe the answer you will find is that, yes anything can be done, if you throw enough money and effort at it.
Money and effort will very likely exceed what you would spend by selling your GH2 and getting an AF100.

There will be a delay in the devices and it will likely vary by a few milliseconds depending on things like how full the card you are recording to is.
Even if you do manage to start them at the exact time, the device inside the camera and recorder that keeps sync are probably not that accurate, meaning after recording for 30 minutes straight you will likely find that one is out of synch with the other by a few frames or more.

There is a good reason why the standard way of synching even expensive cameras involves hooking them all together.
And it's no coincidence that all high end audio for video recorders include Time Code and Word Clock I/O

Many people use the H4N successfully because they are doing short takes and over the course of a minute or two you're not going to get that much drift.
 
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