Two Way Cameraman Communication Setup

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drdobs

Active member
This may not be the correct forum to post in on this subject, but I’m lost and looking for some help. I currently have a two camera setup and my production partner and I are shooting live concerts in small venue’s. The problem we’re having is the ability to silently communicate between one another. We could use Talk-About’s but they re typically too noisy to use during a live concert. I am looking for some type of headset system that will allow us to communicate with one another while talking quietly. Anybody know of equipment that serves this need?

Jon
 
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum either, but if it's not, I'm sure some mod will move it. :)

What's your budget for this? You mentioned Talk-Abouts, so I'm guessing a full intercom system is out of the question...
 
There are several systems on the market, Clear Com is one of the best known, RTS-Telex is another- None of these are cheap. you also have a choice of wired or wireless. Most sytem like the studio ones consist of a beltpack and a set of headphones, you can choose single or twin muff headphones and they both have a microphone on a "boom". the wired ones typically use standard xlr cables to interconnect to a "power supply" which is a form of amp/interface. Usually you would feed your program sound into one ear and your tech/control in the other ear.
I have heard of some guys using walkies with a headset and voice actuated mics, which may be chaeapr but you will have to ask around. I have also had problems with interference from walkies too close to my cameras in the past. Visual interference
You could also check with local rental house and see what they have. Systems are often used in Theatre for lighting cues etc.
clearcom.com
Hope this helps
 
Talkabouts suck for com. - Even with headsets, VOX, etc.. I've tried it all.

For production communication you will want somethign that is full duplex - like a telephone, everyone can talk and listen at the same time. Simplex, which is one person talking at a time (like tlakabouts and other "2-way" radios, just doesn't suit the production environment.

As mentioned above, there are *lots* of systems out there.
For wired, one of the cheaper good ones is "PortaCom" Thoguh ClearCom has a cheap system called "CueCom" too.
For wireless you can spend a lot of money really fast with the big companies and some still arn't full duplex (like PortaCom's wireless system is still only one talking..) and others rock. Clearcom wireless is the cat's meow.

A kit that I finally settled on and picked up a few monthes ago was an anlog system from Eartec: http://www.eartec.com/td900.html
I have the wired interface (so that I can plug into a wired system) and a 2nd headset with the camera-monitor feature from the videographer's special.
It's not ClearCom by any means - it's similar in quality to a cordless phone - but so far it has worked flawlessly for me in both the studio, doing vehical work, and at a bunch of outdoor concerts I shot this summer as 2 camera shoots (similar to what you describe).

- Mikko ... once you duplex, you'll never want to simplex again!
 
If wired is an option then Clear-Com or Telex are very good. I like Telex's light head sets a lot better than Clear-Com's. If you have two belt packs ann you need is to wire up an XLR with 9V ( 9V Batt. work well) (it might be two 9V? I'd have to look it up. But anyway you don't need the power station from Clear-Com, all the packs need is voltage and your good.

By the way the eartec units look pretty good and the price is nice.
 
Thanks guys VERY much for chiming in with some responses here... Yes, it seems Eartec is going to be the way for me to go because wireless is pretty important, but cost is a big factor too.

My only concern at this point is how well I'm going to be able to hear the other person while sitting 10 - 20 feet from a live band. My fear is they're going to be drowned out in the sound, or I'll have to talk so loud, I'll be disrupting the concert.

Mikko, you mentioned you've used this in the concert setting. Did you find this to be an issue?

Jon
 
Also... what kind of range have you guys seen on the Eartec wireless systems? (I'm looking at the $300 TD 902 specifically).

Surprisingly, I've yet to be able to find this data on their website.

Jon
 
Jon,
I haven't had any volume issues with the system. The beltpacks can drive a decet amount of sound into the headphones. You might want to call Eartec and ask for a quote for some beefier noise cancelling headsets if you are in a loud environment - take a look around their site, they have loads to choose from! .. of course bigger headsets will cost more.

I haven't shot any loud concerts with the system yet, but for some medium volume ones and a parade I did (that involved me shooting from within various marching bands, etc..) I had no touble with com. I have a Single ear "ProLine" headset (http://www.eartec.com/earclip.html#Proline) and the "Monarch" (http://www.eartec.com/earclip.html#monarch) with the camera audio feature.

Range isn't huge, I get repeatably reliable range of around 300feet, sometimes a little more in the open. It's performance is very similar to a good 900Mhz cordless phone - I suspect that the guts are prety similar. So it wouldn't work if you where a long way away from the other station, I might be wary if I had to cover all of a large stadium for example. However for any practical situation where you are in the same venue it is more than enough. 2 cameras, even seperated somewhat, shooting a concert should work just fine.

For me, I'll never really be moving out of range of the system, and anything where I'm far enoguh from the other party, there will be a larger com system in use and I'll just patch in my base station (the other radio) at a suitable location to me.

- Mikko
 
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