Wireless lavalier problems

longshanks

longshanks

Well-known member
So I just finished a training video for a client and I was forced to use the studio's shotgun mic. I had brought some Sennheiser g2's with me and tested them out before the shoot without a hitch. While in the cramped studio with lights blaring, I kept getting a drop-out every few seconds on the g2's. I have heard that g2's can do this frequently but the consistency of the dropout was happening every few seconds or so. I figured there was some interference going on so I switched channels, banks, anything I could try and still no luck. I even had people turn off their cell phones, change out the g2 batteries, and hold the transmitter and receiver away from people's bodies, but still had no results. The distance from the transmitter to receiver was about 10ft. Back at home I tried the g2's and guess what? No problems! My only explanation to this problem might have been interference in the building's WiFi or even the Lowell lights. Anyone have any advice?
 
so you mean there were many frequencies or a wide spectrum of frequencies that were in use by something close enough to the G2?
 
if there a strong source of rf it may finish your entire blocck or very large part of .
also it may be very close transmitting antenna which transmit from time to time , if the power source close enouth evem it not even close to your fq it can damage the reception .
 
Very likely could have been reflection in room cancelling out your signal. A diversity wireless and changing the position of the rx to tx can help.

Also could have been a million other things screwing with your reception. Reason number one why wireless are never the first choice and often suck as a last choice.

Cheers
 
was it near airport or harbor ?
locators could and usually make what you describe while turning around .
usually nothing to do when it happens .
 
no it was nowhere near a airport or harbor. So if wireless lavs suck so much, is the industry standard (i.e. TV broadcast) use wired lavs or shotguns, or both? also, i read in the g2 manual that a diversity signal can help with the signal by splitting it up into two transmissions.
 
Shotguns are on the set of any TV show or film, unless you are talking about a bad cable channel's programing, or a documentary like Dirty Jobs where it is not about the quality as it is of the substance and/or hard to operate a boom (very tights spaces)
basically if you can't afford one or if it will be uncertain it it will be impossible or just a royal pain to operate one

I personally think that a show without a boom is either Trading Spaces (first seasons at least) or Deadliest Catch, if not then a piece of s**t :D
 
The other factor is that most of the users on this board are using $500.00 Sennheiser G2s and most of the stuff you see on TV are using $4,000.00 Lectros. You do get what you pay for.

D
 
yea, as far as I know the older $1,100 lectros are the least you should use, I am not sure it I understood correctly but oleg mentioned that the g-2's cut off frequencies on the top and the bottom
if I got that right, then is there a frequency range in all transmitter's specs?
 
Oleg 2 said:
reflection from 10 feet ?, probably not
Click to expand...

You obviously haven't worked in the closets some people call studios now-a-days. I get the ping-ponging antenna all the time in these supply closets with walls full of network circuitry. If you are already dealing with a noisy channel the effects can be quite prominent without a diversity rx.



As Drifting said professional productions use professional equipment. The G2 barely limps in at the bottom of low-end professional equipment.

Acceptable for an amatuer indy film? Sure.
Acceptable for any sort of professional use? Do you feel lucky? (which is not to say plenty of professional do not feel lucky)

Even the Lectro 400's will not work from time to time which is why the mantra of avoiding wireless is constantly repeated around here; AND always have a backup to your backup. You only come prepared for one form of audio acquisition and Murphy's Law will get you every time.

The Zaxcom can come with a recorder in the tx making for the only bullet-proof w/l out there.

Cheers
 
puredrifting said:
The other factor is that most of the users on this board are using $500.00 Sennheiser G2s and most of the stuff you see on TV are using $4,000.00 Lectros. You do get what you pay for.

D
Click to expand...
outside interfirence knock down my lectros as well -
the problem he describes more or less acutic to all brands

sometimes and yes this may help the better front end tracking .
(g-2 is crap mostly for sound qulity and range )
 
amen, wabbit... though I don't understand the whole tx w/i fx whatevers you guys are talking about... :D but I do believe that you painted an actuate picture of what it is like to do audio
 
wabbit said:
You obviously haven't worked in the closets some people call studios now-a-days. I get the ping-ponging antenna all the time in these supply closets with walls full of network circuitry. If you are already dealing with a noisy channel the effects can be quite prominent without a diversity rx.



As Drifting said professional productions use professional equipment. The G2 barely limps in at the bottom of low-end professional equipment.

Acceptable for an amatuer indy film? Sure.
Acceptable for any sort of professional use? Do you feel lucky? (which is not to say plenty of professional do not feel lucky)

Even the Lectro 400's will not work from time to time which is why the mantra of avoiding wireless is constantly repeated around here; AND always have a backup to your backup. You only come prepared for one form of audio acquisition and Murphy's Law will get you every time.

The Zaxcom can come with a recorder in the tx making for the only bullet-proof w/l out there.

Cheers
Click to expand...
that is not reflection problem when you have multyply signal coming to antenna
, and sorry in closets i worked never had range problems :-)

but on the last film i did iworked in the bus , while 2 independent fq worked fine - 2 transmitters which where 2 block uppart create problem each oteher
relocated the fq helped .
( not to mention that it maight be acurred by the f... 744 wgich was stuck in the bag ( uder cover soud recording , hidden camera).

so i more suspect something elese then reflection .
 
longshanks said:
no it was nowhere near a airport or harbor. So if wireless lavs suck so much, is the industry standard (i.e. TV broadcast) use wired lavs or shotguns, or both? also, i read in the g2 manual that a diversity signal can help with the signal by splitting it up into two transmissions.
Click to expand...
dvercity recepetion use 2 independent recievers or 2 antennas and check the best eception
.doent help to problem you described .

also if the was something in the air - did you check where was you squelch on reciever established ?
 
USLatinContent said:
yea, as far as I know the older $1,100 lectros are the least you should use, I am not sure it I understood correctly but oleg mentioned that the g-2's cut off frequencies on the top and the bottom
if I got that right, then is there a frequency range in all transmitter's specs?
Click to expand...

audio qoality have nothing with transmition or reception
 
Oleg 2 said:
dvercity recepetion use 2 independent recievers or 2 antennas and check the best eception
.doent help to problem you described .

also if the was something in the air - did you check where was you squelch on reciever established ?
Click to expand...


no i didn't check the squelch unfortunately. the studio was certainly small though, like a rather large closet. a scan for available frequencies would have been helpful to me which i did not do. however, i tried so many different channels and frequencies, so i gave up and went with the studio's long shotgun mic which worked well. i have a lot of information in this post, but i also wanted to ask what might be the best audio rig for a documentary i will be doing. i'm planning on doing indoor interviews, but i also want to be able to capture good sound while going around a village interviewing people on the spot. i figured a boom pole with shotgun is too elaborate for this kind of guerilla style of documentary so i was thinking a supercardiod shotgun mounted on a pistol grip. thoughts?
 
USLatinContent said:
what does it with?
Click to expand...
transmiter preamp stage , the companer and the reciever side expanding signal and the noise it adds .
of course low level signal may efect on overall soud qulity
its betetr limiting the signal from time to time on the tx the send very low on w wich degrate thesignal to noise ratio .
 
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