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GH2 Audio Hacks
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  • SilverPepperSilverPepper

    @mirrorman - This is the Rode mic I have: http://www.amazon.com/Rode-VideoMic-Directional-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0007U9SOC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1342454311&sr=8-2&keywords=rode+dslr

    The recording sounded low...very quiet levels, but would be acceptable if not for the hiss. Would the @thepalalais hack disable my ability to preview recorded video or cause any other issues?

    Thank you!!

  • konjowkonjow

    Has anyone tried connect line out from tascam dr100 to gh2. does it need kind of db reduction cable? or go straight in if on level 1?

  • MirrorManMirrorMan

    @konjow I have a DR100 but I haven't tried connecting the line out to the GH2. Just try it with the audio level is at '1'. If the line out signal is too strong, you could use the headphone output and turn the volume down.

    @SilverPepper I haven't tested that model of Rode video mic so I can't say which settings will work best, but I'm sure you should be able to get a good signal without extra hiss. About applying any hack settings, you should read through the general info about each setting. thepalalais has all the details about the audio hack on his website.

  • konjowkonjow

    thanks. sound is my very weak point with cheap solution so far... and finally Im doing sound shopping list (once and good)-dont want to miss little cable when all staff arrive... one more please: is the ew112 go straight in?

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @SilverPepper Managed to find your comment despite the slight typo on my name. :) Anyway, the audio hack does NOT interfere with video playback or change the audio recording bitrate. Since the time it was released, no one has reported any issues caused by it. What it does is to give you better audio level control and to provide a clearer scale for what the audio meters indicate (assuming you have them enabled).

    The audio hack is already included in the most recent settings by @LPowell, @Driftwood and @BKMWCD. If you are using it with settings from another author, you will probably need to combine the audio hack settings. I seem to remember the instructions for doing so are here in this thread.

    I explain exactly what values are modified in the settings on this page. http://perlichtman.com/pasdenapulse/wordpress/2012/03/14/panasonic-gh2-audio-settings-file-pasadena-pulse-audio-v2-beta-2/

    If your questions are not answered in this thread already (there is a lot of it) or at the web page above, you can leave a question here. Otherwise, you can of course ask in the beginner's thread again if you want a faster response to additional things.

    Welcome to the site and hope you're having a good first week here. :)

  • APXmusicAPXmusic

    @thepalalias I have a Rode Videomic. Not the Pro, but the older one. It doesn't have the +20dB setting, just high pass. I am currently using a Driftwood patch with your Pasadena Pulse settings. Which AGC would you recommend I use?

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @APXMusic I normally would use Mic Level 1 or 2 under those circumstances (1 for most things and 2 if my recordings were too quiet).

  • APXmusicAPXmusic

    @thepalalias Thank you!

  • konjowkonjow

    A few mounts ago I was obligated to test mic from this post http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/49143#Comment_49143 and I forgot-sorry. The reason is that I used this ones and did not like it. First clip straight to gh2 level 3 second clip level 4. Its not best as a test but I used this ones. Connected to dr100 on Hi gain there is huge hum-unusable however was worth to try for that price.

    Finally I got same better sound equipment. I was reading @rambo settings for gh2 and I found out that Rode VMP on level one is too low in normal situation-I guess it is still better to use level 2 then +20 on mic. Also I did test ew 112 g3 set to -45db and 0db out on level 1 was around -10. Im wonder @Rambo why did you need to use level 2? If level is to low is it better to increase output in ew112 receiver or gh2 input? The same question better increase ew112 output or Tascam dr100 gain from middle to High?

  • rickerricker

    I have been testing the audio out on the GH2 and here was my results:

    1. The meters behave correctly before you start recording, but during recording they do not work correclty at all. No matter how high I pushed the input signal they would not go into the reds. Though on playback, there is huge distortion showing that the meters are not correctly displaying the levels.

    2. I'm running a Rhode NTG3, through a Shure mixer and out to the GH2 set to mic level 1. Before recording the meters behave accurutely in regards to the levels shown on my mixer. So I set them up then. And then during recording I just monitor the mixer and make sure it does not peak. If it peaks even slightly you get great distortion on the GH2.

  • RamboRambo

    @konjow, mate i use both the Sennheiser K6 and Rode Video Mike Pro direct into my GH2 on Level 1 for interviews where the mikes are 12 - 18 inches away from the source. For longer distance recording like in your videoI go to level 2. The RVMP even with a full dead cat on is useless outdoors if there is any wind, as the mount needs to be covered as well. Not so the Senny, it only needs the dead cat over the front half covering the holes.

    @ricker, level 1 appears to be accurate with the meters in record mode on my GH2, it is hard to force into the red markers, I aim to hit the marker just before the first red with any peaks and that seems to work fine for me with the mikes direct into the camera. I aim for max -12db on peaks as level 1 has a very low noise floor and boost in post. This is not ideal I know, but I can't often use a mixer/preamp on the jobs I'm on.

  • konjowkonjow

    @Rambo just to clarify: the video above is with mic for 15$ inc. shipping, level 3 and 4. Rode VMP even inside, quiet room, 1m distance I still have to use level 2. but for ME2 level 1 is enough even with -45db reduction. thanks for replay

  • MirrorkisserMirrorkisser

    Hi, i am just curious what soundsettings you guys use with flow motion.

    I switched from cluster v6. There i used mic level 1 with my rode video mic pro set to level 0. The soundmeter was always in the middle, never in the red and the sound was fine.

    Now i used the same settings with flow motion and had almost no sound at all. Just after really pushing the miclevel (to 3) i got decent sound. The problem is, that this pushed the soundmeter into the red levels, which are normally distorted. That means i cant rely or trust the soundmeter anymore, which is bad.

    Anybody? Cheers

  • LALisaLALisa

    I have been reading through the posts here... I have really enjoyed reading everything!

    I have the GH2 and have been battling audio issues...

    Spent the day messing with audio... Tried lots of configurations and levles...Left Channel way down... I am using the TRS adapter and the left channel levels are way down..

    so I am going to try this Tip ring ring Sleeve plug w/RCA cables. I will modify ... I ordered this...

    TRRS 2.5mm Port to 3X RCA MALE PLUG Video/Audio AV PDA Camera DV Cable 4FT 2CA http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330781613987

    I believe the audio inputs are high impedance microphone level unbalanced ...

    Maybe next week I will get a chance to try this new RTTS Plug & cable out after configuring...

    Kindest and sincerest warm regards,

    Lisa J. Kassner

  • mrbillmrbill

    @jspatz - how do you power the shotgun in your ebay link?

    thanks.

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @ricker The meters show what level is being recorded into the audio file as relate to dBFS. What they do not show is what is being input into GH2 to start with. That is to say, the meters are actually quite accurate in what they measure but they do not measure what you intend.

    If you want to see a demonstration of this, try using +20dB on a VMP with Mic Level 1 vs using 0 dB on the mic and higher gain levels. You will find that you can get the meters to go higher without distortion when you are using 0 dB gain on the mic or sometimes even -10dB.

    In other words, if you are having the problem you are describing, then the signal is coming in too hot to the GH2 and you need to rely more the GH2 digital gain or post processing to bring it up. Rambo already referenced that but I wanted to explain why that is the case. Make sure the signal does not clip before it even gets to the digital gain path: there is a limit as to what the GH2 can handle.

    There was some discussion earlier on the topic about this where someone mentioned what worked best for them in regards to the H4N (I think).

    @konjow Thanks for the test.

    @MirrorKisser How the additonal tests we PMed about go?

    @LALisa Sorry to hear the first cable was less than fully functional - wishing you better luck with the next one. If you have more trouble, you can bring the cable to Pasadena the next time we are doing some GH tests and someone may be able to help.

    Also, is anyone interested in audio workshops? They would be more focused on mixing and processing thann field recording, but I was thinking about offering classes in the fall about how to process your sounds to make them sound their best. The classes would either be in person in L.A. / Pasadena or online/nconference call if there were enough people interested in other parts of the country.

  • MirrorkisserMirrorkisser

    @the palalias: cheers m8!! i got it sorted and working now. i just went to the routine one more time, did everything as before and no idea why, but now it works :-)

  • LALisaLALisa

    I will get this GH2 audio situation sorted! I believe the level issue on channel 1/left channel is because I have the wrong TRS and not TRRS 2.5 MM input plug.

    I have been using low impedance XLR balanced microphone level to unbalanced high impedance matching transformers on the input to the GH2 which has high impedance unbalanced inputs... I have been using Sennheiser wireless and Sennheiser Shotgun microphones as well as a Samson SM58 knock off with really good results to channel 2/right channel. I am using level 1 on the GH2 input for these tests currently...

    I believe the proper levels will be about -54 DB high impedance un-balanced into the GH2... I am also running a 4 x 2 Chanel Rolls Field Mixer that has +4 VU Balanced out run into a line to microphone balanced transformer... then feeding this to the inputs of balanced impedance matching transformers to mic level high impedance unbalanced...

    The preliminary tests look pretty good... I will be running more tests once I get a four conductor 2.5 MM plug TRRS ...

    @thepalalias ... I do have a lot of background in broadcasting... I sure would like to see a local GH2 user group form to be able to share information in the greater Los Angeles area.

    Kindest and sincerest warm regards to all...

    Lisa J. Kassner

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @LALisa I will definitely let you know if we get that group going. Your broadcast background would be helpful since my own background does not include broadcast - just studio recording, mixing and post as well as consulting for various audio technology companies (soundware developers, custom speaker builder, etc.) And of course the creative side (sound design, composition, producing, etc.)

    So I am no expert on the electrical and science aspects of the field, just experienced in their application in artistic contexts.

    @MirrorKisser Great, glad to hear it. :)

  • rickerricker

    @thepalalias

    That makes heaps of sense! Thanks for clearing that up. I ended up shooting all day using the setup I described and I just reduced the gain from the mixers output quite a bit and all came out beautifully clear and sounding quite nice actually. Many thanks

  • RamboRambo

    Little off topic but related, Vimeo totally destroy's your audio if you have voice and music together on the video and your peaks are around -3db out of your NLE. Just guessing but I think Vimeo normalizes the audio. I find the best level out of the NLE for Vimeo is -12db max.

    I'm an audio dummy so your experience may be different.

  • andyharrisandyharris

    I made a set of tests on the 4 wire 2.5mm mic/remote input which I documented here:

    http://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/34052#Comment_34052

    I'm using a Rode VideoMic but only to create a sound track to sync against. I have bought a pair of EM320's I've only used them on one indoor interview so far - close mic'd the interviewer and a lavalier on a radio link to the interviewee -- I ended up replacing the audio from the EM320 with titles.

    I'm not writing the EM320's off yet, I was using the 'super narrow' switch position, bass was very low and the pickup quite high. I've seen a bunch of reviews of the EM320 that sound good, so it'll be more testing for me.

  • everoevero

    @Rambo That Vimeo trick is really interesting. Might solve some issues I've been having, so will try it out. Thanks

  • konjowkonjow

    is the other thing about vimeo sound distortion - resamling. I guess we all edit in 48khz but vimeo recommends wired CD 44.1khz https://vimeo.com/help/compression

  • RamboRambo

    @konjow, yep I noticed that too and intend running some tests on this. Per (thepalalias) has mentioned resampling in a PM, so could be something in it.

    R

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