question about rode videomic & hc1000

hey!

i bought a rode videomic and i recently received it. i tried out the mic today and i noticed that there's like a low rumbling noise from the recording. i had hoped that the external mic would elminate background noise, but it doesn't seem to be the case. instead of this hiss sound that i get using the internal mic, i get this low rumbling noise with this external mic. also, connecting the mic to the camcorder, do you just choose front or rear? i'm guessing that the mic inputs, front and rear, are reserved only for the surround sound mic? thanks for any help!

Air Conditioner?

There's a low cut switch on it, isn't there?

And you choose FRONT. Rear is not enabled unless you select 12-bit audio, which I wouldn't even go near.

col127

- i replied to your PM yesterday on this issue.

1st question is really this: does it happen both indoors and outdoors?
2nd Q : is it a constant even noise or does it change in volume or pitch?

I also just got the VideoMic for my TRV950. The first thing I found is that you cannot use automatic gain control at all, it makes the Mic run extremely "hot" You need to set your sound control to manual and set it at about -20db.You'll have to monitor sound with headsets to check. Every other mic i've tried worked fine with auto gain except this one.

i am considering buying the rode videomic for my hc-1000 and wanted to check with others if it has worked out for them. have you been satisfied with your purchase? the other mic i am considering is the sennheiser mke-300.

i will be using it mainly to record outdoor interviews for a documentary.

thanks

i am considering buying the rode videomic for my hc-1000 and wanted to check with others if it has worked out for them. have you been satisfied with your purchase? the other mic i am considering is the sennheiser mke-300.

i will be using it mainly to record outdoor interviews for a documentary.

thanks

Hi nismo

i've got a videomic on my HC1000 and yep i'm very happy with it. I considered the MKE300 too, but rejected it on this basis:
1) no proper shock-mount (videomic has one)
2) only one mount point (videomic has mount point that you can move to 2 or 3 different posiitions i.e. forward / back)
3) mke300 too "low" i.e. close to camcorder, and thus would have been in shot using my wideangle lens convertor. it MAY even appear in-shot without the lens convertor. this would be a show-stopper.
4) when adding a windsheild to the mke300, it would DEFINITELY be in shot. you need a windsheild in any wind greater than about 5mph.
5) Rode makes a windsheild purpose-built for their mics, including the Videomic
6) Rode has a Low-cut filter setting too which is handy.
7) Rode is much cheaper than the MKE300
8) on several web-sites i have read about MKE300 "hum" problem. don't think it is a tape-noise issue, but an electrical hum pick-up, that apparently is worst on Sony camcorders... Hence Sennheiser brought out the MKE300D which is exactly the same but has a metal Faraday-cage built internally around the PCB to stop this hum. whether it works or not - i don't know.

All of the above made the Rode purchase obvious in the end. plus the fact that i was in Australia when i bought the Rode (it's an Aussie company) and so got it for AUD199 too

cheers

thanks very much for the advice and tips..

right now i'm lookin/searchin online for the best deal for the videomic.

thanks again,

dougie,

sorry for not replying earlier. it's a constant noise. it's like a low hum sound and it's very noticeable. i wonder if it's from the tape hiss from the actual camera itself? do you mount your mic right on the intelligent hot shoe accessory position, or do you move it further away from the camera somehow?

i think the low cut filter works a little, but the sound is still there. when i get a chance, i'll upload an audio sample so you can hear it.

hi col217

hmm this is strange. I don't get a constant hum and i'm using same kit (HC1000E and Rode Videomic) as you.

the Rode is very sensitive mic and when you're recording in a VERY quiet place, it dos pick up the high-pitched whine of the tape-drive. It's not in your face, and it's only audible on playback when you had the mic level on "Auto" and recording in v quiet scene. I don't think this is what you have though. You can ONLY just hear the tape-noise when it's supe-quiet and the mic is on max. gain (Auto) as it tries to get the mic to pick something up.
And yes i have the mic mounted always on the intelli shoe mount.

Ideas:
1) piut the HC1000 mic level on "manual", with green bars in middle. Do you still get hum ? is it the same volume hum? or quieter?
2) try mic level on manual mode again, with the green bars Wayyyyy left. i.e. v low mic level. record something & play it back. do you still get the hum ? if the hum is still there at same volume then it's definitely not related to pickin up ambient noise, and i think the mic is faulty. probably electrical hum but this is just a guess.

do you get zero hum when you use just the internal mic ? are you sure it's not wind noise ? you will get a deep rumble on any external mic in even light wind unless you've got a windshield.

just to check, youve plugged the videomic into the front mic socket yes ? also (this is gonna sound REALLY DUMB but i'm gonna ask it anyway...) - you have got a fresh PP3 9V battery installed in the mic haven't you? with a green light on the mic and not a red light ?

Finally, go into a camera store, and try different external mic in there, record a bit of footage, play it back (use headphones as MUCH clearer) and see if you still get the hum. If no hum using other mics, then sounds like a faulty videomic. if still get hum then it's the camcorder or some setting you've made. if you get a half-way decent sales guy he may be able to offer an opinion too.

load the sound clip if you can.
cheers

In regard to your review of the Rode videomic, (with my TRV38)I tried one myself and was not happy with it. In this shooting location, it picked up a lot of low end even with low-cut filer engaged; it did not seem to be noise or hum (which I have had with other shotguns). It was just very muddy, compared with other mics used by other cameras in that room. I later tested the mic in a completely different situation and got the same results. I am tempted to buy another videomic and try it, on the premise that I go a "bad one."
I tried the Sennheiser ske300 and the Azden SGMX and both had loud hum, which changed when I moved the mic away from the camera body. the hum is transmitted (by vibration, I think) through the camera body to the mic. It only changes when I physically move the mic off the body. I tried my own version of adapters to shock mount, but nothing worked. I don't want to spend as much for a shock mount as I do fir the mic. So, it looks like the videomic in my only choice right now for my camera.

Thanks

Mitchell Fox

Do you mean the Sennheiser MKE300 ? (you said SKE300).

- if so, the MKE300 is widely known for causing hum probs with some camcorders (particularly sony ones...) due to electromagnetic interference. This problem was such a big issue that sennheiser brought out a version called MKE300D which is EXACTLY the same as MKE300 except that it has a metal shield round the electronics inside the mic. Metal shield acts as a Faraday cage (it's physics) and stops electromagnetic interference. I considered the MKE300D but ruled it out as having little in the way of shockmount, too low on camera so if you use a wide-angle lens then it'll get in the way, especially if you use a windshield, plus other stuff.

I have Videomic and i DO know what you mean - it's true that it is fairly bass-heavy even in low-cut mode, but this is just a characteristic of the mic. I don't think it's an issue and i think is quite noticeable at first because most internal mics on cams are quite tinny sounding. Analogy is using a cheap crappy music-player for years and then you get a PROPER hi-fi with separate amp, CD-player, big quality speakers and at first you think 'my god that sounds boomy' cos you are hearing bass for the first time.

it IS of course always possible you got a faulty unit but i wouldn't think it's that likely. If it bothers you, then when you edit the footage after capturing it, you can change the sound characteristics in most editors then and make it less bass-heavy.