Pro IO. Audio not "initializing".

[Thomas Koba]

I´m having a hard time getting audio to work with the IO module. Mostly there's no signal, but then suddenly, after a reboot there's a signal. Then on the next reboot the signal is gone again, and we're again fiddling with the channels. I´m trying to get a line signal into the module. Have tested with a phantom powered mic too, and both have been working on some restarts. It's like the camera doesnt activate the channels everytime.

Running firmware 3.3.14. Should I get a beta? Where is it, can't find it.

Thanx!

 

[Thomas Koba]

Ok, does someone have a check list, that they know from top of their heads, of which things I need to enablie? I cannot even get a phantom powered mic to readout on the meters.

This is what I have done:

Audio Channels. CH1 and CH2 input set to: PRO IO Analogue and Balanced/48V, Link
Output link Camera set to YES (V)

Audio Channels Gain PRO IO Analogue
Set to +45 dB on both channels

What else? What am I doing wrong? I see the channels enabled. They're green. But no readout. Anything else? Do I need to do a rediscover when connectin the PRO IO after Firmware upgrade?

Ohh....and running 3.3.14

 

[Mike Yonts]

Thomas, have you tried different power sources? Does the problem go away, for instance, if you use AC or a side handle battery? I ask because I was having similar problems and traced them to a defective (and since repaired) cable on my VF V-Lock plate.

There was also an issue where audio through the Pro IO wasn't working unless I changed audio sources from balanced/48V to something else and then back again. That seemed to clear up with the last firmware release.

 

[Thomas Koba]

I have not tried different power sources. But I have tonight gotten this thing to work. But I haven't done anything different than I did on the production day. It seems very random, on when it works and when it doesnt.

When I was fiddling with it tonight it did not seem to enable when camera was on. I restarted 2 or 3 times, and the suddenly there it was. Then I tried to restart with the mic plugged in, and without...and tried plugging in it in after restart and such. And it was working flawlessly. I cannot seem to find what is causing any of this. Very hard to pinpoint.

 

[Mike Yonts]

That's kind of how it was for me. It seemed to work occasionally with enough reboots. But eventually I figured out that the problem was that power cable.

 

[Thomas Koba]

Thanx. I will check that.

 

[Louis Maddalena]

I would file a support ticket just to make red aware of your problems and also try the power cable as Mike suggested.

 

[Thomas Koba]

Haven't been home the last 2 weeks to test the powercable yet. But just for thought: How would a faulty powercable (that otherwise works) be the problem here? Sounds weird. Any technical reasons for this? Some electrical/grounding/wiring thing? Any ideas?

 

[Mike Yonts]

Thomas, I don't know anything about hardware or electronics, but I can give you a few more details of my story and you can decide if your situation is in any way similar. I had powered my Epic mostly via a View Factor V-lock plate since I got the Epic. When I got the Pro I/O I wanted to continue to power the camera this way, but there were two problems–there was no way to mount the VF plate onto the back of the Pro I/O, and the cable wasn't long enough to reach the power plug on the Epic brain. View Factor eventually sent me an adapter plate that worked perfectly for the mounting. After a few phone calls, they also made and sold me a longer cable that I could install in the plate myself. But whenever I tried to power the camera via that cable, I experienced two weird problems: the power indicator on the LCD screen read 0%, and I couldn't get audio into the camera through the Pro I/O or through the jacks on the brain. The meters didn't move, nothing in the headphones–no audio. When I reinstalled the shorter power cable, (or when I powered it with AC or the Red Volts) everything worked properly. I sent the cable back to View Factor, and they diagnosed a cold solder joint (I think they said on the wire that carries data). They fixed it and FedExed it back to me. Everything has worked great since then. My guess is that since there is some data communication between the power source and the camera, the faulty cable must had been preventing the camera from booting up properly.

This was several weeks ago, and since the cable was repaired I've been trouble-free through several shoot days.

Hope that helps.

 

[Thomas Koba]

....2 months later....

Ok. Thanx. For the explanation. My audio has been working fine since the last updates.