Suggestion: Wireless Audio

[Christoffer Glans]

I'm not a developer myself and I'm not hundred percent sure this might be done, but I think it's time to change how we work with audio.
As an editor, I'm sick and tired of being handed material where there were complications on set and "some files" might not sync together. It happens more times than it needs to and calling out for professionalism on set is never going to happen, it's not that simple. These problems with "certain files" make the whole syncing process a detective job where I spend a day just organizing all the files into synced working ones.

So I just think it's odd that there aren't any good high quality wireless solutions affordable. We use lavalier mics all the time, but why not a solution for the whole sound?
Having the sound operator use the same equipment as always, but add hardware that send audio to the camera that can later be used in editing.

The design should be something like:

1. Sound operator use a mixer and an external recorder combined with an audio transfer through redlink to the camera.
2. The camera has an antenna that can receive a clean signal in most situations. It also has a spike or noise detection so problems with the sound can be seen on display if monitoring sound is impractical.
3. If there were to be any problems with the audio transfer, the regular external recorder still has all the audio so an editor can fix certain files if needed.
4. To support the backup files, the timecode is wirelessly synced through the redlink device the sound operator has.

Hopefully someone with hardware/software developer skills could figure this out, because it would be awesome.

 

[Mikael Lubtchansky]

Hello

At the moment REDLink cannot transmit any data (audio signal included) and accuracy of timecode thru wifi is not possible... Only full second TC can be sent back from the camera more as a 'reference' than any way of syncing up anything.

What you describe was part of the now defunct meizler all in one solution RED worked on... And it may reappear one day as a modular solution hopefully... But you still can send audio and timecode wirelesly to the camera using 3rd party tools but it often means more cables, batteries to change, weight on the camera and other troubles that end up being a bigger hassle than syncing using genlocked timecode audio waveform or clapper.

An easy solution is to keep a small button mic on camera to record a bad quality audio but good enough to be used as a syncing tool either manually or using automated waveform audio syncing if you are not syncing TC on set...

Also a sound recordist will always prefer to record on his own multitracks, record atmosheres when camera is not rolling etc so they will never fully give up the recording responsability to the camera team via a wireless system he cannot monitor properly.

Hopefully this can elvolve with upcoming tech but as it it REDLink SDK is not a direct solution to this audio issue. OTOH it can now control audio levels and most of the camera audio settings so it be helpful if you are willing to record audio in camera.

HTH

 

[Tim Morten]

Ambient and Timecodebuddy make wireless timecode sync. Send from camera to recorder (or vice versa). Or get a Lectro or Zaxcom kit to keep audio recorded to camera.

 

[Blair Thornton]

I'm not a developer myself and I'm not hundred percent sure this might be done, but I think it's time to change how we work with audio.
As an editor, I'm sick and tired of being handed material where there were complications on set and "some files" might not sync together. It happens more times than it needs to and calling out for professionalism on set is never going to happen, it's not that simple. These problems with "certain files" make the whole syncing process a detective job where I spend a day just organizing all the files into synced working ones.

So I just think it's odd that there aren't any good high quality wireless solutions affordable. We use lavalier mics all the time, but why not a solution for the whole sound?
Having the sound operator use the same equipment as always, but add hardware that send audio to the camera that can later be used in editing.

The design should be something like:

1. Sound operator use a mixer and an external recorder combined with an audio transfer through redlink to the camera.
2. The camera has an antenna that can receive a clean signal in most situations. It also has a spike or noise detection so problems with the sound can be seen on display if monitoring sound is impractical.
3. If there were to be any problems with the audio transfer, the regular external recorder still has all the audio so an editor can fix certain files if needed.
4. To support the backup files, the timecode is wirelessly synced through the redlink device the sound operator has.

Hopefully someone with hardware/software developer skills could figure this out, because it would be awesome.

Hey, we now see the Fincher-Probst Xenomorph with integrated Zaxcom wireless audio and timecode. A DSMC2 module with integrated Zaxcom wireless audio would be great wouldn't it? Maybe OFFHOLLYWOOD could make one ?