Camcorder with Line Input

wakerickman

hi 12harry, i see that you agree with my oriiginal posting that for the ordinary layman, for an easy soluton is to just get a £25 DI box , which normaly use transformers, [ behringer do one at that price - even cheaper than your quote of £35 ] and i do agree with you on the drawbacks of useing potentiometers, and of course, if needed strereo DI boxers are also available [ again from behringer for an extra £10 or so ] ok cheers

GarethWilliams79

Hi, I am trying to work out how to do this as well. Can anybody suggest the appropriate gear, that can be purchased in the UK, to achieve sending a line level signal into a video camera with only a mic level input? I am happy to try a Behringer DI box, (I’m sending from a Behringer mixer actually) or a SESCOM attenuator cable, but have no idea which ones would be right or where to get any of this stuff. Thanks for your help.

Terfyn

The SESCOM attenuator lead works OK. Start with the volumes set low. It helps if your camera has a headphone out socket. You want about -35dB attenuation.
I use my SESCOM between my camera and my Roland Juno Di keyboard headphone out socket.
Noticed this on Amazon:- Movo MV-RC100 3.5mm Male Line-in to Male Microphone Attenuator Cable for HDSLR Cameras.

I have moved on. I now have a Tascam DR-60D MkII recorder, this has all the inputs required (including Phantom Power) for recording and also has a low level output which connects directly to my camera mic input. I use it as a stand alone recorder as well as a camera input. I use a matched pair of Behringer C-2 and a Behringer C-3 mics with it.

12harry

Moderator...?​Maybe better to start yr own thread, giving us some idea of whatever the camcorder/gear/you have.
We need to know the signal SOURCE and the RECORDING device you intend to use ( or have BOUGHT already.).
Is this required for Stereo?
Is this for a commercial recording; or just for reviewing musicians' performances, later-on perhaps.
Does yr Behringer Mixer have  suitable o/p(s), for an external recorder, or would this be tapped-off the o/p for an external Amplifier?
If your Mixer has a "monitor o/p" - this is probably for headphones and likely to be varied to suit whoever is listening, whereas the Amplifier feed will be reasonably consistent ( otherwise folks complain!).
A "Zoom" recorder is about £70 and very useful for lots of other situations . . . so that would be my suggestion, rather than any DI box . . . . although one providing "isolation" would be useful where the gear you are connected to is largely unknown.
Most recording gear can be switched to "Manual" ( so no AGC ), and this is usually the best Mode for recording,  to avoid a very loud "start" .  i.e. before the AGC settles.
However, cheap camcorders usually have cheap mics and no independent audio-input . . . . so don't Start from that position, is my suggestion...../ you really need  to monitor the audio being recorded - saving Red-faces, later.

Good Luck.

GarethWilliams79

Hi, thanks guys, after much pontification I would rather not start a new thread now I’ve got replies on this one. In case I later get more replies on this one and end up posting on two threads, and checking two threads for replies. etc.

The output is via two standard 1/4” jacks (L & R) at line level and works perfectly well into a tape recorder but obviously you can not see it when I do that and I would like to get some video footage to upload to my YouTube channel. I use the main outputs for this. If you want to check the mixer spec, I’m using a Behringer Xenyx 802. Stereo is preferable for panning the drums when I play with a drummer. It is not for a commercial purpose, just like demos but on video, that’s the idea anyway.

The camera I am thinking of getting is Panasonic HC-V770. I currently have a Panasonic NV-GS280 but I’ve found mini DV tapes to be a bit temperamental and prone to playing back with thick (evenly spaced) black strips across the picture so I was thinking getting one without tapes would solve that issue. It will also save me buying any more tapes! I assumed both these have a stereo mic input socket but I haven’t checked. If they don’t have stereo input, mono will do the job.

Thanks Terfyn, I am very happy to try that adapter out for £19.95. I don’t know what HDSLR means yet but I’ll look it up before I buy it. I just need to work out how I can get two 1/4” mono jack outputs to link up with the 1/8” stereo plug. The mixer needs to be a long way from the video camera because it needs to be near the PA. The mixer output will therefor be carried (to the camera) by two 25ft cables, there will be quite a bit of spare cable but 10ft won’t be long enough to get the video camera far enough away.

Basically, I need to link up two 1/4” jacks with that Movo gismo. It’s a pity the Planet Waves P047W Adaptor (1/8” Female Stereo Jack to two 1/4” Male Mono Jack) doesn’t come in 25ft long! Maybe there are 25ft 1/4” jack male to female cables. That would be useful! I will keep this thread posted on how I get on. Thanks again.

Terfyn

HDSLR is a Hybrid Digital Lens Reflex Camera.
SiYear 3.5mm Female 1/8 TRS Stereo jack to 2 Dual 1/4 6.35mm Mono TS Male Y Splitter,6.35 to 3.5 mm Jack Audio Socket Adapter Cable (Amazon) PLUS two 8mtr 6.35mm(Quarter Inch) Male to 6.35mm(Quarter Inch) Female cables.

To reduce any chance of interference, I suggest you keep the signal at line level up to the camera mic socket and then make the attenuator the last connection.

The HC-V770 has a stereo mic input and uses SD cards. As you are using the camera as an audio recorder as well as video, I suggest, you invest in a decent video editor. You can then split the audio from the video and use something like Audacity to clean it up before recombining with the video for the final edit.

dosdan

The Line Output level will probably be -10dBV. You need to send this 25 feet to a camera where it will  expect probably around -40dBV to -50dBV at its Mic Input. I'd use an in-line attenuator that produces 30dB or 40dB of attenuation to match. The attenuation needs to be situated next to the camera, so that a strong signal is sent down the line. This strong signal level helps to overwhelm any RFI or hum. If RFI or hum was still an issue, say broadcast or 2-way radio breakthrough, you would then need to switch to balanced sending and receiving at both ends of the link.

You don't want to plug a bulky, inflexible in-line attenuation directly into the mic input. The extra strain from this will soon damage the small 3.5mm mic input socket, either snapping it off from its internal circuit board or causing an intermittent "crackly" connection. Instead have a short 3.5mm socket stereo to 3.5mm plug extension cable between the long lead and the camera, and secure this extension section so it acts as a strain-relief.

Line signal to microphone input

If earth-loop induced hum is an issue because both the mixer and the camera or, if using the camera's headphone output to say then connect to a HiFi's Line In, then you would need to ensure that only one device in the connected chain is earthed to the mains. An "earth lifting" switch on a DI-box or modified piggy-back mains adaptor socket would be needed: basically, a 3-prong mains socket to 2-prong mains plug (no earth prong), so that the device it is powering has its mains earth connection broken.

Dan.

Terfyn

Why don't you buy a SESCOM or Movo before making comments like this? Then you would realise that an in line attenuator is exactly like a short extension cable. I am well aware of the problems with the Panasonic mic sockets (I believe I was one of the first to mention it) but the in-line attenuator cables are light and flexible.
I never have any problems with my SESCOM  cable except to ensure that the cabling it plugs into can add that extra weight so I tape it to the camera or tripod.

GarethWilliams79

Thanks Terfyn, your link does not work, but I assume the SiYear Y splitter adapter you are describing is the same as the Planet Waves one I described above. Today, I will search again for male to female 1/4” jack leads (25ft or 8M) if I find them I will have all the necessary components to complete the set up. I’m pretty sure Planet Waves don’t do them but I’ll be searching the internet again today. I’ll keep you posted.

Great news that the HC-V770 has stereo in. I will be editing in Adobe Premiere Pro CC, it should be decent. It costs enough! I’ll bare in mind Audacity to clean up the sound but my first priority is finding the cables. Thanks again.

GarethWilliams79

Stag do them, 6 metre, they look a bit cheap but they’ll do for now. I’ll get two of them, the Planet Waves Y adapter, the Movo attenuator, and the Panasonic HC-V770 and let you know how I get on in a few weeks. Thanks again. You’ve been a massive help.