Super low audio. Help!

[metadog]

Hi! First of all... I am a newbie, so be gentle... I was thrown into the role of videographer and editor with little or no experience. That is how it rolls around here.

I was asked to video a company event. We have a Canon Vixia HF S10 camera. At the event, the AV guy comes over and tells me that I should really be using the venue's audio feed because I will not get decent audio from where I am positioned in the large banquet room. Sounds good to me, I plug in and do a quick test. Everything seems fine. I tape a 4 hour meeting. When I get back and start to play the video, I'm not getting any sound. The only thing I can figure is that the sound board got hit or there was some kind of malfunction.

I have been beating on the file in Final Cut Express and Sound Booth... there appears to be some audio, but it is super low and has a hum over it. The voices sound kind of like they would if you were trying to listen through a wall... for lack of a better explanation. The indicators at the top on Sound Booth seem to indicate voices, but I just can't grab them. Any thoughts on how I could trick out the talkers?

Thanks!

[redwudz]

I suspect a audio impedance mismatch between the sound board and the camera or a possible bad cable. I assume playback directly from the camcorder also has low audio and this isn't a problem with the video/audio transfer to the PC.

But the problem now is to attempt to recover the audio. About all you can try is to boost the audio level and filter out the hum. A high pass filter or notch filter may help there. Not familiar with Soundbooth, but it should have those capabilities.

[dougwx]

I have had some success using Magix Video Sound Cleaning Lab. It's not to expensive, however only available for windows. I believe the Magix web site has a limited demo.

[davexnet]

Post a clip showing the problem. Perhaps a combination of normalization + noise reduction will help.

[edDV]

Next time have the A/V guy test the house connection and use earphones so you have assurance audio is there. Usually an impedance matching transformer or Beachtek type box is needed to connect a house feed to a consumer camcorder.

You say you were asked to do this as an untrained amateur. Your boss screwed up last time*. Next time you need to test before you record.

* On the Trump show he/she would be fired. Next time it would be you.

[metadog]

Attached is a 30 second clip. What do you think?

Thanks for your help!

[jagabo]

I don't think you'll ever get anything intelligible out of that. But you should upload the original audio (AC3 I believe), not a WMA conversion. Each compression with a lossy codec makes it harder to isolate noise from the sounds you want.

[edDV]

Next time you will need either of these. Usually they can be rented at A/V supply stores.

http://www.beachtek.com/dxa2t.html
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&source=hp&q=shure+a96f&rlz=1R2ADRA_enUS34...wAg#ps-sellers

[metadog]

What else should I have? Could I interface a laptop and headphone arrangement as a system of checks and balances? Or something else?

I also have a Tascam DR-07 Portable Digital recorder that I am thinking I should just set up on the podium for an independent audio source.

[edDV]

What else should I have? Could I interface a laptop and headphone arrangement as a system of checks and balances? Or something else?

I also have a Tascam DR-07 Portable Digital recorder that I am thinking I should just set up on the podium for an independent audio source.

If the camcorder has a headphone jack and/or peak meter, monitor the input sound. Then record a short segment to confirm sound is present on the recorded file and is recording at adequate level without distortion. If there is no headphone jack, you will need to monitor off the line outputs with an amp.

Backup recording to the Tascam is best done off the house mixer since most conferences use multiple mics.

[metadog]

The camera has an audio jack (AV). Total newbie question and I am sure I have the wrong thing but... I plugged my iPod earphones in to it (just for grins). One bud sounds fine, the other is buzzing like crazy. I also have an HDMI Out port, a component out port and a USB port.

[edDV]

The camera has an audio jack (AV). Total newbie question and I am sure I have the wrong thing but... I plugged my iPod earphones in to it (just for grins). One bud sounds fine, the other is buzzing like crazy. I also have an HDMI Out port, a component out port and a USB port.

AVCHD camcorders lack many of the recoding features found on prosumer DV/HDV camcorders. You are fortunate you at least have an external microphone jack. In your situation I would do some test recordings and evaluate the audio ouput off the A/V (white/red) jacks to an amp, powered speakers or to a TV. It could be your feed from the house mixer is mono and only recording to one channel.

Semi-Prosumer models like the Canon HDV HV20/30/40 have audio features that assist external audio recording
- mic jack (requires Beachtek or transformer XLR pro mic/line interface)
- audio stereo peak meters
- audio level/mix controls (eliminates consumer level automatic gain control AGC level pumping)
- mono mix monitor speaker (HV series lacks a headphone jack)

Full Prosumer models like the Sony V1 or Canon AH-X1 add the following audio features
- XLR 600 ohm mic or line level balanced inputs for direct connection to pro equipment.
- Individual level controls per channel (usually knobs). This helps level riding on multiple wired/wireless mics.
- Switchable monitor speaker
- Switchable headphone monitoring

[metadog]

When I evaluate some sample video in Sound Booth, there appears to be stereo audio. Same thing in Final Cut. Maybe the audio jack is just mono. I will find some place to plug the camera in at to evaluate the audio on a device.

[edDV]

The key issue is getting audio in over the external mic input when interfaced to the sound board. When nothing is connected to the external mic jack, the camcorder will get audio from the internal stereo mics.