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[CKNewman]

First, please answer just this question:

If you're just a spectator at the track and you're listening to the announcements and interviews coming over the track's PA loudspeakers, is the sound distorted - yes or no?

[flvideo]

No I don't think so. I have my head set on all night. But I don't think it is. I shot tonight at New Symirna on the east coast and it sounded fine in my head set but I haven't dumped it in my Rennif yet. I used the same set up my wireless transmitter was in the Phone out. That was the only place available. I gotta get to bed mama's boy is tired. Bob...

[CKNewman]

You could have a mismatch in any place that switches could be in the wrong position or where you you are using signals with different levels and you're not compensating for it.

The way you've described it, you're taking a line level signal and running into your wireless transmitter. I think your wireless would work best with a mic level signal coming into it, unless there are switches that allow a line level input.

Your wireless receiver may have switches that control the level of its output. Your camera's input should match whatever level the receiver is sending it.

The audio input level on your camera may be too high. Digital audio distorts pretty badly once the meters start hitting the red. I try to keep the meters on my camera between -20 and -12. This way there's "headroom" for the louder sounds

There are several places on the 1202 that you could use for an output. Are the two 1/4" jacks on the top of the mixer near the phones jack (top row all the way to the right) being used or could you use one of them? They are labelled Main Out and send a line level signal.

Here's a link to the brochure http://www.mackie.com/pdf/1202vlzpro_ss.pdf so you can see where they are. The signal coming out of these is line level so you would have to use a line level to mic level attenuator.

What kind of cable are you using now to connect from their Mackie phone jack to your wireless transmitter?

[flvideo]

The cables I got when I bought the Mackie. The wireless has no level adjustments but my cameras do. I thought of something just now. I Do stand ups with that same wireless and it has a directional mic plugged directly into it and the audio is always clean. I did probably 15 or 16 stand ups Sat and all was clear. When I am using my mixer I usually use the main outs but the reason I use the phone out usually is that's all that's available on the boards of the tracks. The one track where I shoot I am shooting on the opposite side of the track, at the wireless limit, so I clip a lav on the rim of a speaker. That seems to work well. Should I get an attenuator for the phone out? You say that's probably line out? I looked in the manual for my Mackie and it doesn't say what level any of the ports are. It assumes the operator is an engineer. Now that's a joke. Thanks Craig for trying to help me. I really appreciate it. Bob...

[CKNewman]

I'm not sure if you're talking about one track's sound system or several different ones.

You could try an attentuator for the headphone jack. The problem is that the headphone jack is stereo and I'm not sure if it would work properly or introduce some kind of problem.

You could try the Tape Out jacks that send at line level out.

[flvideo]

I was talking about multible tracks in Fl and Ga. The only port thats open at most tracks is the Phone jack. Most track announcers don't wear a head set, but the track I shot at last week does. We had to find a splitter to even get me on the board. I had to share the phone jack with him. I will pick up an atenuator this week and try it. This week I am shooting at Citrus couny and thats the one where I have to mic a speaker. Most all the tracks I have been to, have Mackies. They must be awful popular. I had an old Peevey for years, it was a good mixer but it was so big. I bought it from a guy that traveled with the Ringling Bros Circus for years. He did all their sound for them. I still have an old Audio Voice Mic he gave me. Its an antique now I suppose, but it still works good. He has gone on to be with the Lord or he would be able to help solve my problem. Thanks Bob...

[CKNewman]

Take a look at some of the DI boxes on this web page http://www.whirlwindusa.com/dirbox.html.

If I were you I'd start asking guys that work for professional audio suppliers what's the best way to deal with the situations you're running into. Might be using the phones jack with something like one of the boxes you see on the page above.

[CKNewman]

There is another output you can use on Mackie mixers called the Aux Send. I didn't think of it before because I rarely use it. There are two of them - a little to the left of the 1/4" Main Out jacks. Use the Aux 1 send.

These outputs are line level. You would adjust the level of each channel with the Aux 1 volume controls at the top of each vertical row of channel controls. The Aux 1 volume is controlled by the Aux 1 Master knob located just under the phone jack. I think you want the PRE/POST fader button set to POST fader. That way you get the same audio that's sent to the PA system.

[flvideo]

Thanks Craig, I'll try that Sat. I haven't edited the footage I shot at New Symnra yet but it sounds good on my HD700. I am looking at my manual for the Mackie and nothing I can find tells me the level it outputs. It says the Aux out is to feed Parallel effects processers.I'll try to get up to the booth a little early Sat so I have time to play with the board. I have been, the last few days, using fire wire to input and I am dumping the edited classes back on DV tape for use at the end of the year. It seems to be working good so far. Thanks Bob...

[flvideo]

Well Craig I tried to plug in to the Aux Send tonight but on that older Mackie there was no pot to control it. The only control was the main and Jason uses that buss for his mic and the music. I went back to the Phone out and adjusted the level on the phone pot. that seemed to calm it down. I'll put a stand up on u-tube and you can see what it sounds like when I get time. This is a busy week I have shoots thurs, friday, sat and Sunday. when do I get a day off??? I'm not complaining, Ive got work. Bob...