Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

The place for questions about shooting with Blackmagic Cameras.
  • Author
  • Message
Offline
User avatar

Martin Kay

  • Posts: 64
  • Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:07 pm
  • Location: Salford, UK

Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostThu Apr 11, 2013 7:38 pm

I've not seen any mention of the audio channels that will be created in the ProRes files on the Pocket Cinema Camera. Will it be simple 2-channel audio (from the built-in mic or external stereo input) or 16-channel as found on the Hyperdeck recorders? I would hope it's the former, given that 16-channel ProRes doesn't have the same level of software support under Windows as 2-channel audio. Also, given that there's no SDI/HDMI recording input that could carry 16 input channels, there's really no reason to create extra channels in the recorded files which would simply be empty and unwanted.

(I just wish it were possible to configure - and reduce - the number of recorded audio channels on the Hyperdeck.)
ZEN Computer Services
Offline

Bernhard

  • Posts: 57
  • Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:00 am

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostFri Apr 12, 2013 2:56 pm

Hello,

I would be grateful for 4 channel audio recording :D
2 channels for internal mics, 2 channels for external.

What I don't like on typical small video cams is the need to decide either-or.
External mics with 3,5mm jack require a battery ... if it is uncharged,
or not plug-in properly, I have no audio at all.

I hope BMD is consistently untypical on this ;)

Best regards,
Bernhard
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostFri Apr 12, 2013 5:13 pm

zenvideo wrote:I've not seen any mention of the audio channels that will be created in the ProRes files on the Pocket Cinema Camera. Will it be simple 2-channel audio (from the built-in mic or external stereo input) or 16-channel as found on the Hyperdeck recorders? I would hope it's the former...


You have a built-in stereo microphone and a 3.5mm connector for an external stereo microphone. Sounds like four channels, in two stereo pairs. Don't know if it can be configured the same as the BMCC audio as four separate mono channels but certainly you could separate the stereo in post.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline

Bernhard

  • Posts: 57
  • Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:00 am

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostFri Apr 12, 2013 5:44 pm

rick.lang wrote:Sounds like four channels, in two stereo pairs. Don't know if it can be configured the same as the BMCC audio as four separate mono channels but certainly you could separate the stereo in post.


BMCC records 4 audio channels?
If the BMPCC also, this would be great! :D

The BMCC manual is a little confusing on this and implies
that the internal mic is overwritten in case an external audio source is connected.

Thank You for clarification and best regards,
Bernhard
Offline
User avatar

Aaron Scheiner

  • Posts: 341
  • Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:57 pm
  • Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSat Apr 13, 2013 3:51 pm

The BMCC records four audio channels ? I thought the internal mic was mono ? TBH I haven't even looked at the audio files yet...

-edit- the audio appears to be stereo/2-track ?
Offline
User avatar

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

  • Posts: 2407
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:53 am
  • Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSat Apr 13, 2013 5:39 pm

The BMPCC has a built-in stereo mic, and a stereo audio input connector.

As the firmware is essentially identical to the BMCC, the BMPCC records 2 channel audio, either from its built-in stereo mic, or from 1 or 2 external audio sources (mic or line).

As much as I'd like to see BMD cameras be able to record >2 audio channels, I doubt this will happen any time soon. Maybe in new BMD cams at next year's NAB?
Last edited by Peter J. DeCrescenzo on Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSun Apr 14, 2013 12:05 am

Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:The BMPC has a built-in stereo mic, and a stereo audio input connector.

As the firmware is essentially identical to the BMCC, the BMPC records 2 channel audio, either from its built-in stereo mic, or from 1 or 2 external audio sources (mic or line).

As much as I'd like to see BMD cameras be able to record >2 audio channels, I doubt this will happen any time soon. Maybe in new BMD cams at next year's NAB?


Are you referring to the pocket camera as BMPC or the production camera? Saying BMPCC would clearly be the pocket cinema camera. The BMPCC only has one external audio connector (stereo) so you can only record from one other audio source unlike the BMCC and BMPC4K with two connectors.

I think I have erred in thinking both the internal mic and the external audio could record at the same time. Sorry about that.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline
User avatar

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

  • Posts: 2407
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:53 am
  • Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSun Apr 14, 2013 12:29 am

rick.lang wrote:
Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:The BMPCC has a built-in stereo mic, and a stereo audio input connector.

As the firmware is essentially identical to the BMCC, the BMPCC records 2 channel audio, either from its built-in stereo mic, or from 1 or 2 external audio sources (mic or line).

As much as I'd like to see BMD cameras be able to record >2 audio channels, I doubt this will happen any time soon. Maybe in new BMD cams at next year's NAB?


Are you referring to the pocket camera as BMPC or the production camera? Saying BMPCC would clearly be the pocket cinema camera. The BMPCC only has one external audio connector (stereo) so you can only record from one other audio source unlike the BMCC and BMPC4K with two connectors.

I think I have erred in thinking both the internal mic and the external audio could record at the same time. Sorry about that.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Sorry, I meant to type "BMPCC" (Pocket Camera). I've corrected my previous post.

The BMPCC's stereo input could be used for 2 mono audio sources via a 3rd party or custom splitter cable. That's what I do with my GH2.
Offline
User avatar

rick.lang

  • Posts: 17173
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm
  • Location: Victoria BC Canada

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSun Apr 14, 2013 4:10 am

Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:
rick.lang wrote:
Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:The BMPCC has a built-in stereo mic, and a stereo audio input connector.

As the firmware is essentially identical to the BMCC, the BMPCC records 2 channel audio, either from its built-in stereo mic, or from 1 or 2 external audio sources (mic or line).

As much as I'd like to see BMD cameras be able to record >2 audio channels, I doubt this will happen any time soon. Maybe in new BMD cams at next year's NAB?


Are you referring to the pocket camera as BMPC or the production camera? Saying BMPCC would clearly be the pocket cinema camera. The BMPCC only has one external audio connector (stereo) so you can only record from one other audio source unlike the BMCC and BMPC4K with two connectors.

I think I have erred in thinking both the internal mic and the external audio could record at the same time. Sorry about that.

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Sorry, I meant to type "BMPCC" (Pocket Camera). I've corrected my previous post.

The BMPCC's stereo input could be used for 2 mono audio sources via a 3rd party or custom splitter cable. That's what I do with my GH2.


Do you feed the two mono sources into your Sound Devices Mixpre and then use the splitter cable to connect the two outputs on the SD to the stereo input on the BMPCC then? Or would you skip the SD and just plug directly into the BMPCC?

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Rick Lang
Offline

John Brawley

  • Posts: 4267
  • Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:57 am
  • Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSun Apr 14, 2013 5:33 am

zenvideo wrote:I've not seen any mention of the audio channels that will be created in the ProRes files on the Pocket Cinema Camera. Will it be simple 2-channel audio (from the built-in mic or external stereo input) or 16-channel as found on the Hyperdeck recorders? I would hope it's the former, given that 16-channel ProRes doesn't have the same level of software support under Windows as 2-channel audio. Also, given that there's no SDI/HDMI recording input that could carry 16 input channels, there's really no reason to create extra channels in the recorded files which would simply be empty and unwanted.

(I just wish it were possible to configure - and reduce - the number of recorded audio channels on the Hyperdeck.)


The Hyperdeck is simply supporting EMBEDDED SDI audio which on HD-SDI supports 16 channels.

JB
John Brawley ACS
Cinematographer
Currently - Los Angeles
Offline
User avatar

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

  • Posts: 2407
  • Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:53 am
  • Location: Portland, Oregon USA

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSun Apr 14, 2013 6:49 am

rick.lang wrote:
Peter J. DeCrescenzo wrote:The BMPCC's stereo input could be used for 2 mono audio sources via a 3rd party or custom splitter cable. That's what I do with my GH2.


Do you feed the two mono sources into your Sound Devices Mixpre and then use the splitter cable to connect the two outputs on the SD to the stereo input on the BMPCC then? Or would you skip the SD and just plug directly into the BMPCC? - Rick Lang


Either way will work, but using a preamp such as a SD MixPre or JuicedLink Riggy will sound better.
Offline
User avatar

Martin Kay

  • Posts: 64
  • Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:07 pm
  • Location: Salford, UK

Re: Number of ProRes audio channels on Pocket Camera?

PostSun Apr 14, 2013 12:46 pm

John Brawley wrote:The Hyperdeck is simply supporting EMBEDDED SDI audio which on HD-SDI supports 16 channels.
JB


I know that's what you can have over SDI, it's just that much of the time you're using far fewer, so it would be nice to configure the recorded files to match. When using Adobe Premiere, for example, it generates audio preview and peak files for every channel used, so that's 16 of each for every imported clip, most of which typically contain nothing of value and just clog up the directory listings. Surely it's not that difficult to provide a User Option to limit the audio channels when appropriate?
ZEN Computer Services

Return to Cinematography

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: CaptainHook, Florent Piovesan and 91 guests