Automatic Rec-start on H6 solved!

Markus · November 12, 2013, 09:40:22 PM

Update: Now working fully automatic start stop

Figured out a way to trigger audiorecording on the H6 using the start record beep from the Camera and the "rec level autostart function on the H6 =D! Connect a mini-jack cabel from the headphones jack to one channel on the H6. Set start level at 0db on the H6, set level 5 on output sound from the camera and tweak the amplifier on the H6 so that the beep hits 0db on the H6. Activate standard limiter for all other channels on the unit so no other channel can start the recording and be sure that the limiter are disabled on the channel reciving the beep!'

~~Its not perfect because you still have to stop the recording after you stop the camera and at the same time press record so its listening for the next start beep.~~

I earlier posted this Idéa:
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=7890.msg71756#msg71756
that would be a better solution but since nothing has happened with that idéa I guess this can work for now =).

daisermac · November 12, 2013, 10:49:48 PM

Great - thanks for sharing!

Danne · November 12, 2013, 11:16:35 PM

I have remote to my sony pcm 10. Can,t find anything on rec level triggering though. Couldn,t get this to work. Too bad. Seems like a good audiosolution

SteveScout · November 13, 2013, 09:17:20 PM

Markus, great find, thanks a lot!

Since this feature is probably not in my H4n it´s time for an upgrade since this is an incredible timesaver! Do you have to shift some frames to sync it or is it really frame-accurate?

thanks!

Steffen

Markus · November 14, 2013, 06:55:48 AM

Haven't had time to check that yet but i have synced on the beep from the camera speaker before and the beep is generated exactly at the video start or within +-1frame. so my guess is that you'll get sync if you just put them in a timeline at the same starting point.

sebamax · November 14, 2013, 09:27:05 AM

Thanks,
Nice Idea, I try with Tascam dr60

HugoFilipe · December 04, 2013, 07:37:38 PM

Will it work with a tascam DR 60D?
That would be great.

Baarman · December 08, 2013, 12:19:24 AM

Hi,

I tested this. Truly nice finding and spares a lot of time in post. Audio is just a bit late, but you can manually sync it precisely with a minimal effort. I'd say that it's a few frames difference, but you know that people see and hear things differently, so average TV watcher would probably miss it. Good stuff, thank you very much!

diegolamac · December 11, 2013, 09:32:27 PM

That's great Markus!
But it gets even better. The zoom H6 also has an Autorecord Stop function, too. When turned ON, as soon as incoming signal drops below the Stop Level you've set, recording ends (page 85 of the Zoom H6 manual).
So if the camera sends a continuous tone whenever it is recording, both the camera and the recorder are always in sync.
The tone coming out of the camera can even be on just one channel in order to save battery life.

It shouldn't be difficult to develop this function in ML.

Quote from: Markus on November 12, 2013, 09:40:22 PM
Its not perfect because you still have to stop the recording after you stop the camera and at the same time press record so its listening for the next start beep.

rob_6 · December 12, 2013, 07:13:14 AM

Quote from: diegolamac on December 11, 2013, 09:32:27 PM
That's great Markus!
But it gets even better. The zoom H6 also has an Autorecord Stop function, too. When turned ON, as soon as incoming signal drops below the Stop Level you've set, recording ends (page 85 of the Zoom H6 manual).
So if the camera sends a continuous tone whenever it is recording, both the camera and the recorder are always in sync.
The tone coming out of the camera can even be on just one channel in order to save battery life.

It shouldn't be difficult to develop this function in ML.

diegolamac has a fantastic idea. His idea above should work perfectly and shouldn't require any starting and stopping on the H6 or H4n. I wish I knew how to program so I could help get this feature added. As he said, while the camera is recording the tone is being sent. Many people would still want the single beep, but if we could add another option to send a tone for the full length of the recording that would be great!

Thanks!

I can also add that the H4n has this same function as the H6.

Markus · December 12, 2013, 07:15:21 AM

I actually saw that also and thought about it =), was hoping that someone with the right skills would develop a solution for this via the remote connectors on the camera and h6 but since the "tone solution" is so much easier maybe we should try to get that done first. All we need is for someone to program an extra option in rec signal settings so you can choose "continuous tone signal during recording"

Unfortunately i myself have no programing skills =(

rob_6 · December 12, 2013, 07:18:17 AM

Quote from: Markus on December 12, 2013, 07:15:21 AM
I actually saw that also and thought about it =), was hoping that someone with the right skills would develop a solution for this via the remote connectors on the camera and h6 but since the "tone solution" is so much easier maybe we should try to get that done first. All we need is for someone to program an extra option in rec signal settings so you can choose "continuous tone signal during recording"

Unfortunately i myself have no programing skills =(

I am not new to magic lantern raw video recording, but I am new to this forum. What can we do to propose this feature to a developer that might like to help us? I believe this is a huge addition to Raw recording. Getting audio working in this way would solve my only problem with my Raw video workflow!

Markus · December 12, 2013, 01:19:10 PM

I posted this Topic:
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=9536.new#new

hjfilmspeed · December 20, 2013, 06:04:22 AM

the h4n has a auto start as well wonder if this will work with that too. Will we see this mod in the 5d3 nightly?

Hmm im not seeing and option for a limiter for independent channels on the h4n so probably wont work

SteveScout · December 22, 2013, 10:54:18 AM

Markus, thanks a lot!!! The H6 just arrived for christmas, will try out your workflow right under the christmas tree!!

Happy holidays!

QuickHitRecord · December 22, 2013, 08:30:52 PM

The inexpensive Tascam DR-40 has an auto-start feature: http://dms.sjmc.umn.edu/Equipment_Guides/Deck_Guides/Tascam%20DR40%20Manual.pdf

Look at page 62. Haven't tried it yet so I don't know if it would work.

QuickHitRecord · December 24, 2013, 02:05:49 AM

Quote from: QuickHitRecord on December 22, 2013, 08:30:52 PM
The inexpensive Tascam DR-40 has an auto-start feature: http://dms.sjmc.umn.edu/Equipment_Guides/Deck_Guides/Tascam%20DR40%20Manual.pdf

Look at page 62. Haven't tried it yet so I don't know if it would work.

Okay, I've tried this out and it sort of works with the DR-40. The device (set to "Mark", not "Rec") can be triggered to start when there is a sound that exceeds -48db (which ML will produce if the speaker volume is set at 5), and then the user would have to stop it manually. The problem is that there is no way to isolate the sources. So, if your boom mic was to bump something, or there was any kind of loud noise at all, the recorder would interpret it as a signal to begin recording.

SteveScout · December 24, 2013, 01:11:40 PM

Markus, could you give us a little bit more detail on what versions you have been using? I was pairing the smpt module I found on the forum with my ML build and when hitting record it froze. Downloaded the latest build for the 5DMK3 from the 23rd of december, it did not freeze and worked halfway (did not trigger the H6 properly, just wrote dozens of 1sec WAV files as the signal might have been to low or out of sync or so .. and now, one day later, I wanted to try again and the camera freezes as soon as I start recording raw with SMPT on.

So in order to replicate what you were doing in your video could you give us the versions of ML and the smpt mod you were using? Thanks a lot!!! Merry christmas!

Markus · December 24, 2013, 07:10:20 PM

I downloaded the the one from the link in the first post in this thread.
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=7764.0

As far as I know that is the latest version. Then I have just used the latest nightlies. Haven't bug-tested that much but the freezing bug is present in the version I use aswell and need to be resolved in the SMPTE-module. However there is a workaround to avoid freezing. If you go in to the menu and press test smpte tone after you have booted the camera It should work without freezing. I think you need to do this after every reboot as it is now.
g3gg0 is aware of this problem but busy on other development at the moment.

Baarman · December 25, 2013, 10:07:18 AM

I experience this freezing with "the old" raw_rec and SMPTE.mo. Do you know if this is present also with mlv_rec?

SteveScout, this topic is more elaborated in this thread: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=9536.msg92728#msg92728

SteveScout · December 29, 2013, 02:05:44 AM

Baarman!
Thanks for pointing out that thread .. this small workaround does the job. Perfect! Hopefully we´ll see an updated smtp module soon. Now start stop works .. and if I´m aligning the end of the audio file and the video (which have different lengths) I just have to shift the video six frames to the left, then it´s always in sync. Big timesaver! thanks again, Markus, for testing this out!

xNiNELiVES · February 22, 2014, 05:43:49 AM

So everything is working besides the sync is a bit off? And to confirm, is there support for the 5D Mark II right?

xNiNELiVES · April 08, 2014, 04:40:00 AM

Anyone here?

rainless · April 09, 2014, 11:22:39 AM

No idea.

Markus · April 13, 2014, 11:47:09 PM

Quote from: xNiNELiVES on February 22, 2014, 05:43:49 AM
So everything is working besides the sync is a bit off? And to confirm, is there support for the 5D Mark II right?

SMPTE module isn't working with the latest builds and as far as I know theres been no updates to it. Except that It worked with the sync just a bit off. I think it worked on the mk II as well.

News:

Automatic Rec-start on H6 solved!