HHB Portadat Basic Setup Tips...help appreciated

Hi all,

I have yet to use the HHB Portadat but have a short upcoming shoot (35mm)
and the rented HHB Portadat for audio. I normally work only with video.
Can anyone direct me to a manual for the Portadat and perhaps give me a
basic rundown of the setup. I have a Shure FP33 available for a front end
mixer if necessary. Are there any "quirks" to the Poratdat that might
totally trip me up?

My main concern relative to the Portadat would be setting the frame rate,
jam syncing a timecode slate to the DAT, pre-roll time, setting levels,
confidence monitoring, etc. I would like to have done my homework on this
machine rather than going in cold under pressure.

Thanks once again everyone for any and all advice.

Cheers,

Dave

HHB Portadat Basic Setup Tips...help appreciated

Group: rec.arts.movies.production.sound Date: Sat, Oct 4, 2003, 10:38pm
From: dave.mcwilliams.DeleteThis@sympatico.ca (Dave)
Hi all,

I have yet to use the HHB Portadat but have a short upcoming shoot
(35mm) and the rented HHB Portadat for audio. I normally work only with
video. Can anyone direct me to a manual for the Portadat and perhaps
give me a basic rundown of the setup. I have a Shure FP33 available for
a front end mixer if necessary. Are there any "quirks" to the Poratdat
that might totally trip me up?

My main concern relative to the Portadat would be setting the frame
rate,<<<<<<<<<<<<

Camera at 24fps, Pdat at 30.


jam syncing a timecode slate to the DAT,<<<<<

TC out on pdat is stadard xlr, you'll need a matching cable with the
right connector to feed the sync box (1/8" mono) or if the sync unit is
bulit in I think it's a 1/4" mono. All the above is for Deneke slate.
Make sure the pdat is set to output source tc & not tape tc. Use free
run tc setting.

pre-roll time,<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

about 5 sec is good.


setting levels,<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Set your ixer to send "0" out. Set pdat to -20dbfs. Use line level out
to line level in.



confidence monitoring,<<<<<<<<<<

there's a switch on the front of the upper unit of the pdat with little
bumps on them. That's the "tape/source" toggle. Also there will be a
tape or source title in the display window.

Set the sample rate to 48k ( you have to open the top panel with the
"open" slide switch to get at it)


I would like to have done my homework on this machine rather than going
in cold under pressure.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

All the settings are out in the open and easy to see & use. Don't panic
and you'll be fine.

Eric

Thanks once again everyone for any and all advice.
Cheers,
Dave