Multi Camera Production: Signal Flow

Audio

The signal flow in audio starts with the microphone
it is then transmitted through a wire call a XLR or is also called a cannon plug. this wires are very resistant to electrical interference but not completely.
The XLR then moves into the STOB box which will then connect to the audio room.
the STOB box connects to the rack which is in the audio room.
then finally from the rack to the audio mixer this is it penultimate destination, at the audio mixer the sound can be changed slightly.

Each microphone has a channel and each has a fader on the audio desk
The microphone signals are very weak and so will be amplified along the way to the audio room.
Line signals are a much stronger as they are directly feeded into the audio mixer, usually on a line signal is a CD player or a MP3 player.
You should use the audio mixer to get the right balance mix.
The output amplifier is the overall master volume, this is on the audio mixer which is usually situated on the right hand side of the mixer and is a yellow slider.
The audio mixer has 2 outputs one of which is programme out, as you can imagine this is a very important one as it is what people hear at home. the second output is the speaker output which is directed to the vision room next door. this will be the directors listening point so he can say if he doesn't like.
The most important thing in the audio room is the VU meter as this tells you how weak or strong you signal is. This again is on the audio mixer it is the meter on the right hand side. The optimum sound level on the VU meter is 0 decibells however you want to aim for inbetween +9 and -12 decibells as if you have it to low then no one will able hear it and if to loud then will be distortion.

Video (Pictures)

The signal first of all starts with the camera which captures the images. Once it has captured them it will send them through to the converter which will change the images into something the vision mixer will understand.
Once the converter has had them it will send them through to the STOB box. The STOB box will send them through into the rack.
The rack will finally send them through to the vision mixer.

The vision mixer has 5 inputs (sometimes more), there is 4 cameras and a DVD player.
There are colour bars which help to calibrate the colours of the screen.
There is only 1 output of the vision desk and that is programme out or programme line or even final mix.
One of the most important thing is the black. this is the default colour and so when you fade into something the colour will be black.

Camera walk through

Video converter- converts it into something that the vision mixer will understand.
The camera is mounted on a Pan and tilt head which allows it to smoothly tilt and pan.
The pan and tilt head is mounted on the PED which is on wheels which allows the camera to move smootly and easily.
When starting to record make sure all of the pan and tilt lock are off.
The camera has some cables which go down the side of the camera these should always be in line with the camera so make sure they don't get twisted.

Camera Movement

Setting up a Show

Multi Camera Production