my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Weird microphone jack

Author Topic: Weird microphone jack Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 09-17-2011 02:57 PM                        So, for our analog sound, we've got these pretty decent USL units. Now, when our installer put the wireless mic system in, he went from the 1/4" mic-level output on the mic receiver to a line-level input on the processor (this is generally a bad idea, as mic-level signals are MUCH lower than line-level, and the volume has to be JACKED way up for the mic to be audible). After looking closer at the USL unit, I now understand why he did it this way: The dedicated Mic input on the USL is this 9-pin connector that looks like an old computer serial jack. Now, I've done a lot of sound stuff in my life, but I have NEVER seen a microphone jack that looked like this. Does anyone here have any experience with this kind of jack, and would you know where to find cables for it? I have been completely unsuccessful in this regard thus far.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 09-17-2011 03:12 PM                        Do you mean one of these? If so, you can get leads that will connect d-sub 25-pin to audio to XLR pretty easily (on Ebay, for example); but a quick web search doesn't reveal any ready-made ones for 9-pin d-sub audio. I'm guessing that you might end up having to make up your own lead.  |  IP: Logged Robert D Hall Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Abingdon V.A USA Registered: Mar 2010 posted 09-17-2011 03:17 PM                        I dont know if you can buy one. But making one is real EZ. All you need is a 9pin male d-sub http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/DB-9P/D-SUB-CONNECTOR-9-PIN-MALE//1.html pin 1 is + pin 2 is - pin 5 is shild You wont need any of the other pins.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 09-17-2011 03:22 PM                     interesting hookup - never seen it done that way. Prob need a preamp (or what some drive-ins use is a distribution mic amplifier) between mic receiver and then to the processor.  |  IP: Logged Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 09-17-2011 03:32 PM                        Fraid not, Leo. That's a 25-pin connector, such as the kind you use for multi-channel connections. What I'm talking about looks like this.  |  IP: Logged Robert D Hall Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Abingdon V.A USA Registered: Mar 2010 posted 09-17-2011 03:45 PM                        Monte i know it works with the output of a cordless mic. But you may be right about just a mic needing a pre amp. But she can all ways try it. It may work with out a pre amp.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-17-2011 04:09 PM                     9 pin D sub for mic input is pretty common on cinema processors, IIRC CP500, CP650 and maybe CP750 have this. All you need is a cable going from common or garden XLR to the 9 pin D sub connector, as Robert has detailed. 5 minutes with a soldering iron.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-17-2011 04:33 PM                        Easier going the other way -- instead of needing to futz with wiring the 9-pin subD connector to the XLR cable, just get a 9 subD to 9 subD cable and cut the connector off one end. Then you just have to solder the XLR on to the proper leads of that cable and not need to bother soldering the 9pin at all. As for the mic preamp issue -- if you are REALLY lucky (BIG if), they may have used the subD connector so that one connector can be use for both line-level and mic level inputs. One set of pins outs go to an internal mic preamp and another set of pin outs bipasses that circuit and accepts line-level inputs, both on the one plug. Check for that possibility. Whatever you do, you never want to try and boost a mic that's plugged into a line level input by increasing the gain. If there is no mic preamp in the circuit, then you can get a fairly inexpensive mic preamp even from the likes of Radio Shack that will do you better than turning the gain up full just to use the mic.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-17-2011 08:15 PM                     Oh for Pete's sake... The CP650 and CP750 use real XLR connectors...Dolby on did the 9-pin Dsub thing for the CP500 though the CP650 does have a MUX connector too like the CP500. Making one of these is not a big deal...as Robert indicates. When we were putting in CP500s and knew the client wanted wireless mics...we made a rack panel that had a regular XLR on it so they could move the wireless receiver to the theatre desired. If you would rather buy than make...we'll make one for you. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Jake Spell Master Film Handler Posts: 294 From: Johns Island SC Registered: May 2009 posted 09-17-2011 09:26 PM                     We have our mic hooked up. Soldered a spare XLR cable to a D-sub 9 pin pale plug we had laying around in the booth. Super easy. As detailed in the liturature this MIC INPUT only goes to the mic preamp. You can get the Sub-d connector here HERE Just cut the end of an XLR cable or make your own. Either way it should only take about 10 min  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-18-2011 03:20 AM                     Thanks Steve, I wasn't certain of the CP750. I've never connected a mic to one. Installed enough of them though! Am I right in thinking that the XLR on the 650 is for PA use only then? I never use the onboard analyser on any of them.  |  IP: Logged Harold Hallikainen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 906 From: Denver, CO, USA Registered: Aug 2009 posted 09-18-2011 10:23 PM                        I agree that the 9 pin D is a strange connector to use for microphone input. The pin out is shown on pdf page 39 at http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/manuals/USL-JSD-80.pdf . Harold  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.