LED Color............. | dBFS................... | Balanced Analog Out (dBu)............ | Unbalanced Analog Out (dBu)............ |
Red | 0 | +25 | +19 |
Amber | -3 | +22 | +16 |
Amber | -6 | +19 | +13 |
Amber | -9 | +16 | +10 |
Green | -12 | +13 | +7 |
Green | -15 | +10 | +4 |
Green | -21 | +4 | -2 |
Green | -27 | -2 | -8 |
If you sync a device (camera) to the P2 but the P2 is sync'ed to the V3, what clock is the camera sync'ed to - the P2 or the V3?Neither, the camera can only generate a clock, it can't slave to one. That's why I have to have the audio chase the video, not the other way around.
I have to sync the P2 clock to my video camera, so I don't think I can get a clean spidf signal from the V3 without locking to it's clock. Am I off base here?
and of course going digi would be the better option, but I'm not sure I can do that if I'm synced to the cameras clock.
So I finally got to test my setup in the field and I must say it was a smashing success.Glad it worked out!
...
As far as running analog out of the V3, I went straight from the XLR output of the V3 into the XLR input of the P2. I had the P2 set to mic in (because line in switches to the RCA inputs). I had the preamp turned all the way down (0), and the -20 pads on. And believe it or not, the levels from the V3 matched up.
In the manual when they say the XLR line in is choosen by the switch on top... I think there referring to the -20 pad. If you think about it, that's exactly what the V3 does if you want to use it line in.very interesting... never thought that the switch they're referring to on top might mean the -20db pad, but it could be. And I agree that the V3 is analogous if set to line in.
Also interesting that with the P2 level dial set to 0 that you still get a signal to record. What did the P2 show for its level meters in this case ? Same as the V3 I think you said. [I guess that shows some lack of undersnading on my part as to what exactly that level dial does, besides increasing or decreasing levels. If set to 0, I would expect no input... but that's untrue?]
Tascam HD-P2: The record level control in the HD-P2 is unique in that it actually allows you to set levels by adjusting the gain (this is how much the preamp amplifies or increases the signal from the microphone) of the mic preamp with a mic preamp gain control that is continuously adjustable. This insures that your signal quality is always optimized for the best possible signal quality by design, a very good design ! If you are new to the HD-P2, it's input selection labeling can be confusing. When the deck is set to line in, that selects the RCA inputs while the setting labeled mic selects the XLR inputs. You record XLR line in by setting the deck to XLR in and the PAD to -20dB. The controls might be more properly labeled with the LINE/MIC switches labeled RCA/XLR and the Left/Right PAD switches labeled MIC/LINE.
I don't know the input circuit of this recorder, but with many recorders, switching from mike to line level is done intelligently (by adjusting the feedback around the circuit stage), such that the input noise level in the line input setting is much lower than when the same inputs are set for microphone-level signals. In that case you would have nothing to fear from using the line-level inputs; "bypassing" the mike preamps would not be a relevant concept.
On the other hand some recorders, when you switch them to line level input, simply pad down the signal to microphone level and then amplify it with a high-gain input stage. Recorders like that should be avoided, or should be fed only with digital signals, but they are relatively rare as far as I've seen; the only example I've come across in many years is the Sony TCD-D10 Pro portable DAT recorder, whose analog inputs are almost unusable with professional microphones OR line-level equipment because of this stupid design approach.
--best regards
Tascam HD-P2: The record level control in the HD-P2 is unique in that it actually allows you to set levels by adjusting the gain (this is how much the preamp amplifies or increases the signal from the microphone) of the mic preamp with a mic preamp gain control that is continuously adjustable. This insures that your signal quality is always optimized for the best possible signal quality by design, a very good design ! If you are new to the HD-P2, it's input selection labeling can be confusing. When the deck is set to line in, that selects the RCA inputs while the setting labeled mic selects the XLR inputs. You record XLR line in by setting the deck to XLR in and the PAD to -20dB. The controls might be more properly labeled with the LINE/MIC switches labeled RCA/XLR and the Left/Right PAD switches labeled MIC/LINE.
THe P2 can also be set to take a clock source from the spdif while using either xlr or rca inputs. AND I always thought the MIC/LINE label was confusing on the P2. It should say XLR/RCA instead