| Here's
an easy way to tell when your Ni-Cad batteries are fully charged when
using a trickle-charger. They will remain completely stone-cold
while charging, and will only become warm to the touch once they are fully
charged. |
 It
is often a requirement to achieve a mono output from the older series SQN
mixers with a Hirose 6 pin socket. If you simply short left and
right outputs together this will mono the whole output of the mixer as the
socket is un-buffered. The solution is to fit a 4.7k resistor in the
left and right channels prior to shorting them together.
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Be careful if
you have an Optex mini LCD monitor as the Hirose 4 pin power input socket
is wired "back to front". As there is no diode reverse
polarity protection or fuse, if you attempt to power it from a standard
Hirose 4 pin lead, the unit will be severely damaged (in a barbeque sort
of way).
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| If
you are using a Teletest monitor with our Video
Sender Receiver and you get no picture, make sure the input on the
monitor is terminated.
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| If
you are making your own Hirose 4 pin power leads, be very careful to make
sure the positive terminal (pin 4) does not short to the case of the plug,
since if you use it to feed unbalanced equipment this will result in a
short circuit blowing fuses and chokes (if you are lucky) or a fire (if
you are unlucky!)
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 Did you know that if you connect the output of your mixer to an unbalanced load - such as a Walkman - you will unbalance any other outputs in parallel, possibly even your programme feed to the camera?
This could have disastrous consequences since interference is likely to be picked up on the umbilical to the camera.
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When recording
time code onto a Walkman, track 1 is normally used for time code and track 2 for program. Set the time code level at -12 dB relative to programme to avoid cross talk.
If the time code originates from a Betacam you will need a total of 24 dB of attenuation. An easy way to achieve this is our BNC Time Code Pad, which is designed for the correct
impedences.
NOTE: an ordinary 600 ohm 20 dB pad won’t do - the impedences aren’t
right
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About batteries, for long-term storage it’s best to store:
- Ni-Cad batteries flat
- Lead Acid batteries fully charged
|
About power loss, did you know that:
- a Ni-Cad loses about 1% charge per day
-a Lead Acid loses much less - about 5% a month
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| When
you have to record time code and programme onto a Walkman, to prevent the
possibility of time code finding its way onto the programme feed from the
mixer, we offer the complete solution to all these problems in our Time
Code Walkman Box.
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| Stereo recordings made using an M&S mic can be converted to A&B and back to M&S any time at will.
But stereo recordings made using an A&B mic cannot be converted to M&S |
Please, please, always
read the instructions.
Though it may seem obvious, you'd be amazed at
the number of people who don't! We've had people wondering why a unit
won't work and they've had the aerial sticking out the wrong socket!
And we've even had people blow their unit up because they have not taken
the time to read the literature.
Also - it could just be plan dangerous
to just dive in!
We supply detailed instructions with our units,
and we do ask you to read them carefully, please.
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| When
trying to switch on an item of Black Box Video equipment fitted with a
locking toggle switch it's much easier if you pull out the switch toggle
first! Our number-one repair is replacing these switches when
someone has resorted to using a Mole wrench instead of reading the
instructions! |
| To work out how much current a piece of equipment takes if you only know the wattage, divide the Watts by volts. For example, 24 Watts running on 12 volts will draw a current of 2 Amps. |
You only get the correct attenuation with a pad if the source and load impedences are as specified for the pad.
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