Help! Microphone recording weird crackling sound

[Peter the Bohemian]

Indy Moguls, please help!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JF-1lo_Ef8k

I built a boom mic similar to the one that WesScog built. I but foam insulation on a long pvc pipe for handles and I attached a microphone stand adapter to the pvc pipe with super glue and duct tape. I then used a 3.5 mini extension cord to connect to the microphone and the video camera.

The test started out pretty good, the improvement in quality was immeasurable and the voice of whoever the microphone was aiming at was captured well.

However, when we were watching the test footage, we realized that the microphone picked up a loud, obvious crackling sound (which can be heard at around 00:48+ in the video). Anyone have any idea of what's causing that noise and how we can eliminate it?

Thanks a lot!

P.S. Please excuse the "Hills" talk. I am not a fan of the show, but we needed test subjects who were willing to talk, and these guys just liked talking about the "Hills." My partner and I were there to record audio, not judge their tastes in television.

Edit: OMG, Youtube KILLS the quality of my videos. The videos look like it was shot with an old VHS camcorder.

[oblenob]

I think it is the shield moving or a jack coming loose

[Peter the Bohemian]

By shield, do you mean wind shield?

I'm thinking the jack coming loose is really possible, but I can't think of a way to fix that. Duct tape it?

[WesScog]

Check to see if your camera needs a firmware update too, I heard there was one Camera out there that gave a horrible crackling noise if you hooked up a external mic.

[ericslovechild]

Wescog, that's the Canon ZR series. i have an early one that doesn't even have an external mic port, but if I try to put headphones into the audio out jack it screams at me.

[Peter the Bohemian]

Oh, in case it helps, I'm using a PV-GS300 camera and an ATR-55 microphone.

[Grenadis Productions]

i know this is a bit of subject but i need to get a new shotgun mike so ive been using the one on my camera and to be honest the sound pick-up is actually quite gd i mean ill get a new shotgun mike anyway but i think the sound im picking up without one is quite gd and will do me for now

[SPARC]

I don't know if this is your problem, but this seem like a good place to mention it because many will be looking at this thread later for solutions to noise in their video.

I'd just like to suggest that when you connect a mic to your camera and the jack is a 3.5mm as opposed to an XLR connection that you protect the jack by making sure it can not be subjected to strain from pulling on the mic cable. The way to do this is to secure the mic cable with a few inches of slack in it to either the mic or the tripod or some other point than the mic jack. That way if someone trips on the mic cable or you somehow put a strain on the cable it will be absorbed somewhere other than the mic jack where it will most likely do damage to the jack and/or the plug. Also on the lower quality that you will find on almost all cable with 3.5mm plugs do not stretch it or pull on it. If you do you can tear or break the shield inside the wire. The shield forms have the circuit from your mic to the camera or audio recording device. When the cable gets stretched the shield could possibly break and then make intermittent contact which can cause noisy operation or an on/off type of problem.

[Peter the Bohemian]

Anyone else got any ideas?

[Imbender]

I have the same camera peter but a different microphone. I use the rodevideo mic. Ummm my guess is it is your microphone. Try testing out the microphone in your computer by plugging it in a mic jack and recording it. Also is it possible the gain is set too high? If the gain or strength is set too high the louder noises will be cut off creating a crackling sort of noise called clipping. This can happen if the noises being recorder are too loud (often loud gust of wind) or if the gain in post production is set too high. Or could it be the wind? With my camera I used the audio/video out cable threw an adapter on there so I can hear whats being recorded with my headphones.

[UndergroundMark]

Also be aware of any touching or motion of the cable going to the mic..... Mics pic up allot

[Imbender]

Also be aware of any touching or motion of the cable going to the mic..... Mics pic up allot

yep, often times things as simple as rubbing your hands on the boom pole will pick up a scratchy noise. practice, with headphones!

[doid]

shout i just bought an ATR-55

[pythagoras_77]

Wescog, that's the Canon ZR series. i have an early one that doesn't even have an external mic port, but if I try to put headphones into the audio out jack it screams at me.
I recently got a ZR800 and I tried plugging up my guitar and recording it and it sounded like someone was blowing into the mic. is that b/c of my camera???
I haven't tried using a mic. and i was using a really old, cheap quarter inch to a 1/8 inch adapter. It may be that.

[etentertainment]

Maybe you should try to lower the volume of the
guitar through the volume knob on the guitar...usually
if you plug an audio cable into something that cannot handle
that much noise, it becomes distorted.

[BROKEN Productions]

maybe the person operating the pole or the pipe loose or theres alot of stuff that can go wrong

[DeviousTom]

Well from my experience when you talk too loudly or close to the mic it cracks becuase the amplitude kind of breaks the limit

[groovin'larry]

[deleted by user]

[pythagoras_77]

Maybe you should try to lower the volume of the
guitar through the volume knob on the guitar...usually
if you plug an audio cable into something that cannot handle
that much noise, it becomes distorted.
Well, it isn't my camera b/c i plugged my CD player in w/out an adapter and it recorded well.

[Sam_rocks321]

Mabey too long of cable?

[speekerphone]

My mic does that too, its because of the vibrations. i don't know why, but i does it to me too