sony pd 150/170 video cameras

Built-in or Shotgun Microphones

If you're using the built-in or shotgun microphone on a camera, the automatic audio settings generally work pretty well, automatically adjusting to the level of sound being recorded.

On the Sony PD150 and PD170 you just need to make sure the camera is set to power the shotgun microphone. To do that, check the audio settings for the microphones on the top left of the camera toward the front. Make sure the Record Channel Select button is set to CH1 (to record the audio to a single channel),the Input Level button is set to Mic and the +48V button (which is the power source for the shotgun microphone) is set to On.

External Microphones

If you're attaching external microphones to the camera, you may want to manually adjust the audio.

If you have a camera that does not come with built-in XLR connectors, we recommend you purchase an audio adapter that attaches to the bottom of the camera and has XLR connectors for attaching microphones. The adapter also has simple dials you can use to manually set the audio input from microphones connected to the adapter.

This is what the audio adapter on a Sony TRV900 looks like, including the dials for manually setting the audio.

If your camera has built-in XLR connectors for microphones, then you'll need to change your camera settings so you can manually adjust the audio. This often is done using the camera menu.

Sony PD150 and PD170

To manually adjust the audio for external microphones on the Sony PD150 and PD170, first you need to set the audio settings for the microphones on the top left of the camera toward the front. Make sure the Record Channel Select button is set to CH1 (this will allow you to record audio on two microphones if you want), the Input Level button is set to Mic, and the +48V button (which is the power source for the microphone) is set to On if you're using the built-in shotgun microphone, or Off if you're using a microphone that has it's own power (such as a Sennheiser handheld mic or Sony lavalier mic - although these two particular microphones will work even if the +48V button is set to On).

Then you need to select and adjust some settings in the camera menu.

First open the LCD screen on the side of the camera.

Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera where the LDC screen compartment is located.

That will display the camera menu settings on the LCD screen.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial on the bottom back of the camera to scroll through the entries on the menu until you highlight the yellow icon that looks like a tape.

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

Now use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll through the new entries and highlight the Audio Set entry.

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll to and highlight AGC CH1 to allow manual adjustment of the audio level for a mic attached to the input 1 XLR mic cable connector on the right front of the camera.

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll to and highlight OFF (which turns off the automatic audio and allows manual adjustment)

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

If you're using a second mic on the input 2 XLR mic cable connector on the right front of the camera, and you also want to manually adjust its audio, use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll to and highlight AGC CH2. Then repeat the above steps with this second channel to switch off automatic audio and allow manual adjustment.

When you're done setting the channel or channels to manual audio, press the Menu button to clear the LCD screen.

Now on the back of the camera, press the button labeled Audio Level.

This will display on the LCD screen an audio level indicator for CH1/input 1 (and a second indicator for CH2/input2 as well, if you have a second microphone you've set for manual audio adjustment)

Turn the Sel/Push Exec dial to change the audio to the desired level for the CH1/input 1 mic.

If you also want to manually adjust the audio level for a second microphone, push the Sel/Push Exec dial to move to CH2/input 2.

Then turn the Sel/Push Exec dial to change the audio for the CH2/input 2 mic to the desired level.

You can continue to make adjustments to the audio levels on either channel using the Sel/Push Exec dial as described above.

Returning to Automatic Audio

When you're done, you should return the camera to the automatic audio level settings. Otherwise the next time you use the camera you may think you're using automatic audio, when you've actually manually set the audio to a level that isn't appropriate for the new shooting situation.

To return to automatic audio, press the Menu button on the left side of the camera where the LDC screen compartment is located.

That will display the camera menu settings on the LCD screen.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial on the bottom back of the camera to scroll through the entries on the menu until you highlight the yellow icon that looks like a tape.

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

Now use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll through the new entries and highlight the Audio Set entry.

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll to and highlight AGC CH1 to allow manual adjustment of the audio level for a mic attached to the input 1 XLR mic cable connector on the right front of the camera.

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll to and highlight ON (which turns on the automatic audio and allows manual adjustment)

Push in the Sel/Push Exec dial to select that entry.

If you're using a second mic on the input 2 XLR mic cable connector on the right front of the camera, you also need to set that to automatically adjust its audio.

Use the Sel/Push Exec dial to scroll to and highlight AGC CH2. Then repeat the above steps with this second channel to switch on automatic audio.

When you're done setting the channel or channels to automatic audio, press the Menu button to clear the LCD screen.

Finally, you should change the _audio settings for the microphones on the top left of the camera toward the front, so they once again provide power to the built-in shotgun microphone. Make sure the Record Channel Select button is set to CH1 (this will allow you to record audio on two microphones if you want) the Input Level button is set to Mic and the +48V button (which is the power source for the microphone) is set to On (so power is provided to the shotgun mic)