# Aircraft radio to camcorder **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762 "2006-03-31T21:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/1 "2006-03-31T21:31:47Z")
I have a Panasonic AG-DVX100A camcorder that I’d like to use in an aircraft. How do I get audio to it from the aircraft’s intercom? The camera has XLR inputs and RCS jacks: > [@](#): > > **AUDIO IN/OUT (input/output automatically switched)** > Pin jacks X 2 (CH1, CH2) > Input: 316 mV, high impedance > Output: 316 mV, 600 ohm > > **INPUT 1, INPUT 2** > XLR (3 pins) X 2 (CH1, CH2) > LINE/MIC switching, high impedance > LINE: 0 dBu > MIC: -50 dBu/-60 dBu (menu selection) > > **DC INPUT** > 7.9V IIRC aircraft headset speakers (earphones) are 300 ohm (or 150 ohm/earphone wired in parallel. But I’m not an EE. Can the aircraft intercom simply be plugged into the camera? Or does it need some sort of impedance-matching device? Where would I get an adapter? News crews lack their cameras into the aircraft intercom all the time, so they must be available. Bonus: How do I make the ohm symbol (omega) on a Mac? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/2 "2006-03-31T21:32:58Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > … and RCS jacks: RCA jacks. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/3 "2006-04-01T00:34:20Z")
Don’t know if this helps but I’ve used my Sony DCR-VX2000 miniDV camcorder with a standard sport pilot headset/intercom system and it worked fine. Just used a standard ½" to ¼" headphone adapter cable and plugged it into the LINE IN (not the MIC) on the camcorder. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/4 "2006-04-01T00:51:21Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > Just used a standard ½" to ¼" headphone adapter cable and plugged it into the LINE IN (not the MIC) on the camcorder. You mean 1/8" plug? Unfortunately I don’t have one of those. Just the RCA and XLR. Is there a 1/4" to XLR cable? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/5 "2006-04-01T01:18:48Z")
I assume I can just use [this](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=134174&is=REG&addedTroughType=search)? ---
**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/6 "2006-04-01T06:28:39Z")
You can probably just use one of [these.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005T3GH/104-5764466-9639924?v=glance&n=172282) Attached to one of [these](http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=164). Then plugged in to a back-seat headset jack (the headset’s definitely a 1/4" stereo jack, mic’s a .205" stereo) If you don’t feel like putting your camcorder’s recording abilities in jeopardy (though I doubt a difference in ohms with kill it) you could always find a cheap digital recorder to record any sounds from the headset, and edit them in digitally. Then all you need is a mic (which is most likely 3.5mm male) to 1/4" stereo cord, and it should plug right in. (I keep one of these cords in my flight bag, because one of our club’s aircraft has a music input on the radio stack, and I can put on my MP3 player for those long cross-country flights.) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/7 "2006-04-01T14:20:00Z")
Yes Johnny. You assume correctly. You will need a male to male 1/4 inch Phono cable, no biggie- Radio Shack stuff. Then plug the male 1/4 inch phono into the adaptor you show, and voila ! Assuming you have no impedance issues. It may be a cheap go-around if you DO have impedance issues, to run the 1/4 inch phono down to a 1/8 inch mic input plug and jack it into a standard issue cassette recorder. Tape the stuff, then digitize the audio tape and input it into FCP and bypass the DVX-100A totally. Just a thought. Does it have to be synch? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aircraft-radio-to-camcorder/350762/8 "2006-04-01T15:52:53Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Yes Johnny. You assume correctly. You will need a male to male 1/4 inch Phono cable, no biggie- Radio Shack stuff… > > Does it have to be synch? I looked on the Radio Shack site, and all I found were adapters that went from high impedance to low impedance. The camera’s manual says that the XLR inputs are high impedance. I did find that one at B&H, but they have that Sabbath thing going on so I couldn’t order it. Yeah, I’d like it to be in synch; so it would have to run into the camera.