Here is a really cool trick to help monitor the audio from your camcorder when you are videotaping. You really don’t have to have a special headphone jack on your camcorder, if your camcorder has an A/V output jack like the kind you plug your camcorder to the TV with, then you can plug in a set of ear-buds and hear what the camcorder is recording.  A few camcorders have a different style of plug for the A/V jack and this will not work on those. But most have the standard size and shape jack we need for this.

a/v/ input jackuse this jack

 

use this jack

 

 

 

 

 

Plug the cord from the ear buds into the jack marked a/v on your camcorder and one ear-bud side will give you the audio and the other side will give you the video signal which ends up being just a lot of noise. Don’t wear that one. Use a pair you don’t mind sacrificing, because you will cut off the side that gives you the noise and leave the other side that gives you the clean audio.

stereo ear buds

 

stereo "Y" connection

 

 

 

 

To cut, make sure you have the side that is video signal and just has noise in it. Mark it, put a piece of tape on it, etc. then take side cutters, nippers, scissors, whatever you have and cut just that ear-bud cord a little above the point where the two cords join into one cord.

cut heremono ear bud

 

mono ear bud

 

 

 

 

 

It will ruin that set for stereo use but you will have a mono earpiece like the pro’s use. Wear it in either ear so you can hear what’s being recorded in the camcorder and still have an open ear if someone needs your attention. On really windy days you will be able to hear the wind noise rustling across the camcorder’s microphone and you can adjust for it by turning from the wind a little. In crowded noisy rooms or events you will be able to tell how close you need to be to get good audio recorded.

plug ear bud into a/v jackwear in one ear

 

wear in one ear

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe all that sounds like too much but if you are up for it, try it, you’ll love it! If you know and trust your camcorder will record audio correctly or feel silly wearing ear-buds then don’t worry about it. 

Have Fun.