Producing compelling surround audio for small-scale documentary-style HD productions has traditionally been complex and costly. Now, Holophone, a Toronto-based manufacturer of surround microphones, has introduced what it bills as the world's first camera-mountable compact 5.1 channel discrete surround system.

Priced at $2,495, the new H4 SuperMINI is a miniaturized 5.1 channel surround microphone based on the design of the company's flagship H2-Pro mic. The H4, which mounts on the camera's hot (or cold) shoe, comes with an integrated multichannel pre-amplifier, monitor, and encoder. It turns any two-channel camcorder into a 5.1 surround recording device.

The mic has six independent microphone elements that are output through either a matrix-surround encoded stereo analog output or six line-level analog outputs (L, R, C, LFE, LS, RS). These are available through three stereo mini-plug jacks.

The H4 also includes an input for an external, center-channel placed shotgun or lavalier mic to enhance specific sounds and a zoom button that increases the forward bias of the pick-up pattern. The mic also has a virtual surround headphone output with gain control on the 3.5mm stereo jack for live instantaneous monitoring of the surround field.

Weighing about a pound and running five hours on four AA batteries, the H4 can be used without specially trained audio personnel. The operator can view a tri-colored LED monitor that indicates sound level and direction.

Using the H4 eliminates the need for extensive surround mixing in post-production and negates synchronization issues involved with separate surround recording gear. The encoded LT/RT matrix output is compatible with Dolby Pro-Logic II and all similar 5.1 channel stereo matrix decoding schemes.

www.holophone.com