I've recently gotten a Rode Videomic for my Sony HDR-SR11, but I think I'm experiencing an unusual amount of hiss on my recordings with the mic attached.

I'm not sure if it's the camera or the mic. I've tried all the setting on the mic (0db, -10db, -20db, hi-pass filter), without much improvement. The HDR-SR11 isn't helping with the only volume option being "Normal" and "Low."

The result is either the volume is too low to hear my voice clearly (at a small distance) or my voice is clear but there's a lot of hiss when I'm not talking.

I've watched some recordings/tests at Vimeo with the Rode Videomic and it seems the mic is working fine with Canon camera's (which has a manual setting for the volume), but not with Sony Handycams?

I'll upload some tests tomorrow, if anybody is interested.

I've recently gotten a Rode Videomic for my Sony HDR-SR11, but I think I'm experiencing an unusual amount of hiss on my recordings with the mic attached.

I'm not sure if it's the camera or the mic. I've tried all the setting on the mic (0db, -10db, -20db, hi-pass filter), without much improvement. The HDR-SR11 isn't helping with the only volume option being "Normal" and "Low."

The result is either the volume is too low to hear my voice clearly (at a small distance) or my voice is clear but there's a lot of hiss when I'm not talking.

I've watched some recordings/tests at Vimeo with the Rode Videomic and it seems the mic is working fine with Canon camera's (which has a manual setting for the volume), but not with Sony Handycams?

I'll upload some tests tomorrow, if anybody is interested.

Although pros and semi pro guys seem to use mono mikes the atraction never appeals to me,i use the rode stereo which is realy on the large size for my SR12 but it does give great sound,in calm and indoor conditions i find the built
in mike fine,i had a sennheiser mono mike a few years back that gave the affect you describe on a sony 2100 i had once, the rode video mike is good for directional work ie picking up sound from particular subjects including from far away and you may need an adaptor to get it to work without hiss on your cam.

you may need an adaptor to get it to work without hiss on your cam.What kind of adaptor?

Is SR12 mic jack mono and having trouble resolving the stereo signal coming from your mic? If so, you could get a stereo to mono adaptor maybe. Is the mic jack trying to provide phantom power to the mic even thought the mic is already powered? These are only things I can think of.

What kind of adaptor?
Like these http://www.maplin.co.uk/searchtemplate.asp?criteria=MONO%20TO%20STEREO%20ADAPTER may be what you need.
Peter the sr12 is stereo and the rode video mike mono

According to the Amazon description:

"The VideoMic attaches to any camcorder that has the standard camera-shoe fitting and utilizes a stereo mini jack for audio output."

So, I guess it is going stereo-to-stereo by default, which should not cause a problem.