DAT Replacement

[stealth]

I work for a post production facility looking to replace timecode DATs in all of our suites. All of our audio/music rooms currently use Pro Tools mix systems to record audio so there isn't really a need for us to record to DAT except to get music and voiceovers into our linear edit bays(Sony D-Beta & Quantel Edit Boxes). Exchange between our audio suites and Avid suites is no problem because we use OMFs or time-stamped soundfiles.
What we are looking for is a robust, non-linear solution that supports timecode, and can be controled by an editor(Sony 9 pin), and preferably have some sort of network access(ftp, filesharing). The only device we have found so far that fits the budget and most of the requirements is the dv-40 by Fostex. Budget is a consideration since we will need multiple machines. Probably around $3,000 per room.
Does anyone have any experience with this and any good suggestions? Also I'm curious if anyone would know if a Pro Tools LE system with the DV toolkit could be a solution? It seems to me like it could be the ultimate solution if Pro Tools LE could be controlled by the editor as a machine and cued up to the timecode of the right VO read or music cut?
Thanks
Jamie

[trakbytes]

"All of our audio/music rooms currently use Pro Tools mix systems to record audio ...
What we are looking for is a robust, non-linear solution that supports timecode, and can be controled by an editor(Sony 9 pin), and preferably have some sort of network access(ftp, filesharing)."

How 'bout Pro Tools machine control option with USD? You already have everything you are looking for, just configure it to work the way you need it.

rcm

[stealth]

How 'bout Pro Tools machine control option with USD? You already have everything you are looking for, just configure it to work the way you need it.

rcm [/QB][/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply. I'm afraid I wasn't clear with my description of the problem. Our audio sweetening rooms do indeed have Pro Tools systems with machine control and microlynx controllers for layback to d-beta which we use everyday. Our dilemma is getting audio (mostly voice overs/or music for promos) from our ISDN recording room and music compostion rooms to "old school" linear edit bays. These bays have d-beta machines and timecode dats ; no avid or protools systems. We record voiceovers daily via ISDN that are only going to the linear bays(no avid or audio sweetening). The voiceovers and music cuts have to be recorded on timecode DAT so that they can be used in the linear bays. We want to replace the dats with something more reliable and preferably non-linear. A full blown mix or hd rig with sync i/o is too expensive for us to put in 5 linear bays.
If I am still unclear please let me know and I will try to explain the workflow better.
Thanks
Jamie

[Tiago Silva]

If I understood your workflow correctly, something like the Akai DD8 dubbers would work - they interface to 9 pin, TC chase, even biphase (for following perforation machines), but are probably overkill. They record 8 tracks at once on MO or an external SCSI disk drive.

Maybe Tascam has a simpler alternative I don't know of...

[trakbytes]

Sounds like a good application for the 002 with timecode option, maybe the rackmount version. I doubt you'd have 9 pin machine control, but timecode chase should work, unless you need to do punch-ins from a video edit controller. I suppose the biggest obstacle would be educating the on-line editors on a new piece of audio gear.

Akai DD8's and Tascam MMR8's are almost as expensive as an HD core system, and are pretty close to obsolete anyway. Don't know anything about the Fostex unit, but it seems like introducing another piece of proprietary hardware could be just more trouble.

rcm

[cpi]

One of our edit suites has a G4 with an LE system. It follows standard 9-pin via an Alesis AI-2. (9-pin to AI2, which spits out LTC and midi - midi to LE). You will need to resolve your clock throught the spdif though.

An MMR8 will be over your budget - 10,000-12,000$

We have a few Akai DD8+ machines. Fantastic machines. 9-pin control FAR SUPERIOR and MUCH FASTER than SYNC/mc option from digi in both controlling and being controlled by external devices. Very flexible with I/O, and also have a great editi controler if needed (DL1500). No direct way to read files on a computer - except to export to PT sessions, and move the scsi disk to protools to open there. Downsides: track limitation (8 or 16) and only SCSI drives. Poor support in the US. Will cost from $4000-6000 depending on config.

Tascam mx2424 - still waiting to try it out personally, but from what we understand the 9pin works via midi, and there are some issues with stability. But 24 tracks - many more virtual. But this is from ads and sales reps. Haven't tested it.

Hope this helped.
-David