Field-/location audio recording

[RenderBot]

I'm currently in the market for a new stand alone field recorder. The laptop avenue just doesn't bode well with me. I too was very curious about the possibility of using my laptop for field recording. The very first time I had it out in the field with me I experienced a drop out on the software side (software will remain unnamed). This is obviously not something that anyone can afford to take the chance of happening and think that dedicated field recorders provide the kind of reliability one needs as their design took such issues into consideration.

As far as conditions are concerned, Apple does not design with the field recordist in mind. So no, I don't believe it to be a good idea to trust a MacBook in such dynamic conditions that Mother Nature provides. As I said above, field recorders (some not all of course) are built rugged in order to withstand such conditions because that is their purpose. A Macbook is for checking your email and managing your EDL's.

Sound Devices line of recorders is of course in my most considered list, however, check out www.edirol.com as they plan to release the new R-4 Pro in September. Its identical to the R-4 but offers TC in AND OUT!!! for far less than the SD 744t. Keep in mind that the Sound Devices only reads TC and is about double the price of the R-4 Pro's expected price. The 744t will undoubtedly have better pre's, but how much better I dont know. EM had a great issue that review that put new field recorders to the test. http://emusician.com/mag/emusic_play...ld/index2.html is the link. Its a good read for anyone in the market. Good luck and keep me posted on what you decide on as it may help me in my soon to be decision as well.

Cheers,
RenderBot.

[Tiago Silva]

Ambient Lockit boxes + master generator is the bomb. Ambient Recordings (www.ambient.de or www.ambientaudio.com) made one heck of a job with it. Unfortunately, nobody in my country can use them properly...

The new David Fincher film was shot with 2 Viper Digital cameras into S.two Digital Film Recorders, and an Aaton Cantar. One master generator, one Lockit for each Viper, one Lockit for the Cantar, one Lockit for each TC-slate; as far as I've heard, all was peachy.

[Halstein]

The Edirol R-4 Pro could be VERY interesting if you're on a budget. I emailed Edirol asking if the built-in mic.pres were the same as the old R-4....then I can borrow machines and compare to a SoundDevices 722T. Another thing; The SoundDevices 744 only got 2 mic.pres - R-4 Pro got 4!

Doing a 90 minute outdoor live-/theater show next week using PowerBook / Metric Halo 2882 / BoomRecorder software demo. 3 cameras in sync + TC for the BoomRecorder. Unfortunately no Ambient Lockit system this time.... But it's anyway a stability test on the laptop system....

[philper]

One big problem w/ R-4 Pro: so far no 23.976 TC (re: HD shoots). If they fix that I could be interested. Also--no one knows yet how accurate their TC clock will be, and that is a major issue as well. If I had to guess I would say that the analog audio electronics will be ok for 16 bit but will be funky enough that 24 bit won't buy you much of an improvement. Also--I want to know that it has a working "auto-record" feature like the 744 and the Tascam P2; where the recorder will start to record automatically in a new file upon input of good upwardly counting TC. Really great for double system video shoots.

Philip Perkins CAS

[David Sandwisch]

BTW the 744 has 4 mic pres not 2 as stated earlier in this post. I too am in the market for a field recorder. I am looking at the 702T from Sound Devices which is basically a 722 without the hard drive but with TC for less. Sound Devices told me at NAB that a firmware update will allow recorders without hard drives to record to external firewire drives so that's why I am thinking of getting the 702T. I do a lot of video shoots and I am tired of crappy camera preamps. I read the 702T manual and really like its TC features and its ability to start recording to new files upon seeing incoming TC that is moving. I looked at the R-4 pro after many conversations with RENDER BOT but I am disappointed with their online information. They don't give any electrical specifications like gain range, noise etc... where Sound Devices gives you every spec you would ever want to know. I am still looking for more input so if anyone has any thoughts, please chime in.

[Stylin' Audio]

BTW the 744 has 4 mic pres not 2 as stated earlier in this post.

Actually, Halstein was right. Channels 3 and 4 are line in on TA3 connectors.

[David Sandwisch]

I stand corrected. I apologize for the error

[Freeheel]

Note to Renderbot - The Sound Devices 744t and 702t both read AND generate whatever timecode you want. It's the Tascam FR-2 that reads TC only.

[FlorianE]

Hi,

Timecode with Audio Files is just a time stamp in the header, and not continuous. AFAIK, Boom Recorder cannot CLOCK to incoming TC, so essentially you risk clocking to Metric Halo's internal X-tal.
I would make sure with a 90min show to clock the 2882 externally from the cameras or TC source. Otherwise audio could well be a couple of frames out at the end of such a long run.

Cheers
Florian

[D_Whiz]

The Deva, Sound devices, HHB, Tascam field recorders- all used and proven reliable in the Indian Sub-continent.

I normally use TC generator off the recorder except when we are working with the Tascam. The Ambient units are reliable and accurate.