Topic: PMD 661 MKll

[jb63]

Just to clarify, Did you shut off the V3 while the 661 was still recording? Or was the 661 stopped but still powered on when you shut down the V3. I know the file is written as soon as you hit the stop button, so if that was the case, it is unusual if you lost data. However if it was still recording while you shut off the power to the V3 that would make sense, as you would have an instant I/O error and the file would likely go back to it's last internal save that it makes periodically while the recording is taking place. I just want to be clear, because in none of your posts (I think), do you mention that you stopped the recording prior to shutting off the V3. Thanks!

Exactly!
I shut off the V3 while the 661 was still recording. Would have been fine if I was feeding the XLRs but it was feeding via digital-in. So that explains it all to me, anyway. (I think I posted the order I did stuff at the beginning, but its water under the bridge.

Thanks again, guys!

[jb63]

Running a v3 digital in to a 661, recording was going fine. 3 hours in, show stops. Deck is running fine. I turned off the v3 BEFORE the 661 and got an immediate card error 22.

Waited a long time trying to push stop and pause and whatnot and finally, and hour later after I got home I turned the power off and the deck powered down properly.

Thanks again for all this info. It is really nice to have a place like this to to come back to after the show and yak about it all.
Nothing like that in my divergent life.

So here's a stupid question: I got the error because the digital signal stopped, right? What if, after I saw the error, I turned the V3 back on and the signal showed up? Would the 661 recognize it again and save the recording, or would it successfully have locked itself up and the tape would be gone?

I'd test that, but I'm not next to the machines right now.

[edit]

Nope. I just tried that. Once that error shows up, your machine is locked and you have to turn off the power to get it back.

I miss DATs just a little bit right now. (But I remember missing cassettes the first time I brickwalled a DAT)

[Ultfris101]

This behavior is a little disconcerting. So if you're battery dies or for whatever reason the V3 loses power you're going to lose at least some of your recording?

Do you have the latest firmware on the 661? I would lower the file size limit so it splits more frequently and thus you lose less if it happens again.

[jb63]

That sounds like a good idea! Yes, latest firmware.

[jb63]

I would lower the file size limit so it splits more frequently and thus you lose less if it happens again.

I couldn't figure out how to do this, but I did read the part of the manual that says the 661 does not guarantee a seamless file-split.

[rocksuitcase]

I would lower the file size limit so it splits more frequently and thus you lose less if it happens again.

I couldn't figure out how to do this, but I did read the part of the manual that says the 661 does not guarantee a seamless file-split.

To date, my 661 has always made seamless splits. It seems it is coded to split at 2GB, but I do not know if this is 100% accurate for all 661s.

[jb63]

I would lower the file size limit so it splits more frequently and thus you lose less if it happens again.

I couldn't figure out how to do this, but I did read the part of the manual that says the 661 does not guarantee a seamless file-split.

To date, my 661 has always made seamless splits. It seems it is coded to split at 2GB, but I do not know if this is 100% accurate for all 661s.

Mine, too.
But I can't figure out how to change the size where it splits the files.

[cottle]

It's under the settings when you go into your presets and edit them. I think it gives you the option of setting the split at a time interval rather than as a file size.  I'll have to pull mine out when I get home and I can tell you exactly where it is in the menu options.

[dallman]

It's under the settings when you go into your presets and edit them. I think it gives you the option of setting the split at a time interval rather than as a file size.  I'll have to pull mine out when I get home and I can tell you exactly where it is in the menu options.

It is hard to remember, because, once I set the presets, I never needed to go back and change them. (I have SPDIF, XLR, and 1/8 Line in as my 3 preset parameters.) I believe that preset #7 is Auto Track, and leaving that off, allows your to go to 4gb before the file splits. However, my memory on this is very sketchy. I didn't realize it split at 4gb (versus the more common 2GB) until I recorded a set that was longer than 2GB, and I was pretty surprised until I got an explanation from someone here at TS. This may be addressed in the an older PMD 661 thread. Mine is not the MKII, but the differences are negligible.

[jb63]

Well, my 661 has screwed me with the err 22 again.
Different card, different cable, same chain: acmv3>661.

I was going to sent it to the r44 digital in, but it wouldn't take. (Different thread, I guess.)
But I had the 661 in a bag as a backup, pulled the cable and sent it to that instead. Checked it numerous times throughout the show, but at the 2 & 1/2 hour point I assumed it was ok. Breaking down 10 mins later it says: Err22
Well, it's not like I didn't make 4 backup tapes, but come on... Why is this happening?
A) jiggling the digital in cable sends errors?
B) it hates 2.5 hour shows and gives errors at that time?
C) low battery causes the error?

I googles the hell out of this again tonight, because the v3 is still powered on and plugged in, but after an hour of discovering no tricks to get the unit to respond I just powered it off. I'm not going to turn it on and let it repair the file like last time right away, because maybe someone has a better idea. I didn't set it to record smaller file sizes or anything, so I assume, like last time, that I've lost the entire last chunk of data.

(Pardon my language)

[DigiGal]

It could be a loose solder joint on the circuit board of PMD661's digital input if you are certain the cable and its connectors are good and wiggling the cable at the PMD661 end causes the problem.  You would need to take the PMD661 apart to inspect the solder joint and then re-solder if it is bad, best to wick off the old solder and use new eutectic solder to replace it.

[jb63]

Nope. Solder seems good. I dunno. I'm going to try different memory cards and run some lang tests. All I can think of is that I moved the bag with the deck in it a few times as there were crowds of people stomping around in the grass…

I just hate seeing the "Err Card 2" and not being able to do anything but turn of the deck. Its like when your tape got mangled in 1974...

[DigiGal]

Well if it's a card error that's entirely different than a digital in error. 

Are you pre-formatting your cards in the PMD661 before use and exactly what brand/type/class card is giving you the error?  "err 22" or "Err Card 2"

[jb63]

It's under the settings when you go into your presets and edit them. I think it gives you the option of setting the split at a time interval rather than as a file size.  I'll have to pull mine out when I get home and I can tell you exactly where it is in the menu options.

That's the one! Smallest size is 10 mins, so I'll try that and see what happens. I'm running out of cards to try. Last one was a Kingston 16 GB class 10. The R-44 hates that card, but the 661 has always liked it.