Topic: DAT Transfer Question

[opsopcopolis]

Hey all,

To preface, I know next to nothing about DATs.  Most audio stuff I've got a handle on (even minidisk) but I've just never had to use DAT.  So, for one of my side jobs I've been handed a box of 10-15 year old DATs of 2 channel SBD feeds (at least that's what I'm assuming they are) and they want me transfer them over to ProTools.  The only DAT unit they had (so the only thing I have) is the Sony PCM-M1.  He asked me to look around and see if there were any ways for me to transfer the DATs digitally.

Any recommendations for units or should I just not worry about it and record out of the line-out on the M1?

[larrysellers]

For that many dats, I would find someone with an existing setup to transfer them for you. What is the band?

[H₂O]

Right - find someone to xfer them for you

You definitely do not want to use a portable DAT deck for any transfers (i.e. don't use an M1)

[Ozpeter]

Two consideration here, apart from whether to use a deck with digital out or not.

Firstly, DAT tapes can play fine on one machine and not play at all on another.  You might find that the tapes will only work reliably on the machine they were recorded on, in which case you've got to go with whatever output it happens to have.

Secondly, DAT tapes are pretty delicate things, and if you decide to play them in a machine other than the one you were asked to use, and that machine eats the tapes, you may find yourself in an embarrassing position.  In any event it might be worth saying to the tape owners that while you will take every care with their media, you won't accept liability for any damage which may result in attempting to play them.  And ask before playing them on another device.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I'll be happy to Transfer them for you:  Sony PCM-R500 > SPDIF > Tascam HD-P2...

Just get in touch...

Terry

[H₂O]

Two consideration here, apart from whether to use a deck with digital out or not.

Firstly, DAT tapes can play fine on one machine and not play at all on another.  You might find that the tapes will only work reliably on the machine they were recorded on, in which case you've got to go with whatever output it happens to have.

Secondly, DAT tapes are pretty delicate things, and if you decide to play them in a machine other than the one you were asked to use, and that machine eats the tapes, you may find yourself in an embarrassing position.  In any event it might be worth saying to the tape owners that while you will take every care with their media, you won't accept liability for any damage which may result in attempting to play them.  And ask before playing them on another device.

First point is only applicable if the DAT deck used to record the tape was out of alignment

I think you have a greater chance of the tape being eaten in an M1 that's been sitting unused for the last 10 years than someone's R500 that has been regularly and recently been used for DAT transfers.

I have transfered close to 1000 tapes over the last 15 or so years and have only had one tape eaten (which was already broken and I tried to splice it) and never ran into a tape recorded on an out of alignment deck.

 

[opsopcopolis]

This situation arose because the owner knows nothing at all about the DATs, how to play them back/transfer, or even if they were recorded with that deck. I honestly have no idea at all and neither does he.  I'm probably gonna get somebody to do them for me, so I'll reach out if necessary.  Thanks guys!

[DigitalIndigo]

I'd tend to agree on not using the M1 to do the transfers unless you send it out to be checked over, cleaned, etc. first.  I'd be looking at someone who can do it for you or look for a full-size pro machine.  Personally I still have a functioning audio-capable computer DAT drive hooked up via SCSI to and old computer and the venerable Dat2wav program.  I've transferred over 300 DATs recorded on multiple recorders, with only a handful of tapes having any problems (usually because of excessive blank tape at the front lead which confuses the computer drive - all transferred fine with a Sony R500).  If they were that delicate, they wouldn't have been as ubiquitous for long-term computer data storage.  It really boils down to whether you keep your hardware in good working order or not.  The sometimes finicky portable DAT decks tended to get abused more often, and I wouldn't be surprised if you ran into problems with those, but full size machines should be fine.