Topic: PCM-M10 Remote (RM-PCM001) losing control

[earmonger]

I had the feeling it was going to be the weak link, but I hoped not yet.  I got the PCM-M10 back upon release in 2009, and it has been to a lot of shows, but...

The remote on my PCM-M10 no longer reliably controls the unit. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It's properly plugged in--the red Record light is on when Record is, and blinks when it's Paused, so it's getting that connection and data.  There's no fraying at the plug or where the cord connects to the remote.

So I would hypothesize that the  buttons themselves are giving out.

Does anyone have good ideas on how to get them working better? Contact spray?  Cleaner? Chocolates and flowers?

It's not listed for sale separately on the Sony website. I've contacted Sony.   

[morst]

I never use mine if you wanna try a substitute. PM me, I should have a total of two of them somewhere so letting you borrow/make me a cheap deal for one is fine.

[morst]

We are gonna have you try a known-working remote and see how that goes. You should post the results for interested onlookers. ;-)

[Ekib]

Why do you want to use the remote anyway ? There's nothing more to check than on the unit itself . It's not like you can check recording levels , like on the Hi MD recorders . I only take a look during recording in my back pocket , if I see the red light turned on I know it's all fine ...I have my settings on a little under 5 , so all has been taken care off .

[earmonger]

Unlike the MD remotes, the PCM-M10 has a Record button. This can be useful in a stealth situation.

I also use the track mark button during applause. If I don't like where I put them, I can always delete them later. And the Stop button at the end of the show. 

I'd like levels, volume and hold on the remote too, but I can live without them.

[dallman]

Unlike the MD remotes, the PCM-M10 has a Record button. This can be useful in a stealth situation.

I also use the track mark button during applause. If I don't like where I put them, I can always delete them later. And the Stop button at the end of the show. 

I'd like levels, volume and hold on the remote too, but I can live without them.

I am one who always likes to lock my buttons, even if the chance of hitting one is unlikely. I have 2 decks with remotes now and like the idea, but am too worried about hitting a button at the wrong time. How easy or hard is it to screw up a recording?

[earmonger]

A new remote was all it took. Nothing wrong with the PCM-M10 itself.  Received and...field-tested tonight. Morst, thank you thank you thank you thank you.

I also want to celebrate the joy of kindness to strangers here. TS is a genuine community and that's a rare thing.

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If anyone wants to disassemble, reverse engineer or otherwise fiddle with my malfunctioning remote, and keep it, I'll send it free to anyone in the continental US. Just PM me.

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Dallman, it's hard to squeze the buttons of the remote. It would be difficult to have them be triggered unless they were in a very tight place, which they shouldn't be.
I have made brief recording glitches by pushing the wrong button--Stop instead of T-Mark--in the dark, but then the red light goes off and I just start the recording again.

The remote still works when Hold is on, however. So if you want to just lock and load, don't use the remote. The volume knob on the unit itself also works under Hold, but you really have to turn it yourself to do anything. Maybe you could mess it up if you had the unit in tight jeans in the mosh pit...but you wouldn't do that anyway.

[dallman]

  This ^^ is really helpful, so thank you!! And I am happy to see that you got a new remote throgh the generosity of one of the community. Plus T's to Morst (who I already know is one of the good ones) for stepping up!!

[SMBTapes]

Why do you want to use the remote anyway ? There's nothing more to check than on the unit itself . It's not like you can check recording levels , like on the Hi MD recorders . I only take a look during recording in my back pocket , if I see the red light turned on I know it's all fine ...I have my settings on a little under 5 , so all has been taken care off .

You're like me. I'd prefer to set the recording level, hit record, lock and load, and not have to worry about it until the show is over. I'm always sketched out that a security guard is going to see me fumbling around with electronics (say, if I needed to check recording levels midshow), but I haven't tried recording since 2005. It's 2012, and smartphones and cameras, etc. are allowed into shows, so I don't think in modern day times it would be too much of a risk to pull the recorder out and make sure the levels aren't going too high and that it is indeed recording.

Now, my question. If I want to go ahead and set the recording levels in the event that I am in a situation where I don't feel comfortable pulling the recorder out, what level would you suggest I set it to for your average rock concert? A little under "5", as you stated above?

Thanks, and any other tips and tricks you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
S

[earmonger]

The level is completely dependent on your mics. Some are more sensitive, some less.  I run CA-14-->battery box-->Line-in and that's usually 6 or 7. But other mics are around 4 or 5. And it would be different still if I were going directly into Mic-in.

Also, there are loud concerts and LOUD CONCERTS.  5 is right down the middle, obviously, but there's just no one size fits all.

As I've written before, I keep the PCM-M10 in a camera pouch on my belt. The level lights are near the top.  The LCD display can be set in the menu to time out, which I do. But  with the pouch a little open I can just look down to see, ideally, that the green lights are flickering a bit at the loudest parts. Leave the pouch a little more open and you can lean out the unit to see the LCD. And with the remote, you can hit the Record button to light up the display any time.  The PCM-M10 also has a nice reassuring red Recording light to tell you it's going. (But that won't tell you if your mics are plugged in.)

 I have never had a security guy give the PCM-M10 a second glance--though I kept it pretty down-low during a Tool show, since those guys won't even tolerate point-and-shoot cameras. At just about every show I attend, people are making YouTube vids with their cellphones right out in the open. You think security guys are going to be looking for little stealth mics? 

[SMBTapes]

Good idea about the camera case at your waist. I'll be recording Cheap Trick at a beach festival in September, and I will probably test out the levels and all while one of the opening acts is on. Just record a minute or two in order to get a feel for the levels, and then stop and give it a listen with some earbuds. Being on the beach with lots of vacationers and tourists around with cameras, etc., I figured security would be pretty relaxed. And like everyone says, the Sony PCM-M10 just looks like a smartphone. In fact, it looks just like my Blackberry Tour, but without quite so many buttons. And the remote is always a plus.

The past couple of times I've taken a digital camera into a show (where they were actually not allowed and being checked for at the door) I just held it in my hand and held my Blackberry Tour in the same hand on top of it, so when the security guard wanded me, it was still in my hand, being held away from the body. I've also told a security guard that I had a genital piercing in order to bypass further searching due to a beeping crotch, haha.

The other awesome aspect of owning this piece of equipment is that I am a musician, and now have a somewhat decent means of losslessly recording multiple instruments to construct songs. Random, but nice, nonetheless.

Can't wait to test this thing out, just picked up the M10 white used but mint and complete on ebay for $174.50!

[earmonger]

Lowepro Ridge30. Holds the PCM-M10, has a little pouch for a battery box and a slot in the flap for the remote. Like it was designed for the PCM-M10!

[tgos3]

I haven't seen anyone mention it, so I will

When using the 'pre-record' buffer so the unit stores incoming signal prior to 'start' being pressed
If i use the remote to start the recording while in record/standby

a significant click is generated at the beginning of the recording

This occurred when doing nature recordings at pretty high gain, using external preamp into line in.  The preamp is SD MP2, with no problems.

I don't know if this is due to 'instantaneous' level change in the recorded signal, effectively a square wave edge, or if the MP10 actually generates a DC transient when the remote 'start' button is pressed under this setup.  It sounds like a genuine transient.  Instead of examining the waveform, i just stopped using the 'pre-roll' buffer with the remote. 

I haven't notice any such click when not using the buffer

Has anyone else seen this?

[Ekib]

Why do you want to use the remote anyway ? There's nothing more to check than on the unit itself . It's not like you can check recording levels , like on the Hi MD recorders . I only take a look during recording in my back pocket , if I see the red light turned on I know it's all fine ...I have my settings on a little under 5 , so all has been taken care off .

You're like me. I'd prefer to set the recording level, hit record, lock and load, and not have to worry about it until the show is over. I'm always sketched out that a security guard is going to see me fumbling around with electronics (say, if I needed to check recording levels midshow), but I haven't tried recording since 2005. It's 2012, and smartphones and cameras, etc. are allowed into shows, so I don't think in modern day times it would be too much of a risk to pull the recorder out and make sure the levels aren't going too high and that it is indeed recording.

Now, my question. If I want to go ahead and set the recording levels in the event that I am in a situation where I don't feel comfortable pulling the recorder out, what level would you suggest I set it to for your average rock concert? A little under "5", as you stated above?

Thanks, and any other tips and tricks you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
S

Yes , like Earmonger mentioned . It really depends on the kind of mic's you are using . I just figured it out on the first concert I recorded on the PCM M10 . It was a loud show which ws perfect for a test . I figured if I did the rec settings at 5,5 the vocals were going to 0 DB . That still is no distortion , although the recorders mentions "over". But you can't hear that. But I figured I'd be better off putting the setting back to 4,5 , since than with my mic's the average settings will roughly stay at -12 DB with vocals ( or drums ) going to -6 DB max.
Since that show I have done a few more shows , all at 4,5 and it came out perfect . You'll have to figure your own settings out , offcourse .

[atlargeohio]

Hey Earmonger and Monk,
I just bought a PCM M10 from Guitar Center. It was an open box/clearance deal. I didn't get a manual or USB cord which I wasn't worried about because I could download the manual and already have several different USB cords. Plus I got a great deal on it. ($129) What I didn't realize until I got home and looked at the manual, is that the unit has a remote that comes with it. I called the store and asked them to search for the box and hardware, they did to no avail. I did however buy the extended warranty, so if I could get my hands on a working on broken remote I could return it and get it replaced. Do you (or do you know someone that might) have a good or broken remote? I would appreciate any help. Thanks in advance!!!

[earmonger]

Sorry, my ex-remote is in TS hands elsewhere. Some people here don't like using the remote--you might post an ISO in the Yard Sale and see if you get a response.