Topic: Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #5

[JimmieC]

Last night while recording, I lost power to the DR-680 before pushing stop.  There are no files with the show and only some 0 kb files.  Anyway to recover the missing data?  As it is recording, is there any setting to write to the file every so often?  Thankfully was recording to a DR-100mkii too but probably lost the 4 mic mix and hypercardioid source (DR-680).

What battery were you using?

When I lost power to the DR-680, I was using a 18000mah Universal Lithium Battery with no AA in as backup.  I have two of the 18000mah Universal Lithium Battery and had them stacked but the battery that was on top has lost it's rubber feet.  The top battery must have pushed the power button on the bottom battery because the cable is just fine.  I have been running the DR-680 lithium battery at 12V with no problems.  I think it was user error the other night not the deck.

Yeah I need to get some AAs for backup, especially if I leave the backup deck at home.

[JimmieC]

And on a side note.  I lost 5-gallons of Kolsch earlier in the same evening.  The picnic tap must have gotten bumped open after closing the chest freezer lid.  The beer was all at the bottom of the chest freezer when I went to get another pint.  Good thing I had made 10 gallons.  I was having troubles last Friday.

[F.O.Bean]

And on a side note.  I lost 5-gallons of Kolsch earlier in the same evening.  The picnic tap must have gotten bumped open after closing the chest freezer lid.  The beer was all at the bottom of the chest freezer when I went to get another pint.  Good thing I had made 10 gallons.  I was having troubles last Friday.

Bummer

[Gutbucket]

Tree hugger = alkaline hater. 

Normally I would agree, but if they are just being used for backup, as opposed to active recording, I would think alkalines actually make more sense. Since rechargeables lose charge over time, you need to periodically charge them even if they aren't actually being used. Same reason why using rechargeables in flashlights isn't recommended.

That's a completely reasonable concern, and is certainly true for standard NiMH rechargables.  However, it is not the case for low-self-discharge (LSD) NiMH rechargables, which retain charge for long time periods very similar to alkaline cells.  I typically recharge the Maha Imedion LSD AAs kept in my 680 as a backup supply about twice a year, unless I accidentally use them.  They have a slightly lower total mAhr rating than the highest capacity regular NiMH cells which loose charge rather quickly, but still more than alkaline cells.  Others use Sanyo Eneloop LDSs whcih are comparable.

That just doesn't make sense to me. If you're going to be using them as backup, you can just charge them before every show

It takes 8 AAs.  That requires two cycles with your 4-slot charger, Bean.  Doable but not convenient. However, if the AAs are your primary power source it's probably wise to do so.

[F.O.Bean]

Good points! It only takes my charger no time at all to charge 4 batteries tho well when I get mine I will run an external battery and AAs as well, just to be safe

[Chuck]

I'm loving the Imedion low self discharge AA's in my DR-680. I bought 16 of them and use them in my cameras too. They really do hold a charge for a good long time.

[hi and lo]

Yep. I only use low self-discharge NiMH rechargables and have an 8-cell Maha charger. If they need to be recharged, it's as convenient as a single 60 minute cycle. Certainly far more convenient that running to the bodega for new alkaline batteries when you don't have any spares on hand.

[stevetoney]

Bean, you asked about the run-time with AA's.  I haven't done any AA only run-time tests, but the manual says 4 1/2 hours. 

However, I HAVE done run-time tests with my external 12V batteries and I've confirmed that, for the way I use it (digital input, two channels recording, headphones plugged in) my deck pulls around 500ma.  Since your average NiMH AA batteries are 2400mah and since 8AA = 12v, I'm gonna say that 4 1/2 hours is spot on for a run-time (2400mah/500ma = 4.8hr).  In reality, my power consumption came in at more like 450ma but I rounded up for puposes of figuring out my power needs.

FWIW, the manual says that the unit pulls 9W but it doesn't specify the conditions at which 9W are consumed.  500ma x 12V = 6W, so I'm finding that for the manner in which I run the unit, I'm pulling 2/3 of the power draw than is used at peak.

BTW...just to make sure everyone knows, my comment about about tree huggers and alkaline batteries wasn't made with much serious intent.  That said, I do understand the dead batteries are one of the really icky-est things that we throw into the trash.

[achalsey]

What level output do the RCA outs send?  Is it generally much weaker than the input level?

[Gutbucket]

What level output do the RCA outs send?  Is it generally much weaker than the input level?

I don't think so if set to line-input.  Are you getting low output levels or just wondering?  If low, hit the MIX LEVEL button and turn up the level of both the individual channel output(s) AND the stereo output buss all the way, or switch to discrete channel outputs and you needn't worry about the stereo buss.

[achalsey]

What level output do the RCA outs send?  Is it generally much weaker than the input level?

I don't think so if set to line-input.  Are you getting low output levels or just wondering?  If low, hit the MIX LEVEL button and turn up the level of both the individual channel output(s) AND the stereo output buss all the way, or switch to discrete channel outputs and you needn't worry about the stereo buss.

Ah, okay, thanks.  I have been getting low output.  This weekend problematically so, but thats a different story.

I do have the outs set to stereo mix, and I have the channel outputs at 100% but I may not have stereo output all the way up.  I'll have to double check that.

[Gutbucket]

I have the channel outputs at 100% but I may not have stereo output all the way up.  I'll have to double check that.

That caught me at first too.  I think the stereo buss level defaults to 50%, but the machine remembers your setting after you turn it up higher.

[EarlyMorningRain]

Just got on the bus and last w/end was my first outing with the 680.

Off hand things went off without a hitch. Moving from a R4 I'll have to say there are far more buttons/options to play around with than what the R4 had!

I had 4 channels going in, 2 phantom and the other 2 were line in. Resulting wav files gave me three tracks though, inputs 1+2, inputs 3+4, then one called mix.

Bought mine used and no manual came with it, but it obviously creates a mix for you on the recorder (versus doing it later), wasn't expecting that. Do most of you use that "mix" recording if you are making a matrix, or just mix your own version later on?

Overall though I think I'm going to like this unit...!

[hi and lo]

The real time mix is fine to use if using two pairs of audience mics. Moreover, anytime you don't new to worry about delay between two or more sources (I.e. sbd + aud). If you bring headphones to monitor, you can adjust the levels and pan for each channel going into the mix.

[achalsey]

Personally, I record the tracks mono instead of the stereo option.  Doesn't really make a difference I don't think, and not that you couldn't easily change it in post, but for some reason I just like not having any two tracks actually "connected" during recording in case I make a mistake.

I never record the mix track.  Like hi lo said, if you're making a mix of two sources that aren't in pretty much the exact same spot, its a good idea to align them in post to avoid echos or artificial reverb from the delay.  Some people don't worry about this if the mic source is close to the PA, so the delay is minor, but personally even running on stage where the delay is pretty much nonexistent, I still correct for the very small discrepancy.