Topic: Fostex FR-2 users?

[nic]

"The only stable 24/96 laptop platform I've used is DP 3.11 in OS9. That, however, has a 2GB filesize limit in place"

hmmm, looking for my bit/resolution to hd space convertor.....
how much hd space would 3 hours at 16/48 take?
we consistently run 3+hours(straight) at 16/48 over a MOTU828-> DP3.11

do SDII files have a file-size limitation similar to wav/fat32?

[MattD]

Yup, SDII is just like WAV and AIFF. There is an SDII extended format that Spark uses, among others that goes up to 6GB/file, I believe.

The math isn't too hard to do and you only have to do it once.

16/48  in MB/min =


48000 samples           16 bits         1 byte      1 KB        1 MB         60 seconds
-------------------  * ------------ *  --------- * --------- * ---------- * --------------- * number of channels
1 second               1 sample          8 bits      1024 b    1024 KB    1 minute

[BobW]

Oogled the FR-2 at B&H today.
It had two flavors:
1) ~$1300 FR-2 Plain Vanilla
2) ~$1500 FR-2W included Toshiba 5GB PCMCIA HD and the wallwart supply.

Wallwart was in stock at ~$50, no case available yet.

FYI, they also had a Superscope PMD-670, D-8, D-100, PCM-M1, and a DAP-1 in the showcase.  

The FR-2 was looking very tempting. Had a lappy and 20 lbs. of presentation materials with me, which tipped the scale against walking home with it today.  I really want to hear the front-end of this thing with some mics which I'm familiar in a setting that I can relate to.

Somewhere I think I saw specs of s/n 87db on the mic input. I need to reread that manual.  

I noticed the Keyboard USB and the 'puter USB connections.
Is that for a Midi Keyboard or a USB computer keyboard ?
I definitely need to reread the manual, because you've got me wondering if you can trigger this thing via a Midi keyboard directly. It might be very cool to sample and trigger, say a phish riff or a piece of a candidate's speech.......
Back to the Fostex website.

[Stuart]

Hey Bob,

From what I understand, one of the USB ports is for connecting directly to a pc or mac for direct (the unit shows up as a remote fat32 volume), and the other port for connecting a USB keyboard for naming files and performing functions in the field.  I'm certain there's no midi involved with the FR-2 directly.  

Midi is really a very simple control protocol that digitally says: what note?, how hard or soft?, how long?, along with a few status functions.  It's not audio and really probably wouldn't have any place in a professional field recorder.

The midi would only come in if you transferred the files to a laptop or desktop, edited them, then put them into a virtual (or hardware) sampler or sampler program.  Then, you'd use midi (and a physical controller) to trigger the notes (and midi controller data) and perhaps record this midi data into a sequencer or (or actually record the physical outputs as audio tracks somewhere).

Hope this is at least a tiny bit useful.  If you want to get into sampling and midi, I can help get you started.

S.

[Stuart]

Well, I got mine today.  Gotta say, not too impressed.

The build quality screams crappy construction.  The record button rattles and feels cheap, as do most of the switches and buttons.  It just feels like it can't wait to fall apart.   It's a real lightweight, both literally and figuratively.  I put it back in the box without even listening to it, I was so pissed.  

Don't take my word for it though, I encourage people who are interested to look at one closely before you buy (a mistake I made because of an upcoming shoot next  week that I envisioned using this unit).

The pres and converters may sound awesome, but I'm simply unwilling to pay that much money for something that's not at least decently constructed (in my opinion).  For those of you that may think I'm a stickler, I really think my DAP-1 is well-constructed in comparison.  I'm really disappointed.
S.

[sickrick43]

Well, I got mine today.  Gotta say, not too impressed.

The build quality screams crappy construction.  The record button rattles and feels cheap, as do most of the switches and buttons.  It just feels like it can't wait to fall apart.   It's a real lightweight, both literally and figuratively.  I put it back in the box without even listening to it, I was so pissed.  

Damn, I had high hopes for this one.  Keep in mind on the buttons, that they are likely mounted to a faceplate, and actuate microswitches mounted on a circuit board underneath - and are not mounted on the switch themselves.  Being that there's no tape transport or hard disk in this, I would expect that it wouldn't be too heavy, even with the 8 AA's in it.

Don't take my word for it though, I encourage people who are interested to look at one closely before you buy (a mistake I made because of an upcoming shoot next  week that I envisioned using this unit).

Oade Bros. are supposed to be getting one of these to check out.  I'll pass your impressions on to Doug & Jim.  I spoke with Jim this morning, and he commented that Tascam was getting ready to release one, with Sony supposedly not far behind.

I'm in the process of contacting a company I've dealt with on some custom PCMCIA cards I had built for a customer, to see about mounting a 20 or 40GB Travelstar drive on one.  Only problem is, that it would likely need 2 card slots to clear the entire card, and there's only one slot in this unit.  I doubt anyone would really want external storage.  Many had envisioned this unit to be an all-in-one solution for Pre/Phantom + HiBit A/D + Non-linear recording.

The pres and converters may sound awesome, but I'm simply unwilling to pay that much money for something that's not at least decently constructed (in my opinion).  For those of you that may think I'm a stickler, I really think my DAP-1 is well-constructed in comparison.  I'm really disappointed.
S.

Still like to hear your thoughts on the pre-a/d if you get around to checking it out.  I assume from your comments that this is going right back to place-of-purchase.

Again, keep in mind that this is really just a bunch of circuit boards, and if it's in a plastic vs metal case, it's probably going to feel real light and cheesy...

Keep us posted...

Rick

[Tim]

I spoke with Jim this morning, and he commented that Tascam was getting ready to release one, with Sony supposedly not far behind.

YEAH! Thanks for the info Rick...

[BobW]

Would be the steathiest product release yet.
Tascam Site and NAMM  brochures have nothing of it

[sickrick43]

Would be the steathiest product release yet.
Tascam Site and NAMM  brochures have nothing of it

Only relating what was told to me.  He did mention that it was "under wraps".  I don't know that he's in any better a position than anyone else to have inside info.

There's alot of portable non-linear multi-track stuff out there from Roland and other manufacturers.  The 2 track stuff that is OUR bread and butter, has long been an ignored segment of the market.  I fear with the discontinuation of DAT products from everyone's lines, we may be left out in the cold in the next generation of products.

I hate to think Fostex is going to end up the "only game in town", and I don't think that's going to end up being the case.  But for right now, in the genre of 2 track portable non-linear (especially HiBit gear) they ARE the only game in town.  I wouldn't mind seeing someone come up with a Nomad-like device that was just a portable high resolution hard disk recorder WITHOUT a front end, as most of us already own a Pre-A/D that we like.  Creative doesn't seem to have anything new that records, the gmini and others don't even appear to be contenders for 16/48 even.

Your thoughts?

Rick

[BobW]

They don't like us ?  

I think the marketing folks have been eyeballing the economy and are waiting for the best time to launch product. I wouldn't doubt that Tascam releases a product fast.  Why not ?

Very wierd thought....I have been wondering if Sound Devices has been delaying for legal or patent reasons.  Now I wonder if they are being bought out by Tascam.
Or are selling the SD-722/SD-744 to them.

[sickrick43]

They don't like us ?  

Don't think it's really a matter of "like".  More a matter of "if EVERY TAPER wanted a field-use, battery operated portable 2 track recorder, HOW MANY COULD WE SELL "(vs. R&D, tooling and deployment costs).

Plenty of multitrack and even 2 track 120VAC-rackmount style stuff out there, or announced.  With the cost of multitrack non-linear decks plummetting, most artists and FOH would prefer the xtra tracks.   I'd sure rather have 4 or 8 subgroup outs to re-balance for listening room vs sound reinforcement - or main outs, onstage mics & room mics @ FOH.

WE just aren't enough market to really design for.  Even the motion picture production stuff is going multitrack for surround.

I think the marketing folks have been eyeballing the economy and are waiting for the best time to launch product. I wouldn't doubt that Tascam releases a product fast.  Why not ?

We'd buy the stuff even if gasoline was $3.00 a gallon.  We're gear sluts, and this is only our HOBBY...  The new camera I have coming in a coupla weeks is supposed to be about $4.5K.  Biz is slow (MY economy is down <g>), but rather than wait till I have the disposable cash and risk my #3 spot on the waiting list (and wait until July to actually get one) I'll get it NOW.  I don't NEED the camera, I WANT IT.  Same with an all-in-one non-linear deck - don't NEED it, but I sure WANT it.

Very wierd thought....I have been wondering if Sound Devices has been delaying for legal or patent reasons.  Now I wonder if they are being bought out by Tascam.
Or are selling the SD-722/SD-744 to them.

Haven't kept track of the Sound Devices saga, so I can't comment...

Rick

[BobW]

Still think that "they" don't like us.
"We" are the ones who created all that controversy over Internet music sharing, aren't we ?  (Well at least in their eyes)

SD 722 and SD 744 are 9 months of bun in the oven.
These will be out for late summer tour or sooner.
I'm just miffed that they're are nearly a year behind schedule.

Like I said before, I sincerely hope that they sound good for all of the wait.

[Lee]

SD 722 and SD 744 are 9 months of bun in the oven.

Longer than that... I started saving money Christmas of '02 under the impression they'd be out by March/April '03

[BobW]

Has anyone taped a show with the FR-2 using the internal mic Preamp ?

Would love to hear it.
Have servers for U/L or will happily snail-mail trade or B&P.

Thanks.

[jacallery]

Yea, I did Autumn Defense (Wilco's John Stirritt) and ran
schoeps mk41>kc5>cmc6xt>FR2(24/48>16/44.1 in wavelab)
I Just need a server to upload it to.  I really haven't had much to
record lately.  I am recording The Drive By Truckers & Galactic
this weekend outside and can put those up if someone wants to
hear them.
 I will tell ya this I recorded a bluegrass band at 24/96 the other
night and could not get it to transfer by USB to my computer.
I thought I was using USB 2.0 but I have 6 usb ports and don't know
how to tell which is 2.0 and which is regular.  Wavelab recognized the
file as 16bit 0Khz, strange.  I could listen to the recording fine through
my Home system (24/192 sp/dif input compatable) but could
not get it onto the computer.  Any thoughts?

callery