Topic: Is there really any reason to avoid long track splits?

[MakersMarc]

Remember hearing a long time ago that anything over a 2 hour track split was bad? I said eff it and set my 661 to six hours while  with no incident, 2:27 track.

[dnsacks]

The file size limit ties/tied to drive formatting issues -- FAT32 formatted drives cannot handle files larger than 4gb, there may have been prior issues/Operating System restrictions that made it unwise to go above 2gb file size, but the 2gb file size limit appears to have been worked out post windows 7 from a system limitation perspective (can't speak to application file size limits).

Probably best, regardless of what format your drive/card is using, to limit file size below 4gb to avoid unanticipated complications.

OR, to be safe, record hours of ambient stuff (enough to be sure you end up with a wav file that's over 4gb), and then confirm that you can, in fact use/edit a file that's over 4gb using your particular setup

[MakersMarc]

Thanks!

[lsd2525]

Someone mentioned in another thread that they go with the smallest sized files they recorder will do before they split in case they have a power issue, that way they wouldn't lose everything......

[rocksuitcase]

I used Wavelab 5.xxx for years until just recently. It had a 2 GB or less file size limit for importing the files. kindms had set up his recorder and then mine so the files would split while recording so as to not have to split it using cdwave before processing using Wavelab.
Now that I'm using Audacity and so is he, no need to worry about file size while recording. (though I will say the DR 680 is defaulted to 2 GB per file.)

[MakersMarc]

Thanks guys. Oddly I kept getting card error messages while trying to record last night pre show, had to wipe the card of the 2:27 24/48 file then was fine.

[F.O.Bean]

I don't think so Marc! Ive ALWAYS had my file size splits at the MAX[2GB] no matter whether I'm recording at 24/44.1 or 24/96, and Ive never really gotten screwed because of that! I guess it depends on the deck and how it writes to its flash media, right? Thankfully, WaveLab 6 handles files up to 4GB, so file sizes aren't really an issue for me, unless its one really long set and I am doing 24/96 and the set is over 2+ hours But that has to do with the DAW file size limits in Post processing, and not the recording devices! Just set it to MAX[2gb] and don't every worry about it again! You'll have less files to deal with in post too! Besides, MOST recorders are continually writing to the SD Card[I *THINK* lol], so it shouldn't matter the size of the file split! Plus, dealing with a bunch of 512MB files would be a PITA for me, so I'll just stick with the 2GB limit like I always have

That said, I have no experience with the 661 itself!

[aaronji]

^ The 661 has a maximum file size of 4 GB.  It's not a problem with current systems, as dnsacks noted, but some older software can't handle files larger than 2GB.  Also, I am pretty sure the recorder writes the file even if you pull the power out abruptly, so I doubt there is much benefit from using shorter files to prevent loss of data.

[F.O.Bean]

^ The 661 has a maximum file size of 4 GB.  It's not a problem with current systems, as dnsacks noted, but some older software can't handle files larger than 2GB.  Also, I am pretty sure the recorder writes the file even if you pull the power out abruptly, so I doubt there is much benefit from using shorter files to prevent loss of data.

Exactly