Topic: MicroTrack 24/96 Beta 1.2.3

[J.T.L]

...is up.

http://m-audio.com/index.php?do=support.drivers&product=196cc4c35a380d800a80448f139bcfe7&showbeta=1

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Changes from v1.2.0 (beta) to v1.2.3:

General Fixes:
- Record time available in main screen counts down from the lesser of space available, or 2GB file limit.
- Improved CF/MicroDrive formatting with media that was pre-formatted.

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[thegreatgumbino]

So no 24/96 via SPDIF or resolution for 2 gb limit, or am I missing something?

[John Kelly]

Dunno, download it and try it out.

[Brian Skalinder]

So no 24/96 via SPDIF or resolution for 2 gb limit, or am I missing something?

Not yet, at least according to the release notes - though I'm still holding out hope for both.  Makes sense to me that they're addressing the other stuff first.  Looks like the primary fix in 1.2.3 is fixing the time remaining counter.  No point in delivering the 2GB auto-split before the counter fix.  The 2GB auto-split wouldn't do you any good until the time counter's fixed, anyway.  Here's hoping we're getting close to 24/96 and auto-split fixes...

[thegreatgumbino]

Sorry John, but I don't have one.  Not trying to be a downer.  I just read what they listed as changes from the last update and figured these were still unresolved.  I really want the MT to work so I can join the 24 bit team!

Changes from v1.2.0 (beta) to v1.2.3:

General Fixes:
- Record time available in main screen counts down from the lesser of space available, or 2GB file limit.
- Improved CF/MicroDrive formatting with media that was pre-formatted.

[John Kelly]

I gotcha.  A lot of times fixing some issues can help others, so what's listed in the update may not be the only fixes in store.  I wont be able to check it out until Thursday, though...

[thegreatgumbino]

So what else does that leave?  Did the last firmware update fix the meter issues 100%?

[Ed.]

The levels, I thought were pretty good with the last release.

Hopefully this release will fix the microdrive issue with the faulty time remaining thing.  I'd love to try it out tonight, but I'm drunk and need to get to bed, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow after work.

[F.O.Bean]

So no 24/96 via SPDIF or resolution for 2 gb limit, or am I missing something?

Not yet, at least according to the release notes - though I'm still holding out hope for both.  Makes sense to me that they're addressing the other stuff first.  Looks like the primary fix in 1.2.3 is fixing the time remaining counter.  No point in delivering the 2GB auto-split before the counter fix.  The 2GB auto-split wouldn't do you any good until the time counter's fixed, anyway.  Here's hoping we're getting close to 24/96 and auto-split fixes...

good point brian!

[cmoorevt]

Although I doubt it, I wonder if this means it has a 2GB atuosplit?

Continues to work if file was closed because of max file size or no media full

I don't remember it failing to function when the 2GB limit was hit, just that it would stop recording.

[John Kelly]

Although I doubt it, I wonder if this means it has a 2GB atuosplit?

Continues to work if file was closed because of max file size or no media full

I don't remember it failing to function when the 2GB limit was hit, just that it would stop recording.

Nope - that was one of the issues fixed in the last beta release.  They only listed 2 fixes for this one (they're above).

[Brian Skalinder]

No point in delivering the 2GB auto-split before the counter fix.  The 2GB auto-split wouldn't do you any good until the time counter's fixed, anyway.

I don't follow.  The counter is low priority as long as it just splits at 2gb and keeps recording until media full.. I would even wear a watch if necessary.

Sorry, I wasn't clear.  The counter issue is not merely a reporting issue.  The recorder actually stops when the falsely reported timer countdown reaches zero.  Sure, I suppose if there was an auto-split, it would automatically start a new file at that point whether it had reached 2GB or not, but...IMO it makes more sense to fix the obvious, fairly fundamental bugs first, then implement new functionality.

[sickrick43]

I doubt we're ever going to see 96/24 from spdif.  I don't think the thing has a large enough buffer to handle the data stream at that speed.  It's spooling in faster than it can be written to the card.  I've seen 88.2/24 work in brief testing though.  Despite the difference of 7.8khz, it might even work better for mastering to CD, as it's an even muliple of the destination bitrate.

The channel swapping is as likely and spdif format issue according to Doug.  He thinks the format has always had some ideosyncrasies that may never be fully addressed. 

Auto-splitting at the 2GB limit would be nice, but being that the MT doesn't appear to have a "roll-on buffer", I doubt it could buffer enough data to allow the unit to write the current file and start a new one without gaps, and you could eject/feed a new DAT into a deck faster than this thing appears to start a new file.

All things considered, I've found it to be an able replacement for my ageing JB3 at the least...

Rick

[udovdh]

I doubt we're ever going to see 96/24 from spdif.  I don't think the thing has a large enough buffer to handle the data stream at that speed. 

Does anybody here know how much RAM the device has? 8? 16?
At 563KB/s (or so) at 24/96 you can buffer enough to cover a small delay with just a few megs RAM.
Most important is sustained write speed to CF.
It can be done on SD cards, so why not on CF?
Anybody has more accurate info?

[JasonSobel]

I doubt we're ever going to see 96/24 from spdif.  I don't think the thing has a large enough buffer to handle the data stream at that speed.

this device can record 24/96 from the analog inputs, I don't see how an S/PDIF data stream would require more buffer to record the data.  regardless of whether the digital data to be recorded is coming from the internal A/D chip or via the S/PDIF input, seems to me like it's the same about of data per second.  which would make 24/96 via S/PDIF entirely possible

you could eject/feed a new DAT into a deck faster than this thing appears to start a new file.

I don't know what kind of DAT deck you've used, but, in my experience, closing a file and starting a new file is definitely quicker on the MT than switching DATs on my D8.

anyway, here's hoping they can get it all resolved.  I'll be using the new firmware on Thursday night

- Jason