Topic: Tascam DR-680 MKii

[Gutbucket]

it does not help solve the problem for GLouie who it seems has a glitch n his system.

True.  Unfortunately I can't offer much help with that one.

[GLouie]

I haven't had time to do more experiments. They don't have any firmware on their site other than 1.02. I think it came installed with 1.00 or 1.01, where the backlight worked as I expected, but had the write timeout error as expected.

I suspect they will make me send it in, which is a PITA. I wonder if there is a master reset inside? I should look at the mark 1 schematics...

[GLouie]

Unbelievable! I phoned Teac/Tascam USA support. To their credit, they answered pretty promptly, but told me the firmware has changed the backlight operation. They told me I have to reset the backlight menu whenever I change from AC to batteries! Incredible! I told the CSR this was terrible. The backlight serves as a warning if AC power fails. It's been that way for the entire history of the DR680mk1. I asked where to complain (he said send it to the usual customer contact portal).

Are those of you without this problem running the 1.02 firmware?

[lukpac]

Unbelievable! I phoned Teac/Tascam USA support. To their credit, they answered pretty promptly, but told me the firmware has changed the backlight operation. They told me I have to reset the backlight menu whenever I change from AC to batteries! Incredible! I told the CSR this was terrible. The backlight serves as a warning if AC power fails. It's been that way for the entire history of the DR680mk1. I asked where to complain (he said send it to the usual customer contact portal).

Are those of you without this problem running the 1.02 firmware?

I thought I was using 1.02, but I will try to remember to verify.

One issue I do have with the MKII is (at least with the firmware I'm using) it isn't possible to switch between MIX MON and DIN MON while recording. With the original version, if you were recording via DIN on the stereo track, you could switch monitoring between that and the mix of 1-6 on the fly while recording. With the MKII it's only possible to switch when not recording, which is not very useful. I contacted Tascam about this, and they wanted me to call them. I still haven't gotten back to them.

[GLouie]

In my note to Tascam, I did acknowledge that some users plug battery packs into the external power jack, and may prefer this new behavior. I suggested they need a new setting to make this behavior optional.

[lukpac]

Sorry, I was mistaken. I just checked and I'm still running 1.0.

[GLouie]

Aha. There's a serious bug in 1.0, where if you reformat the SD card using the Erase-Format option instead of Quick Erase, recording stops after a few seconds with a "write timeout" error. That's why I upgraded.

[lukpac]

Aha. There's a serious bug in 1.0, where if you reformat the SD card using the Erase-Format option instead of Quick Erase, recording stops after a few seconds with a "write timeout" error. That's why I upgraded.

I guess it's a good thing I always do Quick Erase!

I guess there wasn't a 1.01?

Also, do you have the same issue with monitor switching? That you can't switch between MIX MON and DIN MON during recording? I need to call them when I get a chance.

[GLouie]

I haven't checked the monitor switching behavior. I never switch that during recording myself. I'll try to remember to check when I get back to the office next week.

Since we just got the mkII, I don't know the history of firmware, other than my machine came with 1.0 and their website only has 1.02. Their release notes makes no mention of 1.01 other than a fake screenshot. 1.02 is dated Jan 27, 2016.

[lukpac]

Also, do you have the same issue with monitor switching? That you can't switch between MIX MON and DIN MON during recording? I need to call them when I get a chance.

I just got off the phone with Tascam. They indicated the behavior was as expected, and suggested if I wanted changes to e-mail them and they would send them to the development team. This is what I wrote:

DR-680MKII:
Allow the switching between MIX MON and DIN MON while recording. The DR-680 allows this, but the DR-680MKII only allows switching while not recording; the Function button is disabled during recording, preventing accessing the setting.

DR-680 & DR-680MKII:
Change the functionality of the stereo meter (designated by L and R) so that it always displays the level being recorded to the stereo track. Currently, with both models, if you are recording DIN to the stereo track, but are monitoring the mix of inputs 1-6, there is no way to view the level of what is being recorded to the stereo track. The stereo meter corresponds to what is being monitored, not (necessarily) what is being recorded to the stereo track.

Also, for those that have 2 units, this tip may help you, depending on what other gear you (don't) have. I sometimes find myself wanting to record 8 tracks, which I can do with an external DAC, but my unit (ART DI/O) doesn't have mic preamps, so I have to use something like my Mackie to go into it. I realized that I could just use my original 680 as a preamp and DAC. Plug the mics into channels 1 and 2, set the mix level of both to 100, pan them L and R, and just leave that unit in pause record, feeding the 680MKII.

[Gutbucket]

DR-680MKII:
Allow the switching between MIX MON and DIN MON while recording. The DR-680 allows this, but the DR-680MKII only allows switching while not recording; the Function button is disabled during recording, preventing accessing the setting.

Not sure, but this may not be possible due to changes in the routing structure between MKI and MKII.  I'd have to take a hard look at the signal diagrams in the service manuals.  They are posted here at TS somewhere.  Hopefully you'll hear back from Tascam.  I don't have time to look at the moment..

[GLouie]

I just received an email reply from Tascam re: my comments about the backlight. Their reply:

"The backlight issue will be addressed in the next firmware update.
There is no firm ETA at this moment.

Thank you for your interest in TASCAM products."

[Chuck]

I'm still using firmware v 1.20 with my original DR-680. Is it worth updating to 1.31?

[lukpac]

I'm still using firmware v 1.20 with my original DR-680. Is it worth updating to 1.31?

This is what is mentioned for 1.30:

• A file number initialization function (Take  No. Init) has been added that allows the take numbering to be reset.
• An erase format function has been added.
• A speaker switch function has been added.
• Playback of multitrack recordings is now supported.
• During AES/EBU input, when the Cbit sampling frequency information was "Not Indicate" the unit would become unlocked and unable to receive. This has been fixed. However, proper operation cannot be guaranteed when the input signal sampling frequency differs from the setting of this unit.
• The remaining recording time display has been changed from the time for each file to the time for the entire media.
• Operation stability has been improved.

[Chuck]

Cool. I'll give it a shot. Thanks lukpac.