Topic: Error Likely Designs - Dual Function Pause / Record Button

[F.O.Bean]

Hahaha me too Tim. OCD has helped me too along the way. And I studied at Tripn While Taping University, so I learned the hard way But no matter what gear or recorder you run, you should know it inside and out, and just taking an extra second to make sure u r recording goes a long way

[stevetoney]

Not to belabor the point or come off as a stubborn old crotchety bastard, which I am, but a couple of responses and I'll STFU about this...

the newer recorders couldn't be ANY easier to use.

That’s beside the point.  I never said the recorders were difficult to use. 

You’re not thinking outside your own box.  You have the same 2 recorders that you’ve used for years now.  You’ve got your routine down solid, so you don't make this mistake. 

In my case, I use an SD predominantly and you hit record ONCE and you’re rolling.  My ‘system’ is down too and I'm used to hitting record one time.  Then I go to a festival and I have 2 or 3 rigs going.  I’m running between stages, so maybe I’m in a hurry.  Not thinking through it I hit record ONCE and I’m in PRE-RECORD.  It’s the middle of the day and the lights aren’t very visible and I assume I’m OK but I’m not.  Understand?

Think back to the very first time you used a handheld with pre-record.  Was it intuitive that you had to hit record twice?  No!  The button only says RECORD.  It doesn’t say PRE-RECORD.  You had to read the instructions or have someone tell you about the pre-record function or else you messed up your first recording.

Is this a big deal?  No, it's not. 

Sorry homie, but I don't see the downside to having one record/pause button on ur recorder.

I know most here are used to pushing twice, but that doesn’t mean it’s intuitive.  As you point out, it’s something that’s learned over time as you use your recorder.  What about when you record once a year and forget?  So, I completely disagree with your comment that there’s no downside to having an integrated record/pre-record function…the downside is that you mess up a recording now and then. 

My entire point in bringing this up is if pre-record were a separate function from record, as on the Sound Devices machines, this would never happen to anyone…EVER.  I’m stubborn, but I still think that would be a better design than having them on the same button, mainly because I'm an experienced taper and I just messed up two recordings at Summercamp exactly for the reason I mention above.

[John Willett]

I on the opposite side of the table as John and look at the Sound Devices model as the optimum; you hit record, and it records. The pre-roll buffer starts filling when you turn the machine on or stop recording.

The problem with this method is that you are always using power to record whenever the machine is switched on.

On the double-press method you are only using the extra power when you need to and are not draining the batteries unnecessarily.  This is more important on a small unit with limited battery life.

[Gutbucket]

The R44 control scheme is well implemented IMO.  Push record and it immediately goes into record with a positive solid red light indication.  That's simple, fast and reassuring when the immediate need is getting the recording going ASAP.  Hold down the pause button then push record and the machine goes into rec/pause mode with the red light flashing indicating the machine is paused.  The pre-record buffer begins to fill, the meters operate and levels can be set before pressing the record button again, or pause to begin recording. Clear, straight forward operation either way and super fast and simple one button press recording when necessary.   

When first encountering the R-44, if conditioned to machines which enter rec/pause when the record button is pressed, the obvious operator err immediately starts a recording, before learning to hold down the pause button first if the intent is to enter rec/pause.  Starting a recording accidentally is a better error than not starting one and missing a start cue.

I don't use Sony recorders regularly these days, but I think the Sonys may be different than some other machines in that once in rec/pause, you have to push the pause button to begin recording.  Is that correct?  You can't simply press the record button twice and be rolling?   If so then I think that scheme is not optimal.  I don't want to have to locate and press two different buttons to start recording.  Especially if in a rush or if the recorder is obscured in a pocket. 

On my recorders once they are in rec/pause mode I can push either the record button or the play button or the pause button (if there is one) to begin recording.  Pushing record or play to begin recording once the red light is flashing just seems more intuitive than pressing pause.  I'd think pushing record quickly twice is far quicker and less error prone than having to press two different buttons.

[2manyrocks]

I've been burned by this a couple of times and finally started watching the counter to be sure it's counting upward. 

That all being said, I'm just amazed at how well these little recorders work. 

[stevetoney]

That all being said, I'm just amazed at how well these little recorders work.

True.  All Good festival didn't happen this year, but there's a guy named Brad...that's all I know him as...that I've hung a little bit with the last several years who patches into me with a D8.  Every year I ask him why he sticks with the D8 when he can buy a new 24 bit flash recorder with a better feature set than a D8 for not much more than the price of a box of DAT tapes.  I can't understand why the DAT crew sticks it out, but good for them.