Author Topic: MT SPDIF Question (Read 6017 times)

Do.com · « **on:** December 10, 2005, 02:36:16 PM »

So I have update to the 1.20 firmware and have some confusion as to the Recording Time Available setting. I record SPDIF in and have it set to 16 bit. I realize this is probably 16/48 as the sample rate is unchangeable. It says I have Max Recording Time of 01:30:38. If I am running 16 bit shouldn't my 2Gig card have more time than that? Im confused and worried that I may have to run the JB3 for my next show as 1:30:38 is definitely not enough time. Help?!?

Thanks
C

Nick Graham · « **Reply #1 on:** December 10, 2005, 02:46:27 PM »

You can run it at sample rates from 44.1 to 96kHz...my guess is you're set at 16/96, so that's why it's only showing 90 minutes of record time.

Do.com · « **Reply #2 on:** December 10, 2005, 02:53:57 PM »

The only thing is that when u set the input the SPDIF u cannot change the sample rate.....unless someone knows some trick i dont.

anhisr · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2005, 03:22:32 PM »

have you reformated the card with the MT2496?

Do.com · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2005, 03:45:59 PM »

yes i have, after each time i tape i reformat it

hopefully there is a good answer to this....

sickrick43 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2005, 04:01:17 PM »

I appears as if the "time left" indication when recording is not the capacity of the card, but the 2GB limit. And the Rec Time Available, in the record settings, is the amount of time at current bitrate/depth available on the media.

I'm running a 4GB card, so at 48/24, the box tells me I have 4:02:53 available, but if I go into Record Mode, my available time is 1:55.

So, logically, the menu item is media time, and the record item is till the 2GB limit.

Which kinda sucks to have to wade thru menus to see how much time is left on your media...

Rick

anhisr · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2005, 04:08:03 PM »

I just formatted a 2gb card and on 16bit spidf in it says 1:29:09. I am going to run it and see what happens.

Do.com · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2005, 04:12:47 PM »

Thanks - I mean is the fix being able to switch the sampling rate on SPDIF to actually use it properly? If so, hopefully that is on an update coming soon. I dont want to lug the JB3 all next week!

Do.com · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2005, 08:24:41 PM »

Anyone else find a way to bypass this or get more time out of it?

anhisr · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2005, 12:42:28 AM »

When I started the recording it showed the time going down from 1:29 under time remaining but, when I hit the time it just stayed at zero and kept on going. So, you can't trust the time remaing on a 2GB card.

udovdh · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2005, 03:07:46 AM »

Quote from: anhisr on December 10, 2005, 04:08:03 PM

I just formatted a 2gb card and on 16bit spidf in it says 1:29:09. I am going to run it and see what happens.

Set the speed of your adc/pre-amp to 44.1 or 48 Khz if you need 3 hours...

Do.com · « **Reply #11 on:** December 11, 2005, 10:13:39 AM »

Are you saying it calculates the time based on the input source? I don't think that's the case.

So any other way to get more than 1.5 hours using SPDIF?

C

sickrick43 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2005, 10:19:58 PM »

Quote from: Do.com on December 10, 2005, 04:12:47 PM

Thanks - I mean is the fix being able to switch the sampling rate on SPDIF to actually use it properly? If so, hopefully that is on an update coming soon. I dont want to lug the JB3 all next week!

"lug the JB3"? Try lugging a D10 Pro & 2 EC-90 SLA's...

I'll take the JB3 over that rig any day...

After doing around 8 hours of taping this weekend, I found the statement I made above to be correct. The time calculation is pretty accurate.

A few other observations:
1 - Had it lock up between sets while leaving it running in "pause" mode.
2 - 48/24 will not play back thru the headphone jack, so forget about checking your recording between sets.
3 - Ran it on the "Power Station" LI-ION battery for 6 hours, with 2 lites left (though the battery doesn't show lights when charging, so you have no idea whether it's fully charged or not - glad I bought TWO).
4 - Channels DO flip @ 48/24 - so I ran my mics reversed into the V3 inputs, so I wouldn't have to flip channels later on.
5 - DON'T use you PCMCIA card reader in your laptop between sets. Lucky I live to blocks from the club I was recording in - I had to run home and format the card in my PC during the 2nd set.
6 - 48/24 is the SHIZZIZZLE. Much more detail, especially in the high freq's. Well worth the added steps to dither-down for CD burning. I listened to a transfer from someone who had thier DAT patched out of the line-outs on my V3 and the difference is apparant.

Rick

Rick

udovdh · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2005, 02:34:11 AM »

Quote from: Do.com on December 11, 2005, 10:13:39 AM

Are you saying it calculates the time based on the input source? I don't think that's the case.

So any other way to get more than 1.5 hours using SPDIF?

S/PDIF can be used at various speeds and bitdepths; I hope you are aware of that.
So, apart from a possible bug in your MT, the SPDIF speed and bitdepth controls how fast your 2GB file fils up.
At 16 bit, with 44.1 or 48 Khz you should get 3 hours plus. At 24 bit 1.5 hours.

Do.com · « **Reply #14 on:** December 13, 2005, 07:52:54 PM »

Ok so I agree that I should be able to adjust the settings for SPDIF input but for some reason the only setitng I have with SPDIF input selected is the Bit Rate. Here are my results:

Input Source: SPDIF
Sample Rate: Auto (It will not allow me to adjust this)
Bits: 16
Rec Time Available: 01:30:38

Input Source: SPDIF
Sample Rate: Auto (It will not allow me to adjust this)
Bits: 24
Rec Time Available: 01:00:27

So basically, going SPDIF in, those are my only choices! If someone can teach me how to get around the Auto setting on the Sample Rate I'd be able to do 3+ hours and be a happy man....any other ideas?

Scooter · « **Reply #15 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:02:56 PM »

you need to feed it a spdif signal from your preamp at your desired sample rate for it to acurately determine time remaining. do that and it will be accurate. it auto-senses the incoming signal sample rate, and locks to it.

JasonSobel · « **Reply #16 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:04:39 PM »

with S/PDIF input, the sample rate is detected automatically. there is no way around that fact.

a few things. with 24 bit, you'll never be able to get 3+ hours in a single file. at 24 bit, 48kHz, you'll hit the 2 GB file size limit around 2 hours. at 24/96, you'll hit 2 GB around 1 hour into the recording. These is the reason why so many of us want M-Audio to implement a feature where it'll automatically start a new file when the 2 GB limit is reached.

It seems like the "Rec Time Available" is being reported to you, assuming a sample rate of 96kHz in both cases. so, now, instead of basing this off of what it says when you hit "Rec Time Available", why don't you feed it an S/PDIF stream, start a recording, and see how much time is left on the countdown at the start of the file. if it's around 2 hours and you're giving it 24/48, all is fine. Some people have reported problems with the total time that it counts down from. one thing to try, that seems to work for some people, is to record a short file, just a few seconds. and save it, and start a new one. this second file starts the countdown from where it should. This is a small bug that M-Audio is aware of. Still, it wouldn't hurt to let them know what you are experiencing. Hopefully this issue will be resolved with a future firmware update.

Do.com · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:10:07 PM »

Wow, you are right. So regarding the problem you speak of:

"Some people have reported problems with the total time that it counts down from. one thing to try, that seems to work for some people, is to record a short file, just a few seconds. and save it, and start a new one. this second file starts the countdown from where it should. This is a small bug that M-Audio is aware of. Still, it wouldn't hurt to let them know what you are experiencing. Hopefully this issue will be resolved with a future firmware update."

What sort of problems should I worry about? I know there is probably a FAQ with this but so far you have me on the right track! I can record long enough to fit the entire shows I need to tape soon.

Thanks
C

cpatch · « **Reply #18 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:18:14 PM »

Quote from: Do.com on December 13, 2005, 07:52:54 PM

Sample Rate: Auto (It will not allow me to adjust this)

Same here (with beta 1.2 firmware).

Craig

Do.com · « **Reply #19 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:23:39 PM »

Craig,

So feed it a signal, say a 16 bit/48kHz feed from my modded SBM1. Now it re-calculates the amount of time once you start recording based on that signal. Try it....

C

sickrick43 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:48:38 PM »

To estimate the recording time:

Go into Record Settings.

Set the input to either analog input, and the bitrate/depth to what you're planning on feeding thru the spdif. Check the available recording time in the Record Settings section. This is your max time on the ENTIRE CARD, for that bitrate/depth. Then go into record mode, and start a recording (no input required). This will display the max time @ max filesize for that bitrate/depth.

Simple, no?

Rick