Topic: PDA recording

[DaryanLenz]

Of the PDA's listed on the page, which is a good one?

Daryan

[Tim]

I have a laptop now and there is no way in hell I would run it in the field. What a freaking hassle! HD recorders are much more field friendly than any laptop.

Tim,
what are the major hassles you speak of? I've been doing it for a bit and while it's a bit bulky to carry (which is why I have a wheeled bag)It's not much more of a hassle than any other device in my opinion that is. I wouldn't run it FOB, but since I never do it's not an issue. I'm just curious on why you woudn't run it at shows.

I also hope the PDA is a good working piece of eqipment, but I while I'm sure it's stable enough to run in the field. I am skeptical about runing 24/96 on it. Wouldn't it require a pretty huge flash card? I think as I already have my laptop and a DAT as backup I'll keep what I have. Maybe entertain a HD recorder, but it would be a while. I'd probably buy a PowerBook before buying anything else.

hassles: size, fragility, power, also fear of dust/dirt for outside gigs

They're just not built for our uses and it would make me nervous to bring one out for taping. That said 24bit sounds f-ing good so maybe it is worth it  

[RRobar]

I have a laptop now and there is no way in hell I would run it in the field. What a freaking hassle! HD recorders are much more field friendly than any laptop.

Tim,
what are the major hassles you speak of? I've been doing it for a bit and while it's a bit bulky to carry (which is why I have a wheeled bag)It's not much more of a hassle than any other device in my opinion that is. I wouldn't run it FOB, but since I never do it's not an issue. I'm just curious on why you woudn't run it at shows.

I also hope the PDA is a good working piece of eqipment, but I while I'm sure it's stable enough to run in the field. I am skeptical about runing 24/96 on it. Wouldn't it require a pretty huge flash card? I think as I already have my laptop and a DAT as backup I'll keep what I have. Maybe entertain a HD recorder, but it would be a while. I'd probably buy a PowerBook before buying anything else.

hassles: size, fragility, power, also fear of dust/dirt for outside gigs

They're just not built for our uses and it would make me nervous to bring one out for taping. That said 24bit sounds f-ing good so maybe it is worth it  

I understand. The size is kind of a bummer, but I guess thats why the pictureBooks are so popular no bigger than a DAp1 (way thinner). I have been thinking of a Mac 12 inch powerbook as my current laptop is a monster. I don't mind it but a small one would be nice. As far as outdoor shows go I guess if it was raining I'd leave it in the car and just run the DAT.

[surf1div1]

When I can address this thread after working with the PD-Audio for the last 2 years, and that while it will work pretty well @ 14/44.1, it isn't stable for 24/96 unless you use the SD media(that's the current suggestion from Len) but I've tried all the incarnations suggested and have pretty much given up at this point on it doing 24/96 without Gordon's software which allows you to change the media since this seems to have problems if the recording goes over 50 mintues. That's where the media change helps, but in a stealth mode (which all my taping is) doing a media change on a PDA isn't advisable since you either need some backlighting to touch the screen or a small penlight, which is another hassle. It does have an advantage for form factore though over other products, but seeing that the M-Audio Flash Tracker is coming out, I'm awaiting the field results of others on this list as to how successful that is. Once burned, twice shy as they say, and personally think that based on my experience at this point that the PD-Audio isn't something I can endorse unless you have large media storage compatable with this form factor(SD media for a 2 hour show recording 24/96 would require 4 gig's minimum and isn't even available on one card currently) unless you like the idea of pulling out your cabled PD-A and switching the media. Not for me. We'll wait and see what happens, but for those of you considering it in a stealth mode for recording, I'm not suggesting it unless 16/44.1 is ok.

plus, 2k isn't even unreasonable with a pre and a/d built in.  Obviously, we don't know what it will sound like, but this could be the ultimate low-profile recording setup.  If given the choice between a stripped down version at around 1k and the 722 at 2k, i would probably go with the 722.  

i'm pretty curious about field testing on the pda recorderas well.  are pocket pcs stable, reliable and powerful enough to dependably record at 24/96?  

-damon

[IowaClint]

I have taped some show using an Ipaq 5555 and Gordon's software.  Seams stable to me.  What are you using for cards?  I have recorded 24/48 16/44.1,  and 24/96 using a pcmcia 20 gig hardrive, 4gig micro drive and 2 2gig cf cards.  The 4 gig microdrive is a little jumpy for 24/96 but for the others are fine.  Just my .02.
Clint

[The Rev. Bigbill]

Of the PDA's listed on the page, which is a good one?

Daryan

BOOM

[Craig T]

I have no issues recording 24/96 into an external HD (7200rpm 40GB IBM/Hitachi Travelstar).

[surf1div1]

Hi Clint-
I"m using both of the san disk cards- Ultra 2 and the normal CF sand disk cards.
The problem with the 2 gig cards are that their only good for 1 hour @ 24/96. Since the artists I tape are typically over 80 mintues at a shot, I unable to do without the media change that Len and Gordon both reference to do. How long are the shows your doing? If your using that pcmcia unit with a hard drive(20 GIG?) that is added bulk, which for me isn't a possibility when doing stealth recordings where I go (HOB ;-) . Your post is unique though- as even Gordon states he's not found the reason that the software doesn't work currently @ 24/96 on the Toshiba 5 gig cards that we both(me and gordon) are using. Possibly you have one of the original software configurations or haven't updated the bios(which since I've done has caused me NOT to get 24/96 from my unit.) I've spent numerous hours trying to get 24/96, but it's a common thread with others on the Pen computing thread re: the issue I've raised here.  I have to admit- your the FIRST post I've seen doing 4 gig microdrives sustaining 24/96 for any lenght of time. Since my shows take about 2 gigs an hour, and per Len, the only reliable to date card I've seen recommended is now the SD cards by Sandisk, I would love to see your post to the otherwise on the Pencomputing group on Yahoo. Since it's not appropropriate to quote (cross post) from one source to another, I have yet to see your feedback on the pencomputing-if I did I would of approached you then as I'm now doing. Craig's posts I'm familiar with ( I'm not interested in external drives- extra bulk,power requirments and gear to use), but only recently have we had success with the 24/96 and the H5555. Your configuration might be of help to others on Pencomputing since your configuration shows that it will work- so, I ask, what is so special with yours? I and several others would benefit from what you've got since no-one other then those using hard drives is gettitg 24/96 for over an hour without the buffer issues that have been the ongoing issue. Anyway, what people are now doing to get it to work with the same configuration as mine is hacking the processor by overclocking it. I take it your's isn't.

Surf1

I have taped some show using an Ipaq 5555 and Gordon's software.  Seams stable to me.  What are you using for cards?  I have recorded 24/48 16/44.1,  and 24/96 using a pcmcia 20 gig hardrive, 4gig micro drive and 2 2gig cf cards.  The 4 gig microdrive is a little jumpy for 24/96 but for the others are fine.  Just my .02.
Clint

[macdaddy]

i run:

cfaudio > eidio dual CF pack w/ battery > ipaq35xx > 4 gig hitachi CF microdrive @ 16/48

so far no problems with stability (the display does some funny things sometimes, but no samples are dropped). i preallocate 2x 2 gig files (i make them that big because i do not want to join the wavs by hand, and sometimes 1 gig is just not enough)...

the issue i have is power. i can run a little over an hour and a half before the seidio battery dies, and even though i have plenty of juice on the ipaq battery, once the cf pack battery dies, the recording shuts down - totally salvageable, but it will shut down...

i bought a second battery, and was going to try hotswapping them, but havent gotten around to it. if that works, it would be an awkward solution to my problem. i also found a 4xAA pack that plugs into the seidio, and i want to try that out, too - i just havent...

the only thing is that the ipaq can be finnicky(sp). i carry a 32 MB card with the restore info because roughly half of the time, i have to restore the ipaq before using it. this takes about 5 minutes in the field, which means i always have to start recording early, so if the ipaq sh*ts on me, i can restore it before the band starts playing (giving me effectively an hour and a half before the CF battery dies). this is another reason i like to set things in live2496 parm file. i have that thing all lined up, and sometimes i have two - so that i can preallocate and then record to specific files, and one parm file for each set - that way, all i have to do between sets is close the live2496 program, rename the parm files, and restart the live software. this would work indefinitely, but like i said, i am still having power issues in the field...

i have no idea about higher sample rates and word lengths. i use an oademodSBM-1, and until they make a v3 the size of the sbm1, i am sticking with modded sony unit...

[IowaClint]

surf1div1,
I used some software to pre-allocate the clusters as big as I can get them.  64kb.  I am using some pretty old software from gordon.  The skinny is that my ipaq took a dump on me and I had to re-install 24/96.  I haven't tried the new software yet.  I am currently trying to find the old version I had backed up.  I will let you know if I find it.  Also they are know making the PCMCIA drive like a stick so no shell like the addonics just slap it in and it runs. 
Clint

[surf1div1]

Hi Clint, and thanks for your response- yes, Gordon as the pre-allocation which I useed to set up my files and renamed and set up in the parmfile so that they would open them in update mode. This is to address the buffer issues that overwhelm the writing capacity of the processor on my Ipaq h5555 that I use. For some reason this isn't an issue with the external drives, but is with the PC Cards that I use. Also, I've stayed with the various incarnations Gordon(the software writer you came up with the most stable application to use on the PD-Audio) and it appears that possibly the new bios that I installed on my Ipaq as caused some issues with using this application, as it appears that I had better luck with 24/96 prior to what I'm getting now(24/88.2) I'm not that familiar with your reference though for the new stick(are you referring to the USB attachment that used the SD form factor?) I would love to invest in the new equipment you've referenced, but currently, I'm kind of tapped out on investing any more money in this form factor as I've done all of them(see my previous posts on this topic) and am hesistant since I'm not sure that anyone has posted successfully to doing with any of the equipment the 24/96 I'm looking for without adding more bulk and hardware to carry in(trying to go stealth in my recording means less is more ;-)

Anyway, go ahead and respond with what you've found for hardwear, and hopefully you find the software version that works successful as I have yet, and neither as Godon for 24/96 without using sd cards and media change ;-(

Surf1

surf1div1,
I used some software to pre-allocate the clusters as big as I can get them.  64kb.  I am using some pretty old software from gordon.  The skinny is that my ipaq took a dump on me and I had to re-install 24/96.  I haven't tried the new software yet.  I am currently trying to find the old version I had backed up.  I will let you know if I find it.  Also they are know making the PCMCIA drive like a stick so no shell like the addonics just slap it in and it runs. 
Clint