Topic: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4

[Candace]

I've been using this more often over the last few weeks, and have noticed a few things. Figured I'd check in and see if anybody has any ideas. First, the right channels seem to be consistently hotter than the left. With mics, it's up to 10db. With the board, it's more like 3-4. Second, with a board feed, twice I've gotten a bunch of random peaks that cause static. Not sure what is happening there, because the overall levels are pretty low. I guess I could run it very soft and then bring it up in post.

[kirk97132]

So is anyone using a 64GB or 128GB card in their 680?  I've run the 32GB Sandisk class4 with no issues but that is SDHC, the others are SDXC so I wondering if there is a card reading issue or even a capacity access issue.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, Kirk

[morst]

I don't think the 680 can use an XD card, so 32 GB is the limit.

Records to SD/SDHC card media

[fsulloway]

Hey guys- I need a big favor. I just got a call to tape a local all star band tonight. My 680 arrived just as I was going out of town for a week so I haven't had any time to play with it. Turned it on but didn't have a card so haven't used it it at all. I read all 100 pages or so of this thread so I think I remember a lot but there's no substitute for practicing with the gear in front of you. Since I'll barely have time to get home and grab my gear before heading to the show, would someone please "baby sit" me and run thru what I need to do for each setting in hopes I can pull this off? The plan is to run the schoeps ccm4's> m148 and sbd into the 680 at 24/48. I'll use house power and format the 32g card as soon as I get there.
Set 680 to record 24/48 stereo wav files.
channels 1-2 > I'll set to line> phantom off.
channels 3-4 > same
what else can you suggest? Do I remember that I need to turn channels off or they'll record anyway? Don't need to use the mix feature as I'll do that in post. It's not my style to go in unprepared but I'll give it a shot.

[chinariderstl]

Marking thread, just picked one up in the YS.

[Gutbucket]

Hey guys- I need a big favor. I just got a call to tape a local all star band tonight. My 680 arrived just as I was going out of town for a week so I haven't had any time to play with it. Turned it on but didn't have a card so haven't used it it at all. I read all 100 pages or so of this thread so I think I remember a lot but there's no substitute for practicing with the gear in front of you. Since I'll barely have time to get home and grab my gear before heading to the show, would someone please "baby sit" me and run thru what I need to do for each setting in hopes I can pull this off? The plan is to run the schoeps ccm4's> m148 and sbd into the 680 at 24/48. I'll use house power and format the 32g card as soon as I get there.
Set 680 to record 24/48 stereo wav files.
channels 1-2 > I'll set to line> phantom off.
channels 3-4 > same
what else can you suggest? Do I remember that I need to turn channels off or they'll record anyway? Don't need to use the mix feature as I'll do that in post. It's not my style to go in unprepared but I'll give it a shot.

Going from memory since the unit isn't in front of me.

Power up.
Format card.
Goto record settings to set 24/48.
Check hard switches on top panel for each channel pair (p48 off, low cut off, low sensitivity).
Plug in sources.
Hit Rec/pause (light flashes).
Select which channels to arm by toggling the button for each channel under the display.  A black dot appears for each armed channel.
Push the gain button to switch to the input gain setting screen (I think that's what it's labled, level is playback level and not what you want). Select which channels to adjust gain on by toggling the button for each channel under the display. Adjust gain with the front panel knob (peaking around the line indicated on the display is safe).
Hit record (rec light goes steady on)
Make sure meters are moving and display is counting.
Rollin’..


First time out, be careful to push only one of the channel selection buttons at a time under the display when selecting which tracks to arm or which to adjust input gain.  The ability to ‘gang channels together’ and adjust gain/level/pan/etc simultaneously across multiple channels is great, but it can be confusing selecting and de-selecting them until you get the hang of it.

[fsulloway]

Hey guys- I need a big favor. I just got a call to tape a local all star band tonight. My 680 arrived just as I was going out of town for a week so I haven't had any time to play with it. Turned it on but didn't have a card so haven't used it it at all. I read all 100 pages or so of this thread so I think I remember a lot but there's no substitute for practicing with the gear in front of you. Since I'll barely have time to get home and grab my gear before heading to the show, would someone please "baby sit" me and run thru what I need to do for each setting in hopes I can pull this off? The plan is to run the schoeps ccm4's> m148 and sbd into the 680 at 24/48. I'll use house power and format the 32g card as soon as I get there.
Set 680 to record 24/48 stereo wav files.
channels 1-2 > I'll set to line> phantom off.
channels 3-4 > same
what else can you suggest? Do I remember that I need to turn channels off or they'll record anyway? Don't need to use the mix feature as I'll do that in post. It's not my style to go in unprepared but I'll give it a shot.

Going from memory since the unit isn't in front of me.

Power up.
Format card.
Goto record settings to set 24/48.
Check hard switches on top panel for each channel pair (p48 off, low cut off, low sensitivity).
Plug in sources.
Hit Rec/pause (light flashes).
Select which channels to arm by toggling the button for each channel under the display.  A black dot appears for each armed channel.
Push the gain button to switch to the input gain setting screen (I think that's what it's labled, level is playback level and not what you want). Select which channels to adjust gain on by toggling the button for each channel under the display. Adjust gain with the front panel knob (peaking around the line indicated on the display is safe).
Hit record (rec light goes steady on)
Make sure meters are moving and display is counting.
Rollin’..


First time out, be careful to push only one of the channel selection buttons at a time under the display when selecting which tracks to arm or which to adjust input gain.  The ability to ‘gang channels together’ and adjust gain/level/pan/etc simultaneously across multiple channels is great, but it can be confusing selecting and de-selecting them until you get the hang of it.

ahhh, didn't realize this had been updated. good to know as I'll prob use it in the future. Thanks for your help.

[Gutbucket]

Also, in record setup, you'll select if you want to write individual mono files, stereo pairs, etc.  That will determine if you can arm individual channels or if they arm as pairs..  and obviously what kind of files get written and when the 2GB split happens.

Not important for you tonight, but in setup you can also set your prefered default channel recording configuration, so whichever combination of channels you want automatically default to being armed or not as soon as you hit rec/pause.  But that's just convenience, you can arm/disarm any channel (or channel pair depending on the file setting) while in Rec/Pause, regardless of the default setting.

[fsulloway]

It worked out great. thanks for your help.

[Gutbucket]

Good to hear.  Welcome to the cool kids club.

[bdasilva]

INDEED

[kirk97132]

OK I had a TRULY weird thing happen last night  Running two 680's, off DVD batteries.  Both decks powered by same cord.  A "wye" on deck end to support two decks.  Other end set up for hot swap.  Finish show. Hit pause.  pull spdif cords to make access to decks easier hit stop and NOTHING happens.  Decks are both stuck in Rec/Pause.  Check hold switch. Try to start deck into rec again, nothing changes decks just locked up in Rec/Pause.  Final had to disconnect DV D and pull AA battery to shut them down.  I haven't looked at cards yet but I fear it's another case of file recovery needed.  So any ideas, feedback, comments and are there any file recovery experts out there who are willing to save some 680 files??  TIA, Kirk

[runonce]

I might try pulling the spdif cable again in rec/pause - see if that lock up is repeatable...at least you might be able to rule it out.

[kirk97132]

I might try pulling the spdif cable again in rec/pause - see if that lock up is repeatable...at least you might be able to rule it out.

Yea that's what I was thinking too try and duplicate it at home.  First I need to find out if I'm crying in my beer about the files.  Then try to figure out WTF happened.  Never seen anything like this before and I'm pretty sure I have unhooked the spdif.  I was also thinking that maybe since the USBPre2 to was hooked up to both decks(in on one and out on other for sync) that maybe somehow that has something to do with it although I can't understand why. 

[Gutbucket]

I had this happen once- rec/pause freeze at end of session, had to remove batteries.  Files wrote fine on the card, no recovery needed.  Can't remember it happening again or if I was using SPDIF or not at the time.