Author Topic: 744T Questions (Read 8437 times)

nedstruzz · « **on:** December 30, 2007, 02:42:09 PM »

Sorry for putting this in the wrong section but I am needing an answer in the next hour or so.

So running a 744 for the first time and do I want to run WAV Poly or WAV Mono?

Also, Does the timecode on the front always just continuously run even though the deck is not recording?

baustin · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2007, 02:55:35 PM »

Quote from: nedstruzz on December 30, 2007, 02:42:09 PM

Sorry for putting this in the wrong section but I am needing an answer in the next hour or so.

So running a 744 for the first time and do I want to run WAV Poly or WAV Mono?

Also, Does the timecode on the front always just continuously run even though the deck is not recording?

4 channel - mono
2 channel - poly

unless you're synching with video, no need for the timecode

1 gb file split

jimmyrow · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2007, 03:13:20 PM »

Quote from: baustin on December 30, 2007, 02:55:35 PM

Quote from: nedstruzz on December 30, 2007, 02:42:09 PM
Sorry for putting this in the wrong section but I am needing an answer in the next hour or so.

So running a 744 for the first time and do I want to run WAV Poly or WAV Mono?

Also, Does the timecode on the front always just continuously run even though the deck is not recording?

4 channel - mono
2 channel - poly

unless you're synching with video, no need for the timecode

1 gb file split

QFT - a lot of software can't handle 4 channel poly files, so just use mono and combine them as you wish. Timecode can be turned off in one of the menu options.

cfox · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2007, 04:09:23 PM »

4 channel - mono
2 channel - poly
1 gb file split

yea what he said...

nedstruzz · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2007, 06:00:34 PM »

Great thanks guys and thanks for the call Brian.

wbrisette · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2007, 04:05:00 PM »

IF you ever do record in poly and later need to break them up into mono wav files, be sure to download the Fostex utility BWF Manager. That will allow you to split up poly files.

Wayne

nedstruzz · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2008, 09:30:21 AM »

Cool, thanks Wayne. I was actually thinking about this last night in some greater detail. By recording poly wav files you are just getting a mix of your left and right sources which seems easier to manage. You still get two files, one for channels 1&2 and another for channels 3&4. What are some instances that you would need four mono files? I just seem to be missing the logic. (not the first time)

mmedley. · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2008, 02:36:11 PM »

SD also has a utility called Wave Agent to combine mono, split poly, etc.

Edit:

Here is the link...

http://www.sounddevices.com/products/waveagent.htm

boojum · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2008, 04:53:03 PM »

Quote from: mmedley. on January 02, 2008, 02:36:11 PM

SD also has a utility called Wave Agent to combine mono, split poly, etc.

Thanks for that tip.

wbrisette · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2008, 05:22:56 PM »

Quote from: nedstruzz on January 02, 2008, 09:30:21 AM

What are some instances that you would need four mono files? I just seem to be missing the logic. (not the first time)

Depends on the application. For example, I mirror poly files from the Deva when I know the files are going to Final Cut Pro or when I've sent things for Telecine. However, when I'm doing my own post, I mirror mono files because Digital Performer still can't handle poly broadcast wav files, so you have to import each channel as a mono file.

It's really up to you as a workflow sort of thing. The Deva allows you to mirror files after the fact as either mono or poly. Seems that the 744T doesn't.

Wayne

nedstruzz · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2008, 09:24:39 PM »

Further more, how can I figure out how much to pan each file to get a good stereo image. On playback I am getting dead even levels when it is clear that my right channel is about 3dB less then my right. This seems odd even if I am dealing with mono files.

F.O.Bean · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2008, 07:28:08 PM »

Please help Ned out folks, this will benefit us both(and actually ALOT more folks than just us two)

ghellquist · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2008, 05:18:15 AM »

Quote from: nedstruzz on January 02, 2008, 09:24:39 PM

Further more, how can I figure out how much to pan each file to get a good stereo image. On playback I am getting dead even levels when it is clear that my right channel is about 3dB less then my right. This seems odd even if I am dealing with mono files.

Hmm. I guess I am not alone in not quite understanding the question. It sort of reads dense. Anyway, here is what I do when mixing to stereo. I of course use a program in my computer, my favourite is Samplitude.

Generally it is very simple, mics to the left goes left and mics to the right gets panned to the right. Mics in the middle goes in the middle. When I have spot mics (= mics close to one instrument) it can get more complicated. I like to delay the spot mics a little so that the sound arrives a little later than the sound from the main pair of mics. I try by moving the spot mic fader up and down while listening, the stereo position should not change.

In all though, the only thing that counts is the end result. EQ, room simulation (=reverb), maybe even a bit of compressor -- all is possible.

Gunnar

cfox · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2008, 04:08:09 PM »

Ned check your PM...

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #14 on:** August 04, 2009, 07:43:31 PM »

can someone please elaborate on the 4 x mono file workflow. The first recording I made on it, I didn't know how to deal with the 4 x mono files. So what I did was open all 4 of them and then panned channel 1 left and channel 2 right. Channels 3 & 4 were off the SBD so there was no panning necessary. After I got done mixing it, I was told I was doing it wrong. The proper technique is to render the channels 1 & 2 into one stereo file then repeat for 3 &4, then combine stereo 1 and stereo 2. that seems like a pita. How is my panning the stereo channels in mono mode different then what I was told to do? somebody please help.

cfox · « **Reply #15 on:** August 05, 2009, 10:12:49 AM »

Quote from: NOLAfishwater on August 04, 2009, 07:43:31 PM

The proper technique is to render the channels 1 & 2 into one stereo file then repeat for 3 &4, then combine stereo 1 and stereo 2. that seems like a pita. How is my panning the stereo channels in mono mode different then what I was told to do? somebody please help.

This is how we all do the 4ch mono on the 744t, not sure about all this panning stuff you are referring to...once you setup your montagues in wavelab, insert mono 1&2, render to stereo. Insert mono 3&4 render to stereo. Combine 1&2 stereo, 3&4 stereo, render off gain, adjust time delay if needed, render out to 2 ch stereo. Yes it is more work...

Teen Wolf Blitzer · « **Reply #16 on:** August 05, 2009, 10:30:56 AM »

I just do polywav. So it comes in as 1 stereo file and 2 mono. (usually the soundboard). Assign left and right to the monos then save each file separately. Then remaster each stereo set and mix. Only difference between this and the R4 is the r4 did 2 stereo tracks. Always wished SD would do that too.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #17 on:** August 10, 2009, 11:10:55 AM »

Quote from: Mark Burgin™ on August 05, 2009, 10:30:56 AM

I just do polywav. So it comes in as 1 stereo file and 2 mono. (usually the soundboard). Assign left and right to the monos then save each file separately. Then remaster each stereo set and mix. Only difference between this and the R4 is the r4 did 2 stereo tracks. Always wished SD would do that too.

what is the purpose of saving them as mono files that have been assigned to left or right? why not save them as stereo pair? someone mentioned there is a tutorial floating around. can someone please share this with me. Thanks.

Teen Wolf Blitzer · « **Reply #18 on:** August 10, 2009, 11:32:29 AM »

No I meant I save each pair as a stereo pair. Not the mono's. The original files get thrown on a dvd. All others on mirrored drives. Do you still need me to call you? I don't know anything about the tutorial.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2009, 12:57:55 PM »

Quote from: Mark Burgin™ on August 05, 2009, 10:30:56 AM

I just do polywav. So it comes in as 1 stereo file and 2 mono. (usually the soundboard). Assign left and right to the monos then save each file separately. Then remaster each stereo set and mix. Only difference between this and the R4 is the r4 did 2 stereo tracks. Always wished SD would do that too.

so stereo on 1/2 and mono on 3/4 (or vice versa), set as polywav. and then what about splits? do you have any problem with file sizes being too large for wavelab?

Teen Wolf Blitzer · « **Reply #20 on:** August 10, 2009, 01:03:13 PM »

I don't use wavelab so I can't comment.

And I only run 24/48 so I rarely tape sets that go over 2 hours. But Samplitude can handle it with the way I process them. And my splits happen at 54 min or so running 4 channel.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #21 on:** August 10, 2009, 08:49:44 PM »

OK so what am I doing wrong. I opened 1&2 mono files and render them to stereo, but the only problem is that it sounds like mono. the wav files look identical. why isn't there a true left and right? and why when I render to stereo does the file become brickwalled? I had to reduce the master volume by 3dbs to get them below clipping/brickwalling. I must be doing it all wrong. someone please help meh.

Teen Wolf Blitzer · « **Reply #22 on:** August 10, 2009, 09:49:01 PM »

Do you have audacity? Try opening the polywav in that. You will get one stereo pair in one window and 2 mono's in 2 separate windows.

This is what your stereo one would look like...

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/images/audacity-macosx.png

This is what your 2 monos would look like

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/images/audacity-linux.png

In the above pic click where it says channel one in this example. It will say your file name though when you open yours. You can choose left, right or mono. Choose the coresponding left or right. I generally do my stuff left [1],right [2] {for the stereo pair} left [3] right [4]. It all depends how you plug your cables in.

Once you've done that close the 2 mono files that you just changed to left and right and save the stereo file as your mics {as an example..could be board or whatever}
Then click edit, undo to bring back one mono channel. Then again to bring back the other. Now close out the stereo file and save the 2 mono's {that have been changed} as your board feed. You should now have 2 clean stereo feeds.

Maybe wavlab is having issues with the poly's?

That should work.

And I'm at work so I don't have my software in front of me. I'm going by memory. Also be sure to go into options in Audacity and change your default save to 24 bit pcm 48 khz before you begin..

From there you should be able to mix them in wavelab. Give it a try?

EDIT: Leave the pan stuff alone. You don't need to touch them. Just leave them centered.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #23 on:** August 10, 2009, 09:56:28 PM »

well, I have the mono files open but the problem I am having is assigning them to L and R. for some reason, I am not able to do that in my audio dispatching popup box. not sure what the problem is. It only allows me Lfront or Rfront, but when I select one or the other it is still being broadcast to both L and R. check out the screen shot below

Teen Wolf Blitzer · « **Reply #24 on:** August 10, 2009, 10:33:29 PM »

hmm. Maybe I'll download a trial version of wavelab tomorrow and play around with it. Not sure what to say. I would hope there are some 744 users here who use Wavalab who might chime in?

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #25 on:** August 10, 2009, 10:48:45 PM »

here is what happens when I check only Left on the top and only right on the bottom file. really weird. It is obviously a problem with my audio dispatching.

Teen Wolf Blitzer · « **Reply #26 on:** August 10, 2009, 11:01:16 PM »

Ya that's certainly not right! lol

Gordon · « **Reply #27 on:** August 12, 2009, 12:45:17 AM »

open the first left channel, create montage from file. in montage right click on the little 1 on the left under the "fx" thing. add mono track. add the right channel. render as stereo. repeat as necessary. whatever the "audio dispatching" thing is isn't what you need.

NOLAfishwater · « **Reply #28 on:** August 12, 2009, 01:06:34 AM »

the audio dispatching is what I was having a problem with. I finally got the channels to assign correctly doing the following: under mode, I selected DVD audio and then Mono which assigns both channels to Center. I then went under Audio Dispatching and unchecked both the center marks. Then I went back to Mode and selected Stereo and was able to then correctly assign LF to the top file and RF to the bottom file. After that I could correctly render the file to stereo. Please see the attached picture. I think I am all good. For some reason I guess there was glitch that wasn't allowing me to just select it when in the stereo setting at first. oh well, I am off to the races now.