Topic: Archos Gmini 120

[Sharky]

Spreadahead -

I have read somewhere that it is not available in the US until late January or Feb.
Its not even shown on their US webpage yet. If the Gmini 220 does have all the digital I/O that the 120 has, than I will definitly go with the 220; being how small it is. Size does matter!

[Tenn Man]

So what is the difference in the 120 and the 220 if the hard drive is 20g in both?

[Rick]

Does the Gmini 220 have all the same inputs/outputs as the 120?
If so, then I may have to wait on that one. Looks to be the same, but much smaller and a backlit LCD.

[timP]

yeah, size does mater... and I'll prob end up keeping my very little IRIVER for those super stealth runs, and it's great to have 20gb of Mule with me wherever I go......

edit: I feel like I may have jumped the gun on this new tech...2004 is prob goig to be full of HD recorderd that have all sorts of bells and whistles.... all I need is something that can do a decent file size, decent battery life, and is easy to use, and so far the Archos is just that, for a decent price...and I have 2 weeks to take it back.....

[timP]

the 120 has a backlight and is pretty small...can't figure out what makes the 220 beter...maybe record is already a loaded function and a mulitple type card reader?....

[JasonSobel]

I got mine today.  Testing begins tonight.  I have also been exchanging emails with their tech support (although it takes 2 to 3 days for any kind of response).  here is their latest email to me (in response to continued questioning about resampling all input, and whether it will record a 48kHz .wav file.

The signal will be resample when recording.
 
We will test on the 48kHz signal just to double check. At this point, we would say it will still record the signal to 44.1kHz. Once we tested it out will let you know.

based on their response, it doesn't look good for bit-accuracy.  but at this point, my own testing will take over, so we'll see.  

I'm going to test it all as if I were at a show.  just set up my rig in front of my stereo speakers, with the AES out from the V3 going to my D8, and the coax S/PDIF going to the Gmini 120.  then I'll transfer everything to my computer, invert, mix, and see if they are the same or not.  The basis will be the .wav file recorded from me D8 via the Egosys Waveterminal 2496, which I have tested before for bit accuracy.

crossing my fingers.

[Brian Skalinder]

transfer everything to my computer, invert, mix, and see if they are the same or not.

Thanks for the update, Jason.  Consider running a WAV File Compare in EAC as well as inverting and checking - you won't have to rely on a visual check, then, and it's awfully damn fast taboot.  Just a thought.  Looking forward to hearing about your results...

[Rick]

If you record at 44kHz will it still resample to 44kHz? I'm hoping that its bit-for-bit at 44kHz at least.

[JasonSobel]

Brian,
thanks for the suggestion.  I guess that entails downloading EAC  I haven't bothered since i got my new computer a month ago...

Rick,
I'm hoping for the same thing.  I don't entirely trust their tech support, because their first email made it sound like they didn't really know what they were talking about, and in this email, well, they didn't have an answer for me about the 48kHz signal.  

I'll post my testing results as I do them.

[greenone]

Thanks and as always, +T for guinea pigs. Looking forward to (positive) results!

--Dave

[Nick in Edinboro]

Brian for wave compare to work wouldn't  Jason have to cut those two waves (one from D8 and one from Gmini) in exactly the same places?  Sounds kinda like a PIA but i'm not really sure..

I'm trying think of a way to record a single wave with one of the records and then play it back for the other to get them "equal" but I gotta run to my philosophy class

[Brian Skalinder]

Brian for wave compare to work wouldn't  Jason have to cut those two waves (one from D8 and one from Gmini) in exactly the same places?  Sounds kinda like a PIA but i'm not really sure..

Yup.  It's not as difficult as it sounds - I found it quite easy and fast to do.

[JasonSobel]

yeah, cutting in exactly the same place isn't too bad.  and if I go the inverting one wav and mixing together, I'd have to do the same thing anyway...

[JasonSobel]

initial, preliminary, very very preliminary results.

upgrading to firmware 1.5.0 is very simple, straightforward, no hassles.

installing the recording plug-in is simple, straightforward, no hassles.

I have recorded, with my field rig, two one minute .wav files.

obviously I have not checked for bit accuracy, but I have found that it will lock onto, recognize, and record both 44.1 and 48kHz signals.  (and play them both back properly).  the 48kHz file makes it seem more promising to me, as that means that it is not automatically resampling down to 44.1.  

tomorrow evening, after work, and after my pottery class, the first real tests will begin, with 48kHz recordings made to the gmini and the DAT.  results will be posted.

stupid work, if I didn't have to wake up at 6AM, then I'd be up all night playing with this thing  ahh well.

[greenone]

Jason - not that I wouldn't trust the DAT, but why not just run straight from the V3's AES to your sound card/hard drive, at least for your initial tests? That way you're getting two hard drive-based recordings and not throwing additional x-factors in there (the D8's digital i/o and any errors that might occur on the tape). So far, so good though...thanks for keeping us posted!