Topic: Tascam DR-70D 4-channel audio recorder (Part 6)

[justme]

I decided to do two test runs with alkalines and NiMH to see how they perform while recording. 48k, 24bit bwf.
I ran all channels and used internal mics to capture basically silent sound in the room and left it recording while bagged.
When I came back after 50 minutes all meters hit 0db and all Peak LED flashed.

I powered it down and up again but still it peaked masivly and the meters was not that responsive to my turing them to zero.
The battery meter looks like a rolling led which goes from zero to half and back again.
I began recording again, halted, started, pressed slate and stoped.
Powered it down and reviewed the tracks.

After 7 minutes of recordings a peaked LF pulse began to emerge. It picked up pace and kept on for the remaining 40 minutes.
The unit was warm, the alkaline batteries reached almost 48C.

Attached is a clip from after I powered the unit down and up again.

-----------

While writing this I did a new test.
No bag, only chan 3/4 built in mics but same 48/24 bwf.
Now it's even worse. After 10 minutes same behaviour, channel 3/4 peaks constantly, ch 1/2 which was not used blinks every once in a while.
This time I can not even turn the unit off with the power/hold slider...
Have to remove the batteries.

I guess I have a lemon unit :/
Time to ship it back.

[2manyrocks]

If you are still in the return period, I wouldn't take any chances. 

[soundsinteresting]

I decided to do two test runs with alkalines and NiMH to see how they perform while recording. 48k, 24bit bwf.
I ran all channels and used internal mics to capture basically silent sound in the room and left it recording while bagged.
When I came back after 50 minutes all meters hit 0db and all Peak LED flashed.

I powered it down and up again but still it peaked masivly and the meters was not that responsive to my turing them to zero.
The battery meter looks like a rolling led which goes from zero to half and back again.
I began recording again, halted, started, pressed slate and stoped.
Powered it down and reviewed the tracks.

After 7 minutes of recordings a peaked LF pulse began to emerge. It picked up pace and kept on for the remaining 40 minutes.
The unit was warm, the alkaline batteries reached almost 48C.

Attached is a clip from after I powered the unit down and up again.

-----------

While writing this I did a new test.
No bag, only chan 3/4 built in mics but same 48/24 bwf.
Now it's even worse. After 10 minutes same behaviour, channel 3/4 peaks constantly, ch 1/2 which was not used blinks every once in a while.
This time I can not even turn the unit off with the power/hold slider...
Have to remove the batteries.

I guess I have a lemon unit :/
Time to ship it back.

sorry to hear about your problems with unit.
What do you mean by "bagged"?
Could it somehow have been internally overheated by this operation?
Did you try other batteries but alkaline after this?

I think i had one incident during testing where i had to take out the batteries to power down after lock up, but i cannot remember circumstances for this

[justme]

In the first use I had it running in a porta brace powered by alkalines.
It then began behaving weird after 7-8 minutes.
During the second test it ran without bag out in the opening, on fully charged eneloops.
It took about 10 minutes before it went haywire and did not allowed me to power it down.

I can't really see how it would have began to overheat after only 7 minutes in a bag.

Anyway, I've emailed the dealership and will post on how everything plays out.

[2manyrocks]

Overheating is not something that has come up before.  I doubt the bag had any effect.

If there was a fault in the battery or the battery was inserted the wrong way, that could cause it to overheat.  Not saying this caused it--only that it could cause it.  You might try putting a voltmeter to each battery. 

[soundsinteresting]

You may try to run it by USB power to see if that is different from battery power, just to narrow the problem somehow.

[justme]

You may try to run it by USB power to see if that is different from battery power, just to narrow the problem somehow.

Great idea. Will try that tonight.

[justme]

You may try to run it by USB power to see if that is different from battery power, just to narrow the problem somehow.

I hooked up the DR70 to one of my external 5V USB power packs.
Connected a AT4041 to input 3 and powered up the unit.
Formatted the card and began setting up phantom power and input settings and levels.

After less then 5 minutes every peak LED began to flash and all meters went through the roof as before.
Atleast I was able to power it down correctly this time.

I cant think of anything other then that the unit is totally faulty.
Still waiting to hear back form the dealer. Sent them another ail today.

[soundsinteresting]

That is really bad news.
It certainly sounds like a bad unit , input amplifiers going nuts or whatever, i have no clue to make this one behave
so best thing is probably to go for a replacement.
A bit strange that it is working for 5 mins (recording?), but that could be a heating matter, have you tried with another card?

[justme]

In the previous tests I did record.

This time, I never got around to press Rec. It was in standby all the time.
All I did was to jump around in the settings and adjusting levels etc.

[F.O.Bean]

The PNY Elite cards work in the DR70d!!  I have used mine without issue.  There have been zero reports of errors with these cards.

I'm #3.  I have a brand new unit that I have not used yet.  I am almost afraid to update the firmware.  I ordered a PNY elite card and I will go from there once it comes.

wild man. Ordering a card that's not on the list... WHY???

I have [1] 32gb PNY Elite and [1] 64gb PNY Elite, and they have been rock solid so far! I'll most def grab [1] 128gb PNY Elite before summer time, but I'll def test it before I use it I'm glad to hear that the 70D horror stories have been few/far between lately

[F.O.Bean]

I could list a ton of successful shows with my 70D. Dome Fest 2015/Mad Tea 2015/Summerdance 2015, plus all of the single shows Ive done since getting my 70D in April/2015 I have ONLY had ONE bad session, back in June@Mad Tea, on an untested microSDHC card[16gb Sandisk].

But since using my 32gb/64gb PNY Elite SD cards, I have had ZERO problems Using every firmware since the original. I just taped on 12.18.2015 @24/96 w 4 channels[2 channels PHANTOM] and no problems. And again on 12.30.2015 @24/96 w 4 channels[2 channels PHANTOM] and again with no issues. I have since upgraded to firmware v1.13 since then and I hope it works as well as v1.12 did on my 70D

[F.O.Bean]

Here's a pretty nifty bag specially designed for the DR70D, if anyone's interested.  Check out the demo video.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1200016-REG/k_tek_kstg70_stingray_bag_for.html

That's a nice bag +T. If mine weren't so nicely encased in my new SOG Tactical 6 bag, I would grab one of those instantly. K-Tek makes great quality stuff IMO

[F.O.Bean]

Had the same experience with my new DR70, after installation of fresh ENELOOP PRO 2500mA and updated to ver 1.13.
Sofar it looks like I have a stable recorder (8Gb card) but my battery indicator seam to behave badly and it certainly looks like Alkaline/NiMh selector has been switched or algoritme is weak. most of the time it shows 50% left.
I have another  peculiar thing that does no harm but is yet annoying in menues.
I do not like that the phrase "MIC" is used for diferent things in menues, it should be distinguissed where needed (internal MIC, external etc..)
If ch 3/4 is set up for internal "MIC"'s it is still possible to select phantom power on 3/4.
I assume that is not intentional and does not show on display but is yet selectable in menu INPUT/INPUT GAIN.

I am missing PREREC of at least 5 secs which should be no big deal as any small recorder like M10 has a similar functionality.
it has been decribed before but I also would like to have Monitor to each channel / channelpair.
It looks like my version is very sensitive to switching phantom powered devices which has caused malfunction that needed repowering, but any technician would know that this of course should be done unpowered

Despite of this, this little device behaves like a charm and i have been playing almost glitchless with several different setups and input sofar.

IMO, you NEED a bigger USB battery for any real runtimes on your 70D I have [6] 10,000mah USB batteries that I use for my 70D. USB batteries can be easily and cheaply found abiout anywhere now, so this is a big plus for the 70D IMO I get ABOUT 1hr/1,000mah, so about 10 hours with a 10,000mah USB battery. Thats running 4 channels@24/96, with 2 channels on PHANTOM.

Unfortunately, its not possible to monitor each channel on its own That is now a function of the 701-D, but not the 70D So I honestly think we'll NEVER see a fix on the monitor situation of the 70D. They have taken some things that we wanted to see on the 70D in firmware upgrades, and made them standard functions on the 701-D, so either upgrade to the 701-D, or do without most of those things

Frankly, I do no kind of video recording, and the regular 70D does EXACTLY what I need it to do, when I'm just recording audio. So while the 701-D is new and pretty and has things we desired for our 70D's, I have ZERO reasons to upgrade to the 701-D!!! The 70D menu isn't cluttered with a million settings like most 4 channel decks, and its pretty bare-bones, but that's what I love about it. Just set your basic settings and BAM, you're ready to go Now if Tascam really fixed the "Write Timeout" errors, then I think this recorder has the potential to really blow up, but ONLY after Tascam addresses the WT errors and makes it as reliable for EVERYONE, as it has been for me the last 9 months

Hopefully v1.13 firmware is the savior that we have all been waiting for, and I'm VERY curious to read this thread in the coming weeks/months, to see if the Write Timeout error has truly been fixed!!

[morst]

I have [1] 32gb PNY Elite and [1] 64gb PNY Elite, and they have been rock solid so far! I'll most def grab [1] 128gb PNY Elite before summer time, but I'll def test it before I use it

Good luck!