Thank you all for the inputs.
Does anyone use rca connectors? I like the robust XLR's which lock into place, and the XLR signal power level is at least 25 times stronger then SPDIF...
Any comments regarding the preferred memory technology would be appreciated. Are there problems with the robustness of hard drives in portable applications? (I tend to be very "protective" of my laptop, mostly the hard drive).
Regards
Dan Lavry
I also prefer XLR connectors over RCA, or BNC over RCA for s/pdif. Adapter cables are not too hard to come by/make/have made, and robustness and durability are key values for field use.
Regarding memory technology, I use a 4 track hard drive recorder. Most folks on here, I believe are using newer flash media (CF and SD cards) or dedicated hard drive recorders. The Sound Devices 7xx series seems the benchmark/new standard for most, with the recorders (excepting the 702) all having both internal hard drives and CF card recording ability).
The issue with the robustness of hard drives, especially with laptops, seems mostly a function of speed/cache, fragmentation, quality of internal shockmounting, and how much other crap (like Winblows OS, etc.) is also running that may cause the processor to run up against its limits and/or have write errors. Couple this with recording loud amplified music, often in smaller venues with pumping subwoofers, lots of vibrations, and the potential for being bumped and spilled on by drunk attendees.
I use(d) a laptop for field multitrack recording, and now avoid it if at all possible. I'll only go through what I view as the additional risk and hassle if I
really need more than 4 tracks - which I've found is very often not the case for what I'm trying to do (represent the show more or less as it went down with the full ambience of at least one pair of open mics vs. a studio-like, polished-sounding full blown multitrack).