Topic: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track Part 2

[soundmanjohn]

Tascam post a list of tested/recommended cards for the DR-680 on their web-site: mostly class 6, but some class 4.

http://www.tascam.de/en/dr-680_cards.html

I'd love to report on my DR-680, but the first unit was faulty and so is the second - intermittent headphone jack. Piss-poor quality control...

Regards,

John

[Marcoscine]

Hi folks.
I'm apreciate your help. But nothig that you said before helps me. I already tried fectory reset and nothig. My problem is that the unit not advanced with the SD card inside. The unit starts to read the card wiht a spinnig wheel that never stop, util the message: "Invalid Card change the Card". And the unit was never come to the format step. So i cant formated the card and i cant update the firmware. About the card, is a "SANDISK Ultra 16gb class 4 bougth in BH", and as I said before, the unit has already been tested with a card that already worked in another dr-680.  What can I do. any help?

[groovon]

John - Very sorry to hear about your replacement deck being bad too. I guess this kind of 'price vs features' gamble is bound not to pay off a certain percentage of the time. I'd say 'try again', but I don't know how you luck will go(!)

So far mine's OK, and does the job. I've always likened them, build-quality wise, to a 'bedside radio/alarm clock with XLRs'. I just wonder what it says for in-the-field reliability down the line, I mean, trouble when you least need it. My fingers are crossed (mine doesn't even have a warranty!)

cheers
Dave

[groovon]

Hi folks.
I'm apreciate your help. But nothig that you said before helps me. I already tried fectory reset and nothig. My problem is that the unit not advanced with the SD card inside. The unit starts to read the card wiht a spinnig wheel that never stop, util the message: "Invalid Card change the Card". And the unit was never come to the format step. So i cant formated the card and i cant updat the firmware. What i can do. any halp?

That error message is listed in the table on page 48 of the manual. All it says is to 'try another card'. If it keeps doing it, and the machine fails to get beyond that point... I don't know what to suggest except keep trying as many different cards as you can find. Then email Tascam Tech Service and get them on the case. They were very helpful to me. Sorry I can't think of anything else!
Dave

[groovon]

hey marcosine, any luck yet? Just a shot in the dark, but is it running on batteries, or the AC adaptor? I seem to recall that the deck will not initiate some procedures (firmware updates, for one) while running on batteries or external DC, it has to be on AC mains or will not do it. You're probably plugged in, but if not, it might be worth a try.
cheers
Dave

[Marcoscine]

hey marcosine, any luck yet? Just a shot in the dark, but is it running on batteries, or the AC adaptor? I seem to recall that the deck will not initiate some procedures (firmware updates, for one) while running on batteries or external DC, it has to be on AC mains or will not do it. You're probably plugged in, but if not, it might be worth a try.
cheers
Dave

Hi Groovon. All the tests with the AC adapter and with my 12v-9v-5v Lion Battery. And nothing happens, all the cards are invalid, and the system dont go foward.
Thanks for help, but i'm almost be sure that is a defective unit.

[groovon]

OK, sorry to hear that. Better luck with the next unit...

[darby]

I had a formatted Transcend 32 gb card that I had been using for months not work last night 
Sys Rom Error
my Verbatim 32 gb card still worked after switching them out

I put the Transcend in my card reader this morning and the computer read it
then I deleted the audio folder and put it back in the 680 and it read it
I formatted the card again and plan on running some tests today before using it tonite

now the 680 will either give me the Sys Rom Error message or it says DIN Unlock even without a digital input
looks like it's going back for service, and once I get it back it's hitting the YS at a fair price

[Chuck]

I had a formatted Transcend 32 gb card that I had been using for months not work last night 
Sys Rom Error
my Verbatim 32 gb card still worked after switching them out

I put the Transcend in my card reader this morning and the computer read it
then I deleted the audio folder and put it back in the 680 and it read it
I formatted the card again and plan on running some tests today before using it tonite

now the 680 will either give me the Sys Rom Error message or it says DIN Unlock even without a digital input
looks like it's going back for service, and once I get it back it's hitting the YS at a fair price

That's bad.
Did you make sure the digital option isn't active on both 5 & 6 and 7 & 8?
I got that DIN Unlock message once and notice I had the 5 & 6 channels set for digital input.

[kirk97132]

darby, the din unlock is a menu setting.  The deck is looking for a digital inout that is not there(no lock on signal or digital in unlock message)

[darby]

darby, the din unlock is a menu setting.  The deck is looking for a digital inout that is not there(no lock on signal or digital in unlock message)

I went thru the entire menu and even tried to do analog in without running digital
plus I tried 2 SPDIF cables that worked fine with my V3 > P2 after wards
I would still get that error message even running NO digital in on the menu

sometimes it will read the cards, but give me the DIN unlock message
other times it would give me the Sys Rom Error message
when powering down and back up with the card still in the unit

cards... fine most likely, since my computer reads them and the unit was reading them
SPDIF cables... fine
digital out on V3... fine

basically the unit just started acting up with nothing changed on the menu and...
I went thru the settings when setting up at the show and things were set properly 2 nights in a row
I ASSUMED that things were alright yesterday morning by switching cards and the unit fired up
but I did not actually run any tests and got hosed last night when trying to fire up the unit at the show
and all that I'm getting now are the 2 error messages

I'm going to give TEAC a call tomorrow and send it in

[groovon]

But that is just a digi mod UA-5 which allows it to run as standalone, it does not have any input mods like the Oade/Busman boxes have.   For twice that you can get a completely modded box with digi cable and DVD battery & cord combo.  Yes a shameless promotion for the Busman UA-5 I have for sale. 

As long as it works as stand-alone D/A, I can probably (and might rather) mod the analog inputs OK myself, but thanks(!) Have you heard how well the M-Audio Duo might work in this regard, BTW?

darby, good luck with your problem.

Just to go back a bit... and thanks to the advice and offers of a UA-5 to get into channels 7/8... but I just got a deal on a Core Sound Mic2496, apparently NOS.

Now, I realize that company gets some flak. (I'm not completely sure why, but I'm very curious and would be grateful if someone would fill me in by PM). Anyway, from what I can gather, the device should work handily going into the 680's S/PDIF ins, and has pretty good specs.

Can anybody offer any  feedback on how well this setup should work, and whether or not I've overlooked anything? (This is the first version, not the later V2).

thanks
Dave

[manleyf]

...... I've always likened them, build-quality wise, to a 'bedside radio/alarm clock with XLRs'. I just wonder what it says for in-the-field reliability down the line, I mean, trouble when you least need it. My fingers are crossed (mine doesn't even have a warranty!)

cheers
Dave

Damn man- you are right- I read this, and then mine came in a few days ago, and I open and the immediate thought regarding it's build quality feel was "man- I just bought an alarm clock radio with XLR's"   
That said, it seems like a cool device and a a lot for the $ as long as it holds up and proves to be reliable in the field....
We will see...

Does anyone know if the phantom power can handle the draw of earthworks mics?  The specs in the manual didn't seem to mention it, and Adam at Full Compass didn't know....
Guess I'll just have to hook them up and go for it....   

[groovon]

"Damn man- you are right - I read this, and then mine came in a few days ago, and I open and the immediate thought regarding it's build quality feel was "man - I just bought an alarm clock radio with XLR's"   
That said, it seems like a cool device and a a lot for the $ as long as it holds up and proves to be reliable in the field....
We will see...

Does anyone know if the phantom power can handle the draw of earthworks mics?  The specs in the manual didn't seem to mention it, and Adam at Full Compass didn't know....
Guess I'll just have to hook them up and go for it....  "


LOL! Despite some irritatiing design shortfalls and the cheap construction, I've come to like this deck a lot. At least the front panel looks and functions like a pro recorder, and that's all you see most of the time. I guess we're willing to live with 'plasticky' to a certain extent, as long as it works. Seems there's been a rash of owners reporting problems here lately, so I've got my fingers firmly crossed.

Re your phantom-power current draw question... I have a pair of CAD m179s that seem to work fine with my 680. They're a relatively heavy phantom user at ~8mA each, though not as bad as the Earthworks (I think 10mA?) Anyway, I was curious myself about this, so I'm going to measure total current draw (with individual voltages and voltage drops) with 6 condenser mics plugged in (2x CADs, 2x MXL 603s, 2x AKG C461s). That is all the mics I have with me right now, and sorry I don't have any Earthworks mics. Might give some idea though. Will post results later.

Dave



Anybody tried using a Mic2496 on the S/PDIF ins?

[soundmanjohn]

Just a quick update on my DR-680: I've been in correspondence with Tascam UK support about my second faulty machine and they will replace it with a machine that will be tested by their support department before dispatch, which should make sure I get a good one this time. The first response was that they haven't had any bad ones, swiftly followed with an email saying that they'd just got my first one  back from the retailers and could confirm the faults.

I'm impressed with the speed of response so far and looking forward to getting a working machine soon. I've also ordered a PortaBrace case (from Gotham Sound in NYC - US$149, which is much cheaper that the UK price, even including international postage and import duty) so should be able to get down to some serious work soon. Another user has had a hard shell designed by a local fabricator, which should come in at a reasonable price and I'll post details here once the design and price is firmed up for those interested.

Regards,

John