Topic: DDS DAT Transfer help?

[echo1434]

Perhaps it would be more appropriate to post this in a DAT community, but I'm just more familiar with this place. Basically, I am looking for someone to help me with a DAT transfer. At the moment I have one DAT master of an album my band recorded in 1997. When we put it to CD, I'm sure the sound card used to get the DAT to the computer was not the best and I don't agree with the mastering that was done after that. I'm just looking to get a fresh, raw transfer here. I really don't want to bother buying DAT equipment just to make one transfer, so I was wondering if anyone could help me. I'm looking for someone do the following:

1) transfer the DAT to WAV via a DDS drive at the original 48K sample rate
2) upload the raw WAV (or FLAC) file to my private server
3) send the DAT tape back after the above has been completed


Sounds simple enough, right?  I'm willing to compensate anyone who helps me. I'm not sure how, but it can be worked out. I just don't know if anyone would be interested. Please note that I'm only looking for someone who really wants to do it and has the time. I've heard a lot of horror stories about people lending out tapes and things going awry for whatever reason...

I think what I'm asking is very simple, so I just thought I'd throw this out there for now.

Thanks.

[ellaguru]

Perhaps it would be more appropriate to post this in a DAT community, but I'm just more familiar with this place. Basically, I am looking for someone to help me with a DAT transfer. At the moment I have one DAT master of an album my band recorded in 1997. When we put it to CD, I'm sure the sound card used to get the DAT to the computer was not the best and I don't agree with the mastering that was done after that. I'm just looking to get a fresh, raw transfer here. I really don't want to bother buying DAT equipment just to make one transfer, so I was wondering if anyone could help me. I'm looking for someone do the following:

1) transfer the DAT to WAV via a DDS drive at the original 48K sample rate
2) upload the raw WAV (or FLAC) file to my private server
3) send the DAT tape back after the above has been completed


Sounds simple enough, right?  I'm willing to compensate anyone who helps me. I'm not sure how, but it can be worked out. I just don't know if anyone would be interested. Please note that I'm only looking for someone who really wants to do it and has the time. I've heard a lot of horror stories about people lending out tapes and things going awry for whatever reason...

I think what I'm asking is very simple, so I just thought I'd throw this out there for now.

Thanks.

i can help you out....pm me

chris

[echo1434]

I'm really only looking for a DDS transfer at the moment. I could arrange to do a "regular" transfer myself, but I don't want to invest in a DDS setup for just one tape. That command-line stuff boggles my mind... 

[keytohwy]

I'm really only looking for a DDS transfer at the moment. I could arrange to do a "regular" transfer myself, but I don't want to invest in a DDS setup for just one tape. That command-line stuff boggles my mind... 

I'm curious...why are you looking for a DDS transfer over a bit for bit playback-style transfer?

keytohwy

[fmaderjr]

I'm curious...why are you looking for a DDS transfer over a bit for bit playback-style transfer?
keytohwy

Yeah, I don't get it either. Why would that be better than going from a DAT recorder to something like a MT's digital in?

[H₂O]

From my personal experience, Sony SDT-9000 drives read tapes better (i.e. read through errors better) than most DAT players.  The only DAT deck that has been able to perform better is a PCM-7040 which uses a modified DDS drive as it's transport.


DDS drives have 4 motors and are typically built for much higher use cycles then DAT decks (esp low end Pro or home models)


I have compared DDS drives to Sony D8, R700, 7040 - Tascam P1 -  Panasonic 3800, 4100 - and Fostex D5


My guess is the tape is a high error tape.


Other advantages to DDS transfer:
 - 2x+ the transfer speed
 - error print outs with time stamps so you can go back after the xfer and identify where potential issues are

[echo1434]

Yeah, H²O pretty much summed it up. I realize there may not be an audible difference between transfer methods in most cases, but as I only have one tape that is special to me why not go for the "gold standard" and be done with it?

Then again, if I had a ton of tapes I'd absolutely want to go the DDS route due to the ability to transfer faster than real time.

[mmedley.]

That is for DDS tapes with DATA though. If the DAT has music, you really do not get the advantage of most of those benefits above. At least from what I know and learned. I could be wrong though.

[H₂O]

Actually all I mentioned in my above post is for Audio not DATA.


Data will actually transfer a bit faster.


SDT-9000's transfer slightly faster than 2x for Audio using DAT2WAV under Windows XP or DATXtract under OSX, and with both apps you get an error report.


Obviously the software is what determines the output though.

[echo1434]

Nevermind... I just bought a TASCAM DA-20 MKII and am simply going to run a coax into my ESI WT2496.

I guess DDS isn't as popular as I thought, or at least there aren't that many people willing to help with it.

I'll never have a ton of DATs, so doing it in real time is really not an issue. Besides, one can always do something else during this time anyway.

Anyway, thanks for the replies - many of them were quite informative!

[sparkey]

I've got some DAT's that need transferring, if anyone has bandwidth...like, a lot of dats....I bought my first machine in 1996, so if anyone is looking to build their music collection.

[echo1434]

Well, I'm currently building a new computer, and suddenly this DDS thing is sounding appealing to me again. I just came into a project where I will have many more DAT tapes to transfer than I ever imagined, so possibility of transferring faster than real time is a consideration again.

I'm just not very knowledgeable about this kind of thing. I remember in one of the last posts on DAT Heads (I think it's dead now?) someone was starting a Yahoo group regarding DDS drives with the possibility of someone writing a modern GUI program for audio transfers, but I'm not sure what became of that. I tried searching recently, but didn't find much.

Anyway, I know my computer will have at least one SCSI connection, so I'm thinking of starting with an old standard like this:

http://shopper.cnet.com/tape/sony-dds-sdt-9000/4014-3204_9-30029017.html


(I've heard that anything after DD3 does not support audio, by the way.)

I've also thought about mounting the drive externally, but that would involve some adapter cables to make it connect to USB or SATA. However, I'd assume that would also require some kind of male-female adapter - and I'm not sure how this kind of external drive would be powered...

Despit all this, it will all come down to what program to use. I know about DAT2WAV, but I've never had much luck with command line stuff.

I did find this, which seems truly ancient, but I wonder if can still work under newer versions of Windows, perhaps in one of Windows 7's compatibility modes?

http://www.datman.com

http://www.brothersoft.com/datman-99-3188.html


Looks real slick, but I can't help but be skeptical about its current compatibility.

Anyway, as you can see I'm kinda lost here... Could anyone tell me exactly what they are doing today to make successful DDS audio transfers, or at least point me to a guide that isn't 15 years old?    H²O outlined his method pretty well - just wondering what other possibilities there may be and if there are any additional details I should know.

Thanks!


P.S.  I would first be trying this on Windows 7 Ultimate where you can download a built-in XP3 mode, or if none of that works I would resort back using "real" original "XP Pro.