Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #5

[hi and lo]

Yes, overheating is a known issue with the DR-680 and you've described the exact symptoms me and others have experienced. I know that having to run inside a garbage bag is unavoidable in the rain, but this deck must have air circulation on a hot day. I would definitely recommend not running the 680 in it's case and make sure the lowe bag has some ventilation. If it's a really hot day, I'm not sure this problem is avoidable even with good air circulation.

[bobbygeeWOW]

Hi there!

yeah heat and electronics (any electronics) is bad. Running in blazing summer heat is a problem I've also faced for a while and I have something that works so I'll pass it on.
The exact configuration varies with what I'm doing (rolling road cases, small two-channel taper rig), but the principles are the same.
I run with a v3 which of course sheds heat through its aluminum case acting as a heat sink, thus doubling up on the heating up the situation.
My solution is to place the v3 above the deck so its heat leaves the bag without heating the deck. Simple idea, helps a lot.
Then make sure that there is room for air to flow vertically so the heat can dissipate. (cooler air in the bottom, hot air out the top)

The big one I really got working well this year is to use a reflective emergency blanket to keep the sun off the bag.
(Not a loud and krinkly one, but one that's silent and more tarp-like, still cheap!)
Set it up so it still allows vertical air movement and it makes a fantastic difference in keeping the heat off the gear.
For the first time my deck ran cool to the touch in blazing heat..
(even a silver umbrella would work well for this I think.)
Highly recommended and I don't leave home without it. Plus it'll keep rain off in a pinch.

-Cheers!

[EarlyMorningRain]

Already said I tried the homegrown header repair function which is what you are linking too

Let me rephrase it.  Any of you guys with 680's that have had file saving problems ever find any solutions that gave consistent results recovering lost files on the 680?  PLEASE don't just cite things that might work or that worked for something else.  This is not something I am new to and I have owned the 680 since it was released.   I have been involved with MANY MANY MANY discussions here on TS, and with Tascam about the problem.

Sorry didn't see any mention of the wave header repair utility so thought I'd post the link for it.

But no I don't have any knowledge of 680's with corrupted wav files, but do have experience with corrupted wav files from machines like the R4 and iRiver etc.

Still going through all of the 680 threads so you'll have to bear with me still.
:-)

[kirk97132]

Let me rephrase it.  Any of you guys with 680's that have had file saving problems ever find any solutions that gave consistent results recovering lost files on the 680?  PLEASE don't just cite things that might work or that worked for something else.  This is not something I am new to and I have owned the 680 since it was released.   I have been involved with MANY MANY MANY discussions here on TS, and with Tascam about the problem.

I kind of hinted at this above, but...what are you doing when this is happening? Is it happening a lot? Are you losing power, or is the unit just freezing up?

This time there were no power issues or freezeing up or any of the other operator errors that I have done in the past.  I have owned two of these decks for over two years and I am aware of all the little quirks that the deck has.  SO these questions are akin to asking what happened.  It don't really matter what happened.  The question is do you know of a way to recover the files.  I know I sound a little snarky but it is all the same shit that factory reps ask or others ask.  At this point I don't give a shit what caused it. Why?  Because I have been running this deck along time and know what it can and can't do.  I am not looking for a way to figure that out.  It's like someone telling me how to avoid it in the future.  That does not help me now.  What I am interested in is recovery. 

[Chuck]

Post the file somewhere and let me have a crack at it.

[jbell]

I still run my M10 as a backup when running my DR680!!  Just to be safe.

[kirk97132]

Post the file somewhere and let me have a crack at it.

gimmie an email and I'll send them to ya...oh and good luck Chuck.  If you do get 'em I am highly interested in how 

[Chuck]

Post the file somewhere and let me have a crack at it.

gimmie an email and I'll send them to ya

PM sent

[kirk97132]

Post the file somewhere and let me have a crack at it.

gimmie an email and I'll send them to ya

PM sent

ditto

[axomxa]

I still run my M10 as a backup when running my DR680!!  Just to be safe.

I have run the 680 in extreme heat a couple of times with no issue (2011 Vibes comes to mind).  But I also have been running the D50 backup for every project (regardless of weather) except when the D50 is pulling a second stage at a festival.  That will be the case this weekend at vibes but fortunately the weather is not supposed to exceed 83* on any day so will be keeping fingers crossed. . .

[lukpac]

It was about a month ago and I was  so I don't remember exactly, but I think it was sending the V3 signal. 

That is correct and we have run that way before, but when running the V3 digi in we couldn't seem to get the SBD feed to the Digi output.  It worked fine when using analog pres.

Did you get NOTHING or the V3 input on the Digi out?

I'm not positive but I think the digi out will send a stereo mix of channels 1-6 OR simply pass on the digi in.

Ok, finally got around to checking. The digital output is the same as the headphone output. That is, either "MIX MON" or "DIN MON". So do this:

- SBD -> Tascam analog 1/2 IN
- mics -> preamp/ADC -> Tascam digital IN
- set to MIX MON
- pan tracks 1/2 10 left/10 right, levels set to 100/100 and mix to 100

SBD will appear on the digital OUT. The caveat is you won't be able to monitor your mics, either via headphones or via the level meter (it will show the level for the mix track, not DIN).

If you set it to DIN MON, you'd just get your mics on headphones, the level meter and the digital OUT.

Odd quirk: with my ART DI/O, sending a signal to the 680 for recording worked perfectly. But if I sent the digital OUT of the 680 back to the DI/O for monitoring, I was getting a bunch of noise, like the clock sync was somehow being affected. It affected both the analog output on the DI/O *and* the actual recording on the 680. Must be a quirk of the DI/O, but annoying nevertheless.

[Gutbucket]

The digital output is the same as the headphone output. That is, either "MIX MON" or "DIN MON". So do this:

- SBD -> Tascam analog 1/2 IN
- mics -> preamp/ADC -> Tascam digital IN
- set to MIX MON
- pan tracks 1/2 10 left/10 right, levels set to 100/100 and mix to 100

SBD will appear on the digital OUT. The caveat is you won't be able to monitor your mics, either via headphones or via the level meter (it will show the level for the mix track, not DIN).

If you set it to DIN MON, you'd just get your mics on headphones, the level meter and the digital OUT.

I've been offline for a week and a half or so and missed the intitial discussion, but can confirm that the above is correct. 

I'm not certain, but you may be able to monitor levels of the digital input (in this case the microphone feed, post external ADC), by setting the digital input to use ch 5&6 and reading the meter for those channels. Doing that should also allow you to record both the mic pair and SBD pair seperately (along with the stereo mix as well if you like). 

[jbell]

Thanks for the help guys!! We will give this a shot on the next outing.  Gutbucket you are always a huge help with 680 knowledge. 

The digital output is the same as the headphone output. That is, either "MIX MON" or "DIN MON". So do this:

- SBD -> Tascam analog 1/2 IN
- mics -> preamp/ADC -> Tascam digital IN
- set to MIX MON
- pan tracks 1/2 10 left/10 right, levels set to 100/100 and mix to 100

SBD will appear on the digital OUT. The caveat is you won't be able to monitor your mics, either via headphones or via the level meter (it will show the level for the mix track, not DIN).

If you set it to DIN MON, you'd just get your mics on headphones, the level meter and the digital OUT.

I've been offline for a week and a half or so and missed the intitial discussion, but can confirm that the above is correct. 

I'm not certain, but you may be able to monitor levels of the digital input (in this case the microphone feed, post external ADC), by setting the digital input to use ch 5&6 and reading the meter for those channels. Doing that should also allow you to record both the mic pair and SBD pair seperately (along with the stereo mix as well if you like).

[Scooter123]

Anyone wanting to buy this unit?

Guitar Center has it for  $514 with a one year warranty, free shipping. 

Smokes B&H

[lukpac]

Anyone wanting to buy this unit?

Guitar Center has it for  $514 with a one year warranty, free shipping. 

Smokes B&H

Currently $469.44 at Sonic Sense. Free shipping and an additional year warranty.