Topic: Zoom F3 Part 2

[adrianf74]

So, here's a weird one. I've used the F3 on three occasions without issue.  My buddy borrowed it because of a postal strike delaying the return of his TinyBox from the States.

Recorded one show without issue; I had warned him that depending on that show, he might want to change the batteries after that one but he mistook that for two more shows where it died and powered off on the second show. Changed the batteries (lithium) that were unused and the unit wouldn't come alive.  Tried some alkaline's to suffer the same fate.

Anybody else experience this?  I'm asking him to take the batteries out for a few hours and then reinsert them while holding the on button to see if that helps. Depending on what happens, I'm going to try powering it here with a USB power bank to see if that'll help.  Any other thoughts?

[Gutbucket]

Sounds right.  Just to get an obvious question out of the way, confirmed that the new batteries were inserted in the correct orientation?

Comes to mind as battery replacement in the Deity PR-2 makes me think twice each time as both AA's are oriented in the same direction.

199.99 at B&H today only.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1686005-REG/zoom_zf3_f3_digital_field_recorder.html

Not only is that a good deal but they throw in Zoom BTA-1 Bluetooth Adapter for free when you add the F3 to your cart. I may or may not have jumped on this.

I probably should have jumped too just as a dedicated SBD recorder to pair with my F8 that has no remaining channels free.  Need to look into clock sync'ing the two.  I know other folks have done it.

[unidentified]

So, here's a weird one. I've used the F3 on three occasions without issue.  My buddy borrowed it because of a postal strike delaying the return of his TinyBox from the States.

Recorded one show without issue; I had warned him that depending on that show, he might want to change the batteries after that one but he mistook that for two more shows where it died and powered off on the second show. Changed the batteries (lithium) that were unused and the unit wouldn't come alive.  Tried some alkaline's to suffer the same fate.

Anybody else experience this?  I'm asking him to take the batteries out for a few hours and then reinsert them while holding the on button to see if that helps. Depending on what happens, I'm going to try powering it here with a USB power bank to see if that'll help.  Any other thoughts?

That is strange. I have occasionally let my F3 run out of battery power deliberately to see how long it would run on a given type of battery. I have never had any problems restarting it with fresh batteries after the test was over.

[Billy Mumphrey]

I probably should have jumped too just as a dedicated SBD recorder to pair with my F8 that has no remaining channels free.  Need to look into clock sync'ing the two.  I know other folks have done it.

This is using timecode stamps, correct? Essentially using bluetooth software to insert a marker in the files of each recorder so you can line them up in post? (But with the files still subject to digital drift, although modern word clocks are subject to much less drift, especially from the same manufacturer).

I'm guessing I will need another bluetooth adapter if I'm going to do this with an F3 and F6....

[Billy Mumphrey]

So, here's a weird one. I've used the F3 on three occasions without issue.  My buddy borrowed it because of a postal strike delaying the return of his TinyBox from the States.

Recorded one show without issue; I had warned him that depending on that show, he might want to change the batteries after that one but he mistook that for two more shows where it died and powered off on the second show. Changed the batteries (lithium) that were unused and the unit wouldn't come alive.  Tried some alkaline's to suffer the same fate.

Anybody else experience this?  I'm asking him to take the batteries out for a few hours and then reinsert them while holding the on button to see if that helps. Depending on what happens, I'm going to try powering it here with a USB power bank to see if that'll help.  Any other thoughts?

Is the hold button engaged? The F3 has a physical hold switch (not digital) and needs to be taken off in order to turn the unit on (don't ask how I know this).

[dallman]

So, here's a weird one. I've used the F3 on three occasions without issue.  My buddy borrowed it because of a postal strike delaying the return of his TinyBox from the States.

Recorded one show without issue; I had warned him that depending on that show, he might want to change the batteries after that one but he mistook that for two more shows where it died and powered off on the second show. Changed the batteries (lithium) that were unused and the unit wouldn't come alive.  Tried some alkaline's to suffer the same fate.

Anybody else experience this?  I'm asking him to take the batteries out for a few hours and then reinsert them while holding the on button to see if that helps. Depending on what happens, I'm going to try powering it here with a USB power bank to see if that'll help.  Any other thoughts?

Is the hold button engaged? The F3 has a physical hold switch (not digital) and needs to be taken off in order to turn the unit on (don't ask how I know this).

I do this regularly. I try to turn the unit on, nothing happens and only then do I remember the hold switch is on. 

[grawk]

for a year, I had a D3 dat recorder I thought was broken because the hold switch was on and I didn't know it existed. 

[morst]

Got an F3, like what it does well (record 32f), but have a few quibbles with user interface, primarily. Mind if I just crash this thread with my gripes, lol?

I hope Zoom can fix these with a firmware update.

When the F3 powers on it is NOT ready to record, I have to press one of two buttons to make the menu disappear (back or menu) before I can activate the record function.

Got the bluetooth adapter, but when I take my phone out of range, it locks me out until the deck is shut off. While I'm locked out of remote control (Tethered remote!?) I can't use the "magnification" function on the machine via the buttons like usual, again, until the deck is powered off, as far as I can tell. Tried simply unplugging the bluetooth dongle, but then that would not function again until the deck was restarted with it in place.

On the plus side, file splits seem smooth and the price was right, I'll say that. Got a super nice deal from a taper buddy, thanks mon!

[adrianf74]

So, here's a weird one. I've used the F3 on three occasions without issue.  My buddy borrowed it because of a postal strike delaying the return of his TinyBox from the States.

Recorded one show without issue; I had warned him that depending on that show, he might want to change the batteries after that one but he mistook that for two more shows where it died and powered off on the second show. Changed the batteries (lithium) that were unused and the unit wouldn't come alive.  Tried some alkaline's to suffer the same fate.

Anybody else experience this?  I'm asking him to take the batteries out for a few hours and then reinsert them while holding the on button to see if that helps. Depending on what happens, I'm going to try powering it here with a USB power bank to see if that'll help.  Any other thoughts?

Is the hold button engaged? The F3 has a physical hold switch (not digital) and needs to be taken off in order to turn the unit on (don't ask how I know this).

I do this regularly. I try to turn the unit on, nothing happens and only then do I remember the hold switch is on. 

I asked him about this very question and he said that wasn't it. He took the batteries out, waited a little and then put new ones in and it's alive again.

Chalking it up to user error.

[adrianb]

He ‘said’ that it wasn’t the hold button … which would have been slightly embarrassing 😀

[unidentified]

When the F3 powers on it is NOT ready to record, I have to press one of two buttons to make the menu disappear (back or menu) before I can activate the record function.

Strange -- I have three of the little beasts and none of them have this quirk.   After they power up, all I have to do is to push the hold/record slider on the right side upwards to start recording.  I then slide the slider downwards towards me to engage hold. 

[adrianf74]

He ‘said’ that it wasn’t the hold button … which would have been slightly embarrassing 😀

He's quite technically savvy and knows gear.  He just likes to be a Zoom basher while I bash Trascan's.

[jbell]

He ‘said’ that it wasn’t the hold button … which would have been slightly embarrassing 😀

He's quite technically savvy and knows gear.  He just likes to be a Zoom basher while I bash Trascan's.

I agree with your buddy!   

[voltronic]

This is a quick PSA about external power supplies:

This past weekend the choir I perform with had our winter concert. Even though our board hires a "pro" recording company (read heavy air quotes) a buddy of mine in the choir likes to put up his 414s in the organ loft of wherever we are singing, and run them into his F3 so he can post samples for the choir to listen to right away.

I was helping him set up before the concert, and when he went to plug in his USB-C battery, he noticed it was just about dead. With no time to charge it, I noticed a nearby power strip, and he had a phone charger in his bag. Power for the concert, acquired!

He sent me the raw files because he knows I'm good with RX, and I just took a crack at them this evening. Sadly, it seems that phone charger introduced some very obtrusive power supply switching noise into the recording, and while Spectral Denoise can do wonders for steady-state noise, it doesn't help that much with the constant HF ticking from the switching noise.

So, while this may be an issue with this particular phone charger we grabbed at the last minute, he is going to double-check that he always has charged batteries and not plug into an AC adapter anymore.

[morst]

When the F3 powers on it is NOT ready to record, I have to press one of two buttons to make the menu disappear (back or menu) before I can activate the record function.

Strange -- I have three of the little beasts and none of them have this quirk.   After they power up, all I have to do is to push the hold/record slider on the right side upwards to start recording.  I then slide the slider downwards towards me to engage hold.

That's how it behaves without the bluetooth adapter. Perhaps you don't run the bt?