Topic: Microtrack 24/96 1.3.3

[onebear]

I'm using one of these cards - SanDisk Ultra II 8 GB - in my MT w/ the 1.3.3 firmware.  I ran some tests last night w/ my 4061's and mma6000 into a sp 1/8" > 1/4" dongle on the MT.  I was recording  @ 24/48 and did not hear anything like this in the .wav files.  I remove the card from the MT and use a usb cardreader for transfering the files to the mac - last night i was listening to the .wavs directly from the card on the mac.

Hhmm maybe it's my 8 GB card that's broken and not the tracker.

[Brian Skalinder]

On the Microtrack? Not a chance. I'll guarantee you the tech support guy thought you were talking about a mono signal on both tracks.

Yes, a mono signal on both tracks - L track in one mono file, R track in the other mono file.  Still, perhaps s/he misunderstood, so I've clarified in far further detail in my support ticket and will report back the response.

To back this up, I offer their first tech support response to my not being able to power my MT back on after the upgrade:  "Allow the battery to completely discharge then recharge completely." Umm, and how would I do that if I can't power it on?

I'd hardly write off their entire support and development efforts based on a single incident.  Every organization has newbies, incompetents, etc., and perhaps you simply reached one of them in your previous contact.

[OFOTD]

I know I am now sounding like a broken record here but if someone has the time can someone verify exactly what is happening when the MT makes the auto-split at 2GB.  I know what the firmware changelog says but I want to know if those 5-10 seconds are lost or if they are buffered somehow.  I would suspect the first but am hoping for the second. 

Anyone have the time to try test this out? 

[John Kelly]

I think it's quite obvious that they are lost. 

[anhisr]

WhenI update I will try it out.  Remember, they didn't say anything about 24/96 spidf working until the last release, while it was working before.  Maybe we will get lucky

[JasonSobel]

I've been meaning to test it out, but I haven't gotten the chance yet.  I'd just like to see for myself what happens.  maybe tonight I'll run it for an hour at 24/96 via S/PDIF, and check it out.  I'll post with anything interesting...

oh, and I'll also run some tests about the channel swapping thing at 24 bit via S/PDIF...

[Ed.]

i still need to update, maybe if i get a second i'll try to test it out too.

[anhisr]

Running right now.  Will get back in about 57 minutes.

[anhisr]

definitely a 5-7 second gap.   

[jtessier]

Regarding backing up to firmware 1.2.3 from firmware 1.3.3,

You'll notice that unlike the previous MicroTrack updates, the 1.3.3 update contains 3 files instead of just two. The three files are updates to 1) The boot loader (BL_MPR.rom), 2) the Application (PP5020.mi4) and the menus / languages etc. (Resources.arl). The boot loader portion of the update contains the code that boots the unit up (hence the name) but it also contains the Rescue Disk mode code to help reload firmware just in case the Application or Resource portions of the firmware ever become corrupt or fail to update properly during a firmware update. The Rescue disk mode can't of course help if it's the Boot loader itself that has become corrupt (perhaps during a failed firmware update).

Because of this I would not recommend repeatedly updating the Boot loader portion. If for some reason you need to regress to an earlier firmware and then return to 1.3.3, it is not necessary to re-update the Boot loader during this update since when regressing for instance to 1.2.3, the 1.2.3 update does not contain a boot loader update (there is no BL_MPR.rom file). So in effect, once you regress to 1.2.3 from the 1.3.3 update, you will really be running application 1.2.3 on top of boot loader 1.02 (where originally you would have been running application 1.2.3 on top of boot loader 1.00). When you regress to 1.2.3 you can tell that you still are running the 1.02 boot loader because the startup screen doesn't have the 1.0 on it that used to be there when running boot loader 1.0. So, this being the case and since at least one person has already ended up with a dead unit after the update to 1.3.3 I would shy away from updating the boot loader code more than once.

So far 1.3.3 is good for me so I won't be going back to 1.2.3 (fingers crossed).

J.T.

[OFOTD]

definitely a 5-7 second gap.   

Thanks for trying that out.  +T for the effort.  It was worth a shot.  I am a big believer is actual experiences than I am changelog info.

Well it looks like M-Audio is listening to its customers though.  Now if they are doing things as fast as some folks would like is up for debate but they are certainly on the right track it seems.  I'm guess now would not be the time to let up on the emails to them to continue development on the MT.

[ghibliss]

I recorded the Dave Mason concert at B.B. Kings in NYC last night in 24/96 onthe Microtrack.  I used my CoreSound Mic 2496 to source the 24/96 signal from using DPA 4061 microphones.  I had a Kingston Elite Pro 4GB CF card installed and everything worked without a hitch!  I  performed my own manual file "stop" for each file made rather then trying out the auto split function on my first run with the new firmware. 

The sound quality was superb as I expected from the Core-Sound Mic 2496!  The resolution of the signal is excellent and I had no clicks, pops or any other type of annoying artifacts in the recording so I shall assume that the few users which have this problem can chalk it up to incompatibility with the CF card most likely.  I uploaded the data from the card with my Firewire Card Reader from Lexar which seems to be substantially faster then using the USB 2.0 connection from the MT.  I think that my 4GB CF card is quite likely large enough for typical concerts these days as it will record just under two hours at 24/96 and most concerts are now running just a little less then this typically for me.  If I need a little more capacity I will upgrade to a high speed 8GB card and will then have ample storage for most any event.   The cost of the cards seem to be dropping considerably now so it is quite affordable at this point.

The concert was excellent as Dave and the band played a little bit of all of his great music.  Several songs from Delaney and Bonney, Traffic,  as well as some Jim Capaldi tunes and Daves songs.  The band is extremely talented and Daves voice and guitar playing were amazing!  This was one of the best concerts I have atteneded at a small venue in a long time.  You should definitely see this band if you have the opportunity to do so.

[Brian Skalinder]

Dual mono recording:

[G W -- 03/06/2006 04:03]
We are currently testing a firmware upgrade that will make this option possible.
Thank you for your patience.

Progress!  Hope this one makes it in the next fw release - it'll mean ~4 hrs of continuous 24/48, plenty for my needs.  Nice!

Sorry to get everyone's hopes up.  After several clarification messages back and forth, M-Audio support did NOT properly understand my request for dual mono recording (even though I spelled it out pretty damn clearly).  So...no forthcoming stereo recording to separate mono files.

[jcrab66]

I recorded the Dave Mason concert at B.B. Kings in NYC last night in 24/96 onthe Microtrack.  I used my CoreSound Mic 2496 to source the 24/96 signal from using DPA 4061 microphones.  I had a Kingston Elite Pro 4GB CF card installed and everything worked without a hitch!  I  performed my own manual file "stop" for each file made rather then trying out the auto split function on my first run with the new firmware. 

The sound quality was superb as I expected from the Core-Sound Mic 2496!  The resolution of the signal is excellent and I had no clicks, pops or any other type of annoying artifacts in the recording so I shall assume that the few users which have this problem can chalk it up to incompatibility with the CF card most likely.  I uploaded the data from the card with my Firewire Card Reader from Lexar which seems to be substantially faster then using the USB 2.0 connection from the MT.  I think that my 4GB CF card is quite likely large enough for typical concerts these days as it will record just under two hours at 24/96 and most concerts are now running just a little less then this typically for me.  If I need a little more capacity I will upgrade to a high speed 8GB card and will then have ample storage for most any event.   The cost of the cards seem to be dropping considerably now so it is quite affordable at this point.

The concert was excellent as Dave and the band played a little bit of all of his great music.  Several songs from Delaney and Bonney, Traffic,  as well as some Jim Capaldi tunes and Daves songs.  The band is extremely talented and Daves voice and guitar playing were amazing!  This was one of the best concerts I have atteneded at a small venue in a long time.  You should definitely see this band if you have the opportunity to do so.

gee, thanks len 

[bconnolly]

I ran tonight with this firmware.  Used my stealth setup and recorded via TRS @ 24/48.  I'm not sure if I had a loose connection somewhere or not, but the left channel seems to lose signal intermittently during the recording.  This could be due in part to a lot of other factors (people moving in front of me, me shifting my head, etc.) so I won't chalk it up to the firmware until I test further.