Microtrack 24/96 1.3.3

[jtessier]

the only issue I found with the firmware was during playback, but I think this was due to user error.  hell, it may have been covered already, I dunno.  on the way home saturday I was listening to the show and hit the record button, trying to stop the recording, since I don't know how to stop a file from playing back.  the input was set to spdif in and it started recording, but the timer never started since there was no spdif signal present.  i then tried to save the recording, and the mt hung up at the "writing file" screen.  i could navigate through the menus, but when I tried to shut down it would give me an error message saying that "shutdown cannot occur until file is written" (paraphrasing). 

Yeah I've had this problem too. It happens whenever the MT tries to write a super short (or in your case, 0 seconds long) recording.  I've seen it by double pumping the record button on accident when recording analog.  I think the file headers or something is not even set up when it goes to save and then gets confused.  As someone else wrote, holding down the power button for about 12 seconds forces a power off of the MT so that's how to get out of the situation.  If for some reason you were recording S/PDIF and hadn't yet pressed the REC button to save the file and it was just sitting on 0 seconds, in theory you could start the S/PDIF stream to get the MT to start recording, then after a sec or two hit record to stop the recording thereby averting the problem before it happened. I haven't tried this myself, I just happen to think it would work.

J.T.

[jtessier]

I have tried to locate the problem I had with the new 1.3.3 update and sadly It's my expensive 8 GB card that has some problems with the 1.3.3 update

When using the Kodak Digital Film 64 MB card that came with the tracker there's no problems recording from mp3 96/32 to wav at 24/96 quality.

When I use the SanDisk Ultra II 8 GB card here's what happens when I record with the following settings:
MP3 (96/44.1 to 320/48) = no problems
WAV (16/44.1 to 16/96)  = constant popping > http://onebear.net/sound/16_88.2.mp3
WAV (24/44.1 to 24/48)  = constant noise/clipping > http://onebear.net/sound/24_44.1.mp3
WAV (24/88.2 to 24/96)  = constant noise/clipping faster > http://onebear.net/sound/24_88.2.mp3

I really hope M-Audio can fix this problem otherwise I need to buy smaller flashcards
I have sent this in an email to M-Audio and I'll post when I get an answer from their tech people.

Just to clarify, when you record something and then copy the file to the PC, the files have this problem?  It's not just a problem with playback by any chance is it (I assume not but since you've posted MP3's I could imagine them being 'captures' of the MicroTracks' playback out of the headphones or RCA jacks and I just want to make sure this isn't the case)?.

J.T.

[John Kelly]

I'm new here, too, and just bought a micro track today.  The place I bought it from was adamant that I cannot use a CF card bigger than 2gb.  I see mentioned here that people are using a 4gb card....is that true?  I need to be able to record for 3 hours continuously in wav format. 

Also, once the file gets to 2gb, it stops recording then retsarts after 7 seconds?  Is this true?  If so, should I stop taping at a crowd break after a set period?  Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

most people on here use 4g cards or higher. I use a kingston 4g 45x card. I hear of people using 6g microdrives as well. and definately, if youre coming up on the 2 g limit, and there is a pause in the music, or setbreak, start a new track.

Again...I just bought the thing, and it hasn't been delivered yet so if my questions seem stupid, I don't even have the unit to try!!! 

Will  the screen tell me when I am approaching the 2gb limit?  Does the microdrive work like the CF?  And if so, on average, how long can I record at the maximum wav quality settings on a 6 gb microdrive?  Thanks again!!!

If you get the latest firmware (the one mentioned in the title of this thread), the countdown timer will countdown to the 2gb mark, but it will show you a time remaining instead of a file size.  The microdrive uses the same interface as a CF card, however it is a timy hard drive and not solid state.  There are heat and movement issues that go along with using microdrives that cf cards do not suffer from.

As for the wav quality, you can record up to 24/96, which is roughly 30 mins per gigabyte.  With a 6 gig card you'll get three hours with a break just after each hour mark.

[mwz]

I have tried to locate the problem I had with the new 1.3.3 update and sadly It's my expensive 8 GB card that has some problems with the 1.3.3 update

When using the Kodak Digital Film 64 MB card that came with the tracker there's no problems recording from mp3 96/32 to wav at 24/96 quality.

When I use the SanDisk Ultra II 8 GB card here's what happens when I record with the following settings:
MP3 (96/44.1 to 320/48) = no problems
WAV (16/44.1 to 16/96)  = constant popping > http://onebear.net/sound/16_88.2.mp3
WAV (24/44.1 to 24/48)  = constant noise/clipping > http://onebear.net/sound/24_44.1.mp3
WAV (24/88.2 to 24/96)  = constant noise/clipping faster > http://onebear.net/sound/24_88.2.mp3

I really hope M-Audio can fix this problem otherwise I need to buy smaller flashcards
I have sent this in an email to M-Audio and I'll post when I get an answer from their tech people.

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.

[Brian Skalinder]

Feedback from M-Audio on two issues:

Seamless file split:

[G W -- 03/06/2006 04:04]
I will forward this information to the developers.
Thank you for your feedback.

I gotta believe M-Audio will not address this one in the next fw release, else they'd already be working on it rather than submitting it to development

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!

[John Kelly]

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!

Definitely.  If this happens my rig will be set for a very long time.

[cpatch]

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!

Definitely.  If this happens my rig will be set for a very long time.

Am I missing something? I thought dual mono recording was putting the signal from a single mic onto both stereo channels, and I thought that was added in 1.3.3.

Craig

[bconnolly]

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!

Definitely.  If this happens my rig will be set for a very long time.

Am I missing something? I thought dual mono recording was putting the signal from a single mic onto both stereo channels, and I thought that was added in 1.3.3.

Craig

I believe it means that a stereo recording will be split into two separate mono recordings, thereby allowing you to have each file be 2GB and doubling your recording time per file.

[eric.B]

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!

Definitely.  If this happens my rig will be set for a very long time.

Am I missing something? I thought dual mono recording was putting the signal from a single mic onto both stereo channels.

Craig

edit^what he said..

In the reference made here, it refers to the ability to record the left channel as one file(one channel of data @ 2gig limit), and the right channel as one file(one channel of data @ 2gig limit), thus extending the record time in .wav format to 4gigs(@2448 - 2hrs @2496)..

hmm..  dumb question but..  do yall think the MT2496 can record two files simultaneously?

[John Kelly]

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!

Definitely.  If this happens my rig will be set for a very long time.

Am I missing something? I thought dual mono recording was putting the signal from a single mic onto both stereo channels.

Craig

edit^what he said..

In the reference made here, it refers to the ability to record the left channel as one file(one channel of data @ 2gig limit), and the right channel as one file(one channel of data @ 2gig limit), thus extending the record time in .wav format to 4gigs(@2448 - 2hrs @2496)..

hmm..  dumb question but..  do yall think the MT2496 can record two files simultaneously?

I have no idea what you mean by that, but every way I can interpret it the answer would be no.

[Phil]

No problems with the update from my end.  I like the Nav button fix, but god damn why didn't they put a stop button on this thing?

[udovdh]

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!

Timing on dual mono needs to be exact downto the sample. Could be posisble but needs a reliable recording path.

The definite 2GB fix is the real way to go?

[cpatch]

Am I missing something? I thought dual mono recording was putting the signal from a single mic onto both stereo channels, and I thought that was added in 1.3.3.

I believe it means that a stereo recording will be split into two separate mono recordings, thereby allowing you to have each file be 2GB and doubling your recording time per file.

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.

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've already swapped the dead one for a new one at the store where I bought it...I'm just going through the paces to see how long it would have theoretically taken M-Audio to fix the dead one were the store swap not an option.)

Craig

[balou2]

I'm new here, too, and just bought a micro track today.  The place I bought it from was adamant that I cannot use a CF card bigger than 2gb.  I see mentioned here that people are using a 4gb card....is that true?  I need to be able to record for 3 hours continuously in wav format. 

Also, once the file gets to 2gb, it stops recording then retsarts after 7 seconds?  Is this true?  If so, should I stop taping at a crowd break after a set period?  Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

most people on here use 4g cards or higher. I use a kingston 4g 45x card. I hear of people using 6g microdrives as well. and definately, if youre coming up on the 2 g limit, and there is a pause in the music, or setbreak, start a new track.

Again...I just bought the thing, and it hasn't been delivered yet so if my questions seem stupid, I don't even have the unit to try!!! 

Will  the screen tell me when I am approaching the 2gb limit?  Does the microdrive work like the CF?  And if so, on average, how long can I record at the maximum wav quality settings on a 6 gb microdrive?  Thanks again!!!

If you get the latest firmware (the one mentioned in the title of this thread), the countdown timer will countdown to the 2gb mark, but it will show you a time remaining instead of a file size.  The microdrive uses the same interface as a CF card, however it is a timy hard drive and not solid state.  There are heat and movement issues that go along with using microdrives that cf cards do not suffer from.

As for the wav quality, you can record up to 24/96, which is roughly 30 mins per gigabyte.  With a 6 gig card you'll get three hours with a break just after each hour mark.

FWIW, the "countdown" feature is also on the previous version of the firmware.  Great function.  Funny though...I watch that thing like the timer in LOST!!! 

I've now done 2 shows with the newest firmware, as well as 5 DAT transfers and I have not had a single issue.  I LOVE this thing!

[onebear]

Just to clarify, when you record something and then copy the file to the PC, the files have this problem?  It's not just a problem with playback by any chance is it (I assume not but since you've posted MP3's I could imagine them being 'captures' of the MicroTracks' playback out of the headphones or RCA jacks and I just want to make sure this isn't the case)?.

J.T.

Hey there's no problems recording/playing 24/96 on the Kodak 64 MB card that came with the tracker.