Topic: Microtrack 24/96 1.3.3

[coloartist]

I can't get the picture bigger, but that is an image with the plug showing instead of CHG. It is from the MT manual.

That's what happens when the unit is done charging and is running off of external power.

That doesn't seem to be the problem then. 

[texasyesfan]

This is my first post here, after my second experience with the MT 24/96. First I should say that in my haste to play with my new toy, I forgot to upgrade the firmware. Both times I've used it so far were with 1.0.3. (Yeah, I know.) Both times it was set at 24/48 and I was using a 4 GB Sandisk CF (not Ultra). I used CSB mics the first time and CSHEB mics the second time, with battery box and no phantom power.

The first time, I recorded two sets. The unit stopped recording about 25 minutes into the first set, and about 2 hours into the second set. At the time I assumed that I had accidentally hit the record button while putting it into my pocket, as I did not have the hold button on (I forgot about that) and I kept pulling it out to check it all night. The recordings, what there was of them, turned out really nice.

Last night, I recorded one set, and about 25 minutes into it, the recording again stopped. This time, I know I had the hold button on. As soon as I noticed it had stopped (I didn't see it when it happened), I hit the record button (after taking it off hold) and started a new file. When I got home, I found that the first file had a file siize of 0, and Cool Edit opened an empty file. The second file was fine. So I got half a show.

All the previous posts in this thread have dealt with firmware 1.2.3 and 1.3.3, but as I pointed out above, I was using the un-updated 1.0.3. So, is the problem really in the firmware version, or is it more pervasive? Is it some arcane combination of firmware version, CF card type/size/speed and phase of the moon? Either way, I don't like it.

The one common thread I've seen through this discussion is that all the problems seem to occur when people are recording in 24/48.

[SClassical]

On Friday I recorded a piano recital using version 1.3.3 with the Kingston 2GB Elite card for the first time (I had a bad experience using 1.3.3 with a Lexar CF card - stopped recording by itself and damaged the card). On Friday, the setup/settings were as usual (using V3 setting 24 bit 48 kHz). The recording went fine!!!... I was planning a disaster, so I used my M1 as the backup. Everything went smoothly. 1st half of the concert was about 35 mins and the 2nd half was approx 40 mins. Maybe the Kingston 2GB Elite card is more suited for 1.3.3 (or maybe it's because I recorded less than 45 mins for each half of the concert).
   
Yesterday, I recorded a 45-50min 1st half of a concert with the same CF card. I changed my settings to 24 bit and 96 kHz. Amazingly everything went smoothly with no problems.

I've got 3 concerts next week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday). So I'll have a few gigs to record before concluding Kingston Elite brand is more suited for versions 1.3.3.

I will also experiment this week at home to see if I can record right to the end of my CF card with settings 24/48 and 24/96 together with my V3.

 

[coloartist]

On Friday I recorded a piano recital using version 1.3.3 with the Kingston 2GB Elite card for the first time (I had a bad experience using 1.3.3 with a Lexar CF card - stopped recording by itself and damaged the card). On Friday, the setup/settings were as usual (using V3 setting 24 bit 48 kHz). The recording went fine!!!... I was planning a disaster, so I used my M1 as the backup. Everything went smoothly. 1st half of the concert was about 35 mins and the 2nd half was approx 40 mins. Maybe the Kingston 2GB Elite card is more suited for 1.3.3 (or maybe it's because I recorded less than 45 mins for each half of the concert).
   
Yesterday, I recorded a 45-50min 1st half of a concert with the same CF card. I changed my settings to 24 bit and 96 kHz. Amazingly everything went smoothly with no problems.

I've got 3 concerts next week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday). So I'll have a few gigs to record before concluding Kingston Elite brand is more suited for versions 1.3.3.

I will also experiment this week at home to see if I can record right to the end of my CF card with settings 24/48 and 24/96 together with my V3.

 

I use a Kingston Card.

[cmoorevt]

So this weekend I did a number of tests to see if I could get the unit to stop recording at a certain time limit as happened to me the other night.  Unfortunately (for the purposes of the test), it worked fine.  I tried analog in, spdif in, 16/44.1, 16/48, no problems whatsoever.  Every recording went as it should and the time remaining display functioned correctly in each instance.  Hopefully my stop-recording experience from the other night was an anomaly, but somehow I doubt it. 

[texasyesfan]

So this weekend I did a number of tests to see if I could get the unit to stop recording at a certain time limit as happened to me the other night.  Unfortunately (for the purposes of the test), it worked fine.  I tried analog in, spdif in, 16/44.1, 16/48, no problems whatsoever.  Every recording went as it should and the time remaining display functioned correctly in each instance.  Hopefully my stop-recording experience from the other night was an anomaly, but somehow I doubt it. 

Did you try 24 bit recording in your tests? It seems most (if not all) the problems are occurring with 24 bit recording. Has anyone had it stop recording at 16 bit?

[kfrinkle]

I have used 1.3.3 twice now, one for the Salzburg Chamber Solists, which was about a 40 minute set, break, 20 minute set.  I recorded Willie Nelson last night, there was a 25 minute ceremony type thing first, then an 80 minute set.  Both time, ran at 24/48 with no problems.  The only problem I had, was that somehow while getting my gear lined up inthe stall, when cramming the MT back into my pocket, the hold switch got turned on.  I tried turning on the MT and it kept shutting back off.  I was freaking out till i was able to read what the thing said a tthe bottom right before it powered off 'hold button' something or other...  man, annoying as fuck...

I am using a Kingston Elite Pro 4gb card BTW

[cmoorevt]

Did you try 24 bit recording in your tests? It seems most (if not all) the problems are occurring with 24 bit recording. Has anyone had it stop recording at 16 bit?

No, I have no way to record at 24bit.  I had the stop-recording/Media is Full problem occur the other night for the first time, while recording at 16/48.

[SClassical]

I am using a Kingston Elite Pro 4gb card BTW

Seems as if Kingston Elite card is more suited for version 1.3.3.

(I'm going to do some tests tonight and record to the end of my 2GB Elite Kingston card (50X) with settings 24/48 and 24/96 via S/PDIF).

[silentmark]

I use the Kingston Elite 4gig card, mt ver123 and had no problems at 16 bit and only had problems at 24 bit, flipping channels ...

[dfroom]

I mistakenly unplugged my Microtrack from my computer without unmounting the drive (Mac OS 10.4.5). 

The card, a Kingston 1GB, still records, and I can copy to it.  However, I cannot copy from it.  When I go to drag a file from it, I get a little circle with a line through it as a mouse locator.  Has anyone seen this?  Or know how to get around it?

I reformatted the card, twice.  No difference.

I can open the files on the card in Audacity (or any other program that reads .wav), and then save that file to my computer.  But I can't just copy the file directly from the card.

David Froom

[china_rider]

All my issues with recordings that have stoped have been with 24bit.

Stay Kind,
Dana

[guysonic]

Another thought that keeps poping up is most of you are using the Kingston Elite type, and not the maybe faster (although type 1) Sandisk Ultra II.  Could there be something about the Elite that works OK for slower bit rate, but causes cliches when pushed for speed with 24 bit 44.1K and higher.  I would guess if this were the case, the Elite would be most problematic at the 24bit/88.1-96K maximimum rate regardless of firmware.

So far, I have NOT gone to 1.3.3 version, and have not encountered any problems with Sandisk Ultra II 8 Gig recording, and without external powering connected. 

However, as I get more recording time, and with external power pack connected, I can better relate to having consistently reliable or not experiences.

I just have not felt good about installing the 1.3.3 firmware.  I can only call it a feeling. They may have sped-up some of the system responses, and changed button scan rate interrupts, and I have just felt that there are somethings easily messed up with keeping the recording process on track with the firmware changes not fully field tested. 

This is only a hunch not based on anything solid, so what is discussed with this thread is important to maybe determining if something is getting less reliable with the later firmware.

[china_rider]

I actually just got the SanDisk UltraII 8 gig for a birthday gift.  Will be trying it in the field for the first time next Sunday at Sound Tribe.  I am probably also going to go back a revision in the firmware. (May keep the same firmware and use the JB3 as a non 24bit backup out of the ua5 analog outs).

However, Since my freeze up I have been doing alot of testing at home with 1.3.3.  The only time I have been able to reproduce the recording stopping is when a battery pack is plugged in. Regardless of bit depth or sampling rate.  Up to this point I have only been using the Kingston... Just got the SanDisk today.  When the battery pack is plugged in it seems pretty random and hard to reproduce, but it has never happened when the MT was self powered.

[natas43]

I just used the MT for the 3rd time, and after reading all of the problems on previous pages, I was really nervous because this was the concert I wanted to record.  The other 2 were practice runs.  I am using the MT with a 2gb SanDisk Extreme CF and a 1gb SanDisk Ultra CF, plus CSBs with battery box and an external usb charger just in case. 

I recorded The Cure Saturday in London.  I recorded at 16/44 to wav.  They were scheduled to play over 3 hours, so I brought along the extra 1 gb card.  No problems during the show....I recorded the entire main set, then swapped out the 2 gb CF card during the encore break and used the 1gb for the encores without any problems.

However.....while listening to the recording the next morning through the headphones on the MT, the sound stopped at approx. 60 minutes into the first file (the first file is about 2 hours-2 hours and 10 minutes).  The levels were still going up and down, but I was not getting any sound.

When I tranferred the files to my PC, all was fine, but I still have no idea why I couldn't hear anything beyond the first 60 minutes!