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Re: guess at sound designs 744T specifications

Subject: Re: guess at sound designs 744T specifications
From: Rob Danielson <>
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 09:31:27 -0500
oryoki wrote:

>preliminary specifications, based on
>reports from NAB2003 show.
>-oryoki
>
>Sound Designs 744T field recorder
>
>
>!!still no data on analog to digital
>conversion rates available in this device!!
>
>4 channels input, with time code ~$4,000
>2 channels, no time code ~$2,000
>delivery planned for Fall, 2003
>
>storage medium is hard disc
>internal disc drive is not removable
>2.5 inch 9.5mm laptop drive
>Data up/download:  IEEE1394 (Firewire)
>
>Toshiba 2.5 inch 60GB disc would fit
>60GB = 30 hours of 4 channel 24/48 recording
>
>external CompactFlash type 2 slot will
>permit use of removable MicroDrive as
>well as CompactFlash cards

If one needs a good mic pre too and stereo, $2K is around the cost of 
portadisk and a MP2. But at 4K$ for 4 channels of 24 bit, don't you 
think most folks will continue to wait to get just the 24bit option? 
I also have reservations about the hard drive recording direction. Do 
I want to always have to manage hard drive data/space before I can go 
out with a clean drive to record? I do record a lot and 20GB on a hd 
is alot to keep track of/make constant decisions about.  It takes 
considerable time for me to archive selected field recordings and 
project mixes onto to 4.2 GB DVD-R's. Do I want to add this practice 
to all of my field minutes too? A 3 hour DAT tape costs $2, holds 2GB 
of data, pops out and in and serves as data back-up after I transfer 
all or some of the data to DVD-R. I listen to the tapes as I transfer 
them to the hard drive before burning to DVD so I don't see this as a 
complete time loss.  A DVD-R takes at least an hour to organize and 
burn.  If I brought back 20 hours from an excursion, I'd have no 
choice but to spend 3-4 hours dumping data off the drive before going 
back out or delaying the chore by popping in CompactFlash. Instant 
random access is great, I'd need it to make choices about what to 
transfer cuz once its gone from the drive, it's gone. How often do 
you miss great stuff jumping around on a large file? It is safer, 
easier to dump-off every minute to DVD which with tape I can do any 
time I want even while washing dishes instead of taking precious 
field time. And there is another risk with making large files. Ever 
had a sound file go corrupt?   Sound Devices is  20 minutes from the 
summer camp we are planning in the Kickapoo Valley May 16-18.

Rob D.

-- 
Rob Danielson
Film Department
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee


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