Minidisc users who are happy changing discs every 80 minutes need
read no further...
Hitachi recently confirmed plans to release a 4GB microdrive in
November. Anticipating price reductions by its Compactflash
competitors, Hitachi is setting the list price for the 4GB drive at
$500.
The 4GB microdrive is a good match with Marantz's PMD-670 recorder
(~$600), which has a Type 2 Compactflash slot and FAT32 file system.=20
4GB of storage means the PMD-670 can record DAT-quality uncompressed
stereo for six hours. If MP2 compression is OK, then you could
capture more than 24 hours of stereo non-stop.
Of course you'd need an external power source for 24 hours of
recording. A 12 volt battery of 18 amp-hours capacity would be
sufficient. (You need about 12 amp-hours of power, but it's best not
to discharge a battery completely if you want reasonable life). A
sealed lead-acid battery of this type costs about $40 and weighs 9
lb.
A field-ready portable power source (including battery, fuse in
circuit, voltage regulator, power cord, recharger and carrying case)
costs $90 to $125 from commercial sources.
Astronomy hobbyists use a setup like this to power a telescope's
equatorial drive in the field. I saw several astronomy sites that
explain how to build your own field battery setup.=20
--oryoki
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
|