> From: Rob Danielson <>
> I'd rather have it in front too. But I use the controls that are one
> the front more than I do headphone level.
I just think about how that's going to work out in a portabrace case.
>>>The fact all that menu system seems to run through a single control is
>>>going to slow things I'd think. Lots of steps to get to items. With the
>>>Portadisc the equivalent controls are on several different buttons. So
>>>menus don't have to be so deep.
>
>
> You can have multiple configurations. There are four buttons
> associated with the menu use and the menu knob one the side is a
> short-cut/redundant one. I use it for switching between Front/Back
> M-S and Non M-S monitoring. The knob on the side not the main menu
> control.
I finally found that mentioned in the caption in one table in the user's
manual. It appears you have to store the presets to the hard disk and
then retreive them from the hard disk, it's not exactly straightforward
the way they explain it. In fact they talk as if you can only store and
retrieve the 4 factory presets.
There are some 68 menu items (in the 722). They state they are in a flat
organization, like a list. How do you step through the list? only a few
are on shortcuts somewhere. Reading the manual instructions it looks
like that side knob is the scroll knob for the menu items and also, by
pressing it, the selection button. Or is this, maybe, a difference
between the 744 & 722? Instructions all thru the 722 manual have you
using that knob.
>>>The location of the main menu control on the side must be a problem in a
>>>case. Have you seen the portabrace case for the recorder? With controls
>>>and things that you need to access fairly often on four sides I'd like
>>>to know how good that case is.
>
>
> No, I haven't seen it. Markertek might have some shots. It was ~ $200
> more than the fanny pack and I wanted something that wouldn't bounce
> when I walk.
I have a Portabrace pack for my Portadisc, and my MP2. The big advantage
in addition to padding and very heavy duty is that they provide access
to everything without having to take the recorder out. For most of it
you won't even have to take it off your shoulder.
I can't see even a light recorder like the 744 bouncing in a Portabrace
shoulder pac. The MP2 does not.
If you try the Portabrace you won't want anything else. They are way
expensive, but very good. I do wish they made a combo case for the
Portadisc plus MP2. I may eventually make my own for that.
>>>Can you turn off all lights? Even a single led attracts insects. And
>>>what color is the LCD backlight? The Portadisc's LCD backlight is bug
>>>light yellow so it attracts few insects.
>
>
> yes, its single button for "stealth" recording.
That cuts all lights including all the status lights and such? It was
unclear in the manual.
> Very strong, very solid. An unexpected gust came up and my whole
> stand mounted rig took a 12 foot fall onto concrete with the 744T
> inside of a Targus backpack and fanny pack. The headphones got hung
> up and the 3.5mm plug bent 90 degrees before the cable tore loose. .
> Other than the lost plug, all I got was a frightening recording of
> the whole event, in surround. No marks on the case though it clearly
> absorbed considerable impulse.
I was specifically referring to the mounts for the battery.
Such falls as yours took are very risky with a hard disk in there. You
were very lucky. Or you were recording with a CF and the hard disc was
parked.
> The 744T ran longer than my MKH 30 would when the temp dropped to -15
> for several hours on day. I purposely brought it inside freezing
> cold and proceeded to do transfers without letting it warm up. It
> hummed along while condensation formed on the exterior case. Not
> advised for sure but sometimes I have to do this with a recorder.
> There's a good chance that it will take high humidity well.
Where high humidity might get it is more long term. Any unprotected
metal in the circuits or components may corrode with time. Modern
electronics are pretty good. Condensation can also carry contaminants
into the mechanical parts of the controls making them stiff.
You might want to verify the temp restrictions for the hard disk itself.
If you are getting that cold you may be way outside the specs for it.
Not only can that cause errors due to alignment problems with the heads,
but bearing failures and such like. I'd make sure that hard disk stayed
within it's working specs and it's storage specs. There are heater
systems available that are used in astronomy. They even have ones to
heat laptops to avoid this problem. For extended use in very cold
environments you probably should use a heater like that.
The LCD can also be at risk in extreme cold.
> All I can say is there a good chance you might change you mind.
Every recorder there is colors sound in some way. What you are saying is
you like the coloration of the sound by the 744 better than that by the
MP2.
You should really reserve judgment. You are currently in the "honeymoon"
period with the recorder. Your brain's sound processing center is being
swamped with messages telling it you like this recorder and it's going
to produce sound better than anything else. Or something like that. You
sound processing center and your sound interpretation part of your brain
says "yes master, you want it to sound good", and feeds you a sound good
sound. Give it a while and you will get a less colored interpretation. I
expect you will still like it, but the flaws in it's sound will also
reach your awareness. You will notice it's particular coloration in a
new light.
I generally figure I need months, if not years to have my hearing settle
for a particular piece of equipment. This is particularly true of high
end equipment where the differences are small. It's part of what I call
learning a piece of equipment.
To me the cold and clinical types of sound don't produce as believable
and rich a soundfield as the warmer ones. And, since I'm focused on
stereo recording that's important.
> I think I have dl'd from the CF card when its installed, but there's
> no need to. I pull it out and use my $12 CF reader. You'll appreciate
> being able to record to both media on those nights you get some
> special stuff.
I realize you can pull the card and stick it in a reader. But it's
location is a problem there. My portadisc lives in it's Portabrace case,
and they would have a access flap for the CF, but I know just how much
hassle it is to use the access flap on the bottom of the Portadisc case.
I would be more likely to use the work around of transferring the CF
stuff to the HD for transfer.
Check and see if they fixed that problem.
As far as special stuff, remember I record to a small archival medium.
Nothing needed to use a new, cheap disk, and it stores virtually
indefinitely. Moving to a Hard Disk plus CF is a step down, not up, for
me. I'd have to institute immediate archiving. In practice I'd probably
use the 722 with the CF as the record medium, backing each recording up
to the HD immediately. And transfer out of the recorder frequently.
I would tend to use the CF more than the HD because it's less likely to
be destroyed in the field. We have already discussed the "all your eggs
in one basket" problem of hard disks.
>>>4mbs is not near hard disk transfer speed, at least what I get with
>>>ultra SCSI, but not bad for firewire stuff.
>
>
> This has been an unexpected issue for them. I'm not sure if its the
> tiny size allotment they have for the FW interface, whether they use
> a 911 oxford circuit or what. Everyone agreed to focus on
> reliability of if there was any trade off between speed. Haven't lost
> any files. I should also mention that my powerbook on has one FW
> port and thus the need to place the 744 at the end of the chain when
> I want to download to en external FW drive. Desktops have another FW
> port so I suspect it would not be an issue.
I would agree on reliability vs speed. I'm not a great fan of firewire,
it's being asked to do things it's not well suited for. In time, as I
upgrade it looks like I'll be forced to use it in such inappropriate
ways however, as there is little choice.
I really find nothing wrong with 4mbs. Firewire has no chance of
reaching ultra SCSI speeds with disks, currently at 320mbs. Firewire
disks are 7200 rpm ide drives inside, and the one in the 744 is even
slower. Though the most I see with my disks in read then write to a new
disk situation is about 40mbs for mixed files (my entire system disk).
My disks are ultra 160's.
How would you loose files during transfer? Does it remove the files as
it transfers? Only way I can see losing the files is when the hard disk
fails. Or you commit a human error and erase them.
> The time stamping on the audio file itself will be a big plus for
> many nature recordists. I set my clock for 12 noon = 12 midnight and
> its an easy translation. Bet they will have fixed the folder date
> roll-over issue by the time your PD dies.
The Portadisc time stamps the tracks too. Since I name the tracks in the
computer with a code that date stamps them, and my database contains the
time it's never been a big deal.
> SD went out on a limb to create these two recorders and extended
> their resources as far as any businesses ever do. You'll understand
> immediately when you hold it in your hands. Its no easy technical
> accomplishment, believe me. One has to tip one's hat to all the
> things they did take under consideration in making something really
> well suited for field use. SD is a very small, company here in
> Wisconsin. They pay their workers well, they have realized something
> the big audio companies haven't managed yet and they do listen to
> customers.
SD is a good company. I relied on my experience with them in putting the
722 up on my list.
No matter how good some of it is, there is obviously room for
improvement. A lot of their thinking was not aimed at the style of
recording most nature recordists do. It's probably as good as it is
because one of their target markets is ENG.
>>>It's always amazing how equipment will undergo a long development period
>>>and then when it comes out lots of the simpleist and obvious things to
>>>do in using it are not functioning properly. Unfortunately the designers
>>>are no longer users. In this case it sounds like the users they had try
>>>it were not nature recordists, no surprise there.
>
>
> As you have said many times, nature recordists are a very tiny piece
> of the pie. I came across a performance issue that two, top spec
> houses missed and SD went right to work to fix them to our standards.
> If, in a year ot two, nature recordists have several 4 track
> recorders that are suited for the field to choose from, that will be
> terrific. In the meanwhile, this one is solid.
Don't get me wrong in what I say, It sounds good to me too. I can make
it work to get good recordings, that's the bottom line.
I was not really being nature recordist specific in what I said about
equipment development. It's virtually universal in the computer field. I
work with very annoying functions in all kinds of programs or hardware.
Not just sound.
> Long live your Portadisc.
I sure hope so, I'm not made of money. And this is a hobby with no hope
of being self supporting.
Walt
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