> > 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?
Like I said, it's been a pleasure to use. There's a button for step
up another for step down. The most-used items are among the first
ones in both directions. Drive capacity has its own button and its
also on the main LCD. 95% of the settings I use are set with power
up. The factory defaults are pretty well thought out if one should
lose all settings and needs to record asap.
> 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.
Sounds the same. I use that knob to roll through headphone monitoring
settings I programmed.
>
>>>>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.
they can be controlled separately, even brightness of each.
> > 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.
they're solid. I have one in as a back-up and its never come out.
>
>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.
INT HD only,
>
>> 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 heat generated by the unit has kept itself within operation range
at least when partially wrapped at cold temps. I unwrapped it and let
it get cold because I wanted to see what would happen. A new $80GB
2.5" hard drive is $150 and you can replace it yourself.
>
>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.
I'm quite sure we will be hearing positive reports long after the
honeymoons. I'm comparing the pres at the same time in quad.
>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.
Definitely. I'm just getting to know the 744's pre.
>
>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.
Are you saying that warmer coloration adds depth and greater localization?
>
> > 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.
Maybe record to both media using a 2GB CF and the Int HD to be safe?
This would give you 2 hours at 24/48 in stereo. You could leave the
CF card in as its faster to dl from the FW. Yes, you can transfer
from Int HD->CF internally.
>
>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.
When the directory becomes corrupt with a mounting or handshake
problem. This was happening with some platforms and the FW cable
hook-up initially. Its been taken care o as best I know.
>
>> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
--
Rob Danielson
Film Department
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
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