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Re: Tascam DR-2d offers 4 channel recording

Subject: Re: Tascam DR-2d offers 4 channel recording
From: "Mike Rooke" picnet2
Date: Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:24 am ((PST))
Hi Rob,

With some skill and a lot of dexterity the internal capsules can be removed 
from the H2, theres enough space to mount two 3.5mm sockets feeding the 
original capsule wires. Or depending on hardware leaving the original in place 
and switching them to a multipin socket. For my modification I opted to bring 
the original internal mic wires to the socket. Net result is my plug in power 
rigs work directly with the modified H2, rolling four tracks at once 
synchronized. Line level would need additional dc blocking and attenuation. Ive 
seen one modification showing four RCA connectors on the back of an H2, I opted 
to keep the original elecret power. The internal mic feed is quieter than the 
(real) external socket. 

>As for the H2, I assume that down the recording chain from the two
>mic inputs are "clean," line-level input stages, but those circuits
>are probably inaccessible within chips don't ya bet? 

I would find small recorders with a word clock / AES synchronization input & 
output very useful. The ability to buy another recorder from the same 
manufacture and use it slaved via a synchronization cable would be a very nice 
feature. - more inputs becomes a case of adding another recorder. - But the 
thought of that executed poorly gives me the jitters.

BR
Mike.


--- In  Rob Danielson <> wrote:
>
> At 11:16 PM -0500 2/21/10, Richard L. Hess wrote:
> >
> >At 05:44 PM 2010-02-19, Rob Danielson wrote:
> >>At 6:53 AM +0000 2/18/10, oryoki2000 wrote:
> >>
> >>  > ... Dual record also can be set to capture stereo mic inputs and
> >>  >line input at the same time, effectively making the DR-2d a four
> >>  >channel recorder.
> >>  >
> >>...
> >>I wasn't able to find mention of the mic and line inputs being
> >>accessible at the same time and two stereo tracks being created. I
> >>see the over-dubbing and mixing of mic and line inputs into one
> >>stereo track, 
> >><http://www.tascam.com/i-3890-232-128-0-09E8C168.pdf>http://www.tascam.com/i-3890-232-128-0-09E8C168.pdf
> >>There must be a trick I'm missing.
> >
> >Hi, Rob,
> >
> >Please look on page 44 under Dual Recording--there are multiple
> >modes. Presumably the external mic jack will work, but they are not specific.
> >
> >I, too, am looking for a good 4-channel recorder that won't break the
> >bank. The Zoom H2 is presumably modifiable, but something like this
> >could be better out of the box for not much more money.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Richard
> >
> >Richard L. Hess <richard%40richardhess.com>
> >Aurora, Ontario, Canada 
> ><http://www.richardhess.com/>http://www.richardhess.com/
> >Detailed contact information: 
> ><http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm>http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> >
> >
> 
> Thanks John, Richard and Oryoki--
> 
> Page 44 does read pretty clear. I'm still a little hesitant though. 
> Seems like four channel recording capability is something Tascam 
> would clearly advertise-- especially compared to the minor value of 
> the safety copy feature they're touting. I'd want to confirm that it 
> records two separate stereo tracks from two inputs before committing 
> to a "no return" deal with a retailer. Two steps down on page 44 in 
> options under "Level Ctrl,"  there's a (LMT) Limiter mode with 
> wording that's confusing me. I wish I saw "Manual Record Level" 
> specified. I do see mention of automatically starting a new file when 
> the (selectable) file size limit is reached which is a very important 
> feature for some recordists.
> 
> Assuming the DR-2d  does record the mic input and the line inputs on 
> two separate files, this would accommodate one stereo quality input 
> (with external pre), but, as Oryoki points out, the quality hit from 
> the noise of the 3.5 mic input would be a significant if one was 
> thinking of recording in surround with high gain in quiet locations. 
> Maybe someone will come across this discussion and report back about 
> the 4 channel recording capability.
> 
> As for the H2, I assume that down the recording chain from the two 
> mic inputs are "clean," line-level input stages, but those circuits 
> are probably inaccessible within chips don't ya bet? Once we're into 
> using line-inputs, the reliability of the recorder's data handling 
> rates way up there after manual gain and auto new file starting. I'm 
> currently not rating my H2 as high in the data reliability department 
> as I once did. Rob D.
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 
>








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