Reinventing the wheel?

[filmsoundman]

We all know that especially new recorders and mixers take a while to get through the R&D and production stage before they reach us. For the sake of discussion I thought I would pose the question of are producers of these types of equipment going to end up reinventing the wheel as we only need so much clarity for 'perfect' digital reproduction, therefore hitting a technological glass ceiling in many aspects...

Would be interesting to hear what you think :-)

You can even apply it to microphones I guess, I think wireless still has a slightly longer technology life for development.

Maybe leave some predictions :-)

Thanks and enjoy.

[Jeff Wexler]

For the sake of discussion I thought I would pose the question of are producers of these types of equipment going to end up reinventing the wheel as we only need so much clarity for 'perfect' digital reproduction, therefore hitting a technological glass ceiling in many aspects...

I don't think there is any "glass ceiling" to worry about, and "perfect digital reproduction" is only one aspect of the equipment we use. It has already been demonstrated that a $100. handheld recorder can produce a .wav file that is indistinguishable from the same .wav file produced on a $10,000. recorder. Does that mean that we should all be using the $100. recorder and all those companies that are making more expensive recorders should just pack it up? No one is RE-inventing the wheel. In regards to digital file based production recorders, Zaxcom invented the "wheel" and has continued to steadily refine the features and functions of their recorders. When other companies entered the field, Fostex, Sound Devices, Aaton, they didn't have to invent or RE-invent anything --- they just had to do what any company does --- refine the product, improve and expand its feature set, provide user-friendly and functional interface of operation, insure stability and reliability, etc.

[Matt McGowin]

I think the user interface of pro audio equipment, the way we interact with the pro gear and the capabilities of the pro gear to expand and adapt to meet the needs of the user and workflows, will continue to progress. It really was not that long ago that it was just sticky tape and rust. Who knows what the future holds?

[Philip Perkins]

I think the latest products from both SD and Zax show direction those companies are going in very well, about how they think future video production will work. Their visions are quite radical and very different from each other. Changes are coming.....

phil p

[JonG]

I think that what the original poster is trying to touch upon is an interesting thought. One thing that I have also thought a lot about is the fact that all of our digital equipment works in 16 and 24 bit. But if for whatever reason 32 bit recording became standard, not only would we be replacing our recorders, but any digital wireless and mics we use as well. That would be a huge expense for all of us. I asked about this at a Zaxcom Nomad demo earlier this year, and was told that the dynamic range achieved with 24 bit recording is more than sufficient and will probably never go away. My thought is that as technology advances, maybe we will move away from the bit system, to a new form of sampling. Or maybe we discover a new way to transmit digital audio wirelessly that does not involve radio frequencies. There are any number of possibilities that we cannot conceive of because something or another has not been invented or discovered yet that enables certain kinds of technologies. Those things mentioned are obviously what could be considered a big jump in technological advancement. As for now, I see and am happy to see that since our current recorders are essentially sophisticated computers with updatable OS's, many of the advances that our manufacturers are coming up with are firmware updatable, which I really appreciate since I already dropped a bunch of money on the recorder it's self, as well as many accessories and gadgets for it. But something like having to retrofit a Zaxcom or Sound Devices product with new converters would probably not even make financial sense, as it would more than likely cost just as much to buy the newer product, kind of like how most people in the US abandoned their block 28 Lectros when the FCC annexed that part of the spectrum.

I use a 788t and like it a lot. Ive also been thinking about getting a Nomad. But buying a new $10,000 recorder (I'm also counting the accessories and everything you need to make these puppies run) every couple of years would not make this a very smart business for us, especially since we spend so much of our income on all these high tech gadgets with price tags to match. As it is, I see a lot of kit rental fees disappearing, and a growing need for more wireless, camera hops, and extra goodies that do not always help us to do our jobs, but rather help out production in some way or another. But having to replace expensive equipment because it becomes obsolete is always a fear of mine, and a pain when it happens, which is one reason why I have never purchased a digital mixing board for my studio, and still use an analog one with a control surface, though my control surface recently lost support from its manufacturer (thank you tascam!).

But aside from all that, I would like to see Sound Devices put in a pre programable list for take notes like they have for the sound report it's self. That would be easier than having to bring a keyboard along with me everywhere if I am working out of a bag. My current "small" bag consisting of only three wireless doesnt give me room for a CL-Wifi, camera hop, and IFB, so run and gun jobs loose detailed sound reports since they need those camera hops so bad