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Introducing the TASCAM DR-60D


Tom Duffy

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speaking from the video side of the fence, it would be nice if the record on/off functions for both the camera and the dr-60d could be triggered simultaneously, with one remote controller.

 

unfortunately the industry standard lan-c connection and the tascam wired control format don't appear to be compatible.

 

i'll probably end up hacking a couple of controllers together to get basic functionality, but regardless, i'm down for one.

 

congrats on filling a niche that no one else quite recognized, and thanks.

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LANC isn't quite industry standard. It was actually developed by Sony. It is used to some extent by Panasonic. There is no standardization. Even amongst Sony products, there is some variation as to the implementation from model to model. Like many things Sony develops, they don't seem to be too concerned about others sharing their technologies unless sued.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well...if you can put up with some ironically bad audio and questionable observations/comparisons, there's some exploration of an actual production unit here:

http://juicedlink.com/blog/2013/04/tascam-dr-60d-review-and-audio-tests/

 

Early on in the clip, the stepped, audibly clicky gain adjustment rears its ugly head. Boo. That might be fine for a set and forget situation..but not in a field recorder. Seems like a glitch you'd expect in a consumer device. Can this be remedied by firmware update?

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Why did they do the stepped pot on the dr-60d----idiots,it's a deal breaker for most.You have to have a continuasly variable pot,like they have on the DR100 etc......---------they made the dr--60d so a mixer could use it for "over the shoulder" mixing,but they killed that. J.D.

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Technically true..but something wrong with the implementation if it introduces clicks. I'm hoping Tom discusses this/suggests it is fixable. If not, it's a bit of an achilles heel to what looked like a well designed device.

 

Adding another video regarding the gain adjustment:

 

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I'm finally back from NAB and post-NAB trips.

 

The DR-60D has a digitally controlled mic-pre, not a stepped pot on the analog pre circuitry.  This enables us to give you the "hold" function, that locks out all accidental changes from knocked controls or button presses by the camera op once you are in record.  With digitally controlled mic-pres, some amount of "zipper noise" (that is the best technical name for this phenomenon) is not unexpected.

 

Sine tones are the best (i.e. the most unflattering) way to test for zipper noise, but are not representative of real world audio, where the phenomenon is rarely audible. That said, we will look into mitigating this further through firmware updates in the near future.

 

We of course eagerly await the reviews from real users.

 

Tom (TASCAM)

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" Why did they do the stepped pot "

many of our favorite old consoles had those really great round "pots" we loved, that were really stepped attenuators.

 

OK, so why ??

because...

that is how digital stuff works.

 

I think you like being a contrarian,I know you are smart enough to know detented rotary pots with 3 or 4 db steps suck.I did a lot of mixing with the old rotary pots,they were fine,these aren't.

      I feel like I'm living in Bizarro land----Help

 

J.D.

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I'm not sure these are physically detented in the normal sense. I'm guessing continuously variable in knob feel but, as digital controllers, stepped in terms of DB adjustment...as the 2nd video clip suggests. The steps seem large (3db?), maybe delayed as well..and if performed during a sine wave (sustained vocal, musical or or other "real world" tone), might inflict zippering. I would hope for a less stepped, non-clicky update via firmware. If it was all about locking controls..put a plastic cover over the knobs like any number of camcorders do...or recessed pots like some mixers do.

 

As for who it's for..who requests shoulder strap mounts and iso tracks?

 

Between this issue and some of the pre-production really bad photos in magazines, I'm hoping Tascam was just a bit ahead of themselves and can remedy this over time. It seems like a very good machine otherwise. Ironically, I found the over all sound quality demos clearly favoring the Tascam over the Juiced box.

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I think you like being a contrarian,I know you are smart enough to know detented rotary pots with 3 or 4 db steps suck.I did a lot of mixing with the old rotary pots,they were fine,these aren't.

      

 

J.D.

I turned out a ton mixes on these without a second thought about "zipper" noise. Back then the only zipper noise in the CR was from......well you'll have to use your imagination.  

post-22-0-68401300-1366348112_thumb.jpg

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" The DR-60D has a digitally controlled mic-pre, not a stepped pot on the analog pre circuitry. "

sorry to confuse some folks...

I did not mean that modern digital equipment uses old fashioned stepped attenuators (Eric's pic of that Altec brings back memories!), but that such stepping is not new...

 

I suspect the target market doesn't dotoo much (if any) active mixing during shots!

" the "hold" function, that locks out all accidental changes from knocked controls or button presses by the camera op once you are in record. "

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Maybe for the under the camera situation. But for the over the shoulder sound op situation, not so much. A better option would be a cover like on this sides of broadcast cams or ability to recess pots a la SD. The form factor is already fairly protective against bumps compared to some units. Seeing the large increments during gain adjustment, I suspect there are other drivers of this shortcoming.

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