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Giving up the DV824 for a Boom Recorder setup


RPSharman

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If everyone could chime in...I have a DV824 and a 744T.  I like the combination because I can turn in DVD-RAM or DVD-R.  I power both with 4-pin 12v.  They fit neatly in my rack-style vertical cart.  And I already own them both!  I also own an iBook, which is almost always on the cart, as well as a 350G hard drive and a DVD burner.

So I am thinking that with an investment of $300 for boom recorder and $500 for the Motu 8pre or $1000 for the Motu 896HD, I can give up the DV824 (maybe get $4500 for it), and put the $3000 to other good use.

I have several friends on Boom Recorder, and have filled in using it a few times.  It worked well, and has some cool features.  So it seems reasonable to use the 744T to DVD-RAM, and archive the mix and iso tracks, if they want them, on the Boom Recorder hard drive.

My concerns are these... 40.048k : can this be accomplished, when requested - am I giving up quality through a firewire interface versus the DV824 A/D converters.

Thoughts please!

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"So it seems reasonable to use the 744T to DVD-RAM, and archive the mix and iso tracks, if they want them, on the Boom Recorder hard drive."

Why not just record everything onto Boom Recorder as the main recorder so that you can send in the Mix and ISO's on the same disk?  Then B/U just the Mix track(s) to your 744 using its internal drive?  Once Post has re-conformed, why have them deal with 2 different media everytime they want to access an ISO track?  To me, this doesn't seem efficient or as post friendly as just sending in one disc with everything.

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My concerns are these... 40.048k : can this be accomplished, when requested - am I giving up quality through a firewire interface versus the DV824 A/D converters."

Haven't used this particular software much, but 48.048 should be doable if you have a 48.048 master clock source; I believe it is with Metacorder.  If you have a Master clock source that can generate 48.048 (your 744?), everything (as in your interface) should be able to slave to it.  As far as A/D's go, there are many interfaces out there that will have A/D's that are as good as the Fostex's, if not better.  There are also interfaces with A/D's that will be worse.  As long as you choose a high quality interface, the A/D's will not be an issue.

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I agree with Darren. Whatever you hand in for dailies should be from your master recorder. I'm using Boom Recorder as my master recorder (Yes I have to burn a DVD at wrap but it's not that big of a deal). and backing up (up to 4 of the tracks) on my 744T. I use the 4 Aux outs on my Sonosax for the master mix and a choice of 3 other mixes/splits exclusivly for the  744T as backup. All splits and the master mix go to Boom Recorder and my Clock/timecode source is the 744T. I understand it can send 48048 if I ever need to record that way. Boom Recorder can also record 48.048. I use the Motu Ultralight and it fits very nicely underneath the 744T. Its' footprint is nearly identical. I remote roll Boom Recorder from my Apple remote. Sonically I have no complaints. I have been extremly happy with Boom Recorder and all of the  help Take offers. Boom Recorder just gets better and better and with a 744T sitting right on the cart. I can (and have) gone super mobile. There is an issue with reading the Metadata from the 744 files in Boom Recorder and being able to add them to the sound report but given the way Take works I wouldn't be suprised if he figures something out.

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Hello everyone,

There are two ways of recording at 48048 with Boom Recorder.

1. Send a 48048 word clock to the audio interface.

2. Set Boom Recorder to stamp the file at 47952 (not all edit applications will playback the audio by 0.1%).

It seems that the new version of Boom Recorder 7.22 is starting the become pretty stable, thank you for your patience Ramsay. If anyone likes to try the new version, you can download it from:

    http://www.vosgames.nl/downloads/BoomRecorder-7.22.dmg

This new version allows you to edit metadata from the soundlog window; changes will update the metadata in the audio files, update the sound reports and rename the audio files when needed.

Cheers,

    Take

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Hmmm.  I wasn't going to chime in, but here we go.  I think both Metacorder and Boom Recorder are fine pieces of software.  I've tried a version of BR, and own a copy of Metacorder.  This is speaking of only my experience....I wouldn't give up a dedicated machine at this point in the development.  It is not because of the software, but because of the hardware interface issues.  Just too many boxes to create the same delivery item.  These items are all considered consumer, or "pro-sumer" devices (love that).  The Mac is a great computer, and I own several.  But occaisionally, they bug up and need a reboot.  This happened to a second unit mixer that I brought in on this past show.  He ended up not being able to deliver a back-up disk because his Metacorder system choked.  He was running a DEVA as his master, so we got that just fine.  Today, he is no longer running a Metacorder system.  He's not the only one. 

Don't get me wrong....it will work, and work very well, as Darren has proved over and over.  It works awesome for him.  I just had problems.

PWP

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I guess it is all down to your comfort level w/ your computer-based system, and possibly also how knowledgable you are about those computer systems.  There is no question that a general purpose computer offers you more ways to shoot yourself in the foot than a dedicated machine.  I feel like the Fostex etc make it harder for you to make an inadvertent operator error, so I always feel a little more tense and watchful when using my Metacorder rig than I am w/ the SD recorder.  That said, economy is still on the side of the computer based rig IF you need a lot of tracks, like 4 iso plus 1 or 2 mix and up.  That's what it has come down to for me--if the job seems like 1-4 tracks will do it then I don't use the Metacorder, above that then it plays every time.  The other issues about the computer, incl. the screen in bright sunlight, can all be dealt with one way or another.

Philip Perkins

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"Just too many boxes to create the same delivery item.  These items are all considered consumer, or "pro-sumer" devices (love that)."

If the reference above is regarding f/w interfaces, I don't believe this to be the case.  As with a lot of the new recorders coming on line, there is a wide variety of product available.  Yes, there are many that could be considered more appropriate for the home studio.  However there are *many* fully professional interfaces available as well; ones that prove themselves in highly professional environments such as recording studios and Audio Post facilities every day.  Prism, RME, Metric Halo, and yes some of the MOTU's, etc, are just a few examples that come to mind.  These products are installed in applications that are at least as Mission Critical as ours all over the world.  MOTU's for example are very popular for use on very high profile concert tours.  No chance of a take 2 there.

While I'm at it....

I know that there are some users that have experienced their Mac's "choking", etc.  I can't help but wonder if there are other issues at play such as a computer that is not configured correctly or a slow drive, or who knows what.  It could even be the use of inferior interfaces with a f/w bus that is easily choked (not uncommon).  It *is* difficult to understand why some computers can work so well, and others not.  As Phil correctly stated, it does take more than one "box" to achieve the same thing.  As a result it is very important that, when assembling this type of recording system, that great care is taken to use high quality components and to take the time to ensure that everything is both properly configured and compatible.  I recently did a job that required recording *30 minute long 24 track* takes on a Metacorder system with an older G4 1.5 Powerbook and, other than the display not being able to keep up, the system worked very well.

All the best!

Darren

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I agree with the worry of prosumer connections My cart is designed and wired so that except for sliding out the cover on my Sonosax and opening the lid on my Macbook, nothing is ever repatched. Even my radios are normalled to channels 2-8. Rarely does anything go through a repatch and critical prosumer connections including those to to the Macbook are velcroed and stabilized using chloroplast 'strips' in place. I've never liked 'undoing' my sound cart. Too much wear and tear in pro connectors too. The 744 has 5 numbered connections for idiot proofing if we have to de-velcro it and run and gun. I've been a Mac user for 6 years and like any piece of gear, you get used to it over time and know if there are no-no's but it has never actually failed. I keep my 'work' one free of any odd ball programmes. That been said I've done just about everything I can think of to blow up Boom Recorder (burned a DVD opened 6 applications and surfed the net while recording 10 tracks). I will always carry a dedicated recorder like my 744 (which gives me two backups) or the Sonosax when all the TC/word software is completed, but a computer based recorder handles Metadata and more than 8 tracks very easily and I have used more than 8 a few times.

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"Just too many boxes to create the same delivery item.  These items are all considered consumer, or "pro-sumer" devices (love that)."

If the reference above is regarding f/w interfaces, I don't believe this to be the case.  As with a lot of the new recorders coming on line, there is a wide variety of product available.  Yes, there are many that could be considered more appropriate for the home studio.  However there are *many* fully professional interfaces available as well; ones that prove themselves in highly professional environments such as recording studios and Audio Post facilities every day.  Prism, RME, Metric Halo, and yes some of the MOTU's, etc, are just a few examples that come to mind.  These products are installed in applications that are at least as Mission Critical as ours all over the world.  MOTU's for example are very popular for use on very high profile concert tours.  No chance of a take 2 there.

While I'm at it....

I know that there are some users that have experienced their Mac's "choking", etc.  I can't help but wonder if there are other issues at play such as a computer that is not configured correctly or a slow drive, or who knows what.  It could even be the use of inferior interfaces with a f/w bus that is easily choked (not uncommon).  It *is* difficult to understand why some computers can work so well, and others not.  As Phil correctly stated, it does take more than one "box" to achieve the same thing.  As a result it is very important that, when assembling this type of recording system, that great care is taken to use high quality components and to take the time to ensure that everything is both properly configured and compatible.  I recently did a job that required recording *30 minute long 24 track* takes on a Metacorder system with an older G4 1.5 Powerbook and, other than the display not being able to keep up, the system worked very well.

All the best!

Darren

I've recorded much longer takes than 30 min (like 60+) on 22 tracks w/ a G4 1.5 w/ Metacorder (mono BWFs), and as Darren says, other than the display hesitating now and then it worked fine.

Philip Perkins

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Yep, the real key is to treat your Mac as if it were a dedicated machine (i.e. 744, etc.)  As soon as you start adding variables (as in other software), you add risk.  I haven't loaded any software on the Mac OS side of my Mac other than Boom Recorder and it works great.  I've used Boom Recorder as my primary recorder on 4 projects now, and the only time I had a problem was the time I hit the stop button instead of the record button and then didn't notice that the little record wheel didn't turn red.  (As in, 4 projects, one lost take, totally user error). 

Phil

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Take,

That's pretty funny.  In all the years I've been designing software (don't ask how many) I always designed it so the user had the flexibility to shoot themselves in the foot if they wanted to, then worked very hard to make sure that they only delivered a flesh wound.  :-)

I suppose if you wanted to make it really user safe, you could display a huge red flashing banner:  RECORDING whenever it is recording...makes it harder to miss than the red spinning circle.  You know, in like 72 point font.

Just be thankful you're not trying to sell your software to the U.S. government.  Someday ask me about Section 508 compliance if you really want to hear horror stories.  :-)

Phil

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