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Gotham's Initial Impressions of Zaxcom Nomad


Gotham Sound

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Maybe not intuitive, maybe not big enough for you, but the REC button is the one to the left with the word REC above it. Next to that there is PLAY and STOP.

I think what's confusing is that the button has TC on it and REC above it. Perhaps having REC on the button & TC above it would help. Primary functions should be on the button/switch, secondary functions above or below. Maybe this picture is not the best example but you know what button does what. Functions are above the the button.

Eric

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Hi Jack, what's with the 1.5 second delay to record - I just want to press the button and it records. And where is the rec button - is it the TC button at top left? If so, a very unintuitive position. It all looks a bit fiddly to me.

There are several ways you can set up Nomad to record. The choice is up to you.

One way is to set the TC / Record button to act as a primary record button - and the TC becomes the secondary feature of the button - meaning that you tap the button and Nomad will immediately go into record.

You can also set up Nomad that the TC is primary and record is secondary - meaning if you tap the button you will enter the TC menu and if push and hold the button for approximately 1.5 seconds Nomad will kick into record. Once again a safety feature so you don't accidentally tap the button and go into record. If you choose this method and feel that the 1.5 seconds may clip the beginning of your recording then you can easily set the pre-record feature to 1.5 seconds - or even more if you choose.

And another option, which apparently has people freaked out, is the two button method which involves pushing the menu knob then pushing record.

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Ha ha, thanks for that. I suppose it is engrained experience of DAT machines and hard disc recorders, all of which have a big red button on the right, which is useful for right handers, and means you dont' have to stretch over other controls. I daresay you get used to it, but I do actually think ergonomics is more important than it is sometimes thought. I agree - primary functions should be out there, away from nested controls. The problem is with modern devices performing myriad functions whilst having a small surface area, which makes design and functionality even more important.

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If the Nomad is in the mode where a quick tap takes you to TC, and 1.5 second push goes into record...... is there a way to index recordings like the Devas? Would it be a tap or a 1.5 second push? With my Fusion doing doc/reality I usually let it run when in doubt, and sometimes use the REC button to seamlessly start a new file. That is really useful on jobs where the cameras never tell you they cut but declare they will start rolling again.

I think I like the idea of tap for TC and hold for Record. I really like that there are user settings so we can chose. I hope the headphone beeps for starting/stopping recording are in there (or will be). I've really grown to like that.

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Fellow Sound Mixers,

My name is Jonathan Reyes and I've been working in the "reality world" for sometime now. I've recently purchased my first Nomad at Professional Sound Services a couple of days ago where Richard Topham, President of Professional Sound Services, has been extremely helpful with my purchase.

My first review of the Zaxcom Nomad. First off I would like to state that I'm not a technician/sales consultant at a rental/sales house, I'm on the field as a location sound mixer and I feel that's where the true reviews should come from. I've worked with many recorders, such as 788ts to metacorders, so I'm very knowledgeable when it comes to audio field recorders/mixers.

My first thought of Nomad out of the box was how light weighted this unit was and how sleek it would fit in my bag verses the 788t w/ Cl8. Once I've wired 5 411A's, my two UM400a's hops and my T4, I powered this little beast on.

After learning the internal menu by heart I then started to set all of my settings. Professional Sound Services and as well as Glenn at Zaxcom told me that certain features aren't 100% ready and I was well aware what I was getting myself into.

Having features not 100% ready isn't new to me. I recall when the 788t first came out I was doing a TV show that wanted me to record 24 iso channels. At the time I was using 3 788t's. The C link weren't working properly and one of the machines would freeze once and a while. I didn't go knock it on the internet because I knew it was a new device, I would let the owner of the device know so he/she could let the manufacture know.

Anyway, the Nomad is functional for the run and gun type reality shows I'm on as of now. I used it all day today and not one issue has came across. Keep in mind I was just mixing 4 lavs and sending 2 separate feeds to camera wirelessly and a mono mix to my ifb for producers. I've been speeding audio as well for myself. The machine never got hot and worked perfectly fine for me.

Using the pan features are easy to use and easy to set on the fly. I also love the auto trim set up too. Recording and stopping and playback is very easy to use, I don't know why some people are saying you have to hit different buttons to speed and cut, that is not true and they shouldn't post speculations on this forum as it will confuse new users and potential buyers. I'm looking forward for new updates from Zaxcom. Overall I give this machine 2 thumbs up as well to the staff at Professional Sound Services and Glenn and his team at Zaxcom.post-2564-0-97984200-1319067490.jpg

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Well, I suppose users will get used to that, but when running around with a boom, I just want to jab one big rec button quickly and resume booming. With most machines I can do it with one hand, one finger, without looking down. Pressing 2 buttons seems to require more looking down, getting the aim right, more distraction. I could be wrong, but I like simplicity and functionality. I don't think I ever had a machine where there wasn't a big red rec button. It is after all the most important function of all. However, let's hear some reports from new users. I could be making a mountainous molehill, but it makes me uneasy.

If you're using a recorder and you're booming shouldn't you be recording already? I see no issue in the way you start recording on this machine. You have options though for how you record, which are one button operation and are quite easy.

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I have my Nomad Set so all I do is press record and it records! There's your one hand, one finger recOrd. ;)

If you're using a recorder and you're booming shouldn't you be recording already? I see no issue in the way you start recording on this machine. You have options though for how you record, which are one button operation and are quite easy.

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Just to clarify: The Nomad still does not have metadata function. There is no revision on the Zaxcom site that contains metadata for the Nomad, and dealers do not have such a revision. This means that information for scene, take, and note cannot be entered, but it also means that the name of folders cannot be changed from the default "z001", "z002" (etc) names.

Glen Trew

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Just to clarify: The Nomad still does not have metadata function. There is no revision on the Zaxcom site that contains metadata for the Nomad, and dealers do not have such a revision. This means that information for scene, take, and note cannot be entered, but it also means that the name of folders cannot be changed from the default "z001", "z002" (etc) names.

Glen Trew

Glen

Not sure of the distribution channels regarding software updates - but I received, and I'm currently running, version 2.11. Version 2.11 has meta data input capabilities - the only thing it doesn't offer at this point is the ability to change the folder name.

Jack

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Glen

Not sure of the distribution channels regarding software updates - but I received, and I'm currently running, version 2.11. Version 2.11 has meta data input capabilities - the only thing it doesn't offer at this point is the ability to change the folder name.

Jack

The distribution channel is the Zaxcom website, on the support page, and there is not a Nomad revision there. Changing the folder name is important enough to be a no-go for most features and TV drama. Does the revision you have allow the stored settings to be named and the tracks to be named?

Thanks,

Glen Trew

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The distribution channel is the Zaxcom website, on the support page, and there is not a Nomad revision there. Changing the folder name is important enough to be a no-go for most features and TV drama. Does the revision you have allow the stored settings to be named and the tracks to be named?

Thanks,

Glen Trew

Glen,

For the current owners of the Nomad I believe the web page will be updated this week to include the Nomad in the support section. This is per a conversation I had with Glenn and Howie at AES on Saturday. So updating the Nomad should be available for everyone soon.

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My main question will be,

how easy is it to change the gain settings for individual channels? I understand that there isn't a hardware knob like the 552. I saw a previous thread that mentioned that you can't see the metering when you are adjusting the gain settings..

Also, when will the product be release in Singapore? I've contacted the local dealer but there is no response! :(

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My main question will be,

how easy is it to change the gain settings for individual channels? I understand that there isn't a hardware knob like the 552. I saw a previous thread that mentioned that you can't see the metering when you are adjusting the gain settings..

When "auto-trim" is activated then the menu knob will act as an independent trim knob for each one of the six hardware faders. Its very easy to identify which channel is active in "auto-trim" mode. And very easy to adjust.

And, I'm not sure where you read about not being able to see metering while the gain is being adjusted but information you read was incorrect. You CAN see metering and the input trim level. First there is an input meter in each of the channel set up pages as well as an input meter in most of the menu home screens. All adjustments can be made regardless which meter screen you are viewing.

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This was where I read from

Not quite sure what was be refereed to - the only thing I can come up with is there are several user selectable metering screen. The one screen with the card meter tracks does not have any input meters on that screen but instead has all your record meters. Regardless you can see all your card track meters, monitor the meters and still adjust the trim.

Nomad has several metering options - there are several screens that give you various combinations of Input, output and card meters. You can select one or more meter screens to view or toggle thru. in all the meter screens you can adjust trim and fader levels, but depending on which screen you choose to use you may or may not have the input meters on that particular screen.

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