Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
I just started playing around with this. Has anyone else had a go at
it? Any ideas on powering it without a big lead/acid 12 V, the internal batteries (8 AAs, not 2 or 4 as on the Fostex site specs) only go about 2 hours. Any impression of the A/Ds and internal preamp at 24 bit and 96 or 192 kH? Any way around the 2 Gig file limit? Jeff |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
I just started playing around with this. Has anyone else had a go at
it? Any ideas on powering it without a big lead/acid 12 V, the internal batteries (8 AAs, not 2 or 4 as on the Fostex site specs) only go about 2 hours. Any impression of the A/Ds and internal preamp at 24 bit and 96 or 192 kH? Any way around the 2 Gig file limit? I don't need to test this unit to see that Fostex is once again just posting numbers. 192kHz a/d is pretty much useless when it's matched with op-amp preamps that compare with Behringer and Mackie mixers. I don't see a line input... Using PCMCIA drives and flash cards is certainly progressive, but it's much better and much less expensive to just use a high-capacity 2.5" 4200rpm laptop drive and interface with it over Firewire. I also think it's inexcuseable not to have an integrated lithium-ion rechargeable battery system. If $100 portable mp3 players can have them surely this $1400 unit can. Instead you pay over $2.50/hour to toss chemical cells into landfills. The best batteries for this rig will surely be lithium AA's (non-rechargeable) just like with portable DATs. Best price I've seen on them is at Walmart, $13.50/4, they last 10 hrs on a 250mA draw. However I wouldn't dismiss the idea of a sealed lead-acid battery, they come in all shapes and sizes and power capacities. I had an SLA battery for my old TCD-D7 that was about the same size as the recorder, powered it for 52 hours. So by that logic an SLA battery the size of two DAT tapes would power the FR2 as long as the lithium AA's, saving you $27 each charge. Speaking of size, 10" x 4.5" x 8"?!! What the HELL is taking up all the space?! Oh lord, it's got a built-in speaker... that's just laughable. I'll keep my Nomad Jukebox 3 thanks. After getting used to rechargeable Li-ion, 20GB storage, and Firewire, I couldn't possibly go back. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
Jeffrey Friedman wrote:
I just started playing around with this. Has anyone else had a go at it? Any ideas on powering it without a big lead/acid 12 V, the internal batteries (8 AAs, not 2 or 4 as on the Fostex site specs) only go about 2 hours. From some quick digging on the web, it seems to have a DC power input. So one thing to do is build yourself a really simple external battery pack that takes eight D-cell batteries. You can put Alkaline D-cells in it, or put NiMH or NiCd ones in it. You should come out ahead on the running time for two reasons: more battery capacity in general, and you're also not drawing all that much current compared to the size of the battery (I believe a battery will typically give you less total energy if you draw higher current). - Logan |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
Sugarite wrote:
Speaking of size, 10" x 4.5" x 8"?!! What the HELL is taking up all the space?! Oh lord, it's got a built-in speaker... that's just laughable. The built-in speaker on these things turns out to be very handy. I know I often use the one on the HHB DAT deck and on the Nagra. They don't sound very good, but they don't have to, and they provide verification to everyone around that something got recorded. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
"Sugarite" wrote in message ... I just started playing around with this. Has anyone else had a go at it? Any ideas on powering it without a big lead/acid 12 V, the internal batteries (8 AAs, not 2 or 4 as on the Fostex site specs) only go about 2 hours. Any impression of the A/Ds and internal preamp at 24 bit and 96 or 192 kH? Any way around the 2 Gig file limit? I don't need to test this unit to see that Fostex is once again just posting numbers. 192kHz a/d is pretty much useless when it's matched with op-amp preamps that compare with Behringer and Mackie mixers. I don't see a line input... The XLR inputs are switchable between mic and line level and I believe the preamp is taken out of the circuit and not padded down in line input. Using PCMCIA drives and flash cards is certainly progressive, but it's much better and much less expensive to just use a high-capacity 2.5" 4200rpm laptop drive and interface with it over Firewire. I also think it's inexcuseable not to have an integrated lithium-ion rechargeable battery system. If $100 portable mp3 players can have them surely this $1400 unit can. Instead you pay over $2.50/hour to toss chemical cells into landfills. The best batteries for this rig will surely be lithium AA's (non-rechargeable) just like with portable DATs. Best price I've seen on them is at Walmart, $13.50/4, they last 10 hrs on a 250mA draw. However I wouldn't dismiss the idea of a sealed lead-acid battery, they come in all shapes and sizes and power capacities. I had an SLA battery for my old TCD-D7 that was about the same size as the recorder, powered it for 52 hours. So by that logic an SLA battery the size of two DAT tapes would power the FR2 as long as the lithium AA's, saving you $27 each charge. Speaking of size, 10" x 4.5" x 8"?!! What the HELL is taking up all the space?! Oh lord, it's got a built-in speaker... that's just laughable. This recorder is aimed at the Location Sound for Film and Video market which means for the most part it is for recording dialoge in the field in the same manner as the Fostex PD-2, PD-4 and now the PD-6. I'd imagine a hefty percentage of buyers will also puchase the time code option. You would have great difficulty reliably using your Nomad in these of location situations. The built in speaker proves extremely useful for playing back takes in the field. For the price Fostex looks to have come up with a great recorder at a very affordable $2000. You might also be interested in the yet to be released Sound Devices 722 and 744t series of 4 track non-linear field recorders. http://www.sounddevices.com/products/7.htm I'll keep my Nomad Jukebox 3 thanks. After getting used to rechargeable Li-ion, 20GB storage, and Firewire, I couldn't possibly go back. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
|
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Fostex FR2
|
Reply |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Fostex RD8 ADAT recorder: replacement LCD display needed | Pro Audio | |||
Wanted: Fostex E16 Service/Owner manual | Pro Audio | |||
fostex D2424LV simultaneous digital and analog recording ispossible | Pro Audio | |||
FS: Fostex A8-LR 8 track 1/4" analog recorder | Pro Audio |