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P P is offline
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Default DAT question

I'm considering purchasing a small DAT recorder for location (read:
"stealth") recording. There are, however, a few things I'm concerned about.

How standard is the format? Are there variances in the size of casings,
tape lengths, etc.?

How available are the tapes?

Any suggestions of make/model capable of recording from a simple plug-in
microphone with little or no distortion at high volume?

Anything to steadfastly avoid or be wary of?

Any enlightenment appreciated!


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Laurence Payne Laurence Payne is offline
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Default DAT question

On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:52:58 +1100, "P" wrote:

I'm considering purchasing a small DAT recorder for location (read:
"stealth") recording. There are, however, a few things I'm concerned about.

How standard is the format? Are there variances in the size of casings,
tape lengths, etc.?

How available are the tapes?

Any suggestions of make/model capable of recording from a simple plug-in
microphone with little or no distortion at high volume?

Anything to steadfastly avoid or be wary of?

Any enlightenment appreciated!


Why DAT? Minidisk? Solid-state?
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Default DAT question

Why DAT? Minidisk? Solid-state?

I've used a MD, a Sony MZ R70, for many recordings but it's very unreliable
now. For a long time I've been dissatisfied with its high volume level
clipping/distortion, but it also now shuts off during recordings without
warning.

I'm not sure at all about solid state, I know very little about it other
than that the units I've seen have been bulkier than I'd want.

Ultimately I suppose it really doesn't matter, as long as the device can
handle high volume (such as a concert).


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Laurence Payne Laurence Payne is offline
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Default DAT question

On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:21:38 +1100, "P" wrote:

Why DAT? Minidisk? Solid-state?


I've used a MD, a Sony MZ R70, for many recordings but it's very unreliable
now. For a long time I've been dissatisfied with its high volume level
clipping/distortion, but it also now shuts off during recordings without
warning.

I'm not sure at all about solid state, I know very little about it other
than that the units I've seen have been bulkier than I'd want.

Ultimately I suppose it really doesn't matter, as long as the device can
handle high volume (such as a concert).


And that is a function of the microphone and the input circuitry, not
of the recording medium.

I use an iRiver H320 with a small Sony stereo mic for such jobs. Auto
record level can be defeated (though I often don't). If you intend
to do something silly like standing right in front of the stacks at a
rock gig you could wrap the mic in Kleenex :-)

I also have a portable MiniDisk recorder, which performs just as well.
But it's easier to dump the recording to my computer from the iRiver
:-)

Years ago I used a Casio Dat. That sounded very good too. But it was
bulky. And the battery died, and proved irreplaceable :-(



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Default DAT question

I use an iRiver H320 with a small Sony stereo mic for such jobs. Auto
record level can be defeated (though I often don't).


It's interesting you mention iRiver, as a friend showed me his just last
weekend. My misgivings were much the same as I've previously expressed -
ability to handle high volume - but also its versatility or otherwise in
setting the bitrate for recordings, and available recording capacity, in
minutes.




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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default DAT question

"P" wrote ...
I'm considering purchasing a small DAT recorder for location (read:
"stealth") recording. There are, however, a few things I'm concerned
about.

How standard is the format?


The format was very standard. However, at this point,
it is all but dead. Any new equipment you may find is
"new old stock" since DAT machines went out of
production years ago. The worst part is that no parts
are available anymore for repairs, so few places will
repair them.

For many years it was the format of choice for the people
who record film production sound, but it has been essentially
completely replaced by hard drive and solid-state (memory
card) recorders.

Are there variances in the size of casings, tape lengths, etc.?


Likely none that would make any significant difference.

How available are the tapes?


Still available in some places. Likely not in your
neighborhood unless you live in NY or LA, etc.

Any suggestions of make/model capable of recording from a simple
plug-in microphone with little or no distortion at high volume?


Practically any portable recorder meets those requirements
except maybe the ones made only for dictation, etc.

Anything to steadfastly avoid or be wary of?


DAT

Any enlightenment appreciated!


There have been discussions over the last couple of years
(and continuing to this very hour) in this newsgroup and
in the news:rec.audio.pro newsgroup about portable
recorders. All the likely suspects have been at least
mentioned if not discussed at length. Suggest browsing
through the Google Groups Archives. And also the group
news:rec.arts.movies.production.sound where the film &
TV sound people hang out.

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http://www.minidisc.org/index.php
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Geoff Geoff is offline
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Default DAT question

P wrote:
I'm considering purchasing a small DAT recorder for location (read:
"stealth") recording. There are, however, a few things I'm concerned
about.
How standard is the format? Are there variances in the size of
casings, tape lengths, etc.?

How available are the tapes?

Any suggestions of make/model capable of recording from a simple
plug-in microphone with little or no distortion at high volume?

Anything to steadfastly avoid or be wary of?

Any enlightenment appreciated!


DAT is standard. There are many recorders available with varying degrees of
quality. However you will probably find it had to gt a new one, as the
format is pretty much obsolete now.

Is there any rason you don't want the superior in all aspects 'solid-state'
type recorder ?

geoff


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Default DAT question

P wrote:
Why DAT? Minidisk? Solid-state?


I've used a MD, a Sony MZ R70, for many recordings but it's very
unreliable now. For a long time I've been dissatisfied with its high
volume level clipping/distortion, but it also now shuts off during
recordings without warning.

I'm not sure at all about solid state, I know very little about it
other than that the units I've seen have been bulkier than I'd want.

Ultimately I suppose it really doesn't matter, as long as the device
can handle high volume (such as a concert).


The device does handle volume - the mic does. You would doubtlessly want a
plugin stereo mic rather than any puny built-in one.

geoff


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Default DAT question

P wrote:
I use an iRiver H320 with a small Sony stereo mic for such jobs. Auto
record level can be defeated (though I often don't).


It's interesting you mention iRiver, as a friend showed me his just
last weekend. My misgivings were much the same as I've previously
expressed - ability to handle high volume - but also its versatility
or otherwise in setting the bitrate for recordings, and available
recording capacity, in minutes.


As before - it's not the recorder (so much) or the medium that is affected
by volume, but the microphone. Unless the input circuitry is for some
reason inferior then 'sound level' does not come into the equation wrt
recording media.

DAT has several drawbacks, including fragility, short record time, high
battery drain, linear access only, and limited recording formats

geoff




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Default DAT question

Is there any rason you don't want the superior in all aspects
'solid-state' type recorder ?


Suggest one that will take a standard mic with a small plug (I've forgotten
the gauge measurement but you know what I mean I'm sure), one that will last
the length of a 3 hour concert at formidable quality and I will certainly
consider it!

The main reason I don't like these solid state formats is that you're
severely limited with what you can do with the material in terms of
transfer. At least tape or MD have the capacity to last. With hard drives
and solid state you're relying on possibly transient media like CD-Rs in the
long term, not my preferred option.


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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default DAT question

"P" wrote ...
The main reason I don't like these solid state formats is that you're
severely limited with what you can do with the material in terms of
transfer. At least tape or MD have the capacity to last. With hard
drives and solid state you're relying on possibly transient media like
CD-Rs in the long term, not my preferred option.


Huh? You wanna try that again? What do any of the hard-
drive or flash-based recorders have to do with CD-R?

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Default DAT question

P wrote:
Is there any rason you don't want the superior in all aspects
'solid-state' type recorder ?


Suggest one that will take a standard mic with a small plug (I've
forgotten the gauge measurement but you know what I mean I'm sure),
one that will last the length of a 3 hour concert at formidable
quality and I will certainly consider it!

The main reason I don't like these solid state formats is that you're
severely limited with what you can do with the material in terms of
transfer. At least tape or MD have the capacity to last. With hard
drives and solid state you're relying on possibly transient media
like CD-Rs in the long term, not my preferred option.


Um, DAT tape is somehow less transient ?!!!

You are extremely UNLIMITED in what you can do. A simple USB cable or card
reader and you can put the data on any medium you wish with a few clicks of
a mouse. Including to DAT if you want to for some strange reason.

Hint, any idea why TV and radio are no almost exclusively using SS recorders
?

geoff


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Default DAT question


"P" wrote in message ...
The main reason I don't like these solid state formats is that you're
severely limited with what you can do with the material in terms of
transfer. At least tape or MD have the capacity to last. With hard

drives
and solid state you're relying on possibly transient media like CD-Rs in

the
long term, not my preferred option.


Wow someone actually thinks MD and DAT players/recorders will outlast CDR!
:-)

MrT.


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