Re: Sony DAT TCD-D8 or D100, which should I get?

[Scott Dorsey]

MIT > wrote:
>
>any SONY portable DAT owners out there? I'm considering to buy D8 or
>D100. As I see it, there are no significant difference between specs
>on these models. Aside from the price (D100 is slightly expensive),
>which model would you recommend?

I don't know the D100, but the TCD-D8 has the same nightmarish issues as
the D7 and D3 did.... no balanced inputs, and that horrible half-sized
head assembly which makes even simple maintainance very difficult.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Geoff Wood]

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> MIT > wrote:
>>
>> any SONY portable DAT owners out there? I'm considering to buy D8 or
>> D100. As I see it, there are no significant difference between specs
>> on these models. Aside from the price (D100 is slightly expensive),
>> which model would you recommend?
>
> I don't know the D100, but the TCD-D8 has the same nightmarish issues
> as the D7 and D3 did.... no balanced inputs, and that horrible
> half-sized head assembly which makes even simple maintainance very
> difficult. --scott

Don't get a portable DAT.

MiniDisc with 1GB media is about to be released in the next month or so.
Specs include 24 bit linear PCM recording.

geoff

[Bob Cain]

Geoff Wood wrote:

>
> MiniDisc with 1GB media is about to be released in the next month or so.
> Specs include 24 bit linear PCM recording.

Where did you see that, Geoff? I saw that and reported it
on alt.minidisc but everybody jumped on it to say there
isn't enough capacity for the stated 90 minutes. I couldn't
find the reference again.

FWIW, I'd be very surprised to see a front end on one of
those that deserves anything like 24 bits but I like surprises.


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein

[Geoff Wood]

Geoff Wood wrote:
> Bob Cain wrote:
>> Geoff Wood wrote:
>>


More...
http://www.minidisc.org/hi-md_faq.html

http://www.minidisc.org/keep/Sony_Hi-MD_Spec.pdf

http://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_MZ-NH900.html

From the Linear PCM table on the FAQ it seems that the 90m capacity relates
to 16/44k1/s .

geoff

[Bob Cain]

Mike Rivers wrote:

> In article > -nospam writes:
>
>
>>But the question is "Is consumer-level MD reliabilty better that DAT
>>pro-level reliabilty". I suspect the answer is "Yes", and with WAV
>>recording incl 24/xxK/st this is likely to be the way to go.
>
>
> I would concur except for one thing, the sleazy mini jacks that seem
> to be universal on consumer Minidisk recorders. That's a real
> reliability killer for remote work.

What do you think would be better and still work with the
form factor?


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein

[Eric Toline]

Re: Sony DAT TCD-D8 or D100, which should I get?

Group: rec.audio.pro Date: Sun, Aug 8, 2004, 5:34am (EDT+4) From:
(ScotFraser)
<< > The Lemo connector is a good, reliable, small, locking device. PITA
to solder
on, though.
<<That's probably what I meant.

And there's also the 3 pin connector that Shure uses on their RF units,
which is the same as the connector on a PCC160. What's it called, a GC
or QC connector?<<<<<<<<<<

Are you refering to a Switchcraft TA series connector? Comes in 3, 4 &
5 pin configureations.


REALLY a PITA to solder on those,<<<<<<<<

not as bad as a Lemo

& the plastic shell is prone to break when stepped on.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The only pastic part on a TA connector is the screw on collar.

Eric

[ßruce]

Hi, just wanted to jump in to clarify that the new HiMD is only a
16/44.1 device (tops).

The confusion stems from the ability to store "data" (of any sort) on
them. The unit will not play anything stored as data. A 24/96 audio
file could be downloaded as data, but not played.

And don't get to excited about HiMD being able to record at 16/44.1
linear PCM. With the digital rights management, you can only make
copies in ATRAC. Nothing like a replacement for DAT. Perhaps some
pro gear will come of this ?

I'm a MiniDisc enthusiast for many years. I'll be the first to admit
that it is a very niche product.

I'm in line for one of the very first Sound Devices 744t. A 4channel
24/96 portable hard drive recorder. I'll probably use a Rio Karma for
portable playback, it features FLAC (compressed lossless 24/96 codec).

=DFruce

[Bob Cain]

ßruce wrote:


> And don't get to excited about HiMD being able to record at 16/44.1
> linear PCM. With the digital rights management, you can only make
> copies in ATRAC. Nothing like a replacement for DAT. Perhaps some
> pro gear will come of this ?

Those copies aren't ATRAC, they just have a Sony wrapper around them
that made PCM uploads playable only with Sony's SonicStage software.
This week, however, they announced a utility that will re-wrap them as
..wav files. Supposed to be available late this fall.


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no simpler."

A. Einstein

[Joakim Wendel]

In article >,
jackfish > wrote:

> In article >, MIT
> > wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > any SONY portable DAT owners out there? I'm considering to buy D8 or
> > D100. As I see it, there are no significant difference between specs
> > on these models. Aside from the price (D100 is slightly expensive),
> > which model would you recommend?
> >
> > Any input will be great,
> >
> > Thanks!
>
> I've had a a D8 since 1996 and have carried it inumerable places and
> have never had any problems with it. I also have the DA converter and
> seperate remote that works great for hooking it up to other digital
> sources because it has both optical and coax connectors. And the backlit
> lcd is a must over any minidisk recorder for low light situations.
>
> jf
>
> Anyone know where I can get an SBM-1?


Me too, no probs it has been serviced one time ...
jf does your backlight squeek ? (mine does)
--
Joakim Wendel
Remove obvious mail JUNK block for mail reply.

My homepage : http://violinist.nu

[jackfish]

In article >, Joakim Wendel
> wrote:

> In article >,
> jackfish > wrote:
>
> > In article >, MIT
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > any SONY portable DAT owners out there? I'm considering to buy D8 or
> > > D100. As I see it, there are no significant difference between specs
> > > on these models. Aside from the price (D100 is slightly expensive),
> > > which model would you recommend?
> > >
> > > Any input will be great,
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> >
> > I've had a a D8 since 1996 and have carried it inumerable places and
> > have never had any problems with it. I also have the DA converter and
> > seperate remote that works great for hooking it up to other digital
> > sources because it has both optical and coax connectors. And the
> > backlit
> > lcd is a must over any minidisk recorder for low light situations.
> >
> > jf
> >
> > Anyone know where I can get an SBM-1?
>
>
> Me too, no probs it has been serviced one time ...
> jf does your backlight squeek ? (mine does)


No, or at least I haven't noticed lately. I often use headphones because
I don't have any good monitors.

And although I haven't had mine done I understand you can get the
preamps upgraded as well. But if I was to buy another portable DAT I
would probably look at the PCM-M1.

http://www.oade.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=PROD&Store_
Code=OADE&Product_Code=PSONPCMM1&Category_Code=PDR

[jackfish]

In article >,
wrote:

> jackfish wrote:
>
> > And although I haven't had mine done I understand you can get the
> > preamps upgraded as well. But if I was to buy another portable DAT I
> > would probably look at the PCM-M1.
>
> That's what I have with a SBM-1 going into it (of which I
> had to replace the main board when an input went south.)
>
> The only thing I don't like about the PCM-M1 is that it
> sounds like it is eating itself alive when it is setting up
> to play or record or returning to full stop. The TCD-D8 I
> had before it (which totally died) was a lot quieter.
>
> With any of these DAT's you need to find where on the level
> control corresponds to a signal at full digital scale being
> at the analog front end clip point. Needing to go lower
> than that with the level will result in analog clipped
> recordings with no indication. On mine it has been
> somewhere around half way down. Oade Bros used to have a
> fix for that but I don't know if they are still doing it.
> There is also a large gain gap between the lowest mic and
> highest line in level for which Oade also had a fix.
>
> On both the recorder and the SBM-1, you must use NiMH
> batteries to go rechargable for their flat discharge cycle.
> With NiCads the voltage quickly drops to a level where the
> devices shut themselves off. Plenty of charge left but at a
> voltage too low to run the devices.
>
> BTW, I've consistently used the 120 meter tapes with both
> DAT's without incident. Four hours is nice.
>
>
> Bob

Thanks for the info.