The chart below shows speed test results for transfers between a 788T and a MacBook Pro. The selection of storage medium is based on common CompactFlash cards commercially available as of April 11, 2008 (more…)
Q: What sample rate & frame rate should I set my 702T/744T to when recording sound for picture?
The short answer. . .
Set sample and frame rate to what pre-production tells you (and get it in writing!) (more…)
Sound Devices has posted sample files of the latest revision of 7-Series firmware. This sample file repository is available at:
www.sounddevices.com/download/sample-files.htm
With a near complete shift from tape-based digital (DAT) and analog recording formats to file-based digital audio recording formats, the choices of audio file types have exploded. In the recent past, audio engineers would set their DAT recorder to 48 kHz, record its two audio tracks as either dual-mono or stereo, and would then concentrate on the business of getting great sound. With a file-based work flow, there are other elements that need to be considered to ensure a smooth transition from the field or studio to the editing suite. (more…)
Before file-based recording technology was introduced for portable recording, planning storage needs was straight forward—buy enough medium (tape) to cover the recording time. In analog, a 7-inch reel at 7-1/2 ips lasts 33 minutes. A 120 minute DAT tape lasts…120 minutes, whether recorded in mono or stereo. (more…)
Question: What software applications have the ability to recognize the cue markers settable on the 7-series recorders? (more…)
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is a lossless data compression format available as a file format on 7-series recorders. The FLAC algorithm is very processor intensive, and subsequently has several limitations. (more…)
MP2 and MP3 sound files generated by a 7-Series recorder running version 2.34 firmware play incorrectly when played back on a 7-Series recorder running 2.34. The file duration is incorrectly calculated, causing the machine to cut short the file playback. Playback is unaffected when using third party hardware and software to play MP2 and MP3 files. (more…)
Q: I am set up to record two-track WAV poly files with my 744T but when I import my files into my DAW there are four tracks, two of which have nothing on them. I feed the recorder a two-channel stereo mix using the line in TA3 connectors on my 744T. I have custom routed inputs 3 and 4 to tracks C and D. Why is my two-track WAV poly setup creating four-track WAV poly files. (more…)
Q: The 7-Series recorders have two options for WAV files, WAV mono and WAV poly. What’s the difference between these two WAV file types? (more…)
Q: How do you handle the 2 GB file size limit that is often associated with .WAV files? Will the file system break a recording seamlessly at a given file size and start a new one without any operator intervention? (more…)
Q: What is the maximum sample rate that the 7-Series recorders support? Do they accept a 24/192 signals from external digital sources? (more…)
With the removal of the file extension “.BWF” on the 7-Series recorders (as of the most current firmware) we have received numerous inquiries about file formats. To clarify, all 7-Series recorders write Broadcast Wave files all the time. (more…)
Q: I’ve made a bunch of recordings of interviews in Russia that the producer wants to have translated with time code. Unfortunately no one is familiar with broadcast wave audio files. I have found a program called Audacity, but it doesn’t read the time code. (more…)
The 7-Series recorders can record to several different file formats to extend record time and reduce file size. A review of the options are discussed in this article. (more…)
24 bit /192 kHz sampling looks impressive as a specification. Manufacturers offer these “marketing specs” for consumers to gobble up. In practice, the analog circuitry ahead of the conversion and storage system is the defining factor of a digital system’s performance. The fact that a device is 24 bit doesn’t have much to do with its audio performance. Leaving this fact aside, let’s look at what 24 bit recording can do in real world environments with high performance gear… (more…)
7-Series recorders running firmware later than 2.15 can play back MP2, MP3, and FLAC formatted sound files. These formats are in addition to the uncompressed, PCM WAV file formats available.