Was there any serious trouble while PCM recording?

[mmilovan]

Was there any serious trouble while PCM recording with HiMD units?

Well, people, I decided finally to purchase one unit (it will be 700 gear). I’ve read so many forums, and, since my pure interest is field recording, I’ve been in constant search for the unit that can do (I thought it is fair simple, but now I know it isn’t) plain little thing 44KHz 16 Bit Stereo recording. I’ve read about Neuros, than about iRiver units, and from time to time most of them shows various kind of problems such as: not recoverable skipping and deleting frames and parts of recording every couple of seconds or when recording long sessions, stopping at the middle of recording, static clicks from time to time, lack of recording control meters and so on.

Now, I know that there are problems with HiMD units also (bad software, no mp3 conversion), but, as far as how it looks to me, HiMD is well designed as recording unit, and except problems with skipping while heavily bouncing it, there were no serious trouble at all.

So, I am asking all you members,

did you experienced any kind of problem such as described above with other digital recording units (skipping, “static”, clicking and so on)? Yours kind answers will help me I’m not investing hardly earned money in some crap, poorly designed unit.

Thanks.

Greetings.

Milan

[stevetoney]

Now, I know that there are problems with HiMD units also (bad software, no mp3 conversion),

Now that Marc has developed the himemrenderer software, the big picture is that when you combine the functionality of both himemrenderer with Sonicstage, there is no problem with software. Yes, people are less than satisfied with Sonicstage software and I agree because Sonicstage has glitches.

However, the overall picture regarding recording with the hi-MD units is, IMHO, very good. Himemrenderer allows digital rendering of hi-MD files.

So, I am VERY pleased with the performance that I get from my unit in the live music recording arena, including the software. Read other threads on this forum for details related to the use of himemrenderer in conjuction with the operable portions of Sonicstage.

did you experienced any kind of problem such as described above with other digital recording units (skipping, “static”, clicking and so on)? Yours kind answers will help me I’m not investing hardly earned money in some crap, poorly designed unit.

I have had no problems with skipping, but I am cautious when in the field not to subject my recorder to an evironment prone to bumps and shocks. I put my recorder in my padded bag while recording, which also protects my hardware from being spilled on by drunk or high patrons.

I have not recorded with the unit bouncing around in my pocket, but then again, why would I? I don't believe any unit is totally impervioius to artifacts if the recorder is being jostled around, but maybe I'm wrong. Otherwise, I have experienced no random static, clicking etc on my unit, except for the couple of times that I was goofing around with the unit and accidently wiggled the mic plug around...which caused some clicks. But that's my fault, not the units. I solved that by wrapping a rubber band around the unit such that the mic input wires were hugged tight against the unit so that the jack couldn't be moved relative to the unit, in case the mics wires get jostled around.

[dex Otaku]

I have never experienced any dropouts, skips, lost sections, &c. when using any MD/HiMD equipment.

Excluding times when I let the battery die, at least.

Recording is quite robust. As with stevetoney, I avoid suecting the unit to jostling or vibration while recording, though.

[A440]

The recording side of the MD experience is always impressive. Unlike the careful folks above, I often record with the MD in a pocket. And I still don't get skips.

Getting stuff onto the disc is easy. Getting it off the disc is getting easier thanks to marcnet.

[mmilovan]

Speaking of other products than MDs it's interesting to point out how big companies are not even interesting in making product that can do quality digital recording, and that is a bit disappointing knowing how far technology, portability, miniaturization went. In all that stuff, for e.g. MP3 players record possibility is the worst part of the whole device, and, on the other hand, they are interesting in placing possibility to have MP3 encoding, id tags, editable backgrounds, titanium bodies with blue LED screens and other fancy looking things. Of course we have pro models that can do the job, but prices are among 1000 $ rate (take for an example Mayah recorder), and, I think, these are well overpriced devices. Thanks God, thing as MD exist.

And, if we’re talking abut the dream machine, I always thought of some miniature player/recorder (not bigger than cigaretbox) that can glitch&skip free record straight to memory flash card in straight 44KHz/16 Bit stereo manner, with peak meters, manual recording level control and good mic pre, connectable with PC via USB cable and pretty straightforward, fast, full potential nowadays technology used USB transfer can afford.

Is it so hard to construct/produce such machine (not to speak of 8 cm mini DVD record machine, with 96/24 stereo..., and similar gears)? Well I don’t think so.

[linzq]

I've recorded minimum two hour sessions every week in PCM since August.

I've NEVER had any problems.