Fostex FR-2LE at DVinfo.net

Nicole Hankerson · February 17th, 2009, 09:08 AM

Anybody currently using this recorder? If so how has it worked for you? Did a little search on here but didn't bring up to many results and most of those were old so maybe things have changed for this recorder.

I want a portable recorder as a backup audio sound source. I read a bunch about having to sync everything up. I'm new to the world of film but my outlook on this would be if we are slating the entire time then wouldn't it be easy to edit/line up the audio if the editor wanted to use some of the back up audio? I read a ton about the time syncs and what not but I think it would be easier when the director yells camera rolling to start the recorder and make sure the person doing the slate says Scene blah and take blah. Is that efficient enough?

Need as much help as possible please. I look forward to reading the responses. Suggest other recorders that you currently use or know enough about to recommend.

Thanks
Nicole
MySpace.com - Miss CC-Films, Plays, Theater, Etc. Page - 22 - Female - NORCROSS, Georgia - www.myspace.com/misscc803

Andy Wilkinson · February 17th, 2009, 04:32 PM

I wrote a mini review about it on my website (link below) which basically sums up some of my posts about it on here a while back about it's (mostly) good points...

Fostex FR2-LE Mini Review

Nicole Hankerson · February 17th, 2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

I wrote a mini review about it on my website (link below) which basically sums up some of my posts about it on here a while back about it's (mostly) good points...

Fostex FR2-LE Mini Review

Hey thanks for the link. So based on what I stated is that how you use it or how do you go about it. Good pros/cons on it. Look forward to hearing from you Andy as well as others please.

Thanks
Nicole
www.myspace.com/misscc803

Andy Wilkinson · February 19th, 2009, 12:47 PM

Nicole,

Been busy. There is plenty on these points in this section of the DVinfo forum. Just do a search on this section with words like digital audio recorders, drift and so on and you'll soon pull up some great threads about how to sync up audio from a digital recorder to the audio from your camera in the timeline (and then deal with recorder drift issues etc. etc.)

It really is all very easy (to find the info as it sounds like you already have anyway) and only marginally more difficult (i.e. still very easy) to sync up audio peaks, at least from my experience. Just use tricks like enlarging the depth of your audio track heights in the NLE's timeline and then start looking for identical wave forms and drag the recorders audio chunk to a matching point with your on camera mics audio track - which you'll probably null later (it sometimes take a few very quick tweaks to get an absolute match).

Good luck!

Nelson Alexandre · February 19th, 2009, 02:01 PM

If you can slate every take correctly you're not going to find any issues to sync audio and video in post.

Best if you have a script girl taking all notations for you (take, TC, tapes, best and worst takes, and so on...).

If you can afford a better recorder, search for a Tascam HD-P2. It has TC IN and a crystal internal clock, so it would be the best way to sync your work if your camera has TC out capabilities.

If you want to extract the best from the Fostex recorder you will need a decent mixer because the Fostex LE preamps are a little noisy. The most popular is a SD mixpre which adds about US600 on your budget.

On the other hand, if you consider that the Tascam recorder has better mic preamps than the Fostex ones and records very clean audio at 16bit, you will notice that the Tascam can be a better solution price/quality wise. So if you have the money it really is a nice addition to your gear.

Nicole Hankerson · February 20th, 2009, 12:25 AM

Thanks for the replies guys!!! I'm working on a set now that is a Reality Date Show. The guy is providing me with all the equipment. I just got the chance to actually play around on the Edirol R-44. Man that thing is nice and its very quiet when running on batteries. I will be doing the majority of the field mixing and then switching up to boom occasionally so I'm going to see how this goes and if I really really like I'm going to invest in this machine as well as a good field mixer.

Nicole
www.myspace.com/misscc803

February 17th, 2009, 09:08 AM	#1
Nicole Hankerson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norcross, GA Posts: 143	Fostex FR-2LE Anybody currently using this recorder? If so how has it worked for you? Did a little search on here but didn't bring up to many results and most of those were old so maybe things have changed for this recorder. I want a portable recorder as a backup audio sound source. I read a bunch about having to sync everything up. I'm new to the world of film but my outlook on this would be if we are slating the entire time then wouldn't it be easy to edit/line up the audio if the editor wanted to use some of the back up audio? I read a ton about the time syncs and what not but I think it would be easier when the director yells camera rolling to start the recorder and make sure the person doing the slate says Scene blah and take blah. Is that efficient enough? Need as much help as possible please. I look forward to reading the responses. Suggest other recorders that you currently use or know enough about to recommend. Thanks Nicole MySpace.com - Miss CC-Films, Plays, Theater, Etc. Page - 22 - Female - NORCROSS, Georgia - www.myspace.com/misscc803

February 17th, 2009, 04:32 PM	#2
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Fostex FR2-LE I wrote a mini review about it on my website (link below) which basically sums up some of my posts about it on here a while back about it's (mostly) good points... Fostex FR2-LE Mini Review __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

February 19th, 2009, 12:47 PM	#4
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Nicole, Been busy. There is plenty on these points in this section of the DVinfo forum. Just do a search on this section with words like digital audio recorders, drift and so on and you'll soon pull up some great threads about how to sync up audio from a digital recorder to the audio from your camera in the timeline (and then deal with recorder drift issues etc. etc.) It really is all very easy (to find the info as it sounds like you already have anyway) and only marginally more difficult (i.e. still very easy) to sync up audio peaks, at least from my experience. Just use tricks like enlarging the depth of your audio track heights in the NLE's timeline and then start looking for identical wave forms and drag the recorders audio chunk to a matching point with your on camera mics audio track - which you'll probably null later (it sometimes take a few very quick tweaks to get an absolute match). Good luck! __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

February 19th, 2009, 02:01 PM	#5
Nelson Alexandre Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lisboa / Portugal Posts: 45	If you can slate every take correctly you're not going to find any issues to sync audio and video in post. Best if you have a script girl taking all notations for you (take, TC, tapes, best and worst takes, and so on...). If you can afford a better recorder, search for a Tascam HD-P2. It has TC IN and a crystal internal clock, so it would be the best way to sync your work if your camera has TC out capabilities. If you want to extract the best from the Fostex recorder you will need a decent mixer because the Fostex LE preamps are a little noisy. The most popular is a SD mixpre which adds about US600 on your budget. On the other hand, if you consider that the Tascam recorder has better mic preamps than the Fostex ones and records very clean audio at 16bit, you will notice that the Tascam can be a better solution price/quality wise. So if you have the money it really is a nice addition to your gear.

February 20th, 2009, 12:25 AM	#6
Nicole Hankerson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norcross, GA Posts: 143	Thanks for the replies guys!!! I'm working on a set now that is a Reality Date Show. The guy is providing me with all the equipment. I just got the chance to actually play around on the Edirol R-44. Man that thing is nice and its very quiet when running on batteries. I will be doing the majority of the field mixing and then switching up to boom occasionally so I'm going to see how this goes and if I really really like I'm going to invest in this machine as well as a good field mixer. Nicole www.myspace.com/misscc803