Separate portable recording deck recommendation? at DVinfo.net

Norman Woo · April 30th, 2004, 02:51 PM

Hi folks

I'm looking at using a separate recording deck (mixer?) that the sound person can carry out in the field to record dialogues using a separate handheld boom mic.

What kind of deck (with meters) do you recommend?

Ken Tanaka · April 30th, 2004, 03:01 PM

Hello Norman,
MiniDisc units are popular and reasonably effective for this task. I have an HHb PortaDisc unit which is very good but perhaps a bit costly. Search around in this section of the forum for "minidisc" as many folks are using more compact and less expensive units.

Of course, DAT is always the top-of-the-line alternative, but an even costlier one.

Douglas Spotted Eagle · April 30th, 2004, 03:25 PM

Yup, we love our Akai's. They have as good a DAC as we've heard in cheap units, but the HHB is a better unit, better bottom, higher price.

Bryan Beasleigh · May 1st, 2004, 10:22 AM

There's always the Marantz PMD 670 for $800. The drag and drop file transfer is a good feature. A 1 gig mem card is $150 and will hold 3 hours of uncompressed digital at 48hz. MP2 at 192KBPS will give you 13 hours or 6.5 hours in stereo (384KBPS)

The 670 has the same basic front end as the PMD650 mini disk

http://www.d-mpro.com/users/folder.asp?FolderID=1582

http://www.d-mpro.com/users/getdownload.asp?DownloadID=182

Allen Nash · May 5th, 2004, 10:24 PM

Bryan, when recording to mp3 with the PMD 670, how do you later sync up video and sound in post? I'm assuming it's not manually done with clappers. Is there a cable that runs from the camera to the PMD 670 that keeps sync via timecode or something?

April 30th, 2004, 02:51 PM	#1
Norman Woo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Brossard, Quebec, Canada Posts: 147	Separate portable recording deck recommendation? Hi folks I'm looking at using a separate recording deck (mixer?) that the sound person can carry out in the field to record dialogues using a separate handheld boom mic. What kind of deck (with meters) do you recommend?

April 30th, 2004, 03:01 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Hello Norman, MiniDisc units are popular and reasonably effective for this task. I have an HHb PortaDisc unit which is very good but perhaps a bit costly. Search around in this section of the forum for "minidisc" as many folks are using more compact and less expensive units. Of course, DAT is always the top-of-the-line alternative, but an even costlier one. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

April 30th, 2004, 03:25 PM	#3
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	Yup, we love our Akai's. They have as good a DAC as we've heard in cheap units, but the HHB is a better unit, better bottom, higher price. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

May 1st, 2004, 10:22 AM	#4
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	There's always the Marantz PMD 670 for $800. The drag and drop file transfer is a good feature. A 1 gig mem card is $150 and will hold 3 hours of uncompressed digital at 48hz. MP2 at 192KBPS will give you 13 hours or 6.5 hours in stereo (384KBPS) The 670 has the same basic front end as the PMD650 mini disk http://www.d-mpro.com/users/folder.asp?FolderID=1582 http://www.d-mpro.com/users/getdownload.asp?DownloadID=182 __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ".......holy smokin rubber lips...what a ride!"

May 5th, 2004, 10:24 PM	#5
Allen Nash Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: S.F., California Posts: 61	Bryan, when recording to mp3 with the PMD 670, how do you later sync up video and sound in post? I'm assuming it's not manually done with clappers. Is there a cable that runs from the camera to the PMD 670 that keeps sync via timecode or something?