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Gary A
Lokahi
USA
169 Posts |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
 Posted - 10/20/2006 : 12:19:35 PM
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| The Tapers Section forums are a great place to learn about portable recording gear and music recording techniques. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 02:24:04 AM
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A couple questions to Mark and/or Craig (who both already have an H4):
Since the devices you have don't function yet with some mp3 recording rates and you are waiting for a firmware upgrade to fix that (and maybe some other things), how will Zoom and you do that?
From reading the reviews and comments and visiting the H4 site, it seems as if the firmware patch will be posted there and you will download it and install it somehow. A comment on the 2090 site said that any patch would load into the SD Card in the H4, but, normally, a patch is downloaded as a self extracting exe file and the wizard pops and does it for you during a dialogue. Does any of this sound correct? How will you do it?
It doesn't seem sensible to me that Samson/Zoom will be preinstalling a patched firmware version in devices for a very long time - several months - because there must be a very large number of them that are in the retail pipeline already (other manufacturers have *never* preinstalled firmware patches and always referred purchasers to a web site to get one), and I can't believe that Etailers will preinstall it for you. Am I correct? If so, why shouldn't us civilians buy the thing now (instead of waiting until next year sometime), use the mp3 and wav functions that work, and go through the firmware patch process as you will? We do that all the time for other peripherals.
The reviews, especially the ones that Gary pointed to are very favorable, and there is only one screwy comment that bothers me - somebody noted a beep every second that was generated by the display backlight or some other "normal" function, but nobody else had noticed it, so maybe it is a glitch peculiar to one device. Did you notice this beep? A beep would probably be a deal breaker.
I have already decided that we will get one (if there is no beep) and your answers will help me decide when to do it.
...Reid
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 04:36:23 AM
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Hey Reid. First of all, I'm not really concerned about the patch because I haven't had any problems with 44.1KHz/320kbps MP3 encoding, which is the only MP3 encoding I'd use anyway (especially with 2GB SD cards at $35-40 right now and 4GB cards, which it can use BTW, at $75-80). Second, I haven't talked with Samson about how the upgrade will be done but I'm assuming it will just be a matter of downloading a zip file, extracting the contents to the SD card, and then doing something that causes the H4 to upgrade from the SD. This is how it's done on the Microtrack. Personally I wouldn't let this get in the way of buying the H4 now...it's perfectly functional in all ways that count as it stands.
With respect to the "beeping" I haven't noticed it.
I hope that helps...this is an awesome device and, while it's not perfect, based on my tests so far it blows everything else in the $300-500 price range away. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 10/21/2006 04:39:25 AM |
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chantyfan
Aloha
9 Posts |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 10:03:48 AM
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Thanks a lot Craig. Everything you said is spot on for me, too. Sarah and I already have bunches of SD cards, because they are used in her Nikon DSLR and I use them for flash memory storage transfer/backup, with a neat tiny USB 2.0 reader/writer, so, we don't even have that to worry about. As for that beep, reading later posts, nobody could detect it, so the guy must have gotten a lemon.
I think I am about to spend $300 of Sarah's money :-)
...Reid |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 11:09:38 AM
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Reid,
Have checked availability yet? Are most dealers pre-ordering this item?
I want one, too!
Jesse Tinsley |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 11:40:05 AM
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Jesse,
Reid just placed the order for it today for me, at zzounds.com, and it's in stock, will ship Monday, free shipping, and a 30-day money back return policy. Reid's ordered things from them before and it's been okay. And since the H4 takes rechargable AA's, I'm getting a charger(POWEREX MH-C204F4AA200)from newegg.
Craig,
Thanks for your last minute update on the firmware and beeping issues. I'm really looking forward to the convenience of this little item. I happen also to have a little tabletop tripod for my cameras, and I think it'll be perfect to use with the H4, assuming it fits the tripod adapter that comes with the it.
aloha,
Sarah
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 11:51:49 AM
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quote:
somebody noted a beep every second that was generated by the display backlight or some other "normal" function, but nobody else had noticed it, so maybe it is a glitch peculiar to one device.
Not sure if it's the same thing, but there is a prob with the memory access that causes an intermited sound every time the device reads or writes-- I described it as a "bleep or pulse," so there you go. Seems to be related to the faulty MP3 encoding; didn't hear it with wav files or the "correct" MP3 rez. As usual, tech support says they've never encountered it. 
Craig -- maybe you could do a test at the glitch-y MP3 resolutions and see if you encounter it? Listen for a kind of pulse every time the access LED lights up. You'll hear it even when you are just monitoring input - both internal and external mics. It would be useful to know if this is a software issue -- or a manufacturing issue with select units.
As Craig says, the mp3 issue may not be a deal buster for you. I'll reserve judgement till I can check the revision.
B'sides, if you are going to do any editing, you want to record wavs so you don't have to go through the file conversion drill.
The firmware will be a user-installed routine, just like every other firmware revision I've dealt with. Shouldn't be a big deal.
Happy taping, errrr, memory chipping.....
M
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 11:55:02 AM
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Thank you, Sarah.
Jesse Tinsley |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2006 : 08:58:07 AM
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Sarah, the threading on the tripod adapter is the same as the threading for camera tripods so you're all set there.
Mark, I tested 192kbps through 320kbps (including the supposedly problematic 256kbps) in a quiet room and did NOT experience a beep while monitoring the recording or during playback. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2006 : 11:14:48 AM
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quote:
Mark, I tested 192kbps through 320kbps (including the supposedly problematic 256kbps) in a quiet room and did NOT experience a beep while monitoring the recording or during playback.
Thanks, Craig. Sounds like a hardware/manufacturing issue.
I'll add a sound clip to my review to document it.
m
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chantyfan
Aloha
9 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2006 : 08:44:14 AM
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Since Sunday I've been goofing with my new Zoom H4.
For the curious here are a few sound files and impressions of the gear. Just to hold you over untill someone can give it a professional review.
Zoom H4 Handy Recorder Tests
http://bryan.mullins.googlepages.com/home
>B |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2006 : 11:35:06 AM
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Sarah and I played with it last night. So, First Impressions. No science.
The first thing that will break is the lid that covers the SD Card and the batteries. You have to carefully slide it back, *raise* it a skosh, and then pull it back gently. Watch out for cocking it at an angle. Repeat carefully on closure.
The MP3 modes that work are just what we would want. We used 320kbps. As Craig said, a patch is of minimal value to us. No Beep.
We fooled only with Stero Mode. 4 Track Mode and the multitude of effects hold no attraction for us. We did use Mic Modeling, and because we are sound snobs, we used U87 (Neumann). The H4 was mounted on Sarah's small photo tripod (which is perfect for it) on a coffee table 2 ft. away from the guitar and pointed at about the bridge. No sponge wind screen.
As Sarah played, I monitored input via good cans. The signal level varied between -12 and -6 dbFS on HIGH mic sensitivity. Lots of you know that Sarah does not pick hard, but, I don't think there is ever any danger of getting near 0dB. When we replayed and listened afterwards to the recorded sound, IT SOUNDED LIKE THE GUITAR. Whoa!
It picks up lots of handling noise, so, you gotta be careful.
Getting used to the Menu, Jog Dial, and display logic takes some getting used to, but Sarah got it better and faster than I did. Also, the Record button is nonobvious, but its operation is GOOD. If it blinks, it is in Standby and you can set things up. Each time you touch it, it changes - sometimes it creates a new file, if it goes full red, it is actually recording.
No way this will replace Echo Layla or, with Cubase LE, Adobe Audition. This is a Field/ Living Room Recorder and a way to get musical ideas down into storage easily for working out and development, and if treated gently seems to be just the ticket. A great alternative to stoppping every few minutes and writing snatches of tab.
...Reid
...Reid |
Edited by - Reid on 10/25/2006 11:37:57 AM |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2006 : 2:34:16 PM
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Mahalo for the early reviews. It's very helpful to the rest of us.
Jesse Tinsley |
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