Has anyone troubleshooted an MBR error on the Tascam Dr 100?

L

L1N3ARX

Well-known member
I only have one SD card (Extreme Pro 64GB 95MB/s Sandisk)to test currently... so I can't tell if it's the card or not, even though it works just fine in other devices. When I power up the DR 100 with the card already in, or whether I put it in after it's powered up, I get: "MBR Error- Init Card- Are you sure? Then after pressing enter it gives me "System Err 50 Please PWR OFF". Basically it does an endless loop of just that... really needed this to work tonight... crap. I've formatted the card in every single way possible, exfat, ntfs, all the different allocation unit sizes and nothing.

Can anybody help me?
 
Have you tried re-formatting the card in the recorder using the full-format mode. Beware, this will permanently delete all previously saved files and metadata.
 
Rick R said:
Have you tried re-formatting the card in the recorder using the full-format mode. Beware, this will permanently delete all previously saved files and metadata.
Click to expand...

Hi, the problem is an MBR error. Thus, the recorder cannot use it or interact with it until it's initialized. In this case, the ability to format is not accessible until the error is cleared.
 
Chuck the recorder away and buy a Sound Devices.

Seriously send it back - thats what I did after it failure to perform on set

It was still giving random errors after Tascam 'fixed' it

S
 
Have you tried other cards, if not, try re-formatting the card in a computer, then re-re-format the card in the recorder. If so and you get the same result, the recorder has a problem and should be repaired or replaced. You could try resetting the recorder, remove all power for ten minutes or so, and re-boot.
 
L1N3ARX said:
I only have one SD card (Extreme Pro 64GB 95MB/s Sandisk)to test currently... so I can't tell if it's the card or not, even though it works just fine in other devices. When I power up the DR 100 with the card already in, or whether I put it in after it's powered up, I get: "MBR Error- Init Card- Are you sure? Then after pressing enter it gives me "System Err 50 Please PWR OFF". Basically it does an endless loop of just that... really needed this to work tonight... crap. I've formatted the card in every single way possible, exfat, ntfs, all the different allocation unit sizes and nothing.

Can anybody help me?
Click to expand...

From a review of the Tascam DR-100:

Storage and Connectivity
The Tascam DR-100 can write files up to 2GB and accept SD media cards up to 32GB in size.

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If this is true, you are using an incompatible SD card size.
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
From a review of the Tascam DR-100:

Storage and Connectivity
The Tascam DR-100 can write files up to 2GB and accept SD media cards up to 32GB in size.

-----

If this is true, you are using an incompatible SD card size.
Click to expand...

Indeed! I just found out last night. I ran out to the store and got 32gb and viola, works perfect. Thanks.

On another note, what would be the best recorder I could buy for 1k or less to record sound from my Oktava MK012? The DR100 is decent, but it seriously needs gain set to high in order to get anything useful. Too much hiss is coming through and I don't really know how to take care of that in post. I've tried adjusting eq settings among other things, but nothing really takes care of it. I imagine I just need to invest in a good recorder.
 
The recorder is fine. You want a better/quieter pre amp. Some use a Sound Devices MM1, Mix Pre, 302 or other. Some Oktava 012s can be very noisy as well, depending on it's origin, (China counterfeit) or day of the week manufacture. (Oktava quality control issues) Sorry to say, they are not all created equal.
 
With regards to the gain issue you are having, how close is your mic to the talent. With the Oktava, 12-18" is a nice number. My Oktavas and DR-100 work well enough together if you have good mic placement YMMV.

The Tascam dr-680 will solve your gain problem (if you have one) and give you more tracks for about the price of a MixPre and much less than a 302. But it probably isn't the best solution either unless you want-need more than two tracks. A mixer brings more to your production. The DR-100 isn't really bag friendly, so if you ad a mixer with bag, that won't work out very well.

The DR-100 doesn't take line-in via the XLR plugs, so if you add a mixer, you'll want a cable to go to the 1/8" input on the DR100.

Grant
 
ggrantly said:
With regards to the gain issue you are having, how close is your mic to the talent. With the Oktava, 12-18" is a nice number. My Oktavas and DR-100 work well enough together if you have good mic placement YMMV.

The Tascam dr-680 will solve your gain problem (if you have one) and give you more tracks for about the price of a MixPre and much less than a 302. But it probably isn't the best solution either unless you want-need more than two tracks. A mixer brings more to your production. The DR-100 isn't really bag friendly, so if you ad a mixer with bag, that won't work out very well.

The DR-100 doesn't take line-in via the XLR plugs, so if you add a mixer, you'll want a cable to go to the 1/8" input on the DR100.

Grant
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. So, what do you have your gain set to when recording your talent from 12" away? I find if it's on medium, that it can be kinda hard to get anything useful. On high it does sound very nice and rich but you definitely "hear" the gain. Does the Dr-680 have a better pre-amp? I wonder what makes the most sense if I'm just trying to get the cleanest audio possible into my recorder. Add a pre amp to the equation or use a better recorder? Or is there some kind of post process that most of you audio guys do that takes care of some of the gain noise. I'm really new in this area so I don't have a good grasp on the best type of recorder / amp combination to use with a condenser mic needing phantom power like the oktava.
 
Rick R said:
The recorder is fine. You want a better/quieter pre amp. Some use a Sound Devices MM1, Mix Pre, 302 or other. Some Oktava 012s can be very noisy as well, depending on it's origin, (China counterfeit) or day of the week manufacture. (Oktava quality control issues) Sorry to say, they are not all created equal.
Click to expand...

I definitely have the real mccoy, bought off a user here on DVX, with receipt from frontend audio. It's a great mic, guess I'd have to compare with other oktavas to see if there's a difference.
 
I believe the superseded DR-100 mkII has balanced (+4dB ref.) line-ins via the XLRs.
The preamps in the 680 are not bad but no-where as good as the SD. The 680 is a little more bag friendly but not really designed for riding gain on the fly either.
There are 'mods' available for the 012 from Mike Joly and Bill Sitler and the infamous Dorcey mod, which make it quieter and change the infrasonic character, making it less sensitive to handling noise ect. . But it's not available for the china counterfeits, nor does it help an 012 turkey much either as I understand. The following URL to can help ID the counterfeits: http://recordinghacks.com/fake-oktava-mk-012-photos/
Unfortunately, there's little one can do to avoid getting a vodka day built 012, except paying extra to have it hand-picked, tested and tweaked beforehand. 'Educated' Oktava buyers look to 'The Sound Room'. http://www.sound-room.com/oktava. (or do you feel lucky today?)
 
For one channel, riding the gain on a dr680 is as direct as can be. More channels require some button pushing, but can be done. For me, the issue mixing on a 680 is more about the display, it is just nothing like a real mixer. Sound Device pres are better than the 680, but the 680 is plenty good enough for production sound.

I haven't used an Oktava with my v1 dr100 for a while, but my recollection is that with the gain switch on high, the trim was set about 5. The sound is fine considering the cost of the whole rig is just a little over $500. We do need to keep things like this in some perspective.

Grant
 
What does "riding the gain" mean? On the DR680 would the hiss / gain sound be minimized on high in comparison to the DR100, or maybe I could just get away with having it on medium and still pick up dialog at around -12 to -20db?
 
Probably should have said riding levels or trim, my bad.

The DR-680 has more gain structure and better quality pre-amps than the DR-100. So whatever mic you use, the DR680 preamps will not be working as hard and should sound better. My experience. As stated before, by myself and others, a good mixer will do more for you.

Grant
 
ggrantly said:
Probably should have said riding levels or trim, my bad.

The DR-680 has more gain structure and better quality pre-amps than the DR-100. So whatever mic you use, the DR680 preamps will not be working as hard and should sound better. My experience. As stated before, by myself and others, a good mixer will do more for you.

Grant
Click to expand...

Thanks Grant. I think I'm going to go ahead and invest in a DR680, after selling my DR100 I think I'll only have to put up around 500. I don't think that's bad at all considering most decent mixers add a zero onto that number.

The only thing I'm left wondering after this, why the sudden increase in medium to high w/ gain noise? I wonder if they could have somehow implemented a setting between medium and high that picked up dialog better and didn't jump to excessively high gain. I guess you get what you pay for, but still not a bad recorder.

So before I post in the for-sale section... if anyone does want to buy a DR100 w/ power adapter, just pm me.
 
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