Inexpensive bit-bucket with stereo s/pdif inputs?

G

Gregg Juke

Well-known member
Is there such a thing? (see title)... A friend is looking for a simple, low-maintenance, if you will (not a lot of deep menus and feature selections; ADHD and all-- easily distracted), digital recorder that is relatively inexpensive (in the range of a Zoom unit or an Edirol or a lower-end Tascam, i.e., hundreds of dollars at most, not thousands). It will not be used for on-location recording, and it only needs stereo ins, but they should be RCA s/pdif. He wants a simple mixdown machine, he wants to keep it digital, rather than converting to analog audio from his other machine and going in to a trs input or something (which negated my idea of using a Zoom/Edirol/Tascam). 24b/44.1k. I have never seen such a thing; have you? Anybody? Links if so?

GJ
 
I can think of three:
Microtrack II: some find it a bit unreliable, but that might be regarding other functions than the digital in.
DR100-mkII: uses a 2,5mm trrs, not precisely your average cable.
PMD661: a little more expensive, but a decent and simple recorder.
 
Yes, David, that is most folks' reaction (read: mine). He has this scheme to use a recently purchased standalone hard-disk recorder, and to find a simple, but current/modern digital mixdown unit (so not minidisk, DAT, or Adat), to avoid recording and mixing ITB (claims computers are "too complicated and distracting" due to ADHD, etc.). He also wants to keep it digital, eschewing other (analog) possibilities. He wants something to turn "on" and "off" and "press record," with no other real options, at the indicated resolution. And of course, to get out from his current multi-track recorder, he needs s/pdif...

Jema, thanks for the recs. I don't think the Tascam will do, but I'll check them all out.

GJ
 
Gregg Juke said:
Yes, David, that is most folks' reaction (read: mine). He has this scheme to use a recently purchased standalone hard-disk recorder, and to find a simple, but current/modern digital mixdown unit (so not minidisk, DAT, or Adat), to avoid recording and mixing ITB (claims computers are "too complicated and distracting" due to ADHD, etc.). He also wants to keep it digital, eschewing other (analog) possibilities. He wants something to turn "on" and "off" and "press record," with no other real options, at the indicated resolution. And of course, to get out from his current multi-track recorder, he needs s/pdif...
Click to expand...

There's nothing out there that is that simple, HOWEVER...

The TASCAM HD-P2 has RCA S/PDIF in. But since this is really for in-studio use, there are rackmount recorders that use SD and CF, and offer RCA S/PDIF inputs. Of course, "inexpensive" can mean a lot of things, but for simplicity and digital inputs there won't be much for under $400.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SSR100/
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/545829-REG/Tascam_SS_R1_SS_R1_Rack_Mount_Compact.html

I put the SS-R1 in the rack at my church for recording sermons and special events, and it's a really solid unit (incredibly clean analog inputs, too). It's pretty straightforward, and once it's set for the desired format, inputs, and level... it stays there. So from week to week, it's pretty much turn it on, hit "record", hit "stop", turn it off.
 
That sounds like exactly what he's talking about, Alex.
Thanks guys, I will pass your recommendations on.

GJ
 
The only portable 'budget' recorder I recall that supports S/PDIF is the M-Audio MicroTrack, which I think was discontinued. It had a proprietary internal rechargeable battery system, that didn't last long in run-time, overall battery longevity and the battery was expensive to replace.
 
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