Fostex to Reaper Question

I

idkDude

New member
I'm trying to salvage a bunch of recordings track for track from a Fostex VF160EX 16 Track recorder to a DAW using ADAT. I'm struggling.

My set up is:

Fostex VF160EX ADAT out ----> Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 interface ADAT in ---> MacBook Pro/Reaper DAW using USB.

The Scarlett and Reaper DAW are brand new to me. I have the respective manuals for each component and I'm trying to figure this out, but not getting anywhere. If anyone has insight into this process or is willing to hold my hand through it or explain like I'm five, I would be grateful.
 
Hi idk,

You can do this but adat is limited to 8 simultaneous tracks.
If you have more discreet tracks than that in your Fostex session then you'd have to do two runs, and I'm not sure if sync becomes an issue or not.
I'm sure others can advise.

However...Can't you just burn your component parts to CD and import to computer that way?
It might end up being easier and quicker.
 
Fostex set to Master. Interface set to slave, and also, set to 16/44 - whatever the Fostex tracks are. Forget Reaper if the interface has its own setup GUI and get it setup there. The Digital in meters will work if there is sync
 
garww said:
Fostex set to Master. Interface set to slave, and also, set to 16/44 - whatever the Fostex tracks are. Forget Reaper if the interface has its own setup GUI and get it setup there. The Digital in meters will work if there is sync
Click to expand...

I used to know how to do it and now I don't! :eek:
 
I had a similar issue. Tascam 16 track tape transfer to daw. (Reaper and PT)
I have a focusrite pro40 8 channel interface.
Couldn't figure it out, said fuck it!

Bought an Allen and Heath ice16. It was a bit pricey for what I wanted to spend, (1000 bucks) but now that the sting is gone I couldn't be happier.

I just transfer all 16 tracks in real time, with no aligning at all straight to daw or to a usb powered ssd.
With the ssd, the tape tracks are wav. files and i can dump them into any computer, any daw.

Life made easy for me.
And since I still use a console, with the 16 analog ins and outs, I can mix on my board.

I love it! That was a grand well spent. :D
Oh, and it's really nice to have reels and reels and reels of my 16 track multitracks safely stored on a harddrive that fits in my shirt pocket.
:D :thumbs up:
 
Steenamaroo said:
Hi idk,

You can do this but adat is limited to 8 simultaneous tracks.
If you have more discreet tracks than that in your Fostex session then you'd have to do two runs, and I'm not sure if sync becomes an issue or not.
I'm sure others can advise.

However...Can't you just burn your component parts to CD and import to computer that way?
It might end up being easier and quicker.
Click to expand...

Yes, I could've just burned the data to CD. But, I really, really wish I'd known that before the CD function stopped working a few months ago. I also have a busted rewind button I have to deal with. The Fostex is just not worth fixing anymore so I really want to transfer all the files to DAW and work from there, if possible. I'm not sure about the syncing issue either and I'm concerned about that. Have to wait and see, I guess. Thanks.
 
Ah, ok. Sorry to hear that.

Well..You can do what you're asking.
The basic setup of the DAW should be simple. Create 8 tracks, set their inputs to adat 1 through 8, hit record!
Do test play from the Fostex and make sure your signals are coming in to Reaper loud and clear. Play with mute/solo per track to make sure you know what each track is and that it's all correct.
When happy, go back and record down the full take.

When that's done, group those 8 tracks in reaper so they stay locked to each other, timeline wise.

If the song had more than eight tracks, reassign the outputs on the fostex and repeat the process for your second set.
You'll create 8 new inputs in Reaper, but they'll still want to have adat 1 through 8 as the input paths.
I guess mute the previous 8 for the time being...they'll only confuse matters.

Again, when done, lock the new 8 tracks together.

When you've got all the parts in Reaper you will have to manually line up the two sets, since there's no way to make your record stop/start uniform...I don't think.

If there's no solid reference for doing that, like a count-in across all tracks or whatever, I'd try to avoid splitting an instrument across groups.
IE. Don't put kick and snare in your first set of 8 then toms and OHS in your second set....Just a precaution to help avoid subtle timing issues.



As Garrw pointed out, it's probably important to set the Fostex as the Master clock source.
You're on MacOS....? Do that in Utilities>Audio/Midi Setup. Just select your interface, and switch clock source to ADAT.

That should remove the possibility of any slight drift in time between sets.

I don't really know anything about assigning output paths in the fostex but I guess you already know? If not, the manual does. ;)

Sure, work away with that and let us know how far you get or where you get stuck. :)
 
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I'm actually getting somewhere now. Awesome. I have the Fostex ADAT out set and synced to the Scarlett GUI. I can playback the tracks (tracks 9-16) on corresponding tracks on the Scarlett GUI. So, I can hear them and see the levels. But, how do I record them? Or, how I get them into tracks on Reaper.

I messed with basic plugging in a mic and recording to reaper tracks to get a feel for it a few days ago, so it seems to do it automatically that way. But, with ADAT, I'm not sure how to get what's going to the Scarlett GUI to make it's way to Reaper. What am I missing here?
 
In Sonar I'd have to set up two groups of eight tracks each assigned to the eight ADAT inputs on the S/C. I'd think that's pretty standard.
Give yourself ample wiggle room at the head of the project time line (for shifting/aligning the second set)
Given variations you'll likely have starting the roll' and record points, one 'cue to align the second set of eight to the first -might be- when zooming in on a track you can distinguish the actual beginning of the Fostex's track (from your DAW pre roll 'blank section) by it's jump in noise level.
 
idkDude said:
What am I missing here?
Click to expand...

The previous post. ;)

An adat input is seen, by Reaper, as eight separate input paths.


Open Reaper, Right click at the left side and 'create multiple tracks'.
Make 8.
Manually set the input for each track to 'ADAT Optical 1'...'ADAT Optical 2' etc.
Hit Record-Arm for each track.

You should be 'live'.



Do visit Audio/Midi Setup and ensure that your Scarlett clock source is set to 'Adat' first, though, and, as Garrw said, set your Reaper sample rate to whatever the Fostex was running at.
That's in Reaper's preferences.
 
Someone said MIDI and I been avoiding that over here. I don't mind squinting and lining up tracks, but MIDI is CONTROL, if you find the machines have that capability. And 99.99-pct probably do.

I look at the old machines when I'm wondering about buying (sucker for old machines). I seem to remember this covered on youtube for the 160 ?
 
Ignore my previous post. :)

I guess I missed the boat. Just breifly read the original post and assumed that the fostex was a tape machine.
My bad. :D
 
Yesss! It worked. I got 8 tracks transferred over. Now I'll need to get the next 8 tracks transferred and see how it syncs up (hopefully it goes smoothly). I'll save that for another day. Thanks a lot. You all have been super helpful.
 
That's great!
With the clock set as described it should just be a case of nudging the two sets until everything sounds right.
Let us know how you get on! :)
 
Well, I'm not the MIDI expert, but play/record sync is pretty common. set my 1986-ish Korg sqd-1 sequencer to record and it starts when I hit play in the DAW, or , on another device. How well that will sync between two devices might be questionable, but that is the purpose of the whole thing
 
garww said:
Well, I'm not the MIDI expert, but play/record sync is pretty common. set my 1986-ish Korg sqd-1 sequencer to record and it starts when I hit play in the DAW, or , on another device. How well that will sync between two devices might be questionable, but that is the purpose of the whole thing
Click to expand...

I'm just starting to understand ADAT and I have never used MIDI. It could definitely be useful. I always keep things as simple as possible until I'm forced to get with the times. I'll see how the process goes and report back.
 
idkDude said:
I'm just starting to understand ADAT and I have never used MIDI. It could definitely be useful. I always keep things as simple as possible until I'm forced to get with the times. I'll see how the process goes and report back.
Click to expand...

Me to, I only have to align a couple tracks here and there. I wouldn't want to be nudging things if it was a large operation
 
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