VS 880-EX TRACK BOUNCING HORROR

[Scather]

I have the Roland 880EX. No complaints about the sound quality. However bouncing tracks is a nightmare. I can bounce tracks 1-4 to tracks 5&6. But if I try to bounce tracks 1-6 to tracks 7&8, it refuses to include tracks 5-6, and will only record tracks 1-4 to 7&8. Can't figure it out. Yes, checked Channel Link.
The idiocy doesn't stop there.
Having successfully bounced tracks 1 to 4, to tracks 5&6, I am ready to re-use the now free tracks. Guess again. It will not let me erase or record over the 4 bounced tracks.

I end up mixing down to a cassette deck and then back into the 880Ex if I actually want to use 8 tracks. Roland's solution was to try to sell me a 60$ video How to use Your 880EX" I'm not sure there is a solution. I need more tracks, anyway.

[monty]

Lots of fun isn't it? They don't tell you about that BEFORE you buy it. Take my word that the video doesn't help. I gave in and bought the Datasonics VSPro Toolbox, so I can drag shit around on my computer screen. I don't know why I don't sell my VS880EX before it becomes worthless.

[Jack Hobson-Dupont]

Hey, guys? Use virtual tracks. That's what they're there for.

Love,
--Jack--

[Scather]

I emailed Roland Canada and railed at them. They finally replied, a tad snootily I might add. They suggested I don't try to erase on the the bounced tracks. Instead record on one of the virtual tracks on the allegedly freed up tracks 1 to 4. Haven't tried this yet. As I recall I couldn't record on the bounced tracks, period. Anyway it doesn't explain the inability to mix all 6 tracks to tracks 7&8.

Haven't heard about the Datasonics VSPro Toolbox before, so I will check it out. I too am going sell my 880Ex but will probably upgrade to a Roland 1680 or 1880. I need more tracks, not unlimited, 14 or 16 will do. Before I buy I will make damn sure that at least you can mix down tracks 1 to 14 to tracks 15-16, in reality, not just theoretically. You see I have a Roland CD burner and of course it's useless if I buy the new Yamaha AW4416. Roland & Yamaha make damn sure their products don't get along too well.

Again, I will say the sound quality is great. I'm going direct into the 880EX with stuff like the Yamaha EX 5, Boss 770 DM, and Boss guitar effects pedal box. When you burn a CD direct from the 880 EX to the Roland CD-R it sounds impressive, crystal clear, but not at all cold. Far better then the lame demo tune they stuck on my unit, and I aint no master mixer. But it's idiotically complex and the manual tends to leave out small but vital steps. They should give more step by step examples and different types of scenerios, without missing a single step or action, no matter how obvious they think it is.

[Jon X]

It has step by step methods for a lot of things. Much better than the manual. Download it from Rolands website.

Also, I know I have been able to bounce tracks 1-6 to tracks 7 & 8. It's been a while, but that's how I used to make CDs using the original burner that they put out for the thing. Keep in mind if you are in the best recording mode you can normally only work with 6 tracks at a time. At least that's the way my 880 is. I can't playback 1-6 and then record on 7 & 8 in the best quality mode.

I also think virtual tracks is a better idea than overwriting what you bounced. What if later on you want to go back and change something in one of the bounced tracks? The virtual tracks gives you 64 slots to place stuff just in case you want to go back and change something later.

BTW, all my experiences with any form of Roland "support" resulted in me thinking they could care less about any of their customers, and in general I wasn't important enough to bother with. They just plain suck in support and manuals. Always have since I've been buying their stuff.

[Edited by Jon X on 08-15-2000 at 22:54]

[r2d2]

I've had problems like this too. Sometimes the EX won't let me record after a bounce. Re-initializing the mixer settings (in the System menu) usually gets things back to normal.

One way I've found to avoid this situation is creating and using your own Easy-Routing templates. Give them names like BOUNCE 1-4->5/6, RECORD VTR1-1,2-1 (or A-1 if stereo pair), etc.

I have over 30 Easy-Routing templates in the user bank and since I started using them I've never had problems routing after bouncing.

And yes, use those virtual tracks! If you start running out of v-tracks you can always swap original tracks that you've already bounced, to V-bank B for empty v-tracks by using Track Exchange. Good luck. May the Force be with you!

[Dan Barnes]

You guts having trouble may get some help with my VS-880EX Operating Procedure here:

http://www.vsplanet.com/Pages/UsersA...ads/index.html

Scroll down to:

"VS-880EX Operating Procedures Reference"

"This is a reference manual that was created by Dan Barnes (VS-880EX user and fellow VS-Planeteer). Clear and Easy instructions on many common functions. File is in zipped and contains PDF, Word and text file versions of the manual."

Dan

[Burton]

What recording mode was being used? If you recorded the song in MAS, then you'll be limited to 6 tracks at max and that's why your bounce won't work.

No clue as to why you are unable to erase tracks. I'd try reinitializing the system parameters just in case you've put some sort of write protect on the song (although I don't know how that would have happened). Roland is correct that you can used virtual tracks on tracks 1-4 to give you additional recording space without erasing your original tracks. This should work, but you should also be able to erase the original tracks if you want to.

What happens when you try to record to track 1 after you bounce? You say that "it doesn't work." Are you seing input levels while recording? With a little more detail, we might be able to figure out the problem.

I bounce tracks all the time with my 880ex without incident and have had no need for the Datasonics software, which is buggy and still requires use of the old 880ex o/s (2.004).

[DaveX]

Sell your Roland??? Damn. That's spoiled as hell. I was recording with three jamboxes, and a TASCAM Porta02 before I got my 880EX, and let me tell you, I'm pleased as a pig in poop. The sound is perfect (I recorded crickets!) and the virtual tracks are way helpful. It's certainly a lot more portable than some computer/midi/protools garbage too! Hell, I make my albums straight off it, and then burn them on a Phillips dual disc, then... off to the record store to sell. Doesn't get much better than this.

DaveX

[Ears]

You are having these problems and you want to get a VS1680?
I had the VS880 for 2 yrs. It was great! Then I moved up to the VS1680. It's killer, but a way larger learning curve.

I'm guessing that Burton hit the nail on the head.

You are recording in master mode. 6 tracks only.

Using virtual tracks are great for multi takes of an instrument or vocal. You can audition each, all or in part of, and mix to different ones other than the ones you are playing or monitoring. However with virtual tracks you won't hear or be able to monitor the ones that are already recorded if you are deeper and into another level or virtual track of that channel.

Also is song protect on, user enabled, and then you stored and closed up for the night?

I find Roland Canada http://www.roland.ca is miles better then the US site. Ask them for help.

As far as re-recording over the trackxs, will it go to flashing red at least? How far do you get before you realize?

[Edited by Ears on 09-14-2000 at 20:19]

[JC Lives]

I have one of the orginal vs-880' (v 1.07) I have had it for a few years and for the most part have been pleased with it. At one point when I needed more than 8 tracks, I left 7 & 8 open for bounce down. I then used several virtual tracks to record backing vocals and then bounced down to 7 & 8 this work fairly well. The largest problem is that when you bounce tracks on these machines, you lose sound quality. That kind of bothers me. I am getting to the point of needing more than eight tracks and was going to start looking at the 16880 or 1880. But then I saw the Digi 001. What a cool tool. For about the same price, I can purchase a computer and the Digi. I think that is the way I am going to go. I will probably hold on to my 880 for it's portability but will do most of my recording on the computer.

[Burton]

The Roland combined with the Digi001 should work well. You can transfer into the pc using the digital outs, or record directly to PC if you wish. Should give the the best of all worlds - portability, practicality, and power.