60 minute limitations w/ MR8

[turntablist]

does anyone have any info on this. I was recording a live mix on to the mr8 using one input on track 1 only and when the counter hit 60 minutes exactly it wouldn't let me record any more on to the track. is this limitation with the track's length or the total song length?

[turntablist]

With more testing, I found out that this limitation with the total song length. No matter how many tracks you use, you can not make a song more than 60 minutes long. I find this odd.

[.marky]

did you ever listened to a 60 minutes song

[a12stringer]

It's kind of like back in the late 1960s when the thing a band had to do to prove itself was to record an "extended jam".
So we were stuck with really boring pieces of music like "In-A-Gadda-da-Vida" by the Iron Butterfly. Even the legendary Eric Clapton succumbed to this syndrome while with Blind Faith when they recorded a 15-minute cure for insomnia called "Do What You Like."
The only interesting works in this era were an 8-minute version of a song called "Bluebird" by Buffalo Springfield and
CCR's 11-minute workout on "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

[turntablist]

Don't forget Elton John's 11 minute amazathon, 'Funeral for a Friend'! That songs is fantastic! Or Lynard Skynard's ULTRA, MEGA, SUPER DUPER, NEVER DIE NOT IN A MILLION YEARS CLASSIC 'Freebird'. Either way, what is the point to setting a 60 minute limit?

and hey .marky: like i said I WAS RECORDING A MIX! My friend was mixing many songs. Live. I was planning on recording 80 minutes of him doing so.

If someone could just tell me a reason they would set a 60 minute limit, i would be content.

[bdbdbuck]

I guess when they designed the thing and the subject of song length came up it went something like this:

How much track time ya want?
I dunno.......20 minutes?
What if someone wants to do a marathon?
Well then give em 60 minutes, no one in their right mind would need more than that!



bd

Truth be known, they probably didn't see past the capacity of the card that was included with the unit.

[turntablist]

Why set a limit at all!? That's wack! I am writing a request for this to be fixed in the new version of the OS. Hopefully it's just the software that is at fault here. Otherwise it would be an unfixable problem.

[turntablist]

I talked to "Matt" from Fostex. about it

My question:

Why exactly does the MR-8 have a 60 minute running time limit for each song? Is there really a reason? Can this possibly be eliminated in the next OS update?
Issue #: 3206



Reply:

Tom,
We have checked on this, 60 minute limit per each program with R and D people in Japan,

They said the MR-8 is for MI (Music Industry?) purpose, and because of the CPU power, there will not be any OS revision to extend the limit.

[liamkennedy]

I just purchased a MR8 to do some none music industry recording of an event audio. I was totally sideswiped because all the literature I read implied that I could make a recording of up to 198 minutes on a 512GB flash card and there was NO indication that there is a hard limit of 60 minutes per "song".

I initially accepted the statement that what I am doing is not "Music Industry" use so why should I expect this $299 device to do what I am looking for? But then I started thinking more... and I decided to check out the specs for the VF80. That would surely also adhere to the design specs of being "for music industry purposes" too right?

The VF80 with the 20GB hard drive seems to do recordings up to at least 24 hours (the manual seems to imply this is possible). Or is the manual being less than accurate or truthful in it's statements (or maybe it is the translation)?

I would have thought if the philosophy for MR8 says it is insane to expect a music industry recording to be over 60 minutes... then shouldn't the same hold true with all their devices? Although what you would do with a 20GB hard drive and only 60 minute song length seems insane to me.

Anyway... I am now packing up my nice new Mr8 and getting ready to take it back for a refund. Shame.... other than the unexpected stop at 60 minutes into the recording.... the results were exactly what I wanted.

-Liam

[turntablist]

yeah it pissed me off too. but not enough to take it back.

[ddacey]

hey turntablist, thanks for pointing me in this direction. What about the live recording industry? Don't the manufacturers realize what a jewel this setup would be for a 2 track live session recorder .Every concert I go to these days has a live tape session going. Get with the program.

[MidnitEvil]

You're kidding, right? You spend $300 for a digital 8 track (even though it's really only a 5 or maybe 6 track for practical purposes) instead of $700 - $1,000 and you're upset because it doesn't perform like a $700 unit?

For the money, the MR-8 is impossible to beat on todays market. Used in conjunction with your PC, it's a great tool for home recording of single songs. ... if you want to master live performances, you need to lay out the cash for more serious gear.

[ddacey]

This seems to me to be more of a programing glitch . One that shouldn't be that difficult to overcome and would expand the capabilities of the unit . I personally have been using the unit to record live practice sessions with a new band so that I can go home and rehearse so the time limit is a small problem that is easily overcome by creating another song file. NO BIG DEAL just a suprise. lighten up

[mekkab]

On page 8 of the owners man(I just got mine yesterday, I don't normally memorize manuals!) they say something about absolute time going to 60 minutes at a maximum.

Yes- they mention it, but only in passing. They should have had a h00j, blinking sign outside of the box 60 MINUTES MAX!

[robjh22]

I'm with Fostex all the way on this. You should not be allowed to
go over 60 minutes. In fact, they should reduce the VF 80 and the 160 down to 60 also . . . on everybody's unit but mine.

Just curious -- what are you going to do with the refund?
For that price, any unit is going to have a limitation or three
that will annoy, n'est-ce pas? For example, the MR8 has a
USB port for computer connection--not the 80, as so many of us have lamented here.

[mekkab]

YA know.

if you are doing a DJ mix- you could map it out, and make sure you only have 1 track playing at the 59 minute mark- let that play out untill 60, THEN, start a new song and begin with that same track and continue the mix.

THEN- import evrerything to yr 'puter and cut and splice the tracks together.

Or just keep the DJ mixes at 60 minutes. Whichever works!

[turntablist]

Yeah, Mekkab. That's exactly what I have been doing.