Trouble Recording To Computer

[Jake Reynolds]

I have Fostex FD-4 and would like to connect it to a computer to record from?
I can do it simply with a 1/4 jack to usb going from a headphone slot into my computer. But I am concerned this vastly reduced audio quality, what s the best way I can transfer audio from the Fostex? I would like to do this digitally. It's ports are as follows,

- R+L Mono Out
- R+L Stereo Out (I presume these are for studio monitors
- 1+2 Aux Send
- L+R Aux Return 1
- L+R Aux Return 2
- SCSI (I understandand that this was for connecting a hard drive, however my model has one built in so I believe it too be useless... Could be mistaken)
- Data In + Data Out (I believe to be optical S/PDIF ports, or Toslinks)
- Midi In + Midi Out
- Recorder In + Recorder Out (This sounds like it d be the best bet, but am unsure whether using phono to usb has the same audio quality issues)

 

[mjbphotos]

You will need an audio interface - one with S/PDIF would be ideal, assuming that is what your Fostex has.

When you say "connect it to a computer to record from" - do you mean you want to send the tracks/mixes recorded on the Fostex to a computer, or you want to send audio from a computer to the Fostex? (I assume the former)

 

[ecc83]

Hi Jake.
The cheapest decent AI I know of is the Alesis i02 and it has S/PDIF! In fact the analogue side is not at all bad either. Note, unlike more expensive AIs, you can only use the digiltal input OR the annnyloggys, not both at same time but using a digital transfer means you miss out two conversion processes and thus avoid any possible degradation of the signals.

There are better AIs than the ~70quid i02 of course but they would not do a S/PDIF transfer any better and as I say, the AI really is pretty good.

Dave.