analog to digital

[shingles]

Howdy all. Couple things I need help with.

I've got TONS of analog 4-track stuff - which I'd like to convert to digital.
However, I don't want to deal w/doing all this on the computer. Instead, I'm thinking of getting a 16-track digital recorder (probably Boss) w/the built in CD burner. By the ways, I also plan on recording with this - otherwise getting it would be silly...

Anyhow.
First, I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts about advantages/disadvantages of doing this.

Second, on a practical level, how the heck do you take all four tracks from the 4-track and get them to record simultaneously onto the digital recorder, keeping them individual yet synchronized? I'd like to be able to use the newly available tracks to add to the already existing recordings - so thus don't want to mix things down onto the 16-track. Wouldn't you need a 4-track that has four seperate dedicated outputs? Or am I just not thinking outside the box?

All help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

 

[SonicAlbert]

I personally would prefer to do that in a computer, just because sliding the tracks around and lining them up would be easier on a big screen.

Whether you use a computer or a hardware unit, you'd record the tracks singly or in pairs and then just line them up. I don't see much other way around that if your four track only has stereo outs.

 

[sjjohnston]

Second, on a practical level, how the heck do you take all four tracks from the 4-track and get them to record simultaneously onto the digital recorder, keeping them individual yet synchronized? I'd like to be able to use the newly available tracks to add to the already existing recordings - so thus don't want to mix things down onto the 16-track. Wouldn't you need a 4-track that has four seperate dedicated outputs? Or am I just not thinking outside the box?

Four separate dedicated outputs would be the simple way to do it. Though kind of a useless approach if your 4-track doesn't have four separate dedicated outputs.

Thinking outside the box (just slightly outside the box):
Use channel inserts
Use Aux (aka Effects) sends
Use the track-4-only output called "sync" or something

It all depends on what particular 4-track you have. If you have four output jacks on the box, you can probably route signals to output 4 tracks simultaneously. If you don't:
- You can play the tape in someone else's box that does (at the expense of losing a bunch of high-end because his azimuth as askew in a slightly different way than your azimuth is askew).
- You can copy the tracks one (or two) at a time, and line them up once they're in your digital recorder (which could be a pain the neck).

 

[Farview]

I would suggest transfering all the tracks at once because cassettes don't always run at the exact same speed, so lining the tracks up later will be a much bigger job than it seems. It doesn't take a big speed differential to be off by 1/4 second at the end of 10 minutes of music.