fd-8 simultaneous 8 trk. recording...

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wmurph

New member
I have an fd-8 and according to the manufacturer, I can record 8 trks. in mastering mode. he problem is, I can't make it happen. No matter what I do, I only get 2 trks, @ a time. Any other tracks that are armed receive the same signal as any other 2 trks. I'm using a 1gig scsi hard drive and have had no other problems with the fd-8 thus far. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanx.
 
I'm almost postive that the FD-8 can only record two tracks at a time. I have one but I have not tried to record more then one track at a time as of yet.
 
this is a direct quote from Electronic Musician Magazine: "the FD-8 can go beyond two only if you record
using both the analog and digital inputs." and I think that means if you use digital and analog inputs you can do 4 tracks. sorry..
 
Just posted a similar note. If you go to the fostex website, under FAQ it will tell you how to record on all 8 tracks. I believe this involves getting a much larger drive. Don't know if you need to install it yourself or send it back to them. Also in the FAQ pages there is a section that tells you how much time each drive gives you. Basically your drive is too small. From what I understand, you get between 6-8 track min. per MB in 44.1kzh mode. Using all 8 tracks you multiply 8x6=48 MB per track minute. If one GIG is 100 MB then this only gives you a little over 2 minutes of recording time w/ all eight tracks. I may be a little off on my figures as I am learning all this also. But the main thing is that it all comes down to memory. The bigger the better. Hope this helps.
 
I'm sorry. One Gig is not 100 MB it is 1000. Ten times the amount of the original zip. So this would actually give you 20 min. or so. Like I said, my numbers could be wrong but that FAQ page should clarify it for you. My ignorance just got the best of me.
 
Hey, part of the answer to this question depends on how many analog-to-digital converters the Fostex FD-8 has (?). If it has 8, then it is possible to record 8 tracks simultaneously. If not, it still may be possible, although most or all of the tracks will have to enter the FD-8 digitally. I just wanted to point out that if you are going to record 8 tracks, you have to have 8 analog-to-digital converters somewhere in the signal chain. Either the Fostex would have to have them, or you would have to supply them yourself. -------- Patrick
 
well, thanx for the info/ input everybody. Seems like kind of a drag that an 8-trk can't simul-record 8 tracks, but at least I won't spend a lotta time trying to make something happen that can't. Anybody know of a similar machine that can do 8-trk simultaneous recording?
 
Yeah, that information (recording 2 tracks analog plus 2 tracks digital simultaneously) is hard to come by and easy to ignore when you are buying the unit. Quick and easy solution to record 4 tracks simultaneously is to sell the FD8 through eBay or similar sites and buy a D-108 from eBay or similar sites. But unless you are recording a band, why would you need to record 8 tracks simultaneously anyway? You could bounce tracks without loss of quality.
 
the main reason i want at least four trcks available iis for recording the drums,although i've gotten better than expected results using just two mics for the drums. at any rate it's very limiting. What if I use a fostex digital automated mixer and optical interface into the fd8 thereby giving me four digital signals? Or will that just be one mixed down version signal going into the fd8? Any thoughts?
 
I BOUGHT THE FD-8 THINKING THAT IT COULD RECORD 8 TRACKS AT ONCE ALSO, BUT QUICKLY LEARNED IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. THE THING I HAVE FOUND OUT IS THAT YOU CAN TRANSFER 8 TRACKS OF SOUND FROM AN ADAT TO THE FD-8 USING A FIBER OPTICS CABLE AND VICE-VERSA. AND STILL KEEP THE TRACKS FREE FROM BLEED THROUGH. IT IS A NICE FEATURE, BUT THE "ADAT" FUCTION IS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS. DAMN THOSE FOSTEXIANS! GO ADAT!!! I JUST BOUGHT A NEW ADAT, AND WITH THAT COMBINED WITH THE FD-8, IT'S GREAT!
 
Before you get plague by maintenance problems of an ADAT, but still want to simultaneously record 8 tracks, check out FOSTEX D-80, D-90, d-108. USED on Ebay & similar sites for $600, more or less.
 
I believe that if you use a digital mixer via the optical input you can record more tracks, depending on the mixer. I remember shortly after I bought the fd-8 Fostex came out with a digital mixer for less than $200 (i've seen it for $129) that would allow you to record 4 tracks at a time.
 
the digital mixer sounds like a good alternative, do you know if it has mic preamps? where can i find one for that price?is it the vm02 you're referring to? thanx in advance...
 
i think the mixer is the vm04. it is at musiciansfriend.com for $199. I saw it as a promotional price about 6 months ago at the place I bought my fd-8 over the internet. it's www.filamentaudio.com, based in San Dimas, CA. They are so nice and have great prices. Highly reccommend them. check their site out. also, try the fostex site, i remember that somewhere it explicitly discusses the use of the mixer with the fd series. hope this helps.
 
i think the mixer is the vm04. it is at musiciansfriend.com for $199. I saw it as a promotional price about 6 months ago at the place I bought my fd-8 over the internet. it's www.filamentaudio.com, based in San Dimas, CA. They are so nice and have great prices. Highly reccommend them. check their site out. also, try the fostex site, i remember that somewhere it explicitly discusses the use of the mixer with the fd series. hope this helps.
 
You can also get 4 tracks at a time by going to setup and scrolling into D.G in and via lightpipe , hooking up a Dat machine and using the analog record inputs ....that will give you a 2 buss enterance if you hook up a board . This would be your 2 extra A.D coverters .Now you have your analog connection and your digital connection,However your meters dont act the same so you have to really use you ears .With the VMO4 or the VMO8 which sound pretty good , you also get the same "2 buss enterance"
 
If I'm missing something, let me know, but I noticed you said you didn't like being confined to two mics for drums. I don't think that should be an issue. I have an FD-8, and though I don't ever use many tracks myself, I think that you can use all analog inputs (eight mics, say) on drums at once. The catch is that you can't send them all to their own special track. You just mix them with the mixer and record down to two tracks in the same take.
 
hey, dondottcomm, that's a great idea for getting a/d converters. wish i'd thought of it. i presume you've tried this before and it stands to reason that it would work with a minidisc or cdr machine since they're only being used for their converters. is this correct? ya know, the funny thing is that the cat who plays drums for me is thinkin of going for the roland vdrums thereby eliminating my neophyte recording dilemmas. i think he's getting tired of the "play it again just like that" while i try to get a good sound, oh well...
 
Yes any thing that has digital light pipe should work...have used this before with dat and the VMO4. The thing about the VMO4 is that the converters are 24 bit and the DSP effects are pretty good ,also a good value for about 130.00 street price .With the Dat machine setup you get no mic pres, only line level unless you hook up a separate board to Dat inputs
 
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