Fostex VF16 approved hard drives -- list?

  • Thread starter Thread starter SalsaNChips
  • Start date Start date
S

SalsaNChips

New member
I have a Fostex VF16, been using it for about 10 years, love the thing except I am on my 3rd hard drive and with no plans to get a different multi-track in the immediate future, thinking I should pick up a spare IDE HDD on eBay while they are still available.

VF16.com used to have an approved hard drive list (tested configurations) but with that site apparently now gone, wanted to see if anybody here could point me to the latest, most up to date listing of tested hard drives for the VF16. I promise to save the info this time :)

Thanks!
 
The service manual says the drive is a 3.5" E-IDE 5.1 Gb drive. I am sorry i don't have the list either. Can send the service manual if that is of any help.
 
As for the most recent updated list.. VF16.com has the approved media list VF16.com : Media Specifications but as you already stated its just a tested of tried and true HDD.. I'm sorry since these were no longer in norm rotation (2004 discontinued) that info is going to have to be just trial n error..
 
(1) One feature of the "approved" drives is that have little or no "seek chatter" during recording. This is an acoustic problem. Armed condenser mics can pick up this bleed (muffled clicking noise) if they are positioed too close to the VF during recording---very similar to the problem posed by monitor headphones bleed during recording. Recording a live band performance wouldn't be a problem but self-recording an acoustic instrument with a sensitive condenser mic and the recorder near at hand might be. For "unapproved" drives, the chatter may become more prominent during the overdubbing process.

(2) Maxtor Diamond IDE drives typicaly work fine (80GB minmal/no chatter; 200GB has chatter on overdub)

(3) 60WD drive seem to work fine (minimal or no chatter)

(4) You're wasting money on any drive over 120GB---the VF16 OS limits it's proprietary formatting of the HD to ~120GB. You can use a higher capacity drive---you'll only get 120GB out of it (and this will take a about a full day to format). This limited formatting might even be a contributing cause to drive chatter during overdubbing.

Paj
8^)
 
I miss my VF16 (I sold mine six years ago, and now I regret it)
Soon and very soon I hope to score a used VF160.
Either of those machines are the best Fostex gear I've ever used.
It seems that for their time, 120gb is about the max they can handle.

I'm glad I came across this thread, because I thought of slapping
any IDE drive larger than 120gb into a vf16 or vf160 just for the
greed of having more time on the disc to work with.

I think your best bet would be to go to your local Used/Refurbish
Computer store and pick up some old spare IDE drives of any
capacity and up to 120gb. Even old hard-drives found in
tossed-out computers will work well as long as they can still
run and aren't damaged... just swap them and format them
to the VF16's specifications. Sounds pack-ratish, but at least
you'll have your work backed up on plenty of spare hard-drives
which you can swap in/out of your machine.
 
I miss my VF16 (I sold mine six years ago, and now I regret it)
Soon and very soon I hope to score a used VF160.
Either of those machines are the best Fostex gear I've ever used.
It seems that for their time, 120gb is about the max they can handle.

I'm glad I came across this thread, because I thought of slapping
any IDE drive larger than 120gb into a vf16 or vf160 just for the
greed of having more time on the disc to work with.

I think your best bet would be to go to your local Used/Refurbish
Computer store and pick up some old spare IDE drives of any
capacity and up to 120gb. Even old hard-drives found in
tossed-out computers will work well as long as they can still
run and aren't damaged... just swap them and format them
to the VF16's specifications. Sounds pack-ratish, but at least
you'll have your work backed up on plenty of spare hard-drives
which you can swap in/out of your machine.
 
I accidentally double-posted and trying to delete the duplicate post. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top