Home recording on a Tascam, file management question

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seeeker

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I have a Tascam 8-track digital home multi-track recorder. It came with a 2gb memory card. Device told me the memory card is now full. I purchased a larger capacity memory card. I'd like to transfer the material from the old card to the new card. I can install them both into my computer, and copy all directories directly from one to the other. That is the most direct method I can think of.

Questions:
1) The old card is 2gb, but looking at it on my computer, there are only 370mb of music files. (There are three directories- WAVE - which contains all the audio files, BACKUP and UTILITY. The last two directories are empty and 0kb.) Where is all the hidden data that would make a 2gb disk full when there *appears* to only be 370mb of files? Getting Info (Mac computer) to the whole card says it has 600mb of data. But much of that appears to be hidden.
2) Will the Tascam recognize the new card seamlessly? Or is the old card somehow locked to the recorder and everything needs to be transferred in a more complicated process? (Obviously I can just give it a try, I will)


Thanks very much if any one can shed light on this.
 
Which Tascam recorder are you using? Some have a somewhat unorthodox storage scheme. They have the standard FAT portion that is readable on a computer, and a special MTR formatted partition that is not readable by computer. Because of this, you cannot simply copy the data from one card to another.

The DP03SD and DP008 have this type of setup. If your recorder says that you must export your tracks to move them to a computer, then you probably have the FAT/MTR format. Check your user manual regarding formatting an SD card. You might have a chart that lists something like this:

TASCAM FORMAT.webp


If you indeed have this format, you will need to export to a computer and then import it to a new card. With the price of SD cards, buy a 5 pack of 16 or 32GB cards and you probably wont have to worry anymore. I use my SD cards once now and put them away for storage. $5-7 for 4 to 6 hours of 8 track recording is CHEAP!!!!
 
Thanks very much for the help, I was afraid it might be some issue like that. I have the "TASCAM Compact 8-Track Digital Pocketstudio Multitrack Recorder (DP-008EX)". I have had it for years, though it is also on Amazon. I have no idea what kind of file storage it follows. It appears to be one you have mentioned with the second type of file setup.

I bought a 128gb card, this should be more than enough space.

So you're saying I should export track by track? that could be dozens of tracks. That will be extremely tedious and time consuming. I may still have the instruction booklet or could look to Tascam online I suppose.
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The maximum supported card size for a DP008EX is 32GB. Page 87 of the User manual. DP-008EX user manual . Look at page 77 for information on backing up songs via computer. You should be able to back up the project, put in the newly formatted SD card and then restore the project.

Set the write protect tab on the old SD card so there is NO CHANCE of erasing it by mistake!!!!

There is a current list of approved SD cards on Tascam's website for the DP008EX. The Tascam may just format the 128GB card to 32GB. It should be plenty fast enough.

I would go for something like this: Sandisk Ultra 32GB 5 Pack
 
Oh gosh well ok I'll get the 32gb. I have read the manual a lot for usage, but I have not studied many topics beyond recording.
Is the write protect tab the little white tab on the side of the memory card? It is in a particular position but I don't know if this is "set" to protect as you mention. Maybe tat's in the user manual as well.
Thanks very very much.
 
Seeker - keep in mind that to answer queries for people, many members here will download the manual from the net, read it, digest it and advise. It's a bit weird that they've done this, and the owner hasn't? I never read manuals. If I can't work something, then the product is not intuitive, and I'll probably hate it!

Backup is really important, and understanding how to get files from your recorder into a computer really important, because at some stage, they need to be there to do things with them. You can do all sorts with modern portastudios, but at some point, you might want to mail it, distribute it and show it off - and for that, you need to be comfy with getting things on and off it.
 
Seeker, the write protect tab is on all SD type cards. It's little tab that says "LOCK". The micro SD cards don't have it, but if you have it in an adapter, it can lock the card.

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rob aylestone said:
Seeker - keep in mind that to answer queries for people, many members here will download the manual from the net, read it, digest it and advise. It's a bit weird that they've done this, and the owner hasn't? I never read manuals. If I can't work something, then the product is not intuitive, and I'll probably hate it!

Backup is really important, and understanding how to get files from your recorder into a computer really important, because at some stage, they need to be there to do things with them. You can do all sorts with modern portastudios, but at some point, you might want to mail it, distribute it and show it off - and for that, you need to be comfy with getting things on and off it.
Click to expand...

Well I didn't ask about how to get files from the device to my computer. That's what you said. I've been using this device for about ten years. I don't use it every day. I use it on and off a few times a year. I have digested what I need to know to record and manage songs. I have done almost everything on this device. And I have followed the manual many, many times, step by step. It is a ragged, torn up little book by now. Would you like a photo of it? I have also created masters and exported files. I'm a casual, very part time user. I don't have time to spend my whole life studying and "digesting" every word in the manual about every possible technical detail about this device. Maybe you do? Who the hell would ever think that it can only take up to a 32gb card? Would you think that? No, you wouldn't. You would assume a 128gb would be just fine. Also, the manual makes absolutely no mention of how to swap memory cards and transfer all files from one to another. Not a word. There is info on formatting SD cards, "reformatting FAT partitions," whatever the fuck that means. I know how to move tracks to the computer. Or I would look it up, because it's not committed to memory. For moving all files onto a new SD card, if you have to manually save every track out, or create masters, then export all those, then format a new card, and somehow import everything on to that new card and keep it all intact - simply to swap memory cards - well that's just plain stupid. I would have never imagined it could possibly be so tedious.

My original question is quite legitimate. "Why does my 2gb card only show 370mb of actual data?" Are you a master of memory card partition formats and hidden data? Personally I couldn't give a fuck. Some things are quicker to ask other experts.

Still no clear answer on how to move all files to a new card.
 
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Seeker, chill out. Rob was just pointing out that moving files to and from the unit is a critical things the users need to learn. He has no clue if you bought the unit 3 days ago or 10 years ago. From your question, it sounded like someone with little experience.

As for the DP-008 not taking 128GB cards, why would you think that it would take cards that big? The system was introduced over 10 years ago and is designed to take SD and SDHC cards. SD cards have a limit of 2GB. SDHC cards are available in 2 to 32GB format. For larger cards, you have to go to SDXC which does not use FAT32, it uses exFAT format. It's like the differences between CD, DVD and BluRAY.

As for moving the files, you need to go through the export process. This moves files from the MTR to the FAT partition. There is NO WAY to read the MTR partition, as it's not compatible with any standard computer file system (PC or Mac). Just do a Google Search for "read TASCAM MTR format " and you'll see a half dozen requests for the same info without any resolution. It's a proprietary data format. For me that would be one of the weak points for the Tascam DP series.

My Zoom H4n and R24 recorders use standard WAV or MP3 formats, so I can just pull the data directly from the card. There is no need to do an extra steps.
 
TalismanRich said:
Seeker, chill out. Rob was just pointing out that moving files to and from the unit is a critical things the users need to learn. He has no clue if you bought the unit 3 days ago or 10 years ago. From your question, it sounded like someone with little experience.

As for the DP-008 not taking 128GB cards, why would you think that it would take cards that big? The system was introduced over 10 years ago and is designed to take SD and SDHC cards. SD cards have a limit of 2GB. SDHC cards are available in 2 to 32GB format. For larger cards, you have to go to SDXC which does not use FAT32, it uses exFAT format. It's like the differences between CD, DVD and BluRAY.

As for moving the files, you need to go through the export process. This moves files from the MTR to the FAT partition. There is NO WAY to read the MTR partition, as it's not compatible with any standard computer file system (PC or Mac). Just do a Google Search for "read TASCAM MTR format " and you'll see a half dozen requests for the same info without any resolution. It's a proprietary data format. For me that would be one of the weak points for the Tascam DP series.

My Zoom H4n and R24 recorders use standard WAV or MP3 formats, so I can just pull the data directly from the card. There is no need to do an extra steps.
Click to expand...
I know how to move files from the device to a computer. I know that already. It's very easy to find in the manual. But that wasn't my original question, was it? Did I ask "How do I move files from this recorder to my computer?" Hmm I don't believe it was. Look at the original questions. Stay on topic.
I'll repeat and try to improve the more important question: How do you move everything onto a new SD card? Because that is not covered in the manual.
 
I answered your question... READ the response! There is NO WAY to read the MTR partition, as it's not compatible with any standard computer file system (PC or Mac). Just do a Google Search for "read TASCAM MTR format " and you'll see a half dozen requests for the same info without any resolution. It's a proprietary data format.

If the MTR partition is full, you'll never see it putting it in a computer. It takes up 50% of space on the card.

And no, SD cards are not "locked to the recorder" other than they are the only ones that are able to read the partitions.
 
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