FD-4 to scsi Zip disk to computer to CD-RW?

[jgibsosman]

Help...
Ihave a FD-4 recording to a zip scsi 100 mb external drive. The zip drive is connected to my PC through an adaptec scsi card #2906.
The computer recognizes the zip drive but will not recognize any of the recorded data on the zip disk.
Does anyone know the best (or easiest) way to
get the zip disk data into my pc in a form that can be recognized by Windows 98 and by my CD-Rw drive? I want to put the recorded music on a CD and also find out how to transmit samples online in whatever file format, wav or mp3 or whatever, that is best.
Can anyone tell me what is needed to do this?

(later) I have been browsing this forum since I posted the above and according to various posts, there seems to be a way to access the music via the sound card. My sound card (as it came with the computer which is HP Pavilion 8380) is an Ensoniq Audio PCI. Does anyone know if this card will accept the signal from the FD-4? What is a PDIF i.o. and how do I discover whether this card has it? Should I get a different sound card?
At this point I am so confused that I don't know even whether the computer has to read the zip disk info directly from the scsi zip drive (through the Adaptec scsi card) or whether the computer wants the signal to come (from the scsi disk to-) from the FD-4 itself.... via other outputs (instead of out through the scsi cable)...and which outputs on the FD-4 are used for this?

In simpler terms, here is my idea of the basic possibilities for the signal path:
(all these possibilities start from the point of a disk with music recorded on it already)
1. Scsi zip disk > FD-4 (which outputs?) > sound card inputs > computer > Adaptec EasyCD Creator > CD
OR
2. Scsi zip disk > computer (by accessing my "D" (the external scsi zip drive) through
"My Computer" > ?? > CDCreator > CD
(so far this method doesn't work, as my computer will not recognize any data on the disk that has been recorded by the FD-4; I assume this is because the computer does not have the ability to recognize the specific Fostex format.) Is there software anywhere available to translate this Fostex FDMS (or whatever it is) format into something Windows and the Adaptec Easy CD Creator program will read?
I will keep studying every post in this forum but if anyone can kind of sum up the process I would be very grateful. I just want to start with a digital synthesizer (Alesis QS-7) and end up with a CD when I'm done, without having to become an electrical engineer and a recording technician in the process. Maybe I am in over my head but I am not ready to give up just yet. I don't want to have to buy a Fostex CD-R machine if I can create a CD with the computer equipment and CD-RW I already have.
Any info will be appreciated, thanks.


[This message has been edited by jgibsosman (edited 06-21-2000).]

 

[Jim Marquard]

Hey Jib, Fostex uses its own disk management operating system. When you use a Zip disc you have to let the FD-4 format it, right? well, your computer will not read that format. Don't know any tricks to help you.

Peace, Jim

 

[bbbmusic]

jgibsosman,

I dump my FD4 to my computer. I had to get the optical converter from Fostex that converts to digital, then, I got a converter at MARS to go from digital to USB. Or, if you have a digital sound card you can eliminate one converter. But I found the digital sound cards that would do the trick, were fairly expensive. Then you have to go to the setup menu on the FD4 and scroll to the outputs and tell it to send the digital signal out the optical port. You can only send 2 channels at a time. I haven't had a problem and it works real well.
Good luck
B³

 

[jgibsosman]

Thanks for the replies... I came to the conclusion that connecting the scsi zip drive to the computer was a wasted effort as far as music goes... at least now I have a portable 100mb zip drive available to the computer so it is not a total loss.
I downloaded Cool Edit 2000 for a 30 day trial and think I can output either the Alesis digital synth or the Fd-4 directly into the sound card line in and hopefully use Cool Edit to take it from there.
Will post the news if I have any success... i am pretty new to computers and totally new to computer sound files and recording, etc. The most complex piece of recording equipment I ever used was a Tascam Porta one cassette 4-track. I'm glad this forum is on line though as i think I will be dropping in to read it frequently...

 

[phillybean]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bbbmusic:
jgibsosman,

I dump my FD4 to my computer. I had to get the optical converter from Fostex that converts to digital, then, I got a converter at MARS to go from digital to USB. Or, if you have a digital sound card you can eliminate one converter. But I found the digital sound cards that would do the trick, were fairly expensive. Then you have to go to the setup menu on the FD4 and scroll to the outputs and tell it to send the digital signal out the optical port. You can only send 2 channels at a time. I haven't had a problem and it works real well.
Good luck
B³
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

How do you work it out if it can only send 2 channels at a time?

PS the SoundBlaster Live is the cheapest with S/PDIF i/o and it costs $200