Can a Zoom H4N generate a Wordclock?

[installers]

I bought a Zoom H4N and an ART TubeFire 8 at different times for differnent reasons, but I have an application where I could use one more stereo condenser pair, and the Zoom H4N could provide this if I could just sync it with the TubeFire 8. The Zoom H4N doesn't have a Wordclock input (thats fine, I knew this when I bought it, and I didn't expect to need it), but I'm wondering if I can open it up and find a sync signal that I could use as the basis for generating a wordclock to drive the TubeFire 8. Has anyone tried something like this?

[rumleymusic]

and the Zoom H4N could provide this if I could just sync it with the TubeFire 8.

How? Word clock does not contain any audio information. I think the best you can do by trying this is breaking your H4N.

If you mean you want to record the with the H4N separately while using the TubeFire, you do not need sync the devices. You only need to do that if they are linked digitally.

[oretez]

If you are trying to use the two devices as two independent A/D's attached to same computer then your software and device drivers need to support that capability

not familiar with Tubefire drivers but it is possible that ASIO4ALL might permit this (if your audio software permits multiple A/D's

at it's pretty easy to test

if you want to track to computer & to H4 and want to sync tracks directly then no, there is not feasible solder one wire between ART and Zoom and get the job done

It is possible that something like Trend Audio UD-10.1 could be used to cobble some kind of sync'd connection between Audiofire and Zoom but as I'm unaware of anything similar that doesn't cost more the $100 there are probably cheaper ways to reach your goal

if your recording times are sufficiently short (e.g. 3-4 min.) then, depending on material and final distribution (purpose of recording) drift between devices will not be terribily difficult to accomodate via software editing/mixing

if your run times excede an hour you are not merely going to have offset but drift between the recordings and it requires more post production effort to synchronize them . . . within reason still possible but can be time consuming

in the day did a lot of low rent video on which we used mini disc recorders on the actors during remote shoots. On the fly sync between vid (lips) and audio was not possible but multiple unsync'd audio could still be an effective tool

[installers]

You brought up a capability in the Zoom H4N that I keep forgetting: it can function as a USB sampling device. The TubeFire has a Firewire interface, and ART explicitly mentions using Wordclock to sync multiple TubeFire units, but, if by some magic (maybe ASIO4ALL?) I can sync the TubeFire over Firewire, then maybe I can sync both units via software.

[audibell]

I have long wondered why Zoom hasn't figured out they could sell multiple units if they added spdif in and out rcas; each H4/H4n could pass clock to the next one in line until you reached whatever limit, 4 maybe. Start recording on unit one and they all start recording whatever's on their xlr inputs and keep in synch by the time code embedded in the spdif signal. When the files are offloaded into a daw, if they're BWF, all will be aligned.
If this works, I'd have had four or five velcroed onto a rack tray by now, for 24bit 48k splits backups.

[Corran]

Just having an spdif input on the H4N would be great.

[skygod]

This is really old school, but here's a time tested and true old school analog sync method you might want to consider. You will need four H4ns. Lets say you want to track a live band playing live in a controlled environement of choice. Place the four units at four corners facing in permitting a 360 surround coverage. Obviously you will have 8 built in very sensitive mics or 8 internal + 8 externals if you desire allowing even more coverage at different heights and depths etc..

Here's the tricky part, you will need four human operators. Each will have to press start/stop at the same exact millisecond. So the question becomes: 'How on earth do I sync humans?' This problem bothered me for a long time then one night I had a dream and it came to me. The solution was so simple and so obvious that it is actually mind boggling boring. It was and is the lovely entity in the universe ladies and gentlemen that transcends both the analog and digital domain -- ELECTRICITY.

I designed a simple four way battery operated circuit and controller then went down to radio shack and bought the parts and built it. Four single wire conductors from the main unit to finger pods similar to those used on polygraph machines.

Now here's catch. You have to rehearse it before going live, and at the electric jolt, they press start or stop. Record is already active awating the record start or stop action. Very Pavlovian, but hey, it works.

Caveat: You have to be careful with voltages. Doesn't require much, and I mean DCVolts and NOT ACvolts. So don't start at 120VAC or 220VAC and fry a few of your coworkers or employees. That might be a bad thing. 9 Volts DC is more than enough off of batteries and not the AC plug in your wall socket.

Make sure to have snacks handy, because as they begin enjoying the pain and salivating at the experience, they might start barking and require a dog bisquit to continue.

Have fun -

~skygod~

[cartrouble]

Even with ASIO drivers (or on the Mac) the Zoom H4N can't sync at all. If you plan on doing any overdubbing, the Zoom H4N is not an option.