DAW & HD recorders on location

[Mick@itc]

Hi all

I am building a remote rig and have had some great help from the group so far in selecting various parts. Now I am faced with the decision re the DAW. I have chosen and bought two HD24XRs. I will be bplitting the analog signal fromt he FOH or similar) and running through a Pre Rack. Post the Pre Rack I will be splitting the analog signal again into two for HD24 XR Unit #1 and Unit #2. Both recorders will be running 48KHz/24Bit. Back at teh Pre Rack stage I am considering taking the ADAT lightpipe connections from the 8 channel Pres (eg ONYX 800R) and running this to a DAW.

My two questions are...
Does anyone run two HD recorders AND a DAW or is that overkill?

Secondly, if you do run a DAW is it a laptop or a racked PC?

Regards
Mick

[Remoteness]

It looks like you have the right ideas...
Well done my man -- Well don indeed.

IMO, you should have at least two recorders running.
With out a doubt, having an additional recording system of a different flavor is an excellent idea.

[Gerax]

My setup consists of an HD recorder (Mackie SDR2496, just one...), and a laptop based PTMP DAW. I have a rack of pres which have AD conversion option onboard. I take the digital ADAT outs from the pres; one goes to the HD recorder, the other (the AD cards all have dual ADAT outs for S/MUX) goes to the M-Audio Lightbridge interface, and from there to the Dell XPS Laptop/PT software. Wordclocking everything to a single master prevents digital issues...
So far it's worked great for me. I believe with reliability of DAWs and HD recorders now, you are almost safe with a master recorder and a backup unit, but if you don't feel comfortable and think an additional backup will make you safer then by all means do it.

Hope this helps

L.G.

[Mick@itc]

Thanks guys, great info. I am definately going down the daw too route. Given that laptops are built to be transportable on face value they seem to be the opbvious choice for the hardwarrd component of the DAW. However I know from experience that having one hard drive for the apps and one for the recorded data is important in PC DAW hardware. This leaves me with the delima of laptop with associated physical security but limited specs or a rack cased PC with the flexible spec? What woudl you recommend??

Thanks
Mick

[Mick@itc]

No not the album, but I was sure I replied to this post...but obviously not.

Thanks guys for your input. Very much appreciated. So I have decided that I go with a splitter with one direct and at least one ISO out. Direct goes to FOH, ISO goes to Pre-Rack. Pre-Rack has (initially at least until cash flows) has three ONYX 800R (or other eg Octopre, 8 channel with Direct out AND ADAT outs). Direct outs goes through secondary passive two iso out splitter and on to the pair of HD24XRs Line in. The ADATs from the pres go to an M-Audio Lightbridge and firewire to the Laptop (going laptop rather than Rack PC) for additional back-up recording. The ADAT outs from the HD24XRs (tape returns basically) go through a second Lightpridge to the Laptop and I can monitor the tape outs that way. Monitoring will all be through the Laptop and phones/speakers depending on gig. In addition to above there will be a rack with a APC UPS and Earth Leakage Unit.

I hope I havew covered everything, now cant wait to put it together and get cracking at a gig.

Thanks again all...
Mick

[Gerax]

If I understand your setup correctly you aim at recording 24 tracks max, with triple redundant backup, right? Then I don't see why you have to use a second passive splitter for your two HDRs when you have the dual ADAT outputs on the Mackie (or whatever) pres...simply feed one of those to the first recorder, the analog to the second and the other ADAT out to the lightpipe interface. I guess the slight difference between the AD in the HDR versus that of the onboard pres is negligible, and far better than splitting again your signal with a passive box...

Just my impression...but do whatever works best for you.

[JEGG]

Originally Posted by Mick@itc

However I know from experience that having one hard drive for the apps and one for the recorded data is important in PC DAW hardware. This leaves me with the delima of laptop with associated physical security but limited specs or a rack cased PC with the flexible spec? What woudl you recommend??

Easy.
An external FW hard drive for working.
An additional external FW hard drive for backing up.

Lock your door and use a lightweight security cable to prevent "casual" walk offs.

I don't see what the problem is.
Am I missing something obvious? It wouldn't be the first time.......

[Mick@itc]

Hi Jegg. The physical security I meant was transport robustness versus a PC being carted around and the associated cards shifting in their sockets. Re the multiple discs, do you think that 3 firewire inputs might be a bit much for a Laptop?? 3 being, working FW external disk, back-up FW ext disk and the Lightbridge output from the Pres. Have ZERO experience with laptop based DAWS, only work with full spec PCs in the studio. Would love to hear anyones experience with Laptops with multiple FW inputs. Any specs or recommendations are gratefully accepted.

Hi Gerax.

If I understand your setup correctly you aim at recording 24 tracks max, with triple redundant backup, right?
Correct.

Then I don't see why you have to use a second passive splitter for your two HDRs when you have the dual ADAT outputs on the Mackie (or whatever) pres...simply feed one of those to the first recorder, the analog to the second and the other ADAT out to the lightpipe interface.
The reason I want to use the AD converters in the HD24XR that was modded by Jim Williams, its really sweet. I originally looked at looping fromt eh lightpipe of the first HD24 to the second HD24 but discovered that if the first HD goes down it brings the lightpipe with it, so didnot want that. re taking the second lightpipe from the back of the pres...didn't think of that. I will explore that.

I guess the slight difference between the AD in the HDR versus that of the onboard pres is negligible, and far better than splitting again your signal with a passive box... Yes will have to look at this.

Thansk guys, I am learning at a RAPID rate.

Regards
Mick

[d_fu]

Originally Posted by Mick@itc

Does anyone run two HD recorders AND a DAW or is that overkill?

I normally run a laptop DAW and a Fostex 160 (16 bit) for "normal" redundancy. If more is required, I'd hook up another laptop.
I usually split "digitally", i.e. using a preamp's separate ADAT outputs, so if the preamp blows a fuse, the recording is over...
Hard to get full redundancy.

[Remoteness]

It can be expensive, but it's not hard, you just need double of everything.

[Mick@itc]

Hi Guys.

Thansk for all the inputs. I ahve decided to get a laptop DAW based on this in addition to the two HD24XRs. The Pre Rack will get the analog feed directly from the ISO splitters. Then HD24XR #1 will get an analog feed directly from the Pre-Rack. HD24XR #2 and the DAW will get a feed fromt he ADAT lightpipe outs of the Pre rack. Getting a custom built splitter from INDAY. Yes I know this means I have a single point of failure at the pre-amps but I am going to wear that for the first while anyway. Monitoring of the DAW will be through the "phones of the Lightbridge but I still have to work out a monitoring solution fo the HD's. Was hopingto monitor via lightpipe back to the DAW but can't find a solution just yet for 72 channels into a DAW. Also can't find a Roland M480..which would be nice.
Finally have decided to permantly plug in the TRS's at the back of the HDs and build a DIN or D-SUB connector into the back of the HD racks for inputs.
Again, thanks for all your inputs.

Mick