WHY RECORD ON HARD DISK?

HHB PORTADRIVE PDR2000 FILE BASED HARD DISK RECORDER

The new breed of recorders that deliver sound rushes on DVD are fast becoming the standard for feature films and drama and soon will be the preferred system for commercials. However, at Mike Cooper Sound, we will continue to work also on DAT as we realize there will be a transition period. Of the future there is no doubt. File based recording will take over from DAT in the very near future. Because the format is new, I would like to encourage the communication between production sound and post production to ensure everything is in place for a project. In Spain, things are in place at the main labs, and a DVD will happily be accepted and synched up. Our chosen machine is the excellent HHB Portadrive. This selection was made because of the design and quality, great support from HHB, and the best communication for software development between the location sound mixer and the software development department.

 

WHY THE INDUSTRY IS MOVING FORWARD?

For many years now location sound has been recorded on tape, and for many years that made complete sense because a subsequent transfer had to be made by analogue means to magnetic film. However, in more recent years sound has been transferred from quarter inch or DAT to a non-linear system such as AVID or an audio workstation in order to be synched to the pictures. At last location recorders are available to recorded straight to files that can be read by AVID or any audio workstation  delivering  numerous advantages.

  1. Eliminating time for digitizing

  2. All takes automatically on recorded time line.

  3. Metadata preserved with slate and take numbers and notes.

  4. When shooting, no pre-roll wait as a pre-record buffer is used.

  5. Extra security as safety copies are easily made on location

  6. Multi track (6 tracks+2 track working mix) making for the facility to split radio mics and booms on complex scenes to give maximum flexibility in post.

 

We are pleased to be able to offer to you now what will soon become expected of every location sound recordist.

 

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