Advice needed for field recording to laptop

fultro wrote on 12/2/2007, 12:40 PM

I have a few jobs coming up to record audio in people's homes (mostly dialog recorded for CD-A output - no overdubs necessary).
In my experimenting with this new system things have not been all that smooth (inconsistent glitchy playback at times, and 2 bluescreen deaths upon Ctrl/R to record in Vegas (Konnekts Asio driver chosen). I realize that problems like these could be the Konnekt 8. But I am asking for general advice here for notebook recording.
Laptop is : Gateway Intel Core 2 Duo T5200 (1.6 GHz)
Win XP (sp2)
2 Gigs Ram
1 HD
Audio In : TC Electronic Konnekt 8 Firewire
w latest driver
I will be running both mic inputs into either Vegas or Sound Forge.
Questions -
--- The HD is partitioned with the OS as C:\ and Data as D:\ . Any opinion about whether it would be better to record to C:\ or D:\ ?
I would of course record to a separate drive if I could - I could do so to a USB drive but is it true that this is not a reliable way to record ?
--- It seems that the Asio drivers I use for recording don't seem to perform as well as Microsoft Sound Mapper for playback - is this my imagination - anyone else notice this ?
--- Killing all unnecessary processes inc network and anti-virus
This seems to have calmed things down the last day or so . . .
Any other tweaks recommended ?
---- Anyone else have any experience with the Konnekt 8 ?
As I no longer have a hardware recorder, that is not an affordable option right now - I feel my palms getting sweaty already.
Any help would be greatly appreciated..... fultro

Comments

richard-courtney wrote on 12/2/2007, 8:14 PM

I don't have a TC Electronic Konnekt 8 Firewire device so don't know
how useful my reply will be.

I have used a different program that seems to work for simple capture.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

ASIO is available in a BETA release but you must do some hoop jumping.
Does the unit come with MSM support?
Try the program. (Its free)

I always say less is best so try recording to your laptop's internal drive.
C or D? Tossing coin....heads so record to D. Since only one physical
drive......

jbolley wrote on 12/3/2007, 8:16 AM

I have almost the same laptop and have been using the focusrite saffire LE firewire box with no problems. I have done several records with vegas verson 6 and have now upgraded to 8.
What vegas version are you running?
Have you tried ASIO4all 3rd party driver?

Best,
Jesse

fultro wrote on 12/3/2007, 8:27 AM

Jesse - thanks for the response . Interesting you mention the Asio4All driverwhich I wass just now contemplating trying but feared it might add another layer of complication to my efforts.
I just bought TCElectronic Konnekt8 and it seems I have finally ironed the problems out with a bit of tweaking my own system but their forums indicate that lots of others are having nightmares with the driver and I fear it may only be a matter of time with mine. I need something bullit proof - will look into the focusrite - seeing as how it works with your system. Are you using the Gateway's included Firewire port or a card ?

jbolley wrote on 12/3/2007, 12:51 PM

I'm using the onboard mini firewire port on the laptop.
Give ASIO4ALL a shot! It's saved many a users stuck with poor drivers!

Sounds like it's not the laptop and not vegas (still curious which version you're on BTW...)

Jesse

fultro wrote on 12/4/2007, 12:21 AM

jbolley,
"(still curious which version you're on BTW...) "
that would be Vegas 6 (not much of a HD Vid editor here)

-returned the Konnekt8 for Focusrite Saffire which so far (13.659 secs.) seems to work - big test tomorrow
thanks for the recommendation . . . . .

ultrafinriz wrote on 1/9/2008, 3:54 PM

What's the report on the saffire? Everything work out ok?

ultrafinriz

R0cky wrote on 1/9/2008, 4:40 PM

I had a bunch of similar problems and I don't think it's the ASIO driver but windows' firewire performance.

I've tried and returned the Presonus Inspire and Alesis IO14 after they both kept hanging. They both use the standard 1394 driver with windows.

I got an Echo Audiofire 8 which comes with Echo's own 1394 driver and so far it's been bullet proof. I really like Echo products, fabulous analog performance and no driver problems ever for me.

Geoff_Wood wrote on 1/10/2008, 6:56 PM

I think there is a MS Firewire fix that fixes somthing broken is SP2. Sorry, you'll need to search the MS Knowledgebase for it. Made my Phonic Helixboard completely stable into my HP laptop.

geoff

R0cky wrote on 1/14/2008, 12:39 PM

Thanks Geoff. I already found several in the MS KB. One of which made it work well enough that I got through a recording gig with the Alesis box but it was still flaky. Hit record and don't breath on the laptop until the music stops.