New to the forum

[Axe Victim]

Hi all!
I have signed up on this forum as I am waiting to receive my new DP-24SD. I have been lurking for a few days now trying to get a feel for what is in store. Many years back I had a nice little studio going in my basement, Gibson Les Paul, bass, acoustic, amps, bunch of peddles and mic’s and a Yamaha AW16G portastudio. For some reason I fell out of it and sold it all. Not that I didn’t love it but some of life just happened.
Flash forward and I’ve been bit once again. Epiphone Les Paul Tribute Plus, Taylor acoustic, Squire Contemporary Strat. Boss Katana 100 Mkll. And now to round it off a bit, the Tascam. I can’t wait to start recording again.
So here’s my first question.
From browsing through the forum I’m getting a sense that the SD cards might be an Achilles Heel of this unit. Is this something I need to worry about, or am I reading to much into it?
It just seems to be a reoccurring topic. Thanks in advance for your input and hopefully, reassurances

 

[Phil Tipping]

Hi and welcome to the forum, and to your renewed recording adventures
The sd-cards are only a problem if you don't use an approved or genuine card, or don't handle them properly. The majority of reported issues are due to this or running out-of-date firmware. There are guidelines in the sticky posts, so if you start off on the right foot, you should have no problems.
Good luck, and enjoy your new machine

 

[-mjk-]

Welcome to the Tascam Forums, @Axe Victim. Those are words of wisdom from Mr. Tipping - the minute your machine boots up for the first time, update the firmware and then format your (approved!) SD card in the machine. I can honestly say that I have never had an issue with my machine that was not with the SD card (stupid operator errors excluded of course!).

Beware of one thing though - there have been some reports of the card that ships with the unit not being completely reliable. So check and make sure it's one of the approved cards (I know that doesn't make sense). I would go ahead and get a 32G card and have it ready to go when the machine gets there.

 

[Axe Victim]

So this seems to be what’s available to me locally right now. Will it work? I know it’s not exactly the right model number on the approved list.
https://www.henrys.com/95695-SANDISK-32GB-EXTREME-PRO-SDHC-95MB-S-V30.aspx
Forgive me if this is not the correct place to ask this, I just thought while I was on the topic....

 

[Phil Tipping]

That one should be ok. It looks the same as one recommended by Sam https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._sdsdxxg_032g_gn4in_extremepro_sdhc_32gb.html
The sticky post from Mark shows what to look out for: https://www.tascamforums.com/threads/dp24-32-equipment-related-tips.5817/page-2

 

[Axe Victim]

Yes, I actually contacted Western Digital and that was the one suggested to me. Also SDSDXWF-032G. Now, for the machine to arrive. It has been delayed until today or tomorrow. Waiting somewhat patiently!

 

[-mjk-]

@Axe Victim in the meantime, you can find the latest version of the firmware, and put it on the SD card, along with reviewing the updating procedures (the DP should read the card with the stock formatting). That'll give you something to do in the meantime and the moment it boots you'll be ready to update it with no delays! Be sure to format that new card in the machine right after you update the FW.

 

[Axe Victim]

Thanks mjk I’ll be sure to do that. I see in the manual I format in the machine. Am I wrong or did I read in here somewhere, to format in my computer first?
Also, the manual (on line at Tascam site) describes updating the firmware using a USB connection, not the SD card?

https://tascam.com/downloads/products/tascam/dp-24_dp-32/e_dp-24_32_fw-update_va.pdf

And on the topic of SD cards, I wonder why Tascam went with SD and not Compact Flash as the media. As a long time Canon camera user I am aware that CF is much more stable and reliable than the SD cards.

 

[-mjk-]

The USB connection is only so you can copy the firmware update file to the Utility folder on the SD card. So it looks like you have to format the card in the machine first, then copy the firmware over to the Utility folder and proceed from there. I had forgotten that little tidbit about the Utility folder!

About the CF vs: SD card, I'm not really sure but nothing you can do on a still camera or video camera comes anywhere near what is going on with a digital Portastudio. In cameras it's a unidirectional flow of data. With the digital Portastudio, you have to be able to, worst case, record on 8 tracks while playing back 24 tracks simultaneously.

 

[Arjan P]

Ref CF-SD cards: I think a big drawback of CF cards is the vulnerability of the design, with numerous little pins in the CF slot waiting to interface with the numerous little holes of the card. Or waiting for an accident to happen with a slight wrong move..

I certainly never change the CF card in my DM-3200, because it's crucial in the mixer's operation - fortunately the mixer interfaces with the PC so there's also no need to touch the card.

 

[Axe Victim]

I’ve been moving CF cards back and forth for years in my cameras. I find they are rock solid and vertically incorruptible.

 

[-mjk-]

That has not been my experience, beginning in 2002 with the IBM 1G hard disk CF card, to a CF GPS card, and quite a number of memory cards. I got rather adept at straightening out pins over time. I haven't touched one in years.

 

[Axe Victim]

YES! it’s finally HERE
Tried to post a picture but the site says I’m not allowed. Anyway, I’ll look into that later. I am going to play with my new toy!!

 

[-mjk-]

@Axe Victim just post a link from a photo hosting site.

 

[Axe Victim]

Thanks mjk, but the only place that hosts my pictures is my hard drive. I’m not a huge fan of posting my stuff in public. And yes you guessed it, I don’t do the social media thing either. That’s just me!

 

[-mjk-]

@Axe Victim Oh. I thought I read that you tried to post a photo

 

[Axe Victim]

Sorry, I should clear that up.
I don’t mind posting individual relevant stuff on a forum I have joined. Single photos or such. I just don’t have a collection of my photos on a host site like PhotoBucket or the like.
But I don’t mind is situations like this.
Going forward, does this mean I can’t put up a photo here?

 

[Arjan P]

You can put that photo up on an external site and link to it from here. That doesn't necessarily mean that the photo is directly accessible on that external site.

 

[David Porter]

I'm pretty sure you can set an image as "hidden" at IMGUR -so only those with the link can see it.

Like this:

 

[-mjk-]

@Axe Victim there's your answer. I like to use Google Photos because by default they are private and every photo I've taken in the world, is available there.