New Marantz Professional Field Recorder

Mike de la Fuente · July 12th, 2003, 11:23 PM

Marty,

In your original post, you make reference to a 640 MB card. Although I'd like to use the PMD-670 for an upcoming video project for school, I'd also like to use it for taping concerts as an alternative to DAT. Two 640 MB cards would be ideal, but a quick search on www.pricesearch.com doesn't show any 640MB cards. It goes from 512MB to 1GB microdrive. shopping.yahoo.com shows a few cards but they're already in or over the price range of a 1 GB IBM microdrive. The Lexar is over $400! Two other brands were also listed, but I have never heard of them: Delkin ($200) and SimpleTech ($150). Has anyone had experience with these brands? Are there any concerns using microdrive instead of compact flash?

Thanks

Bryan Beasleigh · July 13th, 2003, 12:45 AM

I don't think audio memory would have to be the fastest. $235 to $450 is a big swing for lexar (1 gig at B&H)and you only spend the bucks for the fastest when you need it, or have more money than I do>
That may be ok when you're using a 5 megapizel still and shooting multiple frames.

Marty Wein · July 13th, 2003, 05:25 AM

I did a quick search on eBay and I did find the Sandisk 1GB at $189.

Scott Osborne · July 13th, 2003, 10:41 AM

At little OT here but its nice to see another Upstater in the Forums...I was begining to think I was the only one! As far as Compact Flash memory goes i have yet to see any that are different than others. Remember in most camera that picture is transfered to a buffer memory first and then copied to the Flash Memory. I am sure the Marantz works in the same way. I have all kinds of different card..Sandisk,Lexar,Canon you name it there all basically the same....Also IBM micro drives are great but with 1 gig cards here and 2 gig cards on the way there days are pretty much numbered.

Mike maybe if you pick up the marantz would it be possiable for me to take a look at it when I am out that way. I want to see it before I buy and B&H is a 7-8 hour drive away.

Thanks

Marty Wein · July 13th, 2003, 05:42 PM

I just came across a device that allows you to copy data on a battery operated hard drive straight from the Compact Flash Card, which may be a perfect companion to the Marantz PMD-670

Mike de la Fuente · July 14th, 2003, 02:07 PM

Scott,

I'm in Ithaca for school from NJ, so though I've been here for 4 years, I don't know if I'm a NY upstater. In fact, local residents say this is better referred to as central New York. ?( I'm not sure when I'll be picking up the PMD-670, but hopefully before summer's end so I can record some summer concerts in the Ithaca area and use it for some video work. I'll let you know when that happens.

Marty,

What's the make/model on that device you mentioned?

Gints Klimanis · July 14th, 2003, 02:33 PM

Here's a link to a performance review of various compact flash cards:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/mediacompare/

Gints Klimanis · July 14th, 2003, 02:45 PM

Although the performance comparison is a bit dated, it's clear the reviewer revealed a HUGE performance difference. The IBM microdrives seem to have the most balanced performance. For digital cameras, write speed is more important in reducing the wait betweens taking pictures and movies and their transfer from device local memory to flash card memory.

I purchased my first compact flash card from some unknown web site. It was listed as a Samsung flash card. Samsung
is a Korean DRAM manufacturer, so I figured I'm getting something good. The card has no manufacturer listed on the label. Apparently, the only thing "Samsung" about this card is
the flash memory controller. Be careful. Buy one of the brands listed on the performance chart.

Marty Wein · July 14th, 2003, 06:01 PM

Mike,
I am sorry that I forgot to mention it to begin with. I found one by Buslink at Office Depot and I also found some at B&H

http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=358480

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh3/controller/home?O=breadCrumb&A=search&Q=&ci=3369

Scott Osborne · July 14th, 2003, 09:12 PM

Well I stand corrected...I guess there "IS" a difference in memory cards. I never noticed a difference with my Canon G2 or my G3 between the different cards I have. But according to that page there is. ..

Mike, I am also a transplant. I have only been here a year I am originally from Tampa, FL....As far as location your close enough. There are very few people on the forum that are that close to me. I was planning on getting a Marantz sometime this fall. Like I said if you do get one before my I would love the chance to check it out. I end up in Ithaca once a month or soo. ...please keep me posted

Thanks,

Christopher Go · July 15th, 2003, 03:56 AM

Great article! Exactly what I was looking for when I posted earlier. Thanks.

Steven Digges · July 19th, 2003, 10:22 AM

CF cards do fail and when they go you may loose every thing on them. I have 2 IBM Micro Drives and about 10 other cards of various sizes by several makers. 2 of those cards I bought on sale for a cheap price believing they were all the same, those cards are made by I/O Data, they both failed with data on them.

As the storage capacity of these cards continues to grow and cost less take into consideration what you will loose if the card fails. Is it better to have all 4 hours audio on one card or 4?

I love my Micro drives but I do not fill them up "just because I can". It is to scary to have that much of a job riding on that one little piece of media.

Steve

Christopher Go · July 27th, 2003, 06:32 AM

Steven, that's a very good point. I should get into the habit of backing up audio the way we back up computers...

July 13th, 2003, 10:41 AM	#19
Scott Osborne Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 116	At little OT here but its nice to see another Upstater in the Forums...I was begining to think I was the only one! As far as Compact Flash memory goes i have yet to see any that are different than others. Remember in most camera that picture is transfered to a buffer memory first and then copied to the Flash Memory. I am sure the Marantz works in the same way. I have all kinds of different card..Sandisk,Lexar,Canon you name it there all basically the same....Also IBM micro drives are great but with 1 gig cards here and 2 gig cards on the way there days are pretty much numbered. Mike maybe if you pick up the marantz would it be possiable for me to take a look at it when I am out that way. I want to see it before I buy and B&H is a 7-8 hour drive away. Thanks __________________ Scott Osborne Infinite Video Productions

July 14th, 2003, 09:12 PM	#25
Scott Osborne Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 116	Well I stand corrected...I guess there "IS" a difference in memory cards. I never noticed a difference with my Canon G2 or my G3 between the different cards I have. But according to that page there is. .. Mike, I am also a transplant. I have only been here a year I am originally from Tampa, FL....As far as location your close enough. There are very few people on the forum that are that close to me. I was planning on getting a Marantz sometime this fall. Like I said if you do get one before my I would love the chance to check it out. I end up in Ithaca once a month or soo. ...please keep me posted Thanks, __________________ Scott Osborne Infinite Video Productions

July 19th, 2003, 10:22 AM	#27
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	CF Cards CF cards do fail and when they go you may loose every thing on them. I have 2 IBM Micro Drives and about 10 other cards of various sizes by several makers. 2 of those cards I bought on sale for a cheap price believing they were all the same, those cards are made by I/O Data, they both failed with data on them. As the storage capacity of these cards continues to grow and cost less take into consideration what you will loose if the card fails. Is it better to have all 4 hours audio on one card or 4? I love my Micro drives but I do not fill them up "just because I can". It is to scary to have that much of a job riding on that one little piece of media. Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!

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July 12th, 2003, 11:23 PM	#16
Mike de la Fuente New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 9	Marty, In your original post, you make reference to a 640 MB card. Although I'd like to use the PMD-670 for an upcoming video project for school, I'd also like to use it for taping concerts as an alternative to DAT. Two 640 MB cards would be ideal, but a quick search on www.pricesearch.com doesn't show any 640MB cards. It goes from 512MB to 1GB microdrive. shopping.yahoo.com shows a few cards but they're already in or over the price range of a 1 GB IBM microdrive. The Lexar is over $400! Two other brands were also listed, but I have never heard of them: Delkin ($200) and SimpleTech ($150). Has anyone had experience with these brands? Are there any concerns using microdrive instead of compact flash? Thanks

July 13th, 2003, 12:45 AM	#17
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	I don't think audio memory would have to be the fastest. $235 to $450 is a big swing for lexar (1 gig at B&H)and you only spend the bucks for the fastest when you need it, or have more money than I do> That may be ok when you're using a 5 megapizel still and shooting multiple frames.

July 13th, 2003, 05:25 AM	#18
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	I did a quick search on eBay and I did find the Sandisk 1GB at $189.

July 13th, 2003, 05:42 PM	#20
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	I just came across a device that allows you to copy data on a battery operated hard drive straight from the Compact Flash Card, which may be a perfect companion to the Marantz PMD-670

July 14th, 2003, 02:07 PM	#21
Mike de la Fuente New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 9	Scott, I'm in Ithaca for school from NJ, so though I've been here for 4 years, I don't know if I'm a NY upstater. In fact, local residents say this is better referred to as central New York. ?( I'm not sure when I'll be picking up the PMD-670, but hopefully before summer's end so I can record some summer concerts in the Ithaca area and use it for some video work. I'll let you know when that happens. Marty, What's the make/model on that device you mentioned?

July 14th, 2003, 02:33 PM	#22
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Here's a link to a performance review of various compact flash cards: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/mediacompare/

July 14th, 2003, 02:45 PM	#23
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Although the performance comparison is a bit dated, it's clear the reviewer revealed a HUGE performance difference. The IBM microdrives seem to have the most balanced performance. For digital cameras, write speed is more important in reducing the wait betweens taking pictures and movies and their transfer from device local memory to flash card memory. I purchased my first compact flash card from some unknown web site. It was listed as a Samsung flash card. Samsung is a Korean DRAM manufacturer, so I figured I'm getting something good. The card has no manufacturer listed on the label. Apparently, the only thing "Samsung" about this card is the flash memory controller. Be careful. Buy one of the brands listed on the performance chart.

July 14th, 2003, 06:01 PM	#24
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	Mike, I am sorry that I forgot to mention it to begin with. I found one by Buslink at Office Depot and I also found some at B&H http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=358480 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh3/controller/home?O=breadCrumb&A=search&Q=&ci=3369

July 15th, 2003, 03:56 AM	#26
Christopher Go Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 429	Great article! Exactly what I was looking for when I posted earlier. Thanks.

July 27th, 2003, 06:32 AM	#28
Christopher Go Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 429	Steven, that's a very good point. I should get into the habit of backing up audio the way we back up computers...