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From: Sune TB Nielsen on 23 Jun 2008 20:25
Hi

Not long ago I bought a used Mackie SDR 24ch harddisk recorder. When I
record concerts it sometimes comes up with disk/performance errors.
It uses standard ATA drives (the ones used in desktop computers until
the new SATA drives came along)

I suspect that the vibrations from loud music disturbs the harddisk. But
I am not sure yet.

If anyone here recognizes the problem or have ideas as to what might
cause the errors I would very much appreciate any input.

____

I apologize for the post being so long, but I want to explain in as much
detail as possible, so that others might see alternative explanations.

Here is the full story:

When I got my SDR I tested and used it at home and it worked flawlessly
with several different Maxtor 7200 rpm harddisk drives (120gb, 160gb,
320gb). Also with 24 tracks 24/96 although it is not stated in the
manual that this is possible.

But the first time I took it out to record an evening with 3 concerts,
it recorded the first two, but in the third it stopped saying disk error
something (i dont remember exactly).

The recorder was placed on stage about 1� meter from the bass amp, on a
wooden box.

The first concert was a weird hip hop/rap band playing through a guitar
amp and the PA. (Rec on tracks 1, 2, 3, 17)
The next was a guitarist playing through the bass amp and singing
through the PA (Rec on tracks 1, 17)
The third concert a noise trio with me playing very loud and distorted
bass through the bass amp. (Rec on tracks 1, 4, 17)

I took it home and tested it and nothing was wrong, except for the
recording of the third concert.

I thought the harddisk might be unstable so the next time I brought two
harddisks, not the one from the first evening.

It recorded as it should. Two concerts. No problems. One laptop concert
through the PA (4x500W) (5 tracks at a time) and one oscillator/filter
noise concert also through the PA (5 tracks at a time)
Then the next day at the same location it recorded three concerts
without errors. (one synthesizer-concert (tracks 1,2,17,18,19), one
acoustic (tracks 1,2,8,9,10,11,12) and one considerably loud
dubstep/hip hop (tracks 1,2,8,17,18))


Then the day after, at the same location I wanted to record yet another
concert: 12 people doing only feedback (9 guitars and 3 basses) (tracks
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,13,14,15,16)

Both disks were empty and frelshly formatted.

After 20 minutes it started reporting errors.
Some disk error and some performance error and some number that I didnt
note, unfortunately.

I tried several things:
To stop, shut down and restart, make new project. Still after a while it
came up with an error massage.
I tried to stop, shut down and restart and mount disk, make new project,
but still after a while, errors.
Then I changed the harddisk, but again after a while, errors.
After a few tries I limited the number of armed tracks to 12, but no change.

I tried these things a lot of times (the concert lasted 2hrs and 15 minutes)

When I took it home, it again worked fine. Both harddisks recorded up to
24 tracks 24/96 with no errors. For more than one hour

The last three evenings the recorder was not moved. It was placed on the
lid of a rack case (which might have picked up vibrations) and plugged
into the same power outlet.

So I guess some vibrations from the bass is disturbing the harddisk.
Today I constructed a thing with aluminum tubes and rubber-tubes for
bicycle-wheels to hang it from.

If this does not work, what will?

Could it be something else? Could the machine have some error?

I bought it to be able to record concerts, but if it only works at home,
it isn't of much use...
I am very disappointed and especially the feedback concert was important
to document.
If I cannot rely on it, then it is nearly useless...

Thing is, even if it works the next couple of times with the
rubber-suspension-thing I built, how can I know if it works the next time?

What should I do? Re-sell it to someone using it a studio? But what
should I buy instead?

Best regards

Sune TB Nielsen
From: Richard Crowley on 24 Jun 2008 02:49
"Sune TB Nielsen" wrote...
> Not long ago I bought a used Mackie SDR 24ch harddisk recorder. When I
> record concerts it sometimes comes up with disk/performance errors.
> It uses standard ATA drives (the ones used in desktop computers until the
> new SATA drives came along)
>
> I suspect that the vibrations from loud music disturbs the harddisk. But I
> am not sure yet.
>
> If anyone here recognizes the problem or have ideas as to what might cause
> the errors I would very much appreciate any input.

The same problems are discussed on the Alesis HD24 forum (on Yahoo).
Consensus is that the problem is not the drive itself, but the plug-in
drawer assembly. That 50-pin blue-ribbon connector is apparently
not as reliable as it looks.

Two solutions have been advocated by different HD24 users...

1) Put washers under the blue-ribbon connector to give it a better
chance of mating fully when plugged-in.

2) Put some kind of vibration-absorbing arrangement under the
unit to protect it from the problem waves.

Since the SDR uses similar plug-in drive drawers (AFAIK?),
similar solutions might be in order.


From: Sune TB Nielsen on 24 Jun 2008 07:18
Richard Crowley skrev:
> "Sune TB Nielsen" wrote...
>> Not long ago I bought a used Mackie SDR 24ch harddisk recorder. When I
>> record concerts it sometimes comes up with disk/performance errors.
>> It uses standard ATA drives (the ones used in desktop computers until the
>> new SATA drives came along)
>>
>> I suspect that the vibrations from loud music disturbs the harddisk. But I
>> am not sure yet.
>>
>> If anyone here recognizes the problem or have ideas as to what might cause
>> the errors I would very much appreciate any input.
>
> The same problems are discussed on the Alesis HD24 forum (on Yahoo).
> Consensus is that the problem is not the drive itself, but the plug-in
> drawer assembly. That 50-pin blue-ribbon connector is apparently
> not as reliable as it looks.
>
> Two solutions have been advocated by different HD24 users...
>
> 1) Put washers under the blue-ribbon connector to give it a better
> chance of mating fully when plugged-in.
>
> 2) Put some kind of vibration-absorbing arrangement under the
> unit to protect it from the problem waves.
>
> Since the SDR uses similar plug-in drive drawers (AFAIK?),
> similar solutions might be in order.
>
>

Thanks for you answer!
I have to take alook inside, to see if that could be it..

Any Mackie users ever expirienced or heard of something like this?
From: Gareth Magennis on 24 Jun 2008 08:21

"Sune TB Nielsen" <suneni(a)get2net.dk> wrote in message
news:4860d7f8$0$15889$edfadb0f(a)dtext01.news.tele.dk...
> Richard Crowley skrev:
>> "Sune TB Nielsen" wrote...
>>> Not long ago I bought a used Mackie SDR 24ch harddisk recorder. When I
>>> record concerts it sometimes comes up with disk/performance errors.
>>> It uses standard ATA drives (the ones used in desktop computers until
>>> the new SATA drives came along)
>>>
>>> I suspect that the vibrations from loud music disturbs the harddisk. But
>>> I am not sure yet.
>>>
>>> If anyone here recognizes the problem or have ideas as to what might
>>> cause the errors I would very much appreciate any input.
>>
>> The same problems are discussed on the Alesis HD24 forum (on Yahoo).
>> Consensus is that the problem is not the drive itself, but the plug-in
>> drawer assembly. That 50-pin blue-ribbon connector is apparently
>> not as reliable as it looks.
>>
>> Two solutions have been advocated by different HD24 users...
>>
>> 1) Put washers under the blue-ribbon connector to give it a better
>> chance of mating fully when plugged-in.
>>
>> 2) Put some kind of vibration-absorbing arrangement under the
>> unit to protect it from the problem waves.
>>
>> Since the SDR uses similar plug-in drive drawers (AFAIK?),
>> similar solutions might be in order.
>
> Thanks for you answer!
> I have to take alook inside, to see if that could be it..
>
> Any Mackie users ever expirienced or heard of something like this?



Er, I think there may well be a few over on the Alesis HD24 forum (on
Yahoo). Can't remember where I read that information now .......




Gareth.


From: Mike Rivers on 24 Jun 2008 08:22
Sune TB Nielsen wrote:

> Not long ago I bought a used Mackie SDR 24ch harddisk recorder. When I
> record concerts it sometimes comes up with disk/performance errors.

> I suspect that the vibrations from loud music disturbs the harddisk. But
> I am not sure yet.

Not likely, unless you're putting the recorder on top of a subwoofer
that's playing awfully loud. You can always test the susceptibility to
vibration by trying to create an error by pounding on the case with your
fist.

There were a number of updates to the SDR24/96 including one
send-it-back-to-Mackie hardware update. When buying used, you often
don't know what you have. There's no way you can tell if the hardware
mod has been made (maybe Mackie still has a record of the serial numbers
they've modified and can tell you) but you can check the firmware
version and update to the latest if you don't have it.

Formatting the drive using a computer rather than using the quick format
sometimes helps. These recorders are usually pretty reliable, but they
do have their quirks. Or maybe it just doesn't like your brand of noise
music. <g>





--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me here:
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
(mriv...(a)d-and-d.com)
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