790 line in recording volume & firmware

[fhensley]

Warning: Newbie with esoteric post!

I've got a unique problem...

First, some brief background:

I use iRiver 7xx and 8xx to record bat calls. Yes, flying mammals, not music. I have ultrasonic microphone systems that are voice activated and do technological miracles (time expansion) to turn ultrasonic bat voices (20-100 kHz) into audible sounds. These units deliver 17 second sound files out to headphones/recorders.

I record these bat calls with a 799 or a 790. When the voice-activated ultrasonic mic hears a bat and delivers sound, the IFP-79x kicks in and begins a .REC file. I've got AutoSync set to 1 sec, so after 1 sec of silence, the IFP-79x ends the .REC file and sits patiently waiting for the next bat call. It works great (mostly, see below).

I'd like the IFP to timestamp when it records each file, but it doesn't. So I run an IFP-800 in the system (via a headphone splitter) that plays a beep every 15 minutes. These are spaced with a 15 minute long silent .mp3 file. When the IFP-79X hears a beep, it records a 3-4 second .REC file.

So, when I download the 79x I get a bunch of files. Some are timer beeps. Some are bat calls. By keeping track of beeps I can tell approximately what time each bat flew by.

The Problem:

My 799 behaves just like I described above. The 790, however, is testy. If I unplug my 8xx that is keeping time, it behaves OK. But when the 8xx is plugged in, the 790 either misses bat calls and beeps, or it records additional random files. It can't seem to tell the difference between sound and silence reliably. I have adjusted volume on the beeping 8xx and LINE IN RECORDING VOLUME on the 790. When LIRE is 63, it misses calls and beeps. At LIRE 64 it records when no sound is coming in, regardless of playback volume on the 8xx.

The firmware for the 799 is 1.25, but for the 790 it is 1.243. When I try to upgrade firmware for either player, using the latest IFP7XXT-HEX file from iriveramerica.com, the upgrade window instantly closes, before I can even read what it says.

Quetions:

1. Does firmware version affect how sensitive LINE IN RECORDING is?
2. Is 1.243 really different from 1.25, is that just due to the difference in memory between the 790 (256 mb) and the 799 (1 gb)?
3. Does my upgrade window instantly close because I'm already up to the latest version?
4. Where do I find other versions of the firmware to try? I don't see them on ( http://www.iriveramerica.com/support/ultra/700.aspx )? I've seen mention on this forum of v1.65 and v1.75 but I don't know where to find them. I don't want UMS because I need 144 kbps recording.

Thanks for any advice!

-Frank

[microonde]

Here the links to download the firmware v1.65 and v1.75

v1.65
http://www.iriver.com/html/support/d...pSearchString=

v1.75
http://www.iriver.com/html/support/d...pSearchString=

[fhensley]

Thanks!

Why the heck aren't these versions on the iriveramerica website?

I downloaded 1.75 and upgraded via the home Macintosh - don't know why the PC at work wouldn't do it. I'll bench test the system today and see how it works.