Recording Questions

[jeff]

This was originally posted by Trash at the old forum.

Hi all -
Hope you can help. Saw one of these devices for the first time today here in the UK. Very interested mainly because of the recording feature - I have lots of analogue stuff that I would like to store and play in MP3... So here are some questions which will help me make up my mind about taking the plunge. Hope some kind souls can help:

1 - I have heard that when recording to MP3 the recordings are prone to clicks and pops. Is this still a problem or has it been solved (and if it's still a problem is it very noticable?) - this is a potential deal breaker for me as the recording function is my main reason for purchase.

2 - When recording using an optical source does the iHP-120 detect track breaks and start a new file for each track?

3 - Conversely if I am recording from an analogue source (i.e. a record -
anyone remember them I will end up with one huge file per side - is there some way of splitting this huge Mp3 file into its seperate songs?

4 - I have been trying to download the manual do that I can see what it is like to use but there seems to a problem with the site. However from what I can figure from reading numerous posts it sounds complicated when it comes to storing your music.
I would like to be able to store my songs on the device and be able to select them by artist or by album (rather like the ipod system). is it possible to do this? What is all this palaver about '(re)creating DB files'. I'm not interested in playlists particularly as I only ever convert and listen to whole albums.

5 - The pictures I have seen show a socket labelled USB 2.0 Does the iHP-120 support USB 1.1?

I think that's it - many thanks for any advice/comments so for so many
questions...

[dogdog]

Hi, Jeff
Have irivier response those questions for you?
My computer K7 with USB1.1 , until now seem no problem occur.

Your recording questions also my concern!
I want convert my old cassette tape, into "separate" music files.
Want to know how can I easy go.

---------------
dogdog

[Evil Eivind]

I'd definitely also appreciate some answers to the above questions, as the main reason for why I'm considering an iHP mp3 HD player over the other mp3 HD players on the market is due to the recording feature -- and I'd definitely be disappointed if I, after purchasing the player, discover that the recording feature simply isn't satisfying (as in poor quality on recordings, or any other possible problems).

[Big D]

Questions:

1. Not had this problem myself, so can't comment.

2. No

3. Huge wav and mp3 files can be split using software freely available on the internet (someone might know the names)

4. You can search by artist, song, genre, album using the database (have to add songs on the computer and a file is generated on the iHP) See the downloadable manual for more details (now working)

5. Yes it is backwardly compatible with USB 1.1

[nacboy]

1. I have never heard people talk about this, but i have experienced a little bit of it when recording from the internal mic, and it makes sense. Those little clicks and pops are you pressing buttons. Keep in mind that the internal mic is internal! Its close to the buttons, so you hear clicks and pops.

2. It wont recognize track breaks, but you can always record the first track, stop, record the second track, etc. You wont be a able to just leave it, but the record isnt gonna be able to turn itself either now is it? Another consideration is the kind of music you listen to. If you have old jazz records and things, the tracks are going to be longer, thus less tracks per album. To be honest, i think it would be easier to just hook ur reciever up to your sound card, record one big file (or two - one per each side) and break them up with some sound editing software, and theres definitely plenty of free wav editing software around.

I think your other questions have been answered.

Buy it! Its absolutely amazing.

p.s. Another good thing you can use the record feature for is free pay-phone calls....though the phone system in the uk is more up-to-date than that in the us, and it wont work over there...oh well.

[Evil Eivind]

I have read one or two complaints regarding the "popping sounds," as well as a few stating that you can hear the HD in the background when using the internal microphone. I don't think the popping sounds referred to the internal microphone, but hopefully it's not a fault in the actual iHP unit(s).

It seems odd that it won't recognize the beginning/end when recording optically though, as I thought that was a digital way of transfering sound. And I liked the idea of not having to use a computer in order to copy music onto the unit, that you could instead use a CD (or DVD) player with an optical out to record CDs directly to the player with no strings attatched. This makes it not quite a useful a feature as I had hoped it would be, as you'd still need to use a computer (and some time and energy) in order to split up the album into individial tracks.

I've taken the liberty of adding a few more questions to this post, which I hope some of you may be able to reply to.

6. When recording with an external microphone, is the quality of the recordings good, bad, or simply okay? I'm considering using the unit (if and when I buy one) for recording some simple music.

7. I've read numerous complaints about the iHPs lack of a recording meter. How essential is this, exactly, and how is it bad that it doesn't have this feature?

8. How does the iHP compare to the recording feature on the new portable MiniDisc units? As mentioned above, I'm planning on recording music using an external microphone, and am curious if the iHP would be able to do this with good results -- or if it would be better to go for a MD unit instead when this is of some importance to me.

8.1. Does a MiniDisc unit distinguish between tracks when you record optically with it?

[rob13800]

Just because the optical in/out is digital, does not mean it carries the same information that a computer would get. the optical lines are ONLY carrying the music. nothing else. no track stops, no song information, nothing. only the music. any device with an optical in only recieves the information being sent over it, and that is the music. optical is not USB...usb sends system signals and commands, optical does not.

6. quality is good.

7. it does not have a recording meter, this is true. its not that big of a deal unless your recording alot of stuff from analog sources etc etc....but they will prob add in a firmware release.

8. the brand new MD units (i.e. Sony's 'Hi-MD') are probably the best portable recording devices. but thats about it. they can play back music, but the disk capacity is 1.5 gb, and xfer to them is slow. over optical its only 1x, same with ihp-120. it does not recognise track starts/stops. you have a button called "t-mark" that starts a new track. I would stick with the ihp-120, because while its recording isnt as good, its better all around IMO.

8.1 nope

[SRGilbert]

Originally Posted by Evil Eivind

I liked the idea of not having to use a computer in order to copy music onto the unit, that you could instead use a CD (or DVD) player with an optical out to record CDs directly to the player with no strings attatched. This makes it not quite a useful a feature as I had hoped it would be, as you'd still need to use a computer (and some time and energy) in order to split up the album into individial tracks.

Well, you would still need a computer to name and tag the files, otherwise you end up with just generic file names the player generates. Also, you currently can't select what folder to record into, or move files, or even delete files without a computer. Besides, it's a safe bet that no matter how good the iHP's mp3 compressor is, I can't imagine it would do as good a job as something like EAC/Lame using VBR settings.

Long story short, this player (like 99.9% of all portable Mp3 players) REQUIRES a computer to make it work. Even if you could name files and move them around, can you imagine ripping your entire music collection in REAL time?