MIXING AND MONITORING
To ensure maximum flexibility in the field, the PORTADRIVE incorporates three comprehensive
8 CHANNEL 24-BIT/96kHz LOCATION SOUND RECORDER
SESSION-BASED RECORDING
INPUT Allows
BUS MIXER Provides a mono or stereo mix to disk (internal or external) which can be used to record simultaneous daily rushes /
OUTPUT MIXER Provides an alternative mix which can be created to suit the requirements of the director, for instance.
HEADPHONE MIXER
Ensures that whatever is seen on the metering is heard through the headphones.
In addition to the headphone mixer, 6 instantly recallable headphone presets can be configured to monitor almost any point within the signal path. Each preset can be set to decode the signal in MS, STEREO, MONOL, MONOR or MONOBOTH formats.
DVD-RAM BACK-UP
HHB’s optional
copies on
Location audio acquisition in the 21st Century is about much more than just
upon the sound recordist have never been greater.
That’s why location sound specialists HHB developed the PORTADRIVE PDR 2000, a ‘next generation’ location recorder which combines
INTUITIVE OPERATION
IN THE FIELD
Simultaneous recording from analog and digital sources is
easy, with comprehensive internal routing giving the user complete flexibility. Developed in consultation with leading sound recordists, all the PORTADRIVE’s front panel controls are arranged to give immediate and intuitive access to the most frequently required functions. Using a
RUGGED REMOVABLE HD
For proven reliability, high data rate and uncompromised multichannel
Record Times For The 40GB HD Supplied
Tracks | Sampling Freq. | Bit Depth | Record Time |
2 | 48kHz | 16 | ~60 Hours |
2 | 48kHz | 24 | ~40 Hours |
3 | 48kHz | 24 | ~30 Hours |
4 | 48kHz | 24 | ~20 Hours |
5 | 48kHz | 24 | ~15.5 Hours |
6 | 48kHz | 24 | ~13 Hours |
6 | 96kHz | 24 | ~6.5Hours |
8 | 48kHz | 24 | >9.8 Hours |
8 | 96kHz | 24 | >4.8 Hours |
Four
buttons allow rapid access to the control,
metering and monitoring of all audio signals (see left).
Six rotary encoders operate in conjunction with a large, transreflective LCD for the easy adjustment of any displayed parameter, and Undo, Jam TC, Slate, Tone and Group function buttons are protected from accidental use with an Enable button.
COMPREHENSIVE CONNECTIVITY
Extensive audio, synchronization, data and control connectivity includes: 6 high | Word clock output on a BNC connector • Sync input (word clock, video, tri- |
gain, very low noise microphone balanced | level) on a BNC connector • A |
powering, gangable limiters, input pads, | A 1/4" stereo jack headphone socket • A SCSI interface • An Ethernet |
reverse • 8 balanced line inputs • 8 channels of AES digital inputs and outputs | interface • A USB2.0 interface (USB1 compatible) • RS422 and parallel |
on a | remote control interfaces • A PS2 socket for connecting a keyboard |
A balanced stereo AES digital output • RCA phono stereo SPDIF digital I/O • |
|
PORTADRIVE WORKS THE WAY YOU WORK
The facilities on the top panel of the PORTADRIVE have been arranged into a highly intuitive, hierarchical navigation system (see right),
allowing the user to set every system parameter. Although this dictates a considerable number of pages, menus nested within menus have been avoided so the user can quickly locate and adjust any function. Input, Busmix, Track and Output function buttons parallel the front panel Primary Modes and additional Disk, Session, TC and Setup functions allow the operator to configure their recording sessions to suit their workflow, and also to name, store and recall entire system configurations. Pressing any of these 8 menu buttons causes an associated menu to be displayed on the large top panel transreflective LCD (with wide viewing angle). The user can navigate and alter information displayed on this graphical LCD using cursor keys and the large data wheel. Further pages within the selected menu are listed along the bottom of the LCD and are easily accessed through the row of function buttons immediately below the screen.
Large transport controls on the top panel allow convenient operation of the PORTADRIVE’s Locate and
Playback functions. As well as the usual
Play, Stop and Cue functions, the Locate
button can be used to access audio by whatever means is most suitable to the user – take, marker or timecode value.
INTELLIGENT POWER
The PORTADRIVE is powered by a single 50 Watt Lithium Ion
and internal battery power, with the A/C adaptor doubling as a charger for the battery when the PORTADRIVE is not in use. An optional PDRJL2 dual- bay charger is also available and, when fully charged, the battery provides approximately 2 hours of constant operation, with the ‘power remaining’ displayed to
an accuracy of ±5%. Because the PORTADRIVE can be configured precisely for each job, power conservation is further optimised (for instance by switching off mic inputs that are not in use), and an additional level of flexibility is provided by compatibility
with conventional NiMH or NiCad NP-1 batteries.
attenuation, HPF, limiter, adjustable delay and phase reverse. Input levels can be adjusted and the
TRACK The source can be specified for each disk track. M/S decoding can be switched in and out as required. This menu also allows the setting of the number of recorded tracks for each take.
OUTPUT For output configuration and creation of the output mix. Source, nominal level and M/S decoding can be set for the Main and Aux outputs. Digital options include source select, sample rate, bit depth, etc.
DISK Allows full control over formatting, naming and file and folder creation/deletion on each disk, with an easy to use navigation system.
SESSION For specifying session parameters (e.g. session name, sampling rate, bit depth). A session can be quickly configured by selecting any one of 20 configuration templates.
TC Timecode menu with internal generator, chase, jam and
SETUP All general system parameters can be altered here. Includes tone generator, slate, power management, LCD contrast, meter and time / date settings.