Hands on the Tascam HS-P82
Nearly a month ago, we introduced Tascam’s new line of recorders. Now that we’ve received our first HS-P82, it is clear Tascam had a specific user in mind–those with smaller budgets, but high quality tastes. The touchscreen interface, dedicated knobs/switches, and natural controls layout lead users through a quick learning curve regardless of their level of experience.
Like other recorders such as the Sound Devices 788T, the recorder does have a stereo bus, labeled left and right. Many mixers may prefer call these mix bus 1 and 2, but the alternate label doesn’t change the function. If you are used to providing a mono mix with other mixes to a boom operator or Comtek feed, you will need an additional mixer. The simple left/right bus panning does not provide the numerous output routing options of competing recorders. So where does it fit in to the current recorder landscape?
On a cart, the HS-P82 would definitely fit with cart mixers, such as the PSC Solice and Sonosax ES64. Since the HS-P82 is tracking friendly, you’ll have everything you need on set when using the bus and communications capabilities of these mixers. You may want a laptop nearby to burn dailies via USB transfer. Or you can simply swap record drives between the two compact flash drives. With the current 1.00 software, mirroring is not available, but it should be in the early firmware upgrades.
In a bag, the HS-P82 is a bit deep, but comparable in size with a Zaxcom Deva Fusion. As an over the shoulder mixer/recorder, you are limited, as previously discussed, to the left and right output buses. However, no recorder currently on the market can provide discrete eight-channel recording, plus two additional tracks for the price of the Tascam.
The HS-P82 headphone output listens to the stereo bus, but soloing of channels is also available. If you want to use the stereo bus as a camera send, you may want an additional box. We had Remote Audio custom create such a box for camera return. The custom box provides a toggle switch, pan, and volume control to select between the recorder’s headphone output and the return.
HS-P82 Menu Screen
Traveling within the menu functions is easy. In my opinion, menu functions could not be more intuitive and accessible. The home screen shows all tracks, drive selection, and timecode display. It has quick links to record enable and scene/take entry. Pressing the meter display will solo the track or stereo bus. You can also link pan and level settings to the stereo bus.
HS-P82 Menu Screen
HS-P82 Mixer Screen
Pressing the menu button will give you the most access to settings, but nearly every setting page has a quick link to closely related material. For example, in the mixer setup, you can link to individual channel setups, or you can see the setups for all channels together.
Setting up a project is a simple and quick process. In the project menu, name, scene, sample rate, and frame rate are set allowing for new recordings in a new file structure in moments. The ability to set limitless markers may not come into play regularly in location audio, but it is a feature you may find handy when listening back to specific takes.
Overall, as the market continues to fill with non-linear recorders, the HS-P82 is a welcome, budget-friendly, quality addition to the fray. Tascam has added a great choice to the market.
Thanks Tom,
Seems like I should read the user manual much more closely again.
TASCAM has really thought out their features in this unit (re: Retake – TC counter). Please convey my appreciation for all these small, but significant, features that really make our lives on the field a much better experience across to the design team.
Looking forward to new additions to the firmware.
Regards,
Ashok
Hello Tom,
I seem to have come across two strange glitches:
Glitch 1:
After formatting both cards using full format, with mirror mode selected, when we proceed to create a new project, for the first time on a the newly formatted cards, I have noticed that the HS-P82 creates the new project according to current user inputs on card 1. However, on card 2, the HS-P82 retains the project name of the earlier instance.
Glitch 2:
I have noticed that the retake function, does not work consistently all the time.
Could you please check if this issue happens at your end as well? Can this be fixed in the next firmaware please?
Best regards,
Ashok Gazula
Regards,
Ashok
Hi Tom, I was wondering is it possible to think about “rename file(take)” function in your future firmware update? It’s something that’s definetely missed by all of us. Thanks!
Hey Tom,
I am running into the issue with False Take. When I hit false take instead of it going back to that take it automatically jumps to the next take is that normal? It won’t allow me to go back unless I make changes to like the scene name or something.
Nicole
I’m investigating these reports, but please report problems through the tascam website as well.
http://tascam.com/contact/support/
I figured out a solution. Unfortunately when recording with dual cf cards if you delete a take on cf card 1 it doesn’t delete it on cf card 2 so same issue sort of like what Ashok is having. I may just have to settle for recording to one card because when moving fast I don’t have time to go to CF card 2 and delete. Thanks Tom for all your hardwork and I have sent over issues using the Tascam website.
Nicole
I would like to add that I also had “Glitch 1:
After formatting both cards using full format, with mirror mode selected, when we proceed to create a new project, for the first time on a the newly formatted cards, I have noticed that the HS-P82 creates the new project according to current user inputs on card 1. However, on card 2, the HS-P82 retains the project name of the earlier instance.”
Also I’ve had a glitch where I am recording and then outr of no where I look down ( without hitting anything) and it’s not recording anything anymore, luckyly I’ts only happened about 3 times and I was always able to re-do the scenes, if I was for instance recording a live event or show, it would have been lost….had to pull out the…yeah that last take was not very good for sound, can we do a re-take? ….0_o
Ashok,
I believe the files and folders on the mirrored CF are only created when the Recording starts (not when the project is created), so those could be folders you made when you did the initial format for that card… In my tests here, the folders and files are identical.
I duplicated the problem with RETAKE in V1.10, it only happens when Mirror recording mode is ON.
Yuri, are you saying that you ended up with a short take (because the unit went from REC->STOP for an unknown reason), or that no take was recorded at all (even though the timecode display in the LCD was updating in RED – meaning recording).
Is this in mirror recording mode?
Please use the support form on the tascam website and give us full details of the cards you are using, and other project settings.
Hello Tom,
I use the Soundfield ST-450 surround microphone (http://soundfield.co.uk/products/st450.php), which outputs 4 channel audio that contains surround sound information called B-format audio, to record surround sound on location using the TASCAM HS-P82.
I noticed with the TASCAM HS-P82 that POLY mode of recording is possible, however, I am curious to know if clubbing 4 individual MONO tracks to make a QUAD file in POLY mode is possible, or is it limited to just STEREOPHONIC poly files only??
If it is not possible to club beyond a STEREOPHONIC poly file, would it be possible to include a firmware update to make it possible to make:
QUADPHONIC POLY Files
HEXAPHONIC POLY Files
OCTOPHONIC POLY Files
Regards,
Ashok Gazula
Is there a way to get better output routing maybe an hardware update? Not being able to do individual outputs is insane.
Also is there away to add a remote roll for the machine?
Thanks
Nicole
http://www.tascam.de/en/downloads/current/HS-P82
Firmware 1.11 HS-P82
Is there a way such a cool looking and good sounding device to be able to rename takes, control input line levels with the knobs(faders) and other simple abilities. These are functions that every recording machine specialized for capturing production sound must have. Every post house requires correct labeling of the files. I’m dissapointed about the lack of those. Also, just found out that when you record in mirror mode metadata of the file shows take number +1. For instance take one is labeled take two within the file.This occurs in both cards(Sandisk Extreme). Tried to get all this to Tascam official site and they answered a week later with a phone number I should call and discuss the problems in details!!! Tom, can you throw some light on all this?
@Ashok,
Your request has been noted, to be able to divide the 8 channels into a couple of poly files instead of just all-mono.
@Nicole,
I’m not sure what kind of output routing you are looking for.
For a remote roll, you could use a PS/2 keyboard extender cable and use a regular PS/2 computer keyboard. The F-keys give you transport control.
@Emo,
We are investigating Take renaming, Line Level trimming and inability to do a retake in mirror mode. I will check for Incorrect metadata in Mirror mode, that is a new one to me.
Our Support vectors are via email through our tascam.com website, or phone support during regular hours. Any help I can provide here is unofficial, and feature requests don’t get as much weight unless you can provide us details to our support people.
Tom.
Hello Tom,
Appreciate your continuing help in implementing new features into the TASCAM HS-P82. I would also like to support what Emo mentions in regards to:
- Input trim control when using:
(a) Line Level Inputs
(b) Digital Inputs (through the D-sub 25 input)
- Ability to rename TAKE number/name
- Ability to format both CF cards in parallel (for both FULL & QUICK options) when mirror mode is selected, which saves time immensely on the field.
Would appreciate it if they can be worked into the next firmware update. I have already contacted TASCAM Support through the website regarding these features.
Regards,
Ashok Gazula
Thanks Tom and Ashok!! Hopefully this will take hold soon! Regards.
Tom,
I am having trouble getting the keyboard to do the functions you listed above. Any help would be appreciated it. I can name files and stuff but can’t get it to make the recorder roll.
Thanks
Nicole
@Nicole. Looks like the HS-P82 doesn’t have the Keyboard Function Key assignments (we added them in the HS-8, which was after the HS-P82). I will send you a beta version with this added.
Does the RC-F82 allow you to still get ISO tracks if you turn down faders? I’m thinking of getting one to replace my current mixer. Any info is welcomed. Thanks
@Nicole,
Yes, the RC-F82 has faders and knobs, and can control either the mixer levels or the trim levels from the faders and knobs.
For stereo mixing (concert recording), you’d do mixer levels and pans, leaving the trims on the main unit untouched.
For film, you can put mixer levels on the faders and trim levels on the knobs, so you don’t have to touch the main unit at all.
Check out Fred Ginsburg’s Blog. He wrote a quick start guide for the HS-P82 which includes using the RC-F82.
http://filmtvsound.com/index.php/recorders/242-tascam-hs-p82-end-user-guide-for-filmvideo-applications
How hard would it be to add an hard drive to the Tascam? Maybe an external one or even internal. I would love to have a backup other than the CF cards.
Nicole
Why would you want to compromise the temperature range capabilities by putting in a rotating media (which are known to slow down or not even spin up in the cold)? Not to mention the possibility of data loss if the HS gets dropped.
In theory you could convert the cable internally to plug into an old style IDE 1.8″ drive (from the original iPod) and mount it inside the case, but by the time you did that, you could have just bought a 64GB or 128GB CF card and leave it permanently in slot 2.
The USB port is for connecting to a computer, so unfortunately there is no way to “turn it around” to connect external devices.
Hang on another season, and I expect to see everyone happy using CF as an interchange and long term storage media.
Hi Tom,
I was wondering if there is a way to have the BNC 2 out have the AES/EBU out instead of the BNC 1 out (which serves for timecode out and is necessary) this would give us users another set of outputs to use, along with the stereo XLR outs already provided..thanks
what about that noise in the 192/96khz mode, have you guys fixed it? Whats the latest/best fimware to use ( i would like to keep the CF card Mirror Option)
Thanks!
Yuri
@Yuri: V1.11, which fixes the 192kHz noise problem, went up on the tascam.com website yesterday.
AES/EBU out on BNC2 makes sense, I’ll see if it’s easy to do.
Tom.
Tom Duffy, consigo sincronismo pelo time code com o Sequenceliner ou com o Final code, guando envio o time code para a Alexa HS P82?
desculpe, Final Cut
@Samuel,
You should have no problem with Final Cut Pro. FCP reads iXML data from the BWAV files
see http://www.ixml.info/FCP_ixml_implementation.pdf
The HS-P82 writes and tags, which Final Cut will read.
The Timestamp is standard BWAV, so that will work.
Hello, I have recently joined the ranks of HS-P82 owners and so far I am delighted with the recorder. I have updated it to OS v 1.11.
Here is my wish list.
Like many others have noted, the retake doesn’t quite work as intended when mirroring the recordings. Please could this be corrected?
What happens to the discarded takes? Are they deleted or moved to a “Trash” directory? Removed to a place of safety would be ideal. Failing that, the ability to edit file-names globally would be useful.
I am planning to do a reasonable amount of stereo (M/S) and surround (Core Tetramic) ambience recording. When ganging the adjacent pairs, what parameters, if any, are linked? Ideally the limiters should act simultaneously on stereo pairs as should bass-cuts (HPFs) and levels. I notice that the gain-trims can be ganged but it would be good to have the possibility of ganging two of more faders without actually strapping a pencil across the faders.
I use an 01v96v2 and it would be useful to be able to record the SPDIF output on the 2-mix pair via one of the BNC inputs as well as the 4 pairs of AES/EBU I/Os via the MY-8AE card.
I hope my requests are reasonable and implemented in a future update.
Kindest regards to one and all
Tim BC
Thumbs up for “edit file name” option. It’s desperately needed.
Regards!