I just ordered and am awaiting delivery of a fostex vf 160. I've down loaded the manual off the web and discovered, as have countless others, that it's difficult to follow because of English/Japanese translation issues. I've tried without much success to find a website offering a simple tutorial for this machine. Can anyone help?
Is this the manual you have. Fostex.com. If you scroll down you'll find vf.160 manual. It seems pretty straight forword.
Joe
Yes, that's the manual I down loaded--all 158 pages! I'm an old English instructor, but I still don't understand this on page 32:
" Warning! In DIRECT Recording, all channel faders are basically "TRK". If there is channel in which the "IN (Input)" (RED: Flashing), press the (CH STATUS/SEL) key of that channel so it is a "TRK"
It's like grading bad essays from my foreign students. I know that given time and patience I could plow through and decode this. I'm not stupid. I'm just trying to save LOTS of work by finding a better written, easier to understand tutorial. I'd rather spend the time actually recording.
Without reading the manual I couldn't say exactly but it's probably something to do with routing. Each channel can be routed to various parts of the mixer. By engaging direct record all the inputs are routed to wherever TRK takes them, I'd guess that engaging direct record would globaly switch all inputs to TRK but still leave the choice of being able to re-route them individually to Input or whatever. The warning is probably just a precaution to watch out for that otherwise when you hit record you might end up with an audio signal going somewhere you don't want it or vice versa.
I get a feeling that once it's in your hands and you play around with it this will become aparent very quickly. The routing matrix on a digital mixer is probably the most confusing part of using them, fantastic range of possibilities but very hard to follow with small menu driven displays but you do get used to them.
As for the easy manual you are looking for, you will probably be better off looking for a good book on using analogue and digital mixers, once you understand them in general it's just a matter of getting to grips with the way a particular manufacture does things but they are all basically the same principal.
Lee
Their saying that if a channel isn't tracked you'll need to click the [ch ststus/chsel] and it will light up so that it will track. Does seem alittle overwhelming at first but it will get easier. What I do when I'm just setting around like at one of my relatives having to be there when I'd rather be somewhere else doing something else. you know. I will set and re-read everthing untill I become more familiar with whatever piece of equipment I need to master.
Joe
My recorder arrived this week and I've started recording basic tracks. This is a wonderful machine. I appreciate the helpful comments from all who responded.
I stumbled across this site that REALLY helped by explaining in plainer English what I needed to do to start recording. I hope it helps others: http://vf16.com/pdf/vf16_New_Direct_Quick_Start.htm
