Card Problems

[Tony]

Can anyone explain this? I'm having a problem with a 1GB Verbatim SD card.  I'm going home to England in a month or so - June in Wigan, whoopee, am I mad? - and it's a big flight as you can imagine - three 7 hour hops - and I'm trying to stock up on sounds for the flight.  So I'm recording my favourite internet radio station into the MBR mp3 mode (Home of the Groove - best of that New Orleans Sound, give it a try).  Now the manual tells me that a 1GB will give me 1040 mins. of recording at 128kbps but I'm getting about 1 hr 40 minutes and then it says card full.  I can buy more cards but it would be good to know why this isn't working properly. Any ideas, anyone?

[Geir]

1 hr 40 minutes

that looks very much like the time you'll get recording to stereo wave format

G.

[Kody]

Ahhh.....but the fine print says............

*The above-listed times are approximate.  Time may be slightly shorter depending on the number of MP3/WAV files were created.

*The memory capacity(recording time) decreases when the track data(Song) exist in the memory.

I think this means that if you were to record all of your songs in a row/without starting a new song~you could get 1040min....But that doesn't really make sense...Why would Boss try to deceive us?!  Still, I guess 1hr 40min is quite a bit of songs. Maybe you should think about buying some more memory cards...then you'd have some backups when you get home...I bet someone on here(64guitars) could be able to help you more than I can...Have you ever heard a MP3 in 64kbps?, I haven't, but you might want to atleast try it~

Hope you have a safe trip!!

[64Guitars]

I'm recording my favourite internet radio station into the MBR mp3 mode (Home of the Groove - best of that New Orleans Sound, give it a try).  Now the manual tells me that a 1GB will give me 1040 mins. of recording at 128kbps but I'm getting about 1 hr 40 minutes and then it says card full.

As a rule of thumb, MP3s at 128kbps will consume just slightly over 1MB per minute. So, a 1GB memory card (1,000MB) should hold about 1,000 minutes (over 16 hours) of music in 128kbps MP3 format. I don't know what you're doing wrong but, at 1 hour 40 minutes, it sounds like you're recording in WAV format rather than MP3.

Here's how I would fill the card:

• Record the songs on your computer using Audacity or some similar program and save them in 128kbps MP3 format.
• Initialize a memory card in the Micro BR so that it is empty. The Micro BR will create one new song by default but that's okay as it takes up very little room if no tracks are recorded.
• Transfer the MP3s from your computer to the MP3 folder of the Micro BR (see pages 103/104 of the Micro BR manual if using Windows, or pages 106/107 if using a Mac).

[dragonshade]

I'd be more concerned about 21 hours worth of batteries .

[Tony]

As a rule of thumb, MP3s at 128kbps will consume just slightly over 1MB per minute. So, a 1GB memory card (1,000MB) should hold about 1,000 minutes (over 16 hours) of music in 128kbps MP3 format. I don't know what you're doing wrong but, at 1 hour 40 minutes, it sounds like you're recording in WAV format rather than MP3.

Here's how I would fill the card:

• Record the songs on your computer using Audacity or some similar program and save them in 128kbps MP3 format.
• Initialize a memory card in the Micro BR so that it is empty. The Micro BR will create one new song by default but that's okay as it takes up very little room if no tracks are recorded.
• Transfer the MP3s from your computer to the MP3 folder of the Micro BR (see pages 103/104 of the Micro BR manual if using Windows, or pages 106/107 if using a Mac).

I'm definitely not recording in WAV.  That was the first thing I checked and I tried it twice, once at 192kbps and then a second time at 128kbps.  192kbps gave me a little less time than 128kbps and that makes sense.  And both recorded as mp3 files.

I want to avoid recording to a computer based editor (Audacity/Sound Studio/Garageband) because that means I can't monitor during the process - only one audio output on my MacBook which I am using as a source for the recording.

I will try clearing the card, initialise it again and, if that doesn't work, I'll try a new card. 

I don't intend to record for 1040 mins (my battery life would allow it for one) but it's a problem now that has to be solved.  Or I put it on the pile of other unsolvables and buy more cards.

I'd be more concerned about 21 hours worth of batteries .

You do have a point.

[Tony]

Well, whaddya know, guys.  I initialized the card again and, presto, over 17 and a half hours of recording time.  Now I can groove all the way to sunny Lancashire.  Thanks for your help.  I'm off to buy several thousand dollars worth of rechargeable batteries.

[Kody]

Cool!! Good to hear you got it sorted out~ Unsolved mysteries suck....Maybe the next Micro BR will have a USB chargeable battery that will last for days~like an MP3 player or a cell phone...

[launched]

That's a great idea regarding the USB power/charger - Makes total sense!

Mark