Specification for a 4ch portable hard drive recorder.

4 channel harddisk recorder.

- 4 balanced XLR input plugs
- 48V phantom power for each
- ganged pre-amp for each (one knob is sufficient if their relative levels can be controlled digitally)

(my current RME quadMIC 4 channel preamp also offers a "low cut" function (for wind situations) .. and the choice of "+4 db gain" or "hi gain".

I have not really done enough recording to determine if these are necessary. I usually use "hi gain", and dont use the low cut function (I prefer to have good wind socks).

- writing to SD card in WAV format (capable of doing 64 bits)
- stereo output for monitoring (with perhaps averaged 4 signals into 2 .. or, if that is too difficult, just the first2 channels into the headphones ... this is really not critical)

- A to D must be sample accurate (i.e. sample synced) for the 4 channels (otherwise, even tiny differences in phase will weaken the spatial image)
- Name of files on hard disk to the Date of the recording postfixed with channel number ... 2005-10-26-09-52-45_1.wav (year month day hour minute second _ channel number)
- ability to turn off recording from certain channels (if I want to record just stereo)

- graphical level metre
- space left on flash memory card

(transfer to computer is done via flash card so there is no need to have a computer interface device)