Neuros Technology Forums

bobkart, the whole point of this topic is that it has already been fixed. The problem is that the update caused more harm than good, for me at least.

It's not fixed on my recorder which I just got earlier this week.

I'll certainly report my findings here, although that may have to wait until Neuros swaps my R2 out with one that doesn't have hosed audio.

I think the LEDs across the top are for selecting/indicating the output voltage, although they may double as capacity indicators.

I've sent an email to support@neurosaudio.com about this, but I thought I'd share my situation here anyway.

I tested the audio recording (plus video of course) on my recently-acquired MPEG4 Recorder 2 this evening.

First problem, nothing was being passed through audio-wise.  I confirmed that I had good audio out of the source (DVD Player) by connecting it directly to the display.  But through the R2, silence.

Playing back a recording on a PC revealed two things, first, that audio was in fact coming into the R2, so the lack of audio passthrough is apparently on the output side, BUT, here is the worst of it, the audio captured was seriously bad.  The right channel was heavily distorted due to very high level.  Playback with the QuickTime Player had the little meter for the right channel nearly pegged.  Left channel seemed too quiet but it was hard to tell with the right channel boomingly distorted.  Listening to the audio straight from source to display confirmed that the levels were balanced between the channels and relatively low-to-medium levels, not something that should challenge the audio-capturing circuitry.  I also confirmed that the problem was not with my playback signal path by playing back a sample clip:  http://www.neurosaudio.com/support/video_table/VGA-640x480-Superfine.MP4 . . . no such audio problems playing back that clip.

Playback of captured files from the R2 gave nothing in the way of audio output.  So this is apparently another problem in addition to the badly distorted audio recordings.

This is an unfortunate situation and hopefully not indicative of the general level of Quality Assurance applied to this product.

Two minor problems I also pointed out to support in my email were:

 - Every 8-9 seconds the video output "hiccups" by jumping up/down a scan line or so.
 - Using a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo, remaining recording time is initially reported as 153 minutes despite the correct number being 119 minutes, which is subsequently reported upon re-entering the recording screen.  This is at maximum recording quality (VGA, Super Fine).

Body - Red - audio right
Next - Ground (common)
Next - Yellow - video
Tip  - White - audio left

If the cable checks out okay then it is wired wrong within the unit itself.

Good advice of course.  I rounded down from 22+ "theoretical" hours with that 20-hour estimate.  Trying to get all 20+ hours in a row compared to on-and-off usage is another way to me up short.  That's why they will often quote amp-hour ratings based on some some period such as 10 hours.

And I do suspect it is a good quality battery back, if only based on the price I paid:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=2240427&sku=T120-1026

I may consider monitoring it with a dummy load as it gets low the first time to see how it deals with the "end of charge" situation you describe (if it's not covered in the User Manual).

Red and white RCA composite jacks are for left and right audio channels.

Actually that would be white and red RCA plugs are for left and right audio channels, respectively.  Assuming they did it like everyone else in the world.

Sorry Ex-Navy, I couldn't resist!

How's the AutoRecord device coming by the way, or is it?

Since the encoding no doubt happens in the hardware, not much chance of a firmware upgrade adding formats not supported by the hardware.

Fortunately recorded files can be converted into any other format in software after the fact (with the right software).

And MPEG4 is some 2-5 times more efficient space-wise than MPEG2.  So capturing as MPEG2 would result in much larger files for the same picture quality.

Great information dongle.  I just ordered a 56Wh battery pack for my R2, so at 2.5W that's over 20 hours recording time.

OK, the Digipower battery only gave me around an hour of record time with one recorder, so I went back to the drawing board.  I ended up purchasing a Tekkeon MyPower ALL:

http://www.tekkeon.com/site/products-mypall-specs.php

With one recorder, I can get over 12 hours of record time on one charge.  I don't have a second recorder to test two together, but I believe that you could get at least 4 hours using two recorders on one battery, unless the amperage of the two together is too much.

Tekkeon specs:
<ul><li>Weighs just 11.8 oz (330g)</li>
<li>Size is 3.28” (W) x 6.80” (L) x .92” (D)</li>
<li>Output current: 4A max</li>
<li>Rechargeable lithium polymer battery </li>
<li>4 hour charging time</li>
<li>Supports multiple voltages
(3, 4.5, 5, 6, 7.5, 9, 12, 14V)</li>
<li>36Wh output power</li>
</ul>
   
 
 

I just ordered this battery (actually the next size up, the 3400).

You say it comes with the necessary adapter, that's great, but I'm curious how you were planning to run two recorders from one battery.  Do you have or know where to get a splitter that uses the appropriate power connector?  Or at least the power connector itself?  I can find one with the right dimensions at Digi-Key, but I suspect that it doesn't have the spring-loaded inner contact to securely grip the positive pin in the recorder's power jack.  Maybe it will work but if you know where to get a conenctor that defintely does, I'd like to hear about it.

Well I posted it in the ideas for improvements but I'll repeat it here.  As have many others.

AutoRecord should stay turned on after use!

How hard can that be?  (Rhetorical question, don't answer!)

Thanks for a good product and the opportunity to suggest ways to make it better . . .

If you are still taking suggestions for firmware improvements for the R2, mine would echo those of several others in this Topic:

 - visual confirmation that the unit is turned on
 - a way to turn on AutoRecord permanently

Ideally as long as it has power, as soon as a video signal is present, it would start recording.
But if that's not possible, then as long as it's turned on (with visual indication that it's on!), AutoRecord should work.

This whole thing where AutoRecord is turned off after it is used makes it practically useless.  At the end of each AutoRecording I must find a TV screen, hook it up, and navigate through menus to turn Autorecord back on.  Or resort to manual recording which is what usually happens.

Thanks for listening.

Any leads on the "right" kind of power connector?  With internal spring contacts?

I'm about to order a 5.5x2.03mm right-angle version from Digi-Key just to see if it works.  But if someone knows where the spring contact version can be obtained, I'd rather just get one that I know will work.

Thanks for any help.