Tascam DP03

[Banjaxed]

Hi,

I am fairly new to this forum and I have taken on board the necessity to RTM.
After reading the instructions many times I am at a loss where to turn next.
I am trying to import a track in the correct format but I keep experiencing the
same problem. I connect to my PC drag and drop the file into the Wave folder
then rename the file and try to load the song. The song appears fine but when
I press the execute button Nothing happens. I have read the manual over and
over but I am at a loss where to turn next. If I have a faulty recorder then I will
have to live with it but if anyone can shed any light on my problem then I would
be very grateful.

 

[Mark Richards]

@Banjaxed.
I'm not an owner of this particular portastudio, but looking at the owner manual, there's no explicit mention in the Import instructions of a key step: first needing to create a new song or open a previously created song. (Typical TASCAM technical writer incompetence strikes again. )

So in broad strokes it appears there would be a 3 step process (create song; transfer file from PC to SD card; open song and Import file to song track-probably via a menu option.
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EDIT
I made time to read the detailed Import steps on page 63 of the Owner Manual. Import is in fact a menu driven function, explained step by step, that should import a desired .wav file into a desired track of a previously or newly created song. So once the song is created and the file transfer is completed, steps 1 through 9 on page 63 should achieve the desired result.

Also, there's likely a limit on the number of characters in the name of the file being imported beyond which the firmware will not recognize the file. Check your owner manual for any information about that. If in doubt, limit the import file name to the default number of characters used by the firmware to name songs.
---------------------------------------------

@Banjaxed, if that solves the problem, please let us know so that knowledge/information will be available to the community going forward.

 

[shredd]

Typical TASCAM technical writer incompetence strikes again.

It's a crime against nature (or at least musicians): the last really solid, utile, informative TASCAM manual I've seen was for my 2488neo (released nearly 20 years ago). The manual for my O/G DP-32 (about 10 yrs old) is serviceable - though can't hold a candle to Phil T's User Guide - but the one for my '008 is laughable.

Nowadays - it seems like most of their manuals are written by people who were cleaning the toilets that morning, and spent the afternoon learning English from a box of Cheerios...

 

[MichaelDuke]

The manual for the DP-03 is actually pretty good, but then again I haven't tried to import tracks like the OP is wanting to do.

 

[Banjaxed]

Thank you all for your replies it is very much appreciated. I have been through the process several times and the result is the same. Everything goes as expected until I try to load the song and it refuses to load. I have only recently bought this unit and I am beginning to wonder if it has a fault.
I feel like going back to my DP004 which I never had any problems with albeit a bit lacking in certain features. Once again, thank you for your support.

 

[Banjaxed]

Just as an afterthought I might try to record the trac the old fashioned way

 

[Banjaxed]

I tried the old fashioned way and it still refuses to cooperate so I think it must be a faulty machine.

 

[Mark Richards]

@Banjaxed, Next steps: check your owner manual for determining:
1. If the SD card or song is write protected;
2. If the DP-03 firmware is up to date; and
3. If you're using a TASCAM tested/approved SD card.

 

[Banjaxed]

Thank you Mark I will check it out.

 

[Banjaxed]

@Banjaxed, Next steps: check your owner manual for determining:
1. If the SD card or song is write protected;
2. If the DP-03 firmware is up to date; and
3. If you're using a TASCAM tested/approved SD card.

Thank you for your input Mark. I have done as you suggested and unfortunately
it has not solved the problem. Looks like it has a fault after all. Thanks once again for everybody’s input it is very much appreciated.

 

[shredd]

That bytes!

I think @Mark Richards covered the main things that might be culpable...his suggestions are the first things I'd have looked at...

The only other thing I mighta suggested would be to attempt the operation with other devices (a different computer, known-good USB cables, etc - even a different, known-good SD card?)...

Good luck -

 

[shredd]

Another thing worth emphasizing (though you'd know this if you'd RTM):
When you create a song and try to import externally-produced trax, they MUST match the bit-rate and sampling frq of the song you created (and vice-versa)...for example, you can't import 16/44.1 trax into a 24/48 song, or any combination - they ALL must MATCH. You'd probably get an error message about that, but perhaps not on a DP-03?

 

[Banjaxed]

Thanks for your suggestions shredd but I have checked and double checked all the suggestions I have received and I cant find any reason why it is not working. I think I will have to accept that I have a faulty unit. Thanks again for all the help I have received.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Just a long shot from a distant memory of a similar-sounding fault. Have you tried reformatting the FAT partition. It's only used for transfers in & out of the machine so there's no danger of damaging your songs (which all reside in the MTR partitions), but it might have got corrupted so the machine is unable to read it properly.

 

[Phil Tipping]

A bit late to the party but some further thoughts fwiw, although I think Mark and Shredd have already covered them, but your description of what you are doing doesn't seem right to me.
e.g. you said in the first post "I connect to my PC drag and drop the file into the Wave folder then rename the file and try to load the song..."

A few things I don't understand:

1. Why you are copying the file into the FAT partition and then renaming it? Why the rename?
The file is going to be imported into the current song, so its name is irrelevant, unless as Mark said, it's a very long name or contains strange characters like punctuation (I would normally stick to alpha-numeric characters to guarantee full portability of filenames).
If the file needs renaming to comply with this, why not rename it on the PC and then copy the renamed version to the FAT partition?

2. Why are you having to 'load the song'? Surely the song is already loaded when you attempt the import process? Are you using the right terminology re. songs and tracks in describing the process?
The basic steps are to copy the file from the PC to the FAT partition, and then execute the 'import' function in order to convert that file into the chosen track of the (currently loaded) song. At this point the song should be playable; there is no need to load the song. You just need to press Home to return to the home screen.
So the question is does the song play at this point, or is it only later when you try and reload the song?... or is it the import process which is failing? which leads on to the next question....

3. What stage of the operation are you when you say "I press the execute button Nothing happens". Is this the 'execute' which performs the import operation? If so, it may suggest the FAT partition is faulty as suggested in my previous post.