From: chang@adelphi-assb01.army.mil (Forrest Chang)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Falcon030 -- Truth not Fiction
Date: 22 Dec 1992 11:14:32 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

>Are you going to buy a Falcon030?
>
>If so, WHY?
>
>If not, WHY?

	Maybe, depends primarily on the direct to disk multitracking
ability, secondly on graphics and desktop video.

	If the rumors turn out to be true that the 8 track direct to
disk will be a couple hundred bux, we might have something here.

	The alesis ADAT -- modular, SVHS based digital multitrack recorder
is the rage and also next on my expensive toy list.  It lists for about
$4K and lowest price I've heard was $3K.  I'll spare those people not
interested in recording the details, but it's kicking, and very modular
(need 8 more tracks, add another adat).

	Well, if I can buy a falcon for 1200 dollars or so ( gotta have
more than 1 meg and a HD ) and the 8 track attachment for say $400,
a huge HD for $800 and a tape drive to store the songs on say $300, lets
say I'll have spent $2700  -- pretty close to adat.

	Hmm... well if I can chain together multiple falcons for up to
128 tracks (which what the adat is capable with the BRC -- another $2K
tho') then I have the side benefits of running my ST software.

	Since atari is looking at niche market, esp. music/midi it would
be a good move to take market an "alesis adat killer" (I actually like
this company not and laud it's service and products  -- but as far as
digital multitracking they are current the people to beat.)

	Take the thing out of the carpal tunnel syndrome inducing (ask
me about it), non ergonomic, looks like a game machine, isn't really
all that much more portable for those midi musicians on the move, box
and place it in a rack mountable box which includes a HUGE HD for 
multitracking and a tape drive to back up your precious work.

	Then make an optional keyboard about the size and config of
the apple power book, i.e. small functional keyboard with the track
ball attached.  Then with a long cord or better yet an infrared remote
on the keyboard you can control everything from the various locations.
I've got a 1040 as my sequencer/smpte chaser.  I have to constantly get
up from my various equipment/racks and go to type on the the non detachable
keyboard.  I use a cordless mouse to help so I can operate parts of the
the sequencer, but still it's not too convenient.

	

	With this we could have a true professional music recording
workstation..

	1) rack mountable   -- goes in the rack w/ the rest of the music
equipment.  And were I to take in on the road with me, you put it in a 
rack case.
	2) functional portable keyboard -- control of everything from
any place in the room.
	3) central control of virtually everything in one unit.

	 Midi and D2D this can control the bulk of what's being
recorded, disk for analog signals, midi for synths, effects.  Pep
up the machine and you could probably display animation at the same
time  -- you could make a whole video on one machine..

	If someone can make this for the same price as an alesis ADAT,
then you've got something.  Esp. if they were to make slave rack mount
devices to be controlled by the master one for modular addition of
digital tracks.  These slave boxes you could probably make for the $700
falcon box, no keyboard, no peripherals expept i/o to the master and
disks.  

	If atari could make this, studios and musicians alike would
snatch the thing up, like they are with the ADAT, but in this case
it would be more flexible and and cost less to come up with a 128
track digital studio. 

	Fo

Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st