JoeCo BlackBox Recorder BBR64 - MADI Digital I/O

The JoeCo BlackBox Recorder is the first dedicated large-scale multi-channel recorder for audio acquisition and capturing live performance. Unlike many other devices, it doesn’t double as a studio recorder or a cut-down workstation - there are no plug-ins or effects to modify the captured sound. Quite simply, what you hear is what you get!

Available in both analogue and digital variants, the BlackBox Recorder family offers a choice of professional interfaces to any live mixing console. The recorder can capture up to 24 channels of 24Bit/96kHz audio in Broadcast WAV (BWAV) format. For large scale recordings, multiple units can be linked together.

Audio is recorded directly onto a removable USB2 disk drive or USB Flash drive (FAT32 formatted). Files can then be instantly imported into any Mac- or PC-based Digital Audio Workstation for editing, remixing and re-purposing. Using standard universally accepted file and disk formats on external storage solutions eliminates the time normally required to load the recordings into a workstation for subsequent processing and mixing. In the modern creative environment, time is in short supply and being able to instantly load large amounts of audio data is crucial to fast turnaround productions.

Simple to operate, the BlackBox Recorder's sleek front panel has an intuitive menu-driven user interface, touch sensitive transport controls, data wheel and function buttons. A foot switch input is also provided and can be set up to duplicate the record button function for hands-free operation. The main color screen displays the current recording time and the amount of time remaining on disk. The front panel LED meters have a sticky peak feature to help guard against overloading the inputs. Each meter element varies in brightness according to the level, to give a remarkably accurate representation.

Ease of use is complemented by fully professional control and synchronization facilities, along with a wealth of time-saving features that include virtual sound-checking; disk drive formatting; the ability to create a headphone monitor mix with level and pan on every track; a keyboard interface and Name Manager for creating templates and modifying track or song names, plus a variety of shortcuts for speedily navigating menu options and transport controls. Within the menu structure all key variables can be modified: the sample rate, track arming, use of time code, digital audio clock setup, naming recordings, input and output levels, and setting up loop points. The recorder also offers a range of enhancements for film, TV and broadcast applications including support for 23.98fps time code, 9-pin support for edit controllers, and iXML support.

A number of "fail safe" features ensure secure audio capture at all times, including playback lockout and a "Safe 'n' Sound" record recovery function that enables recorded audio files to be recovered after a sudden accidental loss of power, or forgetting to stop recording before powering off the system..

BlackBox BBR64-MADI:
Based on the award-winning, tried and tested BlackBox Recorder design, the new BlackBox BBR64-MADI Recorder is designed to record and replay up to 64 channels of MADI data and yet still only occupies one unit of rack space! The recorder can capture the full 64 channels at standard sample rates directly to Broadcast WAV files on an external USB2 drive. Double sample rate MADI recording (up to 96kHz) is also accommodated.

The recorder sports both coaxial and optical MADI connections for interfacing with any MADI equipped console or other equipment. Additionally, the BBR64-MADI caters for 56-channel legacy MADI and can record a further 8 channels of analogue (balanced line in) for capturing the audience reaction or general ambience.

The BBR64-MADI will lock to or generate word clock, as well as locking to the received MADI data stream. The MADI input is echoed direct to the output to ease system integration. In contrast with previous models, continuous channel metering on every channel is not provided and there is no internal mixer. Instead, individual channels, or pairs of channels can be monitored on a PFL bus providing both hi-resolution metering and headphone monitoring.