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Zoom h4N
I realise that a lot of people on the cow have and use the Zoom h4n, and indeed I have a couple kicking about too. handy little machines.
What you may NOT know is that there is a firmware update available that allows separate adjustment of the level controls, which is mighty handy.It is here
https://www.zoom.co.jp/english/download/software/h4n.php
Fill your boots
Peter
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4 Replies
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Thank you for posting the link. The H4n is my field recorder and I use it on every project and for other applications as well.
Alain.
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Thanks for posting, I’ve been wanting to pick one up for a back up, this makes it an easy decision.
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It’s also interesting, I think, to note how once a particular device becomes popular it’s much more likely that the developers will expend time and effort and resources to improve it.
This has been the way with both the 5dMkii AND with the Zoom H4n.
That does NOT mean that these are necessarily better than their competitors – just that the companies who manufacturer them have learned that it the sales volume they’ve achieved – there’s a business point in continuing their evolution.
We used to get firmware updates every few years on the Pro level Sony cameras I once used. The idea of new updates within months is pretty new. And indicates how closely any new electronics device is to computer roots – rather than to old-fashioned semi-conductor roots where you were stuck with the state of the machine when you first purchased it.
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They’re tapping into the software-driven-hardware phenomena… it’s relatively cheap to fix or add new features that can be software-only features. And this gets cheaper still as you get a larger installed base.
This also builds brand loyalty. Think of PC-based apps… when I spend real money for a tool that ships with bugs, I’m not happy. But if it’s a reputable company and they quickly ship out an update, I’m not just happy about that, I’m more likely to buy again. Thus, I owned one revision of any ULead tool (Media Studio Pro was buggy and never fixed), one revision of any Pinnacle tool (worse still was Impression). And nearly every version of Sony Vegas/Acid/Forge and Cakewalk/Sonar since they started, or close to it.
The Zoom won me over a little even on software-driven features, such as the portastudio mode. My old field recorder is a Tascam DR-1, and I looked at the DR-100. While I generally use the field recorder for video and very small audio projects, the ability to use this as a 4-track is very cool. And well, other than the LED they have to show you’re in MTR mode, totally software driven.
-Dave
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