Hello ... I am not sure if I already asked this question.. so forgive me if I already have.  It has come up again and I am trying to see if I am on the right path.

My husband is a drummer and would really like to try to collab here at Kompoz.  Problem is that he records to Analog equipment.  A Tascam 238.  Because it is tape, when we have tried to supply seps for a project, we would record an individual track to CD to provide a WMV which then we covert to WAV in our PC. However, when putting them in a DAW, they go out of sync quickly due to the fact that the tape motor speed has small varieances in speed. And what a disapointment to sit through 7 tracks recording and not be able to use them.  So he has had to resort to mixing down to a stereo track.  Which of course sucks, because whomever is the one mixing down, they have NO control over anything individually.. so you get a so-so track at best.

We did look into possibly getting a firewire interface for my PC by Personus.  However, after speaking to a computer tech, it sounds like that in order to get it to work, I may have to make upgrades to my pc.  For one, I am running Vista, secondly it's an HP Pavilion, and I have been told that I may want to get a dedicated hard drive for the DAW.  But then the question comes in as far as will my PC be able to handle 7 tracks of recording to the DAW?  The firewire interface is about 500 dollars.  For me to add additional componants (downgrade to XP, and the harddrive), and purchasing the interface,  in the HOPES that it will work will be upwards all said and done around 600-800.  And it's not about recording the PC or DAW at all, were not interested in that.  We simply want to provide the seps, but still be able to use our analog recorder.. nothing better than that real analog sound on acoustic Drums.

So.. the alternative that we are considering, but not sure if it would work, or if we would still have sync issues, is to purchase the Korg 888 8track Digital recorder.  The is the only recorder under 1000 dollars that we can find that will record 8 tracks simutaniously.  It's around 700 dollars.  Now in our heads were thinking that this would not have the syncing issues as the other method listed above, because we would be going from the Tascam 238 direct outs into the direct in's on the Korg 888.  And if we record all tracks at the same time on the Korg 888, we shouldn't have that sync problem.  Am I correct, or am I over simplifing this?

Any advice is welcome.  Please be nice however.. we are not interested in recording the Drums digitally.. or buying an electronic kit.  My husband loves his drums (66 Ludwig Black Diamond Pearl) and wants to be able to be a part of the collab world... but we have a budget of course.. the other issue is our PC is upstairs, the recording equipment and drums downstairs.. so we would have to bring the 238 to the PC.. not a huge issue however.  

And if you have a similar set up like mine for PC and your using the Personus and it's working with out additional upgrades.. let me know.. maybe i'm looking to far into this! 

Pc Specs with Vista Serv Pk 1: HP Pavilion a6532f

Thanks

-Jess