Next full checkAug 24, 2026Price checks run sooner
01
Ready to buy
Confirm the complete recording system
The retained reference is $999 current authorized retail. Media, batteries, USB or external power, AK-BT2 adapter, HDMI and timecode cables, microphones and bag hardware remain separate. Confirm current stock, firmware, manual revision, included media and power, return terms and regional monitoring rules before ordering.
Buying stageMarket familiarity
02
Current market
The facts that change the ownership choice
Each line carries its own check date because price, software, specifications, and product cycle do not age at the same speed.
QuestionCurrent answerFreshnessBasis
Current price
$999 current authorized retail
Media, batteries, USB or external power, AK-BT2 adapter, HDMI and timecode cables, microphones and bag hardware remain separate. Confirm the live independent price, seller, package and return terms before paying.
Refresh due after 7 daysDirect source1 evidence item
Market branch
Four-input creator and production recorder with HDMI
Checked 7 days agoOur synthesis2 evidence items
Purchase boundary
Its six tracks are four isolated inputs plus a stereo mix, HDMI audio is not recorded as an input, and HDMI-derived LTC behavior must be tested at the required frame rate
Checked 7 days agoOur synthesis3 evidence items
Inputs and tracks
Four XLR/TRS mic or line preamps record four isolated tracks plus a stereo mix for six tracks; six tracks do not mean six preamps
Checked 7 days agoDirect source3 evidence items
Recording format
It records 24-bit or 32-bit-float WAV up to 192 kHz in supported configurations; float cannot repair upstream overload or monitoring, placement, RF, wind, media or power failures
Checked 7 days agoDirect source2 evidence items
LTC timecode
A built-in generator with LTC input and output supports generate, read and jam roles independent of the HDMI connection
Checked 7 days agoDirect source2 evidence items
HDMI workflow
HDMI input and output can support synchronization, record trigger, pass-through and audio embedding, but incoming HDMI audio is not recorded as an additional source
Checked 7 days agoDirect source3 evidence items
Recording media
One SD card with a documented capacity ceiling of 512 GB is the recording path, so there is no second-card mirror
Checked 7 days agoDirect source2 evidence items
Power and runtime
Four AA cells, USB-C and external power are supported; Tascam's roughly 2.5-hour alkaline example under four-channel phantom load is a condition, not an all-workflow runtime
Checked 7 days agoDirect source2 evidence items
USB workflow
A six-in, two-out USB interface is available at supported 48 or 96 kHz modes, subject to host, driver and simultaneous-recording limits
Checked 7 days agoDirect source2 evidence items
Control and sync boundary
The optional AK-BT2 enables remote functions, while owner reports about HDMI-derived LTC at specific noninteger frame rates require a firmware check and an end-to-end preflight
Checked 7 days agoDirect source3 evidence items
Evidence boundary
This dossier does not promise unclippable production audio, automatic sync, camera genlock, media or power immunity, sound quality, reliability, repair time or fitness for an unrehearsed workflow
Checked 7 days agoOur synthesis3 evidence items
Current verdict
The HDMI-linked four-input option
FR-AV4 is compelling for a four-input camera-centered rig that can use HDMI trigger and timecode features, provided the exact frame-rate workflow and AA or external power plan are validated.
Checked 7 days agoOur synthesis7 evidence items
03
Other paths
The alternatives change what the FR-AV4 is worth
These are not generic competitors. Each one represents a different way to buy into the same market.
01lower upfront
Zoom
F6
$749.99 current authorized retail
Best fit
Compact six-input production recorder
Tradeoff
Its advertised fourteen-track mode is a dual-format recording arrangement, not fourteen inputs, and its one SD card remains a single removable-media path
Portable four-preamp production and music recorder
Tradeoff
Six input channels include auxiliary inputs rather than six equivalent XLR preamps, and the single SD slot plus USB auto-copy must not be described as redundant recording
Older observations stay in the ledger when the current view changes. That lets a buyer tell the difference between an old complaint, an active issue, and a problem that was corrected.
notable
Current price, support and workflow position retained
FR-AV4 was checked against its current manufacturer record and support path, an independent authorized-market price, product-specific editorial evidence and bounded owner experience.
Price record
The price history starts here
Each amount stays tied to its source and capture date. Conflicting prices remain visible until the seller resolves them.
$999 current authorized retail
Current reference priceA structured timeline will begin with the next source capture
05
Owner experience
What repeats after the purchase
Owner discussion repeatedly returns to hdmi-trigger setup, hdmi-derived ltc at noninteger frame rates, reference-tone monitoring, aa runtime and first-generation firmware rather than the headline bit depth or track count alone.
These are self-reported experiences from different operators, firmware versions, microphones, media, batteries, climates and production conditions. They identify questions to test during setup and the return window, not sound-quality rankings, sync guarantees, failure rates, repair-time estimates or safety claims.
SignalWhat owners reportOur readEvidence
HDMI-trigger setup, HDMI-derived LTC at noninteger frame rates, reference-tone monitoring, AA runtime and first-generation firmware
Owners describe hdmi-trigger setup, hdmi-derived ltc at noninteger frame rates, reference-tone monitoring, aa runtime and first-generation firmware in model-specific or direct neighboring-recorder discussions.
A specific owner-reported HDMI-to-LTC issue is retained as a frame-rate preflight requirement, not proof that all units, modes or direct-LTC workflows fail.
1 evidence record
06
Sources
Why we believe the current view
The page separates what a source states directly from what we conclude across sources.
01
FR-AV4 current product recordTascam · identity
Tascam currently identifies FR-AV4 as a four-preamp, six-track float field recorder with internal LTC, HDMI synchronization and triggering, USB audio and optional Bluetooth control.
FR-AV4 current authorized-market offerB&H Photo Video · price
B&H Photo Video displayed $999 current authorized retail for the current u.s. fr-av4 recorder-body offer; package and availability qualifications remain attached.
FR-AV4 current manual and supportTascam · specification
Current FR-AV4 documentation resolves its input and track counts, recording modes, timecode roles, media, power, monitoring, accessories and workflow limits.
Sound On Sound independently examines FR-AV4 in the four-input creator and production recorder with hdmi branch; the review informs workflow comparison without becoming a reliability or sound-quality guarantee.
Owners discuss hdmi-trigger setup, hdmi-derived ltc at noninteger frame rates, reference-tone monitoring, aa runtime and first-generation firmware for FR-AV4; those self-reported conditions are retained as preflight questions, not failure rates or performance guarantees.
Current manufacturer identity and support, an independent authorized-market price, independent editorial evidence and bounded owner experience were checked on August 17, 2026. Physical inputs, mic preamps, input channels and recorded tracks are kept separate. A 32-bit-float file does not prevent microphone or analog-stage overload, RF interference, wind, handling, poor placement, missed monitoring, media failure, power loss or file error. Timecode generation, reading, jam, output, Bluetooth sync, HDMI trigger, audio LTC and camera genlock are not equivalent. Media redundancy means simultaneous configured recording, not an unverified copy function. Runtime always retains its load and battery conditions. Accessories, licenses, cables, media, batteries, microphones, monitoring and regional limits remain explicit. Editorial and owner reports do not guarantee sound quality, reliability, service time or fitness for a production.