User manual ALESIS ADAT-LX20

[. . . ] ALESIS ADAT LX20 Reference Manual Contents CONTENTS Introduction How To Use This Manual Conventions 5 6 6 1 SETTING UP AND MAKING CONNECTIONS 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 10 11 11 11 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 Unpacking and Inspection Operating Environment Thermal Considerations in Rack Mounting Mounting on a Shelf or Non-Rack Enclosure Avoiding Electromagnetic Interference AC Power Hookup Avoiding Ground Loops Line Conditioners and Protectors Analog Audio Connections About Audio Cables Rear Panel Input and Output Layout Inputs Typical input jack hookups Outputs Sync In/Out Digital Audio Connections About Digital Audio In/Out Footswitches 2 LX20 ESSENTIALS About The Display Time Counter Meters Record/Input Lights Blocks Status Indicators Interpolation Indicator Buttons and Controls Power Switch Record Enable Buttons Transport Controls Eject Button Input Select Buttons Pitch Control Buttons Location Buttons Edit, Format, and Select Buttons Auto Motion Buttons Differences Compared to Analog Recording "Threaded" vs. "Unthreaded" Tape Digital Distortion and Headroom Choosing the Right S-VHS Cassette Tape ADAT LX20 Reference Manual 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 22 22 23 23 23 24 1 Contents What is Tape Formatting?24 3 POWER-UP AND TAPE FORMATTING 26 26 27 28 28 28 29 31 31 31 31 Power-up and Tape Insertion Setting Tape Length How to Format Tapes About Type I and Type II Formats Defeating The Write Protect Tab General Formatting Procedure Recording While Formatting Re-Formatting a Previously Formatted Tape Notes About Formatting Recording a "Benchmark" Tape 4 RECORD AND PLAYBACK BASICS 33 33 33 33 34 34 35 35 35 36 36 36 37 37 37 38 38 38 38 39 Understanding the Time Counter Change Display Format Set the Input Mode for Analog Audio Choose Analog Or Digital Input Digital Input Re-Routing Select Track(s) for Recording Tape Motion Control: The Transport Stop Play Record Other Transport Buttons Step-By-Step Procedures Recording Playback Reviewing and Cueing Monitoring Default Mode Auto Input All Input 5 AUTOLOCATION AND LOOP FUNCTIONS 41 41 41 41 42 42 43 44 44 Autolocation Return to Zero Locate Points Auto Play Auto Return Looped Playback Loop Limit Deferred Play and Record 6 PUNCHING AND AUTOMATED RECORDING 45 2 ADAT LX20 Reference Manual Contents Manual Punching Options Transport Controls Record Enable Buttons Footswitch Automated Recording Looped Recording Rehearsing Adjusting Punch Crossfade Time 45 45 45 46 46 47 47 48 7 PITCH CONTROL 49 8 ABOUT DIGITAL AUDIO IN/OUT ADAT Optical Interface Basics About 16-bit and 20-bit signal transfers Selecting The Digital Output Mode Type II (20-bit) to Type II (20-bit) Type II (20-bit) to Type I (16-bit) 51 51 51 52 52 52 9 USING THE LX20 LRC REMOTE 53 10 MULTIPLE LX20/ADAT OPERATION Overview Synchronizing Machines Automatic Renumbering Master/Slave Interaction Achieving Lock Independent Slave Mode Formatting Multiple Tapes Recording Digital Audio Bouncing Tracks Between ADATs Reassigning Channels to Different Tracks Making Digital Backups Making a 16-bit copy from a 20-bit master Recording Digital Audio from Other Sources Digital Clock Considerations Combining LX20s and ADATs LX20 Transport Speed Sample Rate vs. Pitch Control Input Monitoring Polarity Differences Connections 55 55 55 56 57 57 57 57 58 58 59 60 61 61 62 62 62 62 63 63 64 11 APPLICATIONS Overview Combined Multitrack/Mixdown Deck ADAT LX20 Reference Manual 65 65 65 3 Contents Live/Long-Term Recording Locking to Video: Code-Only Master Libraries and Archives Modular Recording Computer Control and MIDI MIDI Systems: Virtual Tracking MIDI Systems: Automated Mixdown MIDI Systems: Virtual Tracks and Automated Mixdown MIDI Machine Control: Virtual Remote Control The ADAT Optical Interface and Hard Disk Recording Digital Audio Transfer Options Typical applications The ADAT-PCR Computer Interface A Real-World Example Sync Issues Hard Disk Backup Pre-Mastering with the LX20 66 66 67 67 67 67 68 68 68 69 69 70 70 71 71 71 72 APPENDIX A DIGITAL RECORDING CONCEPTS Analog Recording Basics Digital Recording Basics The Advantages of 20-Bit Recording Why S-VHS? 73 73 73 74 75 APPENDIX B TROUBLESHOOTING Re-Initializing: Try This First Troubleshooting Index Checking Software Version Error Rate Display About Error Rate Readings ADAT Head Life ADAT Head Maintenance Drum Time Display Tape Care and Maintenance Maintenance/Service Cleaning Maintenance Obtaining Repair Service 76 76 76 77 78 78 79 79 79 81 82 82 82 83 APPENDIX C ERROR CODES Automatic Brake Calibration Procedure Steps To Take Before Calling For Help 84 86 87 APPENDIX D SPECIFICATIONS 88 GLOSSARY 4 90 ADAT LX20 Reference Manual Introduction INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing the Alesis ADAT-LX20 20-Bit Digital Audio Recorder. [. . . ] When you press PLAY on the master, the slave(s) will locate to the same time code point and begin playing once sync is achieved (indicated by a lit LOCKED indicator). Eject protocol: Pressing EJECT on the master also ejects all slave's tapes. To eject only the master's tape, press and hold SET LOCATE, then press EJECT on the master. Recording or punching in on slaves: Initiate recording on the master but do not record-enable any master tracks (unless, of course, you need to record tracks on the master). Any slave tracks that are record-enabled will go into record, while the master will simply play (this is why record enable is an independent function for each slave). Digital Input is also independent for the slave(s) since you may want to record via the analog inputs on some machines, and the digital inputs on others. Formatting: This is initiated independently on each slave (described later), however, simultaneous formatting on all slaves is possible. ACHIEVING LOCK In a multiple-ADAT system, the slaves will "chase" the master (CHASE indicator lights on the LX20) and can only enter record once they are locked. Audio will not appear at an ADAT's outputs until it is locked, as shown by a lit LOCKED indicator. For the fastest chase-lock performance in a multi-ADAT system, when possible use the Locate points to go to different tape locations. INDEPENDENT SLAVE MODE If the master LX20 is stopped, each slave functions independently. Example: Press PLAY on one of the slaves and it will play, but the other slaves and master will not respond. However, any time you press PLAY on the master or initiate any transport function, it will take over and control the slaves. FORMATTING MULTIPLE TAPES Formatting multiple ADATs works similarly to formatting on a single LX20, however there are some considerations unique to formatting multiple tapes. (For basic information on formatting, see Chapter 3. ) The following chart indicates the possibilities for various slave and master format combinations. Remember that any record-enabled tracks will start recording at 00:00:00 of the formatting process. ADAT LX20 Reference Manual 57 Applications - Chapter 11 Format Mode Complete To properly extend a format, the master and slaves should be locked before punching into format record. No Result What you see Rewinds to tape start, formats along with master Rewinds to tape start and plays along with master Rewinds to tape start, formats along with master Rewinds to tape start and plays along with master Slave plays Complete Lit Off No Complete Lit Lit Yes Complete Lit Off Yes Extend Lit Off No Extend Lit Lit Yes Extend Lit Off Yes Extend Off Yes Yes Extend Off Yes No Autolocates to same time as master and begins format extension Autolocates to same time as master and plays or records in sync Slave autolocates to master, then format extension begins at the slave Slave plays Slave FORMAT indicator lit solid TIME counter reads noFO (no format) Slave FORMAT indicator lit solid TIME counter shows current time TIME counter reads noFO (no format) TIME counter shows current time TIME counter shows current time TIME counter shows current time TIME counter reads noFO (no format) RECORDING DIGITAL AUDIO BOUNCING TRACKS BETWEEN ADATS Use the ADAT Optical Interface to bounce between machines in a multiple ADAT system. The digital bus connects similarly to the sync cables, and the machines should be patched together in the same order (e. g. , digital output 1 goes to digital input 2, digital output 2 to digital input 3, etc. ). Refer to Chapter 8 for more information on connecting the digital bus. 58 If DIGITAL IN is selected and there is no optical input, the DIGITAL indicator (located in the Clock Block) will flash. With DIGITAL INPUT selected, the LX20 will record from the DIGITAL IN connector, and ignore the analog inputs. The optical bus carries the 8 tracks, with ADAT LX20 Reference Manual Chapter 10 - Multiple LX20/ADAT Operation track 1 going to input 1, track 2 going to input 2, etc. (however, tracks can be reassigned to different inputs; see next section). To create an exact (sample-accurate) digital copy from a master to a slave, both master and slave machines must have their DIGITAL INPUT buttons enabled. When bouncing audio from a master LX20 to a slave LX20, the slave does not need to have its Clock set to DIG as it is already receiving accurate clock information (shown by EXT in its display) from the master via the 9-pin cable. REASSIGNING CHANNELS TO DIFFERENT TRACKS Any incoming channel of digital audio can be rerouted to any track, or multiple tracks. Press and hold DIGITAL INPUT, then the RECORD ENABLE buttons that correspond to the desired source tracks Release DIGITAL INPUT button, then use the RECORD ENABLE buttons to select the tracks on which source channels will be recorded You see. . . The blue INPUT indicators will light to indicate the selected source channels Choose tracks to which source channels will be recorded INPUT indicators return to normal status, record-enabled track indicators flash The selected source channels are re-routed to the record-enabled destination tracks, in ascending order. [. . . ] types of inputs vary in connector type, level, use (sends, monitor, mix), and electrical characteristics (impedance, balanced or unbalanced). They can be analog or digital. J K ADAT LX20 Reference Manual 93 Glossary L 94 ADAT LX20 Reference Manual Glossary M MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI). A protocol whereby various MIDIcompatible products can communicate various musical and non-musical messages (such as notes, controls, etc. ). MMC MIDI Machine Control (MMC). A subset of MIDI messages which correspond to tape machine's transport controls and other functions. Mute Used as a verb, to "mute a channel" means to turn off the audio for that channel. [. . . ]