Tascam RC-898 owner manual Monitoring, Arming tracks, ALL Safe, Shuttle mode

Section 5.2 - Monitoring

tape from the beginning, you should wait until the end of the tape before rewinding and ejecting it.

NOTES

The display shows a negative ABS time for a few seconds at the beginning of the tape. While a negative time is shown, no audio can be recorded on the tape.

We suggest that you leave a blank header of at least 30 sec- onds at the beginning of the tape. This can be marked as a virtual “zero point” if you like (see 6.3, “Setting a relative time reference”).

5.1.3 Arming tracks

The tracks of the DTRS units are armed using the REC FUNCTION keys with their indicators. These keys and indicators only work for tracks of units that are actually connected.

NOTE

Before recording, you should make sure that either digital or analog inputs, as required, have been selected (see 7.2.9, “Input selection”) and the appropriate clock settings have been made (see 7.2.6, “Clock selection”).

Armed tracks, i.e. those which are ready for recording, are shown by their indicators flashing.

Tracks which are actually recording are shown by their indicators being steadily lit.

When a DA-88 or DA-38 track is recording, the INPUT MONITOR indicator will light, showing that the monitoring for the tracks is from the input source, rather than being off-tape. The INPUT MONITOR keys are not operational with a DA-88 or DA-38 unit.

When operating a DA-98 unit, the INPUT MONI- TOR keys are operational, and can be used to change between off-tape and source monitoring.

5.1.4 ALL SAFE

The ALL SAFE key [3] prevents accidental arm- ing of tracks. When lit, all REC FUNCTION indi- cators go out, and the keys of both the RC-898 and the DTRS unit or units (see 7.2.2, “Key Mode” below) are locked (pressing them will not arm tracks).

When the ALL SAFE key is pressed to turn off the safe operation, the arming status of all tracks will return to what it was before the ALL SAFE key was pressed.

5.1.5 Transport controls

The RC-898 shares a common interface with all DTRS units with regard to transport functions (including entering end exiting record mode). Consult the relevant portions of the DTRS unit manual if you are unsure of the way in which transport operations are carried out.

One exception to this is the LOC key [41] which does not appear on the front panel of DTRS units. It is used to locate the tape to the value shown on the LOCATE TIME/VALUE display [15]. For full details of how this key is used and the location facilities available from the RC-898, see 6, “Loca- tion functions”.

5.1.6 Shuttle mode

The RC-898 incorporates a jog dial and shuttle wheel to allow precise positioning of the tape in the DTRS units.

When the DATA INC/DEC indicator [27] is not lit, moving either of these controls will control the selected unit(s) appropriately.

NOTE

When the currently-selected unit is recording, the jog and shuttle controls are disabled (this prevents accidental inter- ruption of a take).

The indicators will go out 10 seconds after the jog/shuttle controls are last used.

The shuttle wheel allows forward motion at the following speeds (relative to normal speed): 8 x,

4 x, 2 x, 1 x, 1/2, 1/4. The same speeds, except for 1 x, are available in reverse mode. The further the shuttle wheel is turned away from the center posi- tion in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, the faster the tape will be moved.

The jog dial allows very precise positioning of the tape to frame accuracy.

Monitoring during shuttling is explained below (see 5.2.3, “Shuttle monitoring”).

5.2 Monitoring

The monitoring of off-tape and input source sig- nals is complex, and varies a little between the DA-88 and DA-38 units, and the DA-98 units, due to the latter being provided with track-by-track switching facilities between source and off-tape monitoring, as well as the confidence mode method of off-tape monitoring while recording (see 7.2.12, “Confidence mode”).

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