Alesis ADAT-XT FORMATTING A TAPE A MUST!

Chapter 2: Your First Session With The ADAT XT

14 ADAT XT Reference Manual

FORMATTING A TAPE – A MUST!

Formatting prepares a tape for 8 channels of audio, and adds a master timecode

reference and sample rate information to the data section. Similar to formatting a

floppy disk to use on a computer or sampler, formatting an XT tape time-stamps the

tape to single-sample accuracy so that audio is referenced to an accurate time base.

This makes the synchronization process between XT and ADAT compatible

machines possible and provides both accurate tape counter readings and intelligent

autolocation functions. For more information, see

Tape Formatting

in Chapter 4. After

completing the following exercise, we recommend you perform a complete format.

Formatting a tape erases audio on all eight tracks. Be sure to check that the tape is

either blank or contains unwanted material before formatting. We recommend that

you format your tapes completely from beginning to end.

SAMPLE RATE SELECTION

Before formatting, select the sample rate you will be using (either 48 kHz or 44.1 kHz).

This is done by pressing the [CLOCK SELECT] button. Each time [CLOCK SELECT]

is pressed, the XT will cycle between INT 48K, INT 44.1K and DIG (the section on the

right side of the display labeled CLOCK will indicate the currently selected sample

rate).

Note:

For more information about the DIG option (Digital Audio Clock), see page

44.

FORMATTING A NEW TAPE

To Format a new tape:

¿Insert a fresh, blank tape.

The XT will acknowledge that this is an unformatted tape; the

FORMAT

icon will

flash in the display while the counter display reads “

noFO

.”

¡Press the [FORMAT] button.

The word

[FORMAT]

in the display will stop flashing and remain lit. The

[RECORD]

LEDs for tracks 1 through 8 will now be flashing.

¬Hold [RECORD], and then press [PLAY].

If the tape was not completely rewound, the XT will automatically rewind it to the

beginning. The XT then performs a complete format by recording 15 seconds of

leader (the LED display will read “

LEAd

”), followed by two minutes of data (the

display will read “

dAtA

”), then timecode starting at 0:00:00.00 and continuing to

the end of the tape.

RECORDING WHILE FORMATTING

You can record onto tape

while

formatting. Simply press any of the RECORD

ENABLE buttons [1]–[8] for any track(s) you wish to record on before pressing the

[FORMAT] button. Prepare your source material to start playback at 0:00:00.00 on

the XT or later (do not begin recording before 0:00:00.00). See next section for more

information on setting levels and recording.