Alesis ADAT-XT DIGITAL AUDIO IN/OUT

Connections: Chapter 3

ADAT XT Reference Manual 27

DIGITAL AUDIO IN/OUT

The Digital input and output carries all eight tracks on a single fiber optical cable. This

allows you to bounce audio between multiple machines within the digital domain. This

also lets you route digital audio between multiple XTs and ADATs, and to ADAT

Compatible™ products such as the QuadraVerb 2. Since the fiber optic connector

carries the digital information for all 8 tracks, it is also useful for backing up all tracks in

one pass (see Chapter 6 for more on digital audio).

Digital bussing requires a fiber optical cable (included) for each XT in the system (or

any other ADAT compatible product). This connection can be made while power is on

or off, and the machines do not need to be turned on in any particular order.

Note:

To

bounce tracks within a single XT, it is not necessary to connect the optical network.

To connect the digital optical network:

¿Locate the [DIGITAL IN] and [DIGITAL OUT] connectors.

Remove the connectors’ plugs (if present) and store for later use.

¡Connect one end of the fiber optic cable into the [DIGITAL OUT] jack of the first

machine in the system.

Remove the clear, plastic tube covering each end of the cable (if present). The

cable is non-polarized, so either end can be inserted into the optical output.

¬Connect the other end of the fiber optic cable to the [DIGITAL IN] of the second

machine in the system.

÷For each additional machine, connect one end of an additional fiber optic cable to

the second machine’s [DIGITAL OUT] jack, and the other end to the third

machine’s [DIGITAL IN] jack. Its [DIGITAL OUT] jack then connects to the fourth

machine’s [DIGITAL IN] jack, and so on.

ƒFinally, connect one end of a fiber optic cable to the last machine’s [DIGITAL

OUT] jack, and the other end to the first machine’s [DIGITAL IN] jack.

This last step creates a loop, and thus makes the digital bus accessible to all

machines that are connected to it.

J

When connecting more than two machines, always connect the optical cables in the

same order as the sync cables (1 to 2, 2 to 3, etc.), so that the digital routing will

work correctly.

INPUT

OUTPUT

INPUT

OUTPUT

Contents

Main I H OW T O U SE T HIS M C Page I HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL Page C 1: SETTING UP7 2: YOUR FIRST SESSION WITH THE ADAT XT 13 3: CONNECTIONS 23 4: BASIC OPERATIONS 29 5: MULTIPLE ADAT-XT OPERATION 55 6: APPLICATIONS 67 APPENDIX A: DIGITAL RECORDING CONCEPTS 73 APPENDIX B: TROUBLESHOOTING 75 Page CHAPTER 1 SETTING UP any UNPACKING AND INSPECTION AC POWER H OOKUP AVOIDING GROUND LOOPS Page LINE CONDITIONERS AND PROTECTORS ABOUT AUDIO CABLES BASIC AUDIO HOOKUP INPUT NORMALING THREADED VS. UNTHREADED bandwidth Making Backups premium quality, name brand A WORD ON ADATS S-VHS CASSETTE TAPE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS IN RACK MOUNTING MOUNTING ON A SHELF OR NON-R ACK ENCLOSURE AVOIDING ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE YOUR FIRST SESSION WITH THE ADAT-XT FORMATTING A TAPE A MUST! SAMPLE RATE SELECTION F ORMATTING A N RECORDING WHILE FORMATTING MAKING A RECORDING TRACK SELECTION AND SETTING LEVELS TIME COUNTER TRANSPORT BUTTONS R P REVIEWING AND CUEING L Page CREATING A LOOP D AUTOMATED RECORDING D R 1 70. 0 mS D TRACK COPY DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS C ANALOG AUDIO UNBALANCED INPUTS ANALOG AUDIO UNBALANCED OUTPUTS ANALOG AUDIO BALANCED INPUTS AND OUTPUTS Larger Key Notch Note: INPUTS OUTPUTS ANALOG AUDIO INPUT MODE SYNC IN/OUT DIGITAL AUDIO IN/OUT F THE XT REMOTE CHAPTER 4 BASIC OPERATIONS T APE F J FORMATTING CONSIDERATIONS COMPLETE FORMAT RECORDING WHILE FORMATTING FORMAT EXTEND WRITE PROTECT OVERRIDE READING THE DISPLAY DISPLAY ICONS format extend Page TIME COUNTER & ABS/REL BUTTON The Locate Points addresses are displayed in the format of the display mode youve selected. 0 : 03 : 28 : 15 Autolocation minutes seconds 100ths-of-seconds BASIC EDITING EDIT V Examples: s AND t BUTTONS ENTERING NUMERIC VALUES INPUT SELECT ANALOG INPUT TRACK COPY Digital In/Out DIGITAL INPUT Page INPUT MONITOR AUTO INPUT MONITOR ALL INPUT MONITOR Transport Function Auto = Off All = Off Auto = On All = Off Auto = Off/On M PEAK MODE B UTTON PEAK CLEAR BUTTON FINE METER MODE RECORDING A B ENCHMARK TAPE RECORD ENABLE Transport Controls SETTING LEVELS Be sure the output level of your mixer matches the inputs connected to the XT (+4 or -10). TRANSPORT CONTROLS E The button will not operate while recording or formatting to avoid interrupting these processes. REWIND/R EVIEW RECORD/PUNCH IN OR OUT S SAMPLE RATE (CLOCK) before , and , Each time the DISPLAYING FRAMES VS. 100THS/SECONDS PITCH CONTROL The icon should be off. Note: This is not possible while recording. TRACK DELAY D Repeat steps through D AUTOLOCATION CONTROLS Each Locate Points address can be displayed and set using either Absolute or Relative Time. ABSOLUTE (ABS) TIME VS. R ELATIVE TIME LOCATE 0 SETTING LOCATE POINTS L AUTO LOOPING AUTO RETURN only AUTO PLAY LOOP LIMIT AUTO RECORD LOOPED RECORDING R FOOTSWITCH CONTROLS FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLED PUNCHING FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLED AUTOLOCATING USING THE XT REMOTE CHAPTER 5 M O O SYNCHRONIZING MACHINES Combining XTs and ADATs Sync In/Out MASTER/SLAVE INTERACTION but do not have any master tracks record-enabled A CHIEVING L INDEPENDENT SLAVE MODE F ORMATTING MULTIPLE T MASTER FORMAT ENABLED, COMPLETE FORMAT MASTER FORMAT ENABLED, FORMAT EXTEND MASTER FORMAT DISABLED MASTER FORMAT DISABLED, FORMAT EXTEND RECORDING DIGITAL AUDIO B MAKING DIGITAL BACKUPS is selected and there is no optical input, the If RECORDING DIGITAL AUDIO FROM OTHER SOURCES clock DIGITAL CLOCK CONSIDERATIONS TAPE OFFSET D COMBINING XTS AND ADATS XT T after S INPUT MONITORING POLARITY DIFFERENCES Possible problem: C Here are some possible solutions: Page Page CHAPTER 6 A O COMBINED MULTITRACK/M ASTERING DECK LIVE/LONG-TERM RECORDING continuous recording Note: and , LOCKING TO VIDEO: CODE ONLY MASTER C OMPUTER C MIDI SYSTEMS: VIRTUAL TRACKING MIDI MACHINE CONTROL: VIRTUAL REMOTE CONTROL LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES MODULAR RECORDING USING TRACK COPY AS A DIGITAL ROUTER CALCULATING TAPE OFFSET USING THE LOCATES D APPENDIX A D IGITAL R ECORDING C ANALOG RECORDING BASICS DIGITAL RECORDING BASICS A/D WHY S-VHS? APPENDIX B T TROUBLE-S HOOTING INDEX Symptom Cause Solution RE-INITIALIZING CHECKING SOFTWARE VERSION E RROR RATE D error rate The TIME counter will briefly read: ADAT HEAD MAINTENANCE D RUM TIME D The number of drum hours will briefly appear in the TIME counter. TAPE MAINTENANCE: SAFE TAPE MAINTENANCE/SERVICE C M R EFER ALL SERVICING TO A OBTAINING REPAIR SERVICE Page APPENDIX C ERROR CODES Automatic Brake Calibration Procedure STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE CALLING FOR HELP APPENDIX D S Transport Audio Analog Inputs/Outputs Digital Inputs/Outputs General G A B C D Page N O P Q R S Page INDEX