Alesis ADAT-XT manual Format Extend, Be sure the tape is completely rewound

Chapter 4: Basic Operations

Be sure the tape is completely rewound.

¡Press the [FORMAT] button.

If the tape was unformatted, the FORMAT icon will have been flashing prior to pressing it. Once pressed, the FORMAT icon will stop flashing and remain lit to indicate that formatting will begin if the XT enters record mode. Also, all eight REC LEDs will flash to indicate all eight tracks will be recorded. Pressing the eight RECORD ENABLE buttons ([1] – [8] ) has no effect while the FORMAT icon is lit.

¬Hold [RECORD] and press [PLAY].

The XT briefly enters play mode to achieve proper speed and check if the tape is formatted. The XT performs a complete format by recording 15 seconds of leader (the LED display will read “LEAd”), followed by two minutes of data (the LED display will read “data”), then time reference starting at -0:00:05.00 and continuing to the end of the tape.

Lead Data Audio

	-02:00:00
	-02:15:00	00:00:00	40:00:00
J	If an unformatted tape is not at the very beginning, it will automatically be rewound to
	the beginning. However, if any formatting is detected while rewinding, the transport
	will stop rewinding and leave the tape at this position, ready for a format extension
(see next page).

•If the tape has been previously formatted and is in the data portion (before 0:00:00.00), the tape will be automatically rewound to the beginning of the tape and the XT performs a complete format.

•If the tape has been previously formatted and is in the audio portion of tape (past 0:00:00.00), the tape will be formatted from that point upon entering record mode (this is called Format Extend; see page 31).

RECORDING WHILE FORMATTING

Audio can be recorded while formatting a tape, just in case you need to record something immediately and have no formatted tapes available. To place a track into record-ready, press the RECORD ENABLE button(s) [1] – [8] for the track(s) to be recorded before turning on the Format function. When a RECORD ENABLE button is pressed, the INPUT LEDs for the selected track(s) will light and the REC LEDs will flash. Pressing RECORD ENABLE again takes the track(s) out of record-ready. While formatting, record-ready tracks will be recorded with audio from the inputs (analog or digital, depending on the Input Select setting; see page 37). However, audio will not be recorded until the audio portion of tape is reached (0:00:00.00). Tracks not in record-ready (safe) will be recorded with silence while formatting.

FORMAT EXTEND

It is possible to extend the formatting on a tape that has only been partially formatted. When performing a format extend, you must enter format mode before the end of the previously formatted section by “punching-in”. The XT begins “time-stamping” from

30 ADAT XT Reference Manual