Chapter 8, Transport Controls and Basic Recording

ALESIS M20 REFERENCE MANUAL 1.06 8-7

8.6C RECORD WRITE-PROTECTION

S-VHS cassettes have a write-protect tab on the side of the tape opposite the “door” that,
when removed to create a small “window,” prevents recording. The M20 senses the write-
protect tab status. If the tape is write-protected, the M20 will not allow recording or
formatting to take place. Attempting to record causes the display to show “ERROR - Write
Protected,” and the transport will enter or remain in play.
How to Override Write-Protection
It is possible to record on a tape that has been write-protected (without resorting to the usual
tactic of taping over the tab). A tape must be in the transport to perform this procedure:
Operation You press… You see…
Enable write-protect
override Press and hold Peak
Clear, then press
transport Record button
Display says “Override
Write Protect”
Disable write-protect
override Press and hold Peak
Clear, then press
transport Record button
Display says “Sense
Write Protect”
Sense Write Protect auto-reset: Write-protect override resets to the default “Sense Write
Protect” status automatically whenever the tape is ejected.

8.6D RECORDING WITH A FOOTSWITCH

If any tracks are record-enabled and the tape is playing, pressing the punch footswitch is
equivalent to pressing Record and Play.
If the M20 is already recording, pressing the punch footswitch exits Record mode but the
transport continues to play.
If you plug in a footswitch while the M20 is on, turn the M20 off and then on again so the
machine can sense whether the momentary footswitch is a normally open or normally closed
type.
Note: Footswitch-controlled recording also works in conjunction with Rehearse mode (section 8.7) and
Auto Record mode (section 8.8).
8.7 REHEARSE MODE
Rehearse mode allows checking punch point accuracy without actually entering Record
mode. Record-enabled tracks will switch from tape monitor to input monitor at the punch-in
point, and back to tape monitor at the punch-out point.
Operation You press… You see…
Enable Rehearse mode Rehearse button Rehearse switch lights,
Record light flashes (not
lit solid) while rehearsing
the punch
Disable Rehearse mode Rehearse button Rehearse switch light
turns off