9 - Operations related to timecode
57
TASCAM DA-78HR
9.5.5 External timecode sources
The following notes should help you when you must
record timecode on the DA-78HR from an external
source (analog or digital).
As mentioned earlier, you should only need to record
timecode from an external source when the audio and
timecode tracks have to be transferred together, keep-
ing a strict relationship between the audio and time-
code tracks.
In all other cases, we suggest using either the DA-
78HR’s internal generator or timecode from tape. If
you use these as sources, there will be no jitter prob-
lems, and any problems of synchronization with the
digital audio clock are eliminated
NOTE
When recording timecode from an external digital
source, make sure the digital clock of the DA-78HR
and that of the external source are synchronized. A
warning message will appear if the timecode source
and the DA-78HR are not synchronized, but time-
code can still be recorded. However, the resulting
timecode recording will probably cause synchroniza-
tion problems in the future.
When recording timecode from another DTRS
unit, synchronize the two units using ABS chase
(setting the timecode/audio source unit to be a slave
unit). After the two units have been synchronized in
this way, timecode and audio can be transferred
together.
When recording timecode from a digital source
(audio or video), make sure that the DA-78HR and
the other unit are locked to a common word (audio
recorder) clock reference. After the two machines
have been synchronized in this way, timecode and
audio can be transferred together.
If your analog recorder cannot chase to external time-
code, you must first record the timecode from the
analog recorder on an audio track of the DA-78HR
and then transfer the timecode to the dedicated time-
code track.
Timecode recorded on the audio track in this way is
synchronized to the audio clock, and can subse-
quently be transferred (through patching) to the time-
code track.
9.5.6 Recording timecode from external
sources
1
Set the time mode to
TC (9.1.3, “Selecting TC
or ABS timing”).
2
Set the timecode record source to
Ext (9.5.1,
“Selecting the timecode source”).
3
To record the timecode, press the
SUB MENU
key until the display shows
TC. REC. EN. 0 (
TC
REC EN 0
), meaning that timecode recording is
disabled. Use the ▲ and ▼ keys to change the
setting to
1 (1—enabled).
4
Start the external source to check the status of
the external timecode.
If no external timecode has been received since
the DA-78HR has been switched on, the tape
counter will show all hyphens.
If external timecode has been received since
the DA-78HR has been switched on, but is not
currently being received, the tape counter will
flash.
If the external timecode is currently being
received at normal (play) speed, the tape
counter will show the value of the timecode
currently being received. If the external time-
code is being received from a source in fast
wind mode, the tape counter will flash.
If the timecode source is not clock-synchro-
nized with the DA-78HR, a warning will be
shown on the display screen. In this case,
although you can record timecode, it is not rec-
ommended, as this will probably cause prob-
lems later on.
5
Stop the external timecode source, and rewind
or reset it to a point prior to where you want
record ing to begin.
The tape counter will now start to flash.
6
Restart the source.
The tape counter will display received time-
code.
7
Press and hold down
PLAY
and press
RECORD
.
Timecode will now be recorded from the exter-
nal source onto the timecode track.
If the tape counter was flashing when the time-
code track was armed, the tape counter will
now show all hyphens, and nothing will be
record ed .
9.5.7 Checking external timecode
You can check received timecode by using the time-
code di splay function as described in 9.4.1, “Show-
ing input timecode”.