888
User Guide
44
Polarity (audio)
The direction of the current flow of an audio signal is defined as
polarity. The polarity of a signal can reversed when a balanced audio
signal connection has its pin-2 and pin-3 connections reversed.
Single-ended signals can have their polarity reversed when going
through an “inverting” gain stage. It is best practice to have all
incoming and outgoing signals with the same polarity relationship.
Polyphonic WAV
An individual WAV file that contains multiple audio tracks. When
recording multi-track audio with polyphonic WAV files all recorded
tracks are contained within a single WAV file.
Post-fader routing (after fade routing, AFL)
The signal from a channel is routed to a bus after the fader in the
signal path. The fader controls the level of the channel at the bus.
Channels sent to a master bus, such as the left/right bus, are typically
sent post-fader.
Post-roll
An extra period of time that is appended to the end of a recording
when stop is pressed. If record is pressed during this period of
time, recording will resume within the same file with no audio lost.
This is particularly useful should a Director call ‘cut’ prematurely or
accidentally.
Project
An option available for file organization on Sound Devices recorders.
Projects are the highest level of file folder organization. The project
folder can contain sub-folders of scene files or recorded files directly.
Record bell
A tone generated in headphones to alert the listener that recording
has started. The bell is also produced when recording has ended with
the stop button, when the recording volume is full, or when power is in
a critical state.
Sampling rate
When converting between analog and PCM digital audio the analog
signal is measured (sampled) in unique steps at a data rate specified
in kHz. Higher sampling rates allow for representing higher frequency
analog audio. 48 kHz is the standard sampling rate for production,
worldwide. Higher sampling rates including 96 kHz and 192 kHz are
used for high-precision applications where the representation of audio
above 20 kHz is required. A general rule is that the maximum analog
audio frequency is ½ the sampling rate.
Scene
On Sound Devices recorders the scene becomes part of the file
name for a take. Scene names can be pre-loaded to quickly change
between scenes.
Slate microphone
A microphone, built-in or external microphone, on an audio mixer used
to notate takes or communicate with sound team members by the
mixer’s user speaking into the microphone. Slate microphones are
often routable to buses or tracks.
Smart Battery
A lithium-ion rechargeable battery with integrated telemetry indicating
battery condition, run time and other useful data.
Stereo linking (inputs)
When active for stereo sources such as stereo microphones, linked
inputs are hard panned to the left and right bus. Controls including
gain (trim), fader, high pass filter, delay, limiter, mute, and routing are
controlled together.
Sticky Notes
Notes that persist to subsequent takes.
Solo
A control on a mixer to route a channel to headphones while muting
all others. Solo and PFL are related controls and in many consoles are
the same. Solo circuits can be exclusive—only one channel is sent to
headphones at a time—or non-exclusive—any number of channels can
be sent to the solo circuit and appear in headphones.
SuperSlot™
SuperSlot™ is an electro-mechanical connection protocol, developed
by Sound Devices, to simplify the interconnection of wireless audio
transmitters and receivers with audio mixers and cameras. SuperSlot
provides, power, audio, and control signals over a single multi-pin
connection. SuperSlot-compatible products will be offered by multiple
manufacturers, including wireless system manufacturers, camera
manufacturers, and audio mixer manufacturers.
TA-type connector (TA3, TA4, TA5, TA6)
Miniature XLR-type, locking connectors. TA3 connectors are used
by Sound Devices for various inputs, outputs, and as balanced and
unbalanced connections. TA4 connectors are used by Sound Devices
for DC power connections to the 888 mixer-recorder. TA4 is also used
for audio connections from lavalier microphones to some wireless
transmitters. Ta5 connectors are used for Mic/Line inputs and the
headset on the 888. TA6 connectors are presently not used by
Sound Devices though they are used for audio connections by other
manufacturers.
Take
A recorded take is an individual recorded file (or files when recording
monophonic WAV files) generated by a recorder. Take numbers are
auto-incrementing. Take numbers are added to the end of the file
name.
Take list
Separate from a file list, a take list consolidates related files such
as a group of monophonic WAV files generated by a single take and
presents them as a single take.
Test tone
See tone oscillator.
Timecode
A numerical clock value expressed in hours:minutes:seconds:frames,
i.e. 04:59:39:05, used to synchronize cameras, video decks,
and audio recorders. Timecode requires clocks on devices to be
synchronized, either through a wired or wireless connection between
devices, or through a process called “jam sync” where each device,
which requires a high-precision clock, runs independently after their
clocks are synchronized.
