Tascam 488 PORTASTUDIO, Owner'S Manual

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Tapes recorded on stereo cassette recorders will
not playback properly on the 488 because of the
differences in the track format and tape speed.
For the same reasons, tapes recorded on the
Portastudio 488 will not playback properly on
stereo cassette recorders. Material recorded on
the 488 must be mixed down to stereo for final
distribution.
The 488 needs the entire width of the tape to
record its eight tracks, eliminating the option of
recording on both sides (actually, it's both
directions). Therefore, you should decide which
side (side- "A" or side "B") you want to use and
use that side exclusively. It's a good idea to get
into habit of consistently using the same side on
all multitrack tapes.
Tape Type
The Portastudio 488 is internally adjusted for
HIGH BIAS "Type II" tape. For best results, you
should only use tapes of this type. TDK SA,
Maxell XL-II or equivalent formulations are
recommended. We strongly suggest that you
select one good quality brand and use it
exclusively. The time you spend creating your
multitrack master is much more valuable than
the money you save by buying inferior tape. The
cassette shell essentially becomes a part of the
488's transport. Poor quality shells can cause
wrinkles, snarls and shredding of the edges of
the tape with use. Even small scratches on the
tape oxide can cause "dropouts" (temporary loss
of signal) on one or more tracks. High quality
tapes are less likely to cause problems in the
long run.
Accidental Erase/Record Protection
To protect a finished master tape, it is necessary
to punch out both record protect tabs. Even
though you are recording in only one direction,
the 488 uses the entire width of the tape, as
mentioned above. If, for example, you remove
only one of the tabs, you could accidentally
insert the cassette into the 488 backwards and
erase all eight tracks of the master.
Tape Length
Use the shortest possible tape for a given work.
It is not unusual to play a tape 100 times before
you are finished, so select a cassette length that
is as close as possible to the length of the
program you plan to record. Cassettes C-60
length and shorter are often made from thicker
stock than longer cassettes.
The tape used in C-120 cassettes is extremely
thin and can cause winding problems, crimping,
wrinkling, and other damage to the oxide coating
of the tape which will destroy your work. Don't
use C-120s in the 488.
Remember that at 2X normal speed, and the
"one-side-only" 8-track single direction format
means that you have only 1/4X normal play time:
(approx.)
C-30
7.5 min
C-46 11.5 min
C-60 15 min
C-90 22.5 min
SideB
safety tab
Side A
safety tab
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