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1280 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
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Business fax: (617) 576-3609
Tech support fax: (617) 354-3068
Tech support email: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.motu.com

Mark of the Unicorn, Inc.

Digital Timepiece

User’s Guide

Summary of Contents for Digital Timepiece

Page 1: ...Cambridge MA 02138 Business voice 617 576 2760 Business fax 617 576 3609 Tech support fax 617 354 3068 Tech support email techsupport motu com Web site http www motu com Mark of the Unicorn Inc Digit...

Page 2: ...igitalTimepieceshouldbeoperatedonlyfromthetypeofpowersourceindicatedonthemarkinglabel Ifyouarenotsureofthetypeofpowersupplytoyourlocation consultyourlocalpowercompany 8 Power CordProtection Power supp...

Page 3: ...TC 37 Video VITC 37 Video Sony 37 Word 1x Internal 37 Word 1x MTC 37 Word 1x LTC 37 Word 256x Internal 37 Word 256x MTC 38 Word 256x LTC 38 Word 1x Video Internal 38 Word 1x Video MTC 38 Word 1x Video...

Page 4: ...75 Overview 75 Establishing communication 75 Slaving your sequencer 76 Using your sequencer as transport master 77 MMC record commands Chapter11 Digital Timepiece OMS 79 Overview 79 ClockWorks and OMS...

Page 5: ...nchroni zation hub for your recording studio It provides stable centralized synchronization services for most analog digital audio and video equipment found in today s recording studio Until now locki...

Page 6: ...perclock andS PDIF Theseindustrystandardformatsallow theDigitalTimepiecetosynchronizeawidevariety of digital audio systems including Digidesign Pro Tools 4 0 Pro Tools Project stand alone hard disk re...

Page 7: ...an essential feature for those of you who work with film cues that have been temporarily transferred to video for music scoring or audio post production By using a pull down rate while working with fi...

Page 8: ...of standard ADAT 9 pin Sync In and Sync Out sockets DA 88 15 pin Sync In and Sync Out sockets a SONY 9 pin video sync jack a pair of quarter inch phone jacks for SMPTE LTC input and output two pairs o...

Page 9: ...remain in perfect phase The Digital Timepiece has the ability to drive a chain of ADATs at this level sample accurate locating with continuous phase lock But even more signifi cantly the Digital Timep...

Page 10: ...causestwo digital audio devices to phase with one another as they play since the timing reference 30 frame per second time code has such a lower resolution than their internal sample clocks An example...

Page 11: ...our LEDs is illuminated the Digital Timepiece controls the global word clock rate as determined by the word rate settings on its front panel at left All other time base modes derive the word clock rat...

Page 12: ...prietary synchronization format It carries all three components of synchronization word rate address and transport infor mation Connect any device that supports it such as another Digital Timepiece If...

Page 13: ...m Computers 14 Digital Multitrack tape decks 16 Word Clock Devices 22 S PDIF devices 24 Video 27 SMPTE time code devices 28 MIDI Time Code devices 29 Alesis LRC 29 MMC control surfaces 30 If your devi...

Page 14: ...puter slaves to MTC generated by the Digital Timepiece Conversely software that supports MMC can send MMC transport commands play stop rewind locate etc to the Digital Timepiece Digital audio workstat...

Page 15: ...erefore you will probably want to make the Digital Timepiece handle synchroni zation chores while the MIDI Timepiece AV takes care of MIDI processing and networking For optimum flexibility connect the...

Page 16: ...igital multi tracks also provide a way to synchronize to SMPTE time code For example ADATs and ADAT XTs require an Alesis BRC to synchronize to SMPTE or to follow MMC transports commands from computer...

Page 17: ...rst one as shown in Figure 3 8 Figure 3 8 Connecting multiple ADATs Connecting the Digital Timepiece as a slave If you have anAlesis BRC and you want to use it as your master control surface you will...

Page 18: ...ape starting at a time other than zero a common situation when working with audio for picture such as one hour and five minutes 01 05 00 00 You can then choose the offset option on the front panel of...

Page 19: ...ital Timepiece There may be some situations in which you want to slave the Digital Timepiece to your DA 88 instead of the other way around For example if you have a Tascam RC 848 controller and you wa...

Page 20: ...DA 88 The MMC remote control from the computer as shown here is optional Figure 3 14 on page 21 shows this setup with everything referenced to house sync DigitalTimepiece DA 88 with SY 88 Sync Card DA...

Page 21: ...example you could feed SMPTE to the SY 88 card and Digital Timepiece from a video deck that is also referenced to house video such that the video deck is the transport address master Controlling a DA...

Page 22: ...n e g we re at 1 05 33 14 Therefore word clock by itself is not enough to synchronize two devices Time code is also required so that each device knows where to go in time when you tell it to cue play...

Page 23: ...lockoutputs aWORD 1x OUT and a WORD 256x OUT and it is possible to use both at the same time For example you could connect a stand alone hard disk recorder to the word 1x output and a Digidesign Pro T...

Page 24: ...Digital Timepiece An example is shown in Figure 3 22 on page 26 S PDIF devices cannot be chained S PDIF thru S PDIF differs from word clock because it is not just a synchronization format it consists...

Page 25: ...on capabilities The Digital Timepiece s S PDIF sync feature helps solve two problems for Audiomedia I II or III users drift and digital transfers to and from ADAT and other systems The drift problem T...

Page 26: ...fer would be inconvenient because you would have to temporarily make the other device slave to the Audiomedia card for the transfer which often involves physically plugging and unplugging cables But t...

Page 27: ...withoutVITC Video distribution amplifier Connect any video destination to theVIDEO OUT of the Digital Timepiece Most often this will be a video monitor so you can see the time code burn in and other...

Page 28: ...see Striping SMPTE on page 90 Figure 3 24 Connecting a SMPTE time code source Connecting a SMPTE time code destination Connect the Digital Timepiece s SMPTE OUT port to the SMPTE time code input of a...

Page 29: ...o slave a device to MTC generated by the Digital Timepiece connect the MIDI OUT of the Digital Timepiece to the MIDI IN on the device For computer connections see Computers on page 14 ALESIS LRC The L...

Page 30: ...nd MTC if you are using it instead of LTC To do so you can connect the MMC controller directly to the Digital Timepiece MIDI IN and MIDI OUT jacks Alternately you could connect both the Digital Timepi...

Page 31: ...ribed earlier As long as you ve made these preparations your MMC controller s global record functions will work fine with the devices connected to the Digital Timepiece Device specific record function...

Page 32: ...I N S T A L L A T I O N 32...

Page 33: ...synchronization 34 Choosing a time base mode 34 Internal 36 Video Internal 36 Video MTC 36 Video SMPTE LTC 36 Video VITC 37 Video Sony 37 Word 1x Internal 37 Word 1x MTC 37 Word 1x LTC 37 Word 256x I...

Page 34: ...computer Or you can run everything from an Alesis Little Remote Control LRC Choosing a master In any synchronization scenario there is a master and there are slaves The TIME BASE controls on the Digit...

Page 35: ...e code or start generating it internally which takes much less time Summary of synchronization modes The Digital Timepiece offers 28 different time base modes Each mode provides a unique combination o...

Page 36: ...with SMPTE time code striped on a track The Digital Timepiece will automatically detect the frame rate with the exception that it cannot distinguish between 29 97 and 30 Therefore to ensure that the a...

Page 37: ...t the Digital Timepiece to use an external word clock device as a time base reference while the Digital Timepiece itself serves as the SMPTE time code master WORD 1X MTC Choose this setting when you w...

Page 38: ...dress SMPTE master and the Digital Timepiece slaves to MIDI Time Code MTC fed to it from the master address source For an example of how this mode can be used see Using house sync with the Digital Tim...

Page 39: ...orts on the Digital Timepiece itself be connected at the same time WORD 1X DA 88 Choose this setting when you want the Digital Timepiece to use an external word clock device as a time base reference w...

Page 40: ...9 97 drop setting turning off auto detection If you find yourself in a situation where you would like to disable the Digital Timepiece s automatic frame rate detection you can do so using the ClockWor...

Page 41: ...al Timepiece help the audio play back at the correct speed even after it has been transferred back to film Here is a brief simplified explanation Film runs at 24 frames per second Video runs at 30 fra...

Page 42: ...l Timepiece is put into Internal time base mode its actual sample rate output will always exactly match the word rate setting on its front panel The Digital Timepiece has a very accurate internal cloc...

Page 43: ...ncy however is only a display issue when you actually play music the music on theADAT will be in perfect time with the Digital Timepiece and everything else being synchronized by the Digital Timepiece...

Page 44: ...F R O N T P A N E L S E T T I N G S 44...

Page 45: ...ase because it has an extremely accurate internal clock Figure 5 1 DigitalTimepiece PLAY REC SONY 9 pin compatible video deck Digital Multitracks ADATs or DA 88s Digital Mixer Yamaha 02R Figure 5 1 If...

Page 46: ...tape recorder video should the time base master as shown here DigitalTimepiece PLAY REC SONY 9 pin compatible video deck Digital Multitracks ADATs or DA 88s Digital Mixer Yamaha 02R Figure 5 2 This se...

Page 47: ...DAT or Tascam DA 88 These devices can be slaved to the Digital Timepiece allowing you to drive them from your video deck Figure 5 3 Alternately you could keep your multi track and replace your video d...

Page 48: ...nected to the end of the ADAT or DA 88 chain In this scenario the Digital Timepiece is synchronized sample accurately with the BRC and all ADATs in the chain or RC 848 and DA 88s respectively PLAY REC...

Page 49: ...rol the Digital Timepiece If the Digital Timepiece is in a time base made for converting external time code just roll the time code source DEFERRED PLAYBACK The Digital Timepiece has a convenient feat...

Page 50: ...Make sure the devices are appropriately set up to lock to whichever form of time code they are being fed from the Digital Timepiece When the Digital Timepiece begins generating time code its red TACH...

Page 51: ...rol window See your ClockWorks manual for details If you encounter a time code drop out that causes the Digital Timepiece to stop converting for a moment try increasing the freewheel amount adding jus...

Page 52: ...C O N V E R T I N G G E N E R A T I N G T I M E C O D E 52...

Page 53: ...r you can initiate striping from ClockWorks the software console for the Digital Timepiece Or you can initiate striping from any MMC control surface or MMC compatible software program which you have s...

Page 54: ...ourself at least 15 seconds of pre roll from where you will actually begin working in the time code To be safe record at least a minute of pre roll just in case you decide later to add more material a...

Page 55: ...corded at very strong hot levels above 0 VU without risk of bleed through If your tape deck has no tracks to spare a good level at which to record is around 3VU That is theVU meter for the SMPTE track...

Page 56: ...kWorks MIDI Machine Control window See your ClockWorks manual for details This makes the Digital Timepiece jam to the existing time code while at the same time generating fresh continuous frame number...

Page 57: ...the first frame of incoming time code to determine at which frame time it will start If you chose Video Internal set the SMPTE start frame in the main counter of the MMC controller that you have set u...

Page 58: ...n the vertical interval between video frames The Digital Timepiece always records VITC on lines 16 and 18 of each frame RECORDING BURN IN OTHER GRAPHICS The Digital Timepiece provides both a large and...

Page 59: ...top locate etc to another MMC device that serves as the address time code master When the address master device responds to the transport commands it generates time code to which all other devices cha...

Page 60: ...support one of the following SONY 9 pin machine control MIDI Machine control SMPTE time code as a time code slave Without one of these capabilities your video deck cannot be a slave to the Digital Tim...

Page 61: ...s We call an internal ID a soft ID and the physical setting on the device itself as the hard ID Soft IDs are the ones you see in ClockWorks Sync MMC window as shown below in Figure 8 2 Figure 8 2 The...

Page 62: ...connected to the Digital Timepiece in the order in which you would like them assigned waiting at least 5 seconds between each device SETTING UP MMC SLAVES The following sections provide details for co...

Page 63: ...ons depending on what type of time code you will be using For MIDI Time Code connect MIDI OUT from the Digital Timepiece to MIDI IN on the device for SMPTE time code LTC connect SMPTE Out from the Dig...

Page 64: ...port control commands Generally speaking once you ve successfully established overall MIDI communication between your software and the Digital Timepiece all you have to do is tell your MMC software wh...

Page 65: ...e specific messages to the Digital Timepiece with the soft MMC ID of the device connected to the Digital Timepiece that you wish to control In other words program your controller to send the device sp...

Page 66: ...M I D I M A C H I N E C O N T R O L 66...

Page 67: ...run the ClockWorks Easy Install GETTING THE DIGITAL TIMEPIECE TO APPEAR IN PERFORMER S MMC WINDOW The first step in getting Performer to work with the Digital Timepiece is to add a Digital Timepiece...

Page 68: ...Performer to slave to the Digital Timepiece you are then either slaving the Digital Timepiece to another time code source such as SMPTE time code from a video deck or you are using the Digital Timepie...

Page 69: ...nts using Performer s Auto Punch features WhiletheDigitalTimepieceitself isnotarecording device you can do all of these things with MMC devices that are connected to the Digital Timepiece such as ADAT...

Page 70: ...the soft MMC IDs that the Digital Timepiece automatically gives them Notice that a separate device has been created for each ADAT and that they are all connected to the same MIDI port as the DigitalTi...

Page 71: ...ut The streamer display includes a text prompt followed by the streamer with a full screen punch all timed so that the punch happens on the exact frame location of the marker in Performer There are se...

Page 72: ...ure 3 11 on page 19 then you set up Performer or Digital Performer to control the Digital Timepiece which then controls the DA 88 If you have set up your DA 88 with an SY 88 card as the time code mast...

Page 73: ...it so that it does not swallow MMC commands intended for the SY 88 card 1 Launch ClockWorks 2 Select the MTP AV in the Device List window 3 Open the Device Settings and Routings window Figure 9 7 Del...

Page 74: ...he Digital Timepiece The Digital Timepiece slaves to MTC from the SY 88 card And the SY 88 card responds to the MMC messages sent from Performer Using Performer and the SY 88 with triple sync You can...

Page 75: ...er 75 Using your sequencer as transport master 76 MMC record commands 77 ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION The Digital Timepiece is a standard MIDI device that can be connected to a MIDI interface Just be su...

Page 76: ...play command to the Digital Timepiece The Digital Timepiece begins generating time code which your sequencer then slaves to This all happens quickly enough that it feels like you are actually making...

Page 77: ...ord enable tracks with the row s of record buttons provided set track offsets set the monitor mode etc Many sequencersallowyouto record enabletracks on MMC devices remotely from the sequencer If yours...

Page 78: ...rding by pressing the record button in the main transports of either ClockWorks or your sequencer MMC record feature summary Most sequencers allow you to do the following by MMC remote control Set the...

Page 79: ...rate serial ports 80 Preparing ClockWorks 81 Preparing OMS 81 Adding the DTP to your OMS setup 81 Using AV Controls 82 CLOCKWORKS AND OMS Ideally you will want to use the Digital Timepiece software Cl...

Page 80: ...nd out of the computer When ClockWorks is active it takes over the serial port in a similar fashion This all works fine as long as you choose the Allow other applications preference in FreeMIDI and re...

Page 81: ...e Serial DMA If this option is available it should be unchecked 5 The option called Turn on Appletalk after last OMS application quits should be unchecked ADDING THE DTP TO YOUR OMS SETUP The way in w...

Page 82: ...kWorks for some reason Then make it match whatever ID you ve chosen for the Digital Timepiece in ClockWorks minus 1 due to the difference in numbering schemes between ClockWorks and OMS 5 Uncheck the...

Page 83: ...just about anything via the Digital Timepiece including the Digital Timepiece itself The Digital Timepiece s unique triple sync feature provides the tightest possible synchronization between Pro Tools...

Page 84: ...remove OMS entirely from your system turn on OMS emulation in FreeMIDI and run Pro Tools under FreeMIDI s OMS emulation OMS versus OMS emulation In summary your two choices are Run both OMS and FreeM...

Page 85: ...hoose Preferences from the File menu Figure 12 1 Launch the FreeMIDI Setup application and choose PreferencesfromtheFilemenutoenableOMSemulationinFreeMIDI 4 Enable the FreeMIDI Applications Only optio...

Page 86: ...ls and other devices see Pro Tools and Triple sync on page 91 Essential connections 1 Connect the Slave Clock Output of your Pro Tools I O to the Word 256x Input of the Digital Timepiece Be sure to re...

Page 87: ...erformer or Digital Performer in MIDI Only mode simultaneously with Pro Tools in this scenario you need to use FreeMIDI s OMS emulation as described in Enabling OMS emulation in FreeMIDI on page 85 Wi...

Page 88: ...etup should also be used when you want to control everything from transport controls other than those in Pro Tools such as the transports on a video deck MIDI sequencer Alesis BRC etc For the tightest...

Page 89: ...ClockWorks Regardless of how you ve set up FreeMIDI and or OMS you can use ClockWorks to manage the settings in the Digital Timepiece If you choose one of the Digital Timepiece s Internal modes Intern...

Page 90: ...r 10 Digital Timepiece Other Sequencers page 75 Figure 12 7 Slaving ProTools using one of the DigitalTimepiece s Triple sync modes the most accurate way to sync ProTools with the Digital Timepiece In...

Page 91: ...e base mode for the Digital Timepiece use the appropriate triple sync mode listed above Everything else about slaving Pro Tools including ClockWorks Performer DigitalPerformerandOMS dependentsequencer...

Page 92: ...page 87 and page 89 Syncing an OMS sequencer with Pro Tools on page 87 and page 90 LOCKUP TIME The fastest lockup times will be achieved when you set up Pro Tools as the master or when Pro Tools is a...

Page 93: ...th an Alesis LRC for the ADAT XT the LRC buttons function as follows With a Fostex LRC connected the LRC buttons function as follows If you have an LRC unit other than an Alesis or Fostex model and ar...

Page 94: ...ected to the Digital Timepiece VIDEO OUT and turn on the video display with ClockWorks 1 Set the RANGE pot and the OFFSET pot to their midpoint position 2 Plug in your LRC and adjust the OFFSET pot to...

Page 95: ...ord enabled in order for record commands to pass to other MMC devices All other transport commands will function however Ican tgetmyMMCcontrollertocontroltheDigital Timepiece Why not Check the device...

Page 96: ...er window why am I never able to establish Video Lock You probably have not defined a valid video frame rate Valid video rates are 29 97 fps NTSC or 25 fps PAL When parked on a video frame the Digital...

Page 97: ...my DA 88 display Warning E CLOC on the front panel in some time base settings This is a warning that the DA 88 displays if there is no detection of clock ex ADAT time base setting In most cases once...

Page 98: ...imepiece This is printed on a sticker placed on the bottom of the Digital Timepiece You must be able to supply this number to receive technical support The version ClockWorks you are working with This...

Page 99: ...T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G 99...

Page 100: ...me code 50 MTC time base mode 36 N Noise reduction with SMPTE 54 R RD 8 16 Recording SMPTE striping 53 Registration card 5 Reshaping time code 51 57 S S P DIF S P DIF Internal time base mode 39 SMPTE...

Page 101: ...I N D E X 101...

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