Tascam DA-45HR Owner's Manual

3 - Menu functionsTASCAM DA-45HR 193.6 Digital output formatSets the format of the digital audio data output fromboth digital audio outputs (the AES/EBU XLR con-nector and the COAXIAL RCA connector).The options available are AESEBU (AES/EBUformat) and Consmr (SPDIF format).The default is AESEBU.3.7 Digital out word lengthWhen a tape has been recorded in HR(24BIT) mode,it may be necessary to play back the material at 16-bit resolution.Note that the format of the digital audio data willalways be output in the format as selected above (3.6,"Digital output format") from both connectors (AES/EBU and COAXIAL).The options available are 24bit and 16bit.The default value is 24bit.3.8 DitherDithering is the technique used to improve resolutionat low levels, with resulting loss of quantizationnoise 1. It is particularly useful when playing backaudio recorded with higher number of bits than thedestination is capable of receiving.When playing back a recording made in 24-bit HRmode, dithering may be used if the internal D/A con-vertors are used. There is no effect if dithering isselected, and 16-bit output word length is selected.In the STANDARD mode, any dither settings madeare applied to the signal as it is recorded.The triangular (Tri.) setting reduces noise moreeffectively than the rectangular (Rect.) 2, butboth reduce the signal-to-noise ratio compared to theoff setting, triangular more than rectangular.There is no rule for using dither—different circum-stances demand different settings.The default setting here is off.3.9 Copy prohibitSets the level of copy protection for tapes recordedusing this tape deck.The menu items control the writing of the copy pro-tection bit in the subcode of the recorded material.The options available are: Free (no copy protec-tion is applied to the recorded material), 1gen(one generation only of digital copying is possiblefrom tapes produced when this setting is made), andProhbt (no digital copying at all is possible).The second option is equivalent to the SCMS systemimplemented on consumer DAT recorders.The default value here is Free.3.10End IDSets whether an END ID is automatically writtenwhenever recording stops.The two options available are: No WR (no ENDID is written when recording stops) and AutoWR(an END ID is automatically written when recordingstops). When an END ID is written, the displayshows WR-EE.When playing back and an END ID is encountered,EE is shown on the display, and playback stops. Thetape then either stops or rewinds, depending on thesetting made in 3.15, "Auto rewind".The default value is No WR.F o r m a t A E S E B UD o u t H R 2 4 b i tD i t h e r o f f1. A full discussion of dither and other digitalaudio techniques is outside the scope of thismanual. However, a good starting point forlearning about this, and other aspects of digitalaudio, is John Watkinson’s The Art of DigitalAudio, pub Focal Press2. These names refer to the shape of the proba-bility curve describing the noise applied to theoriginal signal as part of the dither process.C o p y I D F r e eE n d - I D N o W R