Tascam DA-78HR Owner's Manual

Also see for DA-78HR: Setup guide Technical documentation

Contents

5 - Basic operations28 TASCAM DA-78HRrecorder. Of course, a non-HR (16-bit) record-ing made on the DA-78HR can be replayed onany DTRS recorder.7 To start formatting the tape, hold down theRECORD key and press the PLAY key.NOTEThe tape counter may show a negative ABS time fora short while at the start of the formatting process.While it is displaying a negative value, no audiorecording can take place.8 The tape will format to the end, and thenrewind automatically.You are now able to use the tape for recording.All transport controls are disabled during formatting,except for the STOP key, which can be used to abortthe format process.It is possible to format tapes on a number of DTRSunits simultaneously. For details, see 8.5, “Synchro-nized formatting”.5.1.3 Aborting the format processTo abort the process before formatting actually takesplace (i.e. you have pressed the FORMAT/Fs switchtwice in error), press the CLEAR or the STOP key.The only transport operation you can perform onceformatting has started is to stop the tape.However, we do not recommend interrupting the for-matting process, but suggest that you let the tape runto the end.If you interrupt the formatting (or the formatting isinterrupted by a power cut or events beyond yourcontrol), rewind the tape and start the format fromthe beginning of the tape again.5.1.4 Recording while formattingIf you have armed any tracks (you have pressed itsREC FUNCTION switch, and the indicator is flash-ing), any audio signal routed to that track will berecorded while formatting is in progress.NOTESIf you have recorded and formatted part of a tape, and youwish to continue formatting and recording on the rest of thetape (“assembly”), you should rewind to a pre-formatted,blank section of the tape and resume formatting andrecording from there.Recording and for matting will continue at the sampling fre-quency used on the first par t of the tape.Avoid re-starting recording and formatting from anunformatted section of the tape.5.2 Recording the first tracksThere are a number of different ways of recording thefirst tracks. However, all follow the same basicprinciples.• When using a newly-formatted tape, we suggestthat you record a blank “leader” about 30 secondslong, starting from the beginning of the tape, toavoid dropout. Leave a similar recorded blank“trailer” at the end of the recording. You can usethe Rec Mute function as a convenient way ofrecording silence. See 7.10, “REC MUTE (record-ing silence)”.• If the tape counter shows a negative value, you can-not record on the tape at that position.5.2.1 Preparing to record1 If you have not already loaded a formattedblank tape, do so now.2 Make sure that varispeed is turned off. Checkthe VARI SPEED indicator 7.6, “Vari speed(pitch control)”.3 Select the recording source (see 5.3, “Inputselection”) as either all digital, all analog or amixture of these sources. The DA-78HR con-tains a “patch bay” which allows you to routeinputs to tracks.5.2.2 Selecting a clock source1 If you have selected a digital source, you shouldselect the word clock master using the CLOCKkey.This can either be an external word clock con-nected to the rear panel BNC WORD IN con-nector, or it can be the SPDIF (COAXIAL)digital audio signal. The appropriate indicatorto the right of the time counter will light.Alternatively, if both of these are lit, the unitwill serve as the word clock master in the audiosystem.NOTERemember that there must be one, and only one,word clock master unit in a digital audio system.5.2.3 Write-protecting cassettesYou cannot record on a cassette where the write-pro-tect tab has been closed (write-protected).