What are the syncing options on a Tascam 688?

G

Granada

New member
I am trying to sell my Tascam 688 ( im getting a M520:) ) and a prospective buyer wants to know if it syncs to protools.

A - I am not sure exactly what his question is, he knows its not a controll surface

B- I never used the Midi Sync functions so Im not too sure on the matter.

Any help would be great.


thnx
 
Tell the prospective buyer that:

A. Yes, the 688 will sync to ProTools. The buyer wants to know if he/she can lock the computer audio "transport" and the tape audio transport together. Tell the buyer that the 688 has a built in synchronizer. Look in the manual starting on page 30. The built in synchronizer converts incoming MIDI Time Code (MTC) into a type of SMPTE code called FSK. The converted MTC (now FSK timecode) gets recorded or striped onto track 8 of the 688 with track 8 noise reduction off. The buyer would need to know how to get his/her DAW to play MTC from the DAW and port it through a MIDI out jack on whatever computer MIDI interface he/she has, and then that cable gets connected to the 688 MIDI IN jack. A second MIDI cable gets connected from the 688 MIDI OUT jack to a MIDI in jack on the computer MIDI interface. Once the FSK timecode is "striped" (recorded) onto track 8, then ProTools needs to be set to synchronize or clock to incoming MTC. Press PLAY on the 688, the FSK on track 8 gets converted back to MTC and sent out the MIDI OUT jack to the PC, and then PrroTools, being set to reference the incoming MTC, should "hear" the MTC coming off of track 8 of the 688 and follow the transport actions on the 688.

B. See 'A'. :) Again, the instructions start on page 30 of the 688 manual.

This was one of the big deals about the 644 and 688 MIDIstudios (notice it is not a Portastudio, but a MIDIstudio)...no external sync box is needed (i.e. JL Cooper PPS2, Tascam MTS-30, etc.); its all onboard...they were designed to sync in a MIDI environment.

Hope that helps.
 
Thank you so much for the info. That is very cool news. I believe I will be the owner of a M520 come monday. Your M520 story is going to be my bible, soooooo much usefull information. Thanks again
 
Hey cool.

Glad it is helpful info. I give credit to the many contributors to the thread and related threads that have edumacated me, so I'm glad I can pass it on.

Keep us posted on your acquisition okay?

We look forward to the details! :)
 
Just in case anyone reads this in the future, I just picked up a 688 and the Midistudio bit of it is geared towards Midi Clocks and Song Position Pointer not MidiTimeCode (MTC). You cannot supply the 688 with MTC in any shape or form, only Midi Clock. The 688 then does its FSK thingy and saves the data to track 8 from where it can be replayed and kick out a Midi Clock 'track' with the relevant song position data, tempo and time signature. For most DAWs this will not be enough to sync audio to. I haven't tried Reason yet (which will sync to a Midi Clock source) but I have just tried a JL Cooper sync box that stripes track 8 of the 688 with SMPTE and then converts this track to MTC. I am thinking of doing some demo / ideas stuff to the 688 and then dumping it to my Fostex D2424LV as the track evolves, allowing me to 'spin' tracks back into the 688 for bouncing and mixing etc.

Al
 
Hi autruistica, do you know whether the 688 will slave to SMPTE from a midiizer. I have two 238 that are locking perfectly, due to these machines do not run rubber bands for the drive wheel but are servo controlled like reel to reel machines. But I want to get very cheeky, I also plan to get a 688 and want to know if its possible I can slave this to the already locked system? On the midiizer there is an available smpte loop output and wonder whether this could be used to send smpte to a second smpte syncroniser in real time to lock it to the midiizer...thus creating more outputs/inputs to control the 688. I hope this makes sense.
 
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Don't know how many times I've tried to attached and upload a basic diagram for what I am trying to do...both jpeg and word doc, to no avail...frustrating.
 
Hy Robert,
I have had all the equipment you mentioned in the past, but not at the same time. The Midiizer was designed with ACCESSORY 2 devices in mind, but as far as I'm aware, the syncing capabilities of the unit was limited to two devices. It could sync an older tape machine with the inclusion of another port (I forget the name..possibly ACCESSORY 1). Are you syncing the two 238s via the Midiizer? I don't think you can sync three units. I'd be tempted to sub-mix stuff rather than add another unit. By recording say up to 12 tracks (five on unit 1, 7 on unit 2) you could still bounce down to a stereo pair on unit 1. Then you could put a new tape into unit 2, and bounce the stereo pair to this new tape. Replace the tape in unit 1 and you now have 12 more tracks to record new stuff? The 238 and 688 are such good machines that the loss in quality would be negligible.
Al
 
I would certainly not attach a word document, assuming the forum software even lets you do that. They're outright dangerous.
Jpeg should work, but last I remember the forum has a size limit around 64KB, and only logged-in users will be able to see them anyway.
I think what most people do is upload the image to something else, like photobucket, flickr, or even Dropbox, and post a link to it. That would be a much better way if you can do it.
 
Thank you Altruistica for your reply. Yes, I absolutely get what your saying 14 tracks are great 21 would be better though and no ping ponging needed :) I know I am being a bit crazy but in theory I think it should work. If the loop out of the locked midiizer runs smpte to say an ATS-500, which in turn is hooked up to the 688 (hooked up with all cables needed including serial 2)...then wouldn't that work? the only problem I see is that the ats-500 wouldn't be serial with the midiizer. Hmmmm...maybe Ive answered my own question there....the ATS-500 would be locked to the 688 but not locked to the midiizer?
 
Sorry about reviving thread, but I've found that ableton live is best tool to sync to 688. Its flexible audio engine does great job at smooth audio playback with tape. You can bounce back and forth between 688 and ableton using timecode (record while under external sync). Recorded material has time markers every bar or so, which ensures total syncronized performance ITB. Timing does drift a bit. Pich control controls tempo too. Such workflow is new to me, so I need to dig deeper into whole idea.
 
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