Tascam Midiizer lock to tape and computer/protools

robertrichards

New member
Hi all I have a question that doesn't seem to be on any thread here that I can find. I have a MTS-1000 locked to x2 Tascam 8 tracks via the serial ports. I wish to lock my Protools LE to the Midiizer...thereby having 14 analogue tracks and protools sync'd together simultaneously. Does anybody know whether this is possible? I know I could in theory control the protool system via midi but it seems to me that would likely be an unstable system...not that I have tried it? If anyone is familiar with the MTS-1000 is there another option to achieve my desired set up? I would buy another synchronizer for example to get it done.

appreciate any thought cheers.
 
I have recently been fiddling with this myself (w/ Tascam 238 machines). I am going to try connecting the 238 decks as master and slave, then trying to get Pro Tools to "Midi Chase" via MTC from the Midiizer's midi output. According to p. 14 of the MTS-1000 manual, this requires setting up a tempo map (which I've never done). Many people say the tape should chase the computer's SMPTE track, but I haven't had any luck syncing a 238 to a SMPTE stripe on the computer. In fact, I've only been able to achieve sync lock with two decks connected to the serial ports. Supposedly you can use a non-syncing time code source (whether from a computer, Tascam 38, etc) as a master, but I've never been able to do that either. Keep me posted if you had any luck. I'll do the same. By the way, are you using 238 decks? TSR-8? Something else?
 
Hi Chris, Yes I am successfully running two 238's locked with the Midiizer. Very happy with it sonically. To be honest I havnt followed through any further with the computer lock as time has gotten away from me but I still want this to happen. The 238's have to be master and slave (via the serial ports)...there are no other options if you want them both locked. That said, it may be possible to control the Midiizer via the computer (which in turn is controlling the decks)...this is my end game. Sounds like you are essentially after the same thing. As you have said it appears that midi machine control should be capable of that but the sticking point is whether the two locked decks will remain locked? A dream set up would be the computer smtpe locked to the midiizer but I just don't see how that's possible?? BTW I am running protools.
 
Good to have somebody with the same goal. Since I'm running Pro Tools with an Apogee Quartet interface, I had to order a MIDI-USB cable (thankfully the interface at least has a USB MIDI input). I'll keep you posted.
 
Initial results are encouraging. I bought an iConnectivity Mio 1x1 midi-to-USB interface ($30). I connected the midi outs and ins from the Midiizer to a USB port on my Mac. (Connecting to the USB midi input port on my Apogee Quartet did not work).

One of my 238 decks is being serviced, so I'm only syncing one to PT right now. I striped track 8, and recorded material on tracks 1-7. Connect sync cable from deck to master, and output of striped track to master t/c input on Midiizer. Put dip switches to 30 frame non-drop, 24 PPQ time base, 9.6 khz fm servo, and serial i/f select.

On the Midiizer, I wrote a tempo map using the tap function. First, my music started at 3 minutes 15 secs on the time code display. So I went back to 3 mins giving me 15 secs of intro time. Then: Press Tempo Edit, then Song Bank (using bottom row buttons), enter 2 for name song, enter. Then in Tempo Edit press Time Signature (bottom row buttons). I left it on 4/4. Press Esc. In the Tempo Edit row select Tempo Program. Select 2 for Tap then enter, then select 1 for tap/mark. Choose master on the T/C Ref key. Press play and tap the quarter notes on the tap/mark key until the song is over, then press the Stop/Continue key. Then press Esc. Rewind to start of session (3 min in my case). Press "Others" and select Midi T/C. I also pressed the Chase button, not sure if the was necessary with only one deck. Do NOT press Midi Chase.

In PT, create a session. Add some audio tracks. Then, under the Setup tab/Input Devices, I selected Mio as my midi input device. Under Setup/Peripherals/Synchronization, I selected Mio for both MTC reader port and MTC generator port. Under Setup/Peripherals/Machine Control, I selected "enable" for MIDI Machine Control Remote (slave) and left the ID at the default 127. Under Setup/Session I put 00:03:00:00 as the session start (ie, 3 minutes) and made sure the rate was 30 non-drop and 24 feet per sec. Press OK. I put PT into online mode (the pie chart thingy next to "Generate MTC" on the transport). I had to deselect Wait For Note mode for this to work.

Back on the Midiizer I selected Master for the remote control, rewound to 2 min 50 sec. Pressed play. When the tape reached 3min, PT started playing. I did this again, armed a track in PT to record and recorded a beatbox/scat track to test the sync. Then I hooked up tracks 1-7 on the 238 to dump into PT. I did the sync again, only this time recording tracks 1-7 into PT. I played back the whole session in PT and my test track was synced with the newly dumped 238 tracks 1-7. In other words, I recorded on the 238, then recorded a synced test track in PT, then dumped the 238 tracks into PT and they were synced with the test track.
 
Mate that is awesome work and written very succinctly. I will get one of the iConnectivity Mio's and give it a go! I have another tracking session coming up shortly that will be perfect for this. Thanks again Chris, love your work!
 
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