If you're using the TSR-8 as master to control the computer, it should be bog-standard. If it's like the TS-1, you'll likely need nothing more than a pair of RCA -> jack leads to connect the PPS to the deck, and a MIDI cables to connect the PPS to the computer. These can likely be had off-the-shelf.
Yeah...this is one reason that people typically slave the DAW to the deck. The hardware to sync the two is cheaper and more readily available and cabling is
much easier to deal with. Plus the deck won't have to do as much shuttling to hunt/find/lock to the code when you change the timeline location in the DAW.
The con IMO to slaving the DAW, and it may be splitting hairs and is one of those things that will never be settled AFAIC, is that you are referencing the digital clock to the mechanics of the analog deck. When you slave the DAW it is locking to and following the atr. A digital clock is more accurate and consistent than a tape transport. Good clocking is an important issue in the digital world. I clock my DAW to
my Presonus Digimax FS which has (IMHO) a decent budget-level clock in it...everything sounds better when setting that clock as the reference as opposed to
my Yamaha 01X. Not that the Yamaha is bad or anything, but when I got the Digimax everything sounded less "smeary". Now after all that, if I made the atr the clock reference, my hunch is that I'd be able to hear it as a step-down from the Yamaha clock, or maybe not...haven't tried it. Worst case if your computer is underpowered for you DAW and/or projects (and I'm not necessarily just talking about CPU and RAM, but the buss architecture, HDD specs and how the OS is tuned), you might find that you get pops and clicks in your recording and playback from the DAW if it runs out of buffers trying to constantly resolve the tiny changes in the "master clock", the atr. This really isn't an issue anymore but it was at one time. For me personally it is a decision based on ideals; I want my
digital audio workstation to reference a
digital clock, not the analog timecode. So I have a Tascam ES-50 synchronizer and a Tascam 58. The 58's capstan motor, like your TSR-8, can be controlled externally and the ES-50 can control it so the tape speed stays in step with a master code source that comes from my DAW.
I had to make the cable. PITA. Only about $30 in parts but a lot of research. Mine was a bit more of a worst-case scenario since the 58 is older, and the ES-50 is less common. Tascam had the wiring diagram and they were able to help, but it was a project.
I agree that for your purposes I would recommend slaving the DAW and keeping it simple. I still believe that the way I'm doing it is right for me, but I also believe I'm in the minority and there's a reason for that.
