How to configure a Fostex R8 to slave from a DAW

campbellr

New member
I want to configure a Fostex R8 8-track reel to reel, which is fitted with a MTC1 MIDI Interface, to slave from my DAW.
I came across an original advertisement which claimed the R8/MTC1 could slave to a video machine so I am hoping my application is possible.
Has anyone successfully configured the R8/MTC1 as a slave to another device?
If so can you please share the configuration settings (I'm assuming that LTC was recorded on one track of the R8).
Thanks
 
If it can slave to another machine, that's news to me. I always thought it needed to be the master and the DAW the slave.
 
It used to be the case that when DAWs were MIDI only sequencers then the tape machine was the master. These days the clock stability of DAWs is far superior to that of tape machines, so you definitely want the DAW to be the master and the tape machine to slave from that. I slave my Fostex G24S tape machine to Cakewalk and it syncs really well.

So my question is very specific to the Fostex R8. Although the MTC1 has inputs for both LTC (from the R8) and MTC (let's say from the DAW) it is not at all clear in the user manual how you might get the R8 to follow the MTC from the DAW.
 
What do you use to slave your G24S? What synchronizer?

My understanding is the MTC1 is a lot of things but not a synchronizer of the type that can control the tape machine’s capstan motor to keep the tape machine locked to incoming MTC. The MTC1, and I may be wrong, appears to have a rich feature set but it is limited to SPP and MMC type locate functions, and being able to remote control the transport functions via MIDI. I don’t think it is a “synchronizer”.
 
Your G24S is probably fitted with the 8330 synchroniser board which is much more sophisticated than the MTC1. I'd agree with Sweetbeats that the MTC1 doesn't support running the R8 as a slave and I don't think that the R8 has a connector for a full external synchroniser like the 4030.
 
Thanks for the advice which has been really helpful. I managed to find a Fostex 4030 Synchroniser on eBay which accepts two feeds of LTC, one from master and one from slave. So I will feed the master LTC from my DAW and the slave LTC from the R8. The 4030 has a slave flat ribbon type connector which will plug in to the SYNCRONIZER terminal on the R8. The R8 user manual specifically mentions the 4030 so I believe it will be able to lock the R8 to my DAW.

As far as I can see it should be possible to connect both the MTC1 and the 4030 to the R8. So I will use the 4030 for sync and the MTC1 for MIDI remote control of the R8. Fingers crossed it will all work!
 
I hadn't realised that the R8 had a connector for the 4030. In that case I wouldn't use the MTC1 at all as you'll only confuse things. Let the 4030 control everything.
 
I want to try and get the R8 to accept both as the MTC1 has a whole bunch of features which I want to use, most important of all is the LOCATE to timecode function which is really useful when you want to locate the R8 quickly to the DAW's current position.

Ah this is a voyage of discovery!
 
I didn't realise that the 4030 would allow the R8 Locate function to work. Just got delivery of the 4030 so I will give it a try.
 
I don’t think you understand…you no longer need the locate function on the R8…no need to control it. You use the DAW to set your locate points. The tape machine is in chase lock. When you go to a locate point in the DAW the tape machine will follow in sync. That’s how it works if you have the DAW as master.
 
Okay I understand now, thanks.
I haven't been able to find the correct setting for the 4030 to work with the R8.
There is a choice of either FREQ (frequency) or VOLT (voltage) control of the slave machine's capstan speed.
Do you know which is correct for the Fostex R8? (It's not listed in the 4030 handbook)
 
I don’t think you understand…you no longer need the locate function on the R8…no need to control it. You use the DAW to set your locate points. The tape machine is in chase lock. When you go to a locate point in the DAW the tape machine will follow in sync. That’s how it works if you have the DAW as master.
Are you saying I can control the Fostex A8 via Reaper with the 8030 connection in the back of the reel to reel?

That would be slick.
 
Are you saying I can control the Fostex A8 via Reaper with the 8030 connection in the back of the reel to reel?

That would be slick.
Well were talking about different units from the R8/4030 but yes, according to the A8 user manual, you can remote control a Fostex A8 via an 8030. The 8030 is a simple transport remote. It doesn't do any sync based stuff.
 
How does the 8030 communicate with an interface? midi?
You feed it SMPTE timecode. Reaper can generate this and send it to one of the outputs on your audio interface which (as I understand it) you then connect to the master SMPTE input on the 4030. If you aren't using Reaper then I believe that there are plug-ins that will achieve the same thing.
 
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