2 x Tascam TSR 8's synced with Tascam MTS 1000 Midiiser viable setup or not?

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Thanks for your reply Tapewolf - Ihave re- striped slave MSR 16 tape directly from T/C Gen out instead of loop out - much healthier signal reading 0db on playback, I cleaned heads and checked cables : TSR 8 track 8 output to MTS 1000 master TC in - MSR track 16 output to slave T/C in - same thing happened when I perform setup both machines go into play for approx 10 seconds then stop. next step according to manual is press synchro mode chase key - this immediatley results in Slave fast forwarding to end of tape regardless of what master is doing - I can't understand why all worked perfectly on previous evening and now the machines are not communicating except for 10 seconds playing together when set up is performed - is there any sort of reset that can be performed apart from powering off all machines . If it worked perfectly first time I did setup yesterday what can possibly have happened to make it not work now - the cables I had made up CCS in Harlow Essex must be O.K. if it worked yesterday. I am totally at a loss as to what to do now.
 
I think you need someone with experience of the MTS1000. Is it saying anything? Giving any indication as to what it's doing?
 
Switching between master & slave is showing slave ahead by 1 second approx - but Difference display reads:15 mins 16secs.
 
got it working - (after a fashion) I had been cueing both tales up to just before stripe starts - tried cueing slightly forward to when stripe had actually started and it seems to be working - will try to record stereo drums on tracks 1,2 of TSR 8 and on MSR16 bass on track 1 and keys & guitar on track 2 to see if they stay in sync - how do I stop slave from stopping and doing minor adjustments back and forward ( If I was mixing down this would make mixdown impossible ( locks up to within 3 frames on average is there a way to set both machines once locked up to stay locked up for mix down - Have tried chase / chase + phase and chase + slow synchro modes - also display is reading 24 frames when I have set it to 30 NDF - was reading 30NDF correctly yesterday
 
If it's a Tascam machine with DBX, on the 8 / 16th track you have to disable the noise reduction for proper sync code playback, by turning on the sync lock button, also there is a switch on the back to change playback levels for the sync channel use the -10db setting. -5 to 7db playback level is about normal for recording sync codes or maybe even slightly lower. You might have done this right from the start, if so ignore this post!!!
 
Yeah, don't forget that on the TSR-8, you have to set up the DBX every time, since it forgets when the power goes down. Make sure you get into a habit of pressing the two DBX buttons and 'Sync Lock' each time you power up. (As you are probably aware, you can't arm track 8 for recording while Sync Lock is engaged, to protect it - you have to arm first and then press Sync Lock afterwards)

The MSR-24 has a rechargable battery so it remembers for about a week or so without power, depending on usage patterns. I'm not sure if the MSR-16 does this or not.
 
Hi all, back again. wonder if someone can help me. I have a MtS-1000 locking with x2 Tascam 238's. I have finally gotten the machines to lock and chase but. When I say they lock, the slave machine lags dreadfully but at a consistent time frame. Does anybody know the likely cause of this? I am unaware of any setting on the MTS that allows for the adjustment of the slave machine speed relative to the master machine or cannot find mention of it anywhere? I would appreciate any help. Cheers.
 
So the slave machine is playing at the right speed, it just starts late?

Not sure I'm phrasing that right...the slave machine doesn't lag further and further behind, correct? It just gets a late start?

I'm wondering about pre or post-roll settings. I've never even touched an MTS-1000 so I'm just tossing out ideas.
 
Thanks for the reply sweetbeats. Your first impression is correct. The slave locks but at a time/shift that is a few frames (lets say half second for the sake of it) behind the master machine but is consistent at that speed/position. I agree it does seem as though the smpte on the slave is delayed but I also don't see how that is possible. I haven't a MTS-1000 manual but tonight I will have another look for a pre-roll type setting for machine control. I do know the MTS1000 has this as a midi functionality...so its possible. I appreciate the idea mate...cheers :thumbs up:
 
You're welcome.

Actually, look for anything having to do with "offset". Every capable synchronizer I've come across has the ability to fix one of the machines to be offset a certain amount of time to the operators choosing to deal with latency or for some other purpose driven reason...could be frames or seconds...even longer. So look to see if the slave machine has an offset that's being used.
 
It does sound like there's an offset. And if there isn't, you could probably add one to make the problem go away...

EDIT: Oh, another possibility is that it's on phase lock but not chase. I don't know the MTS-1000, but on the ATS-500, there are two buttons, one for each mode. Chase lock will make the slave machine catch up to begin with but then drift apart. Phase lock keeps the machines in step but doesn't match position, much like you're describing. Enabling both with give you true sync.

The question is whether the relative difference between the machines is always constant - if it's exactly 5 seconds away or something every time, it's almost certainly got an offset programmed. If the difference varies, suspect that it's not chasing properly and only doing phase lock. There should be a display mode to show the relative difference.
 
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