Problem Syncing Slow TSR-8 to DAW

  • Thread starter Thread starter sherm_jonathan
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what type of box would do this? I am trying to sync PTLE to a teac 80-8 via an ADAT. I have a JL Cooper PP2, but I have the drift problem when syncing to MTC. I would like to use the ADAT Optical In to PT for the transfer beacuse it has -10db inputs for convenience, therefore you have to clock to the ADAT. Also someone lent me an Alesis AI-2 to help, but I can't seem to configured correctly maybe- Thanks!
 
PTLE won't clock to ADAT if tou are trying to setup a sync relationship with the 80-8. PTLE needs to be set to sync/slave to incoming MTC that is coming off the PPS-2...what are you using for a MIDI interface?

So think of it this way...the 80-8 is your clock source, or rather the SMPTE timecode striped on the 80-8. If you want to lock the ADAT into the picture then you will need a DAW interface that handles the lightpipe and the ADAT would slave to the DAW which would be slaved to MTC.

All the AI-3 does is convert analog audio to ADAT lightpipe.
 
Actually , the AI-2 is different, it's a synchronizer that reads smpte and converts to MTC - it allows the transport of the ADAT to chase smpte...and PTLE handles lightpipe directly from the ADAT (but when w/ the ADAT clocked to the AI-2 chasing smpte from the 80-8 I think the clock becomes unstable when it hits PT, it loses sybc w/ the ADAT)...PTLE will chase the MTC, but in this scenario needs to clock to the sample rate of the incoming ADAT signal...I have PPS-2 but want to use the ADAT for incoming signal...I guess i have to eliminate the AI-2 and just use the PPS-2...but I get drift as in Sherms original scenario, I guess i need to know how to properly configure LE to chase MTC so that it won't drift...Thanks
 
Sorry...didn't read close enough...thought you said AI-3...yeah I'm familiar with the AI2.

What is your MIDI interface for PTLE?

So you'd connect it up this way right?

80-8 track 8 SMPTE timecode stripe --> AI2 Reader Input --> AI2 DB9 Sync Out --> ADAT DB9 Sync In

That takes care of slaving the ADAT to the 80-8, and then to slave the DAW to the 80-8 you take the MIDI OUT of the AI2 and connect that to the MIDI IN of your DAW MIDI interface and set PTLE to clock to the MTC coming in on the MIDI IN jack on your DAW MIDI interface right?

Everything is then locking to the SMPTE code converted to MTC coming off the 80-8 and the PPS-2 is not needed. My only question is whether or not, for certain, the AI2 will take the SMPTE timecode present at the Reader input and convert that to MTC output to the MIDI OUT jack.

Am I missing anything, guys?
 
Beck said:
All major and several minor DAW programs are setup to slave by SMPTE/MTC to the ATR or VTR, but not the other way ‘round. It’s a tried and true method. Before the proliferation of music forums it wasn’t even really debated in professional circles.
Click to expand...


Yeah...I've been doing it this way since Cubase days on the Atari!
Right now I'm using Samplitude...and it slaves to my deck via SMPTE/MTC input.
I've not had any serious/obvious sync issues, and I've done a lot of track-by-track dumps from tape to DAW and had the previous DAW tracks all in sync.

On like a 6 minute song I've seen some "drift" down at the sample level...but I think that drift is being “imported” from the tape deck.

It's close enough for Rock & Roll. ;)
 
Sweetbeats - Yes, that's it, except the AI2 has MIDI out, so MTC is fed to PT much like the JL Cooper - maybe I am not properly configuring PTLE to slave to MTC, but at least I can the MTC to start the PTLE transport. The AI-2 basically does what the JL Cooper does, but can Varispeed the ADAT to smpte at the same time. I need to keep trying with a cleaned ADAT deck as it I've getting a lot of read errors, but I think when the ADAT is reading the smpte from tape, the clock output to the ADAT goes unstable & PTLE does like and reverts to internal clock - but then you get the popping through the ADAT inputs....so....I'm having the pinch roller & capstan replaced on my deck to see if that will increase consistency in the smpte and in turn improve clock stability from the AI-2 to the ADAT...however I would like a more simple solution..maybe the JL Cooper will be enough by itself after that and I don't have to have a "dummy " ADAT tape in the deck - (signal just passes from the ADAT to PT)....i asked TEAC techs if there is a way to retro-fit a Teac 80-8 so that it varispeeds the capstan as when synced an out board synchronizer & they responded - "It probably can be done, but would not be cost-effective & the parts required are long discontinued & unavailable, so all the components would need to be custom-built." Probabaly cheaper to by a TSR-8 w/ an MTS-100 and slave to PTLE strpied w/ SMPTE....
 
or maybe try cubase for transfers? Miroslav - I'm sure this exists for MAC, how do you configure? My drift is bad - like the click from PT, the first and second transfers back from tape are all off...Thanks Guys!
 
So is the ADAT your audio interface for PTLE???

I'm trying to figure out what it is doing in the chain if you are just putting a dummy tape in. I'm just trying to make sure that you aren't trying to use the AI2/ADAT system as a clock source, because everything should tie back to the 80-8 and ONLY the 80-8 for it to work...

The 80-8 did have a DC capstan motor upgrade to work with the VS-88 varispeed controller, but it was just for varispeed control and not external sync, so you cannot slave the 80-8.

So when you hit PLAY on the 80-8 PTLE and the ADAT go into PLAY mode as well?
 
Well I am using the ADAT for it's (8) 10db inputs via lightpipe to PT from the 80-8, but then PT needs to clock to the ADAT, but the 002R is the actual interface...w/ the AI-2 connected, yes, the ADAT goes into play & PT as well (sort of) but does not stay clocked & PT reverts to internal clock and freaks out transport stops -pretty sure I I need to clean the ADAT, but in theory it the ADAT syncs with the SMPTE off the 80-8..
 
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Why does PT "need" to clock to the ADAT?

PT needs to clock to something but that should be the MTC coming off the AI2-->002R.
 
PTLE cannot utilize the ADAT optical inputs if the sample rate clock sync ref is not set to ADAT as opposed to internal...MTC is a locational reference...
 
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