Reference Guide

830
Synchronizing Your Gear
MIDI Machine Control (MMC)
No MTC sync within 1 minute of midnight roll-over
SONAR will not sync to MTC within one minute of roll-over (1 minute before midnight; 23:59:00:00 -
23:59:59:xx). To address this, use a SMPTE offset that doesn't require you to trigger the midnight
roll-over.
MIDI Machine Control (MMC)
MIDI Machine Control (MMC) is a protocol that controls an MMC-equipped remote device via MIDI.
SONAR lets you use MMC to start and stop playback and recording on remote MIDI devices such as
tape decks, video recorders, and even other software packages. If you have several MMC-
controllable devices in your studio, assign each a unique Unit ID so that MMC commands can be
addressed to a particular device.
MMC is very powerful when used with MIDI Time Code sync. For example, suppose you have an
MMC-equipped digital tape deck that generates time code and want to use the tape deck as the
timing master for a project. You can set up your equipment and software so that the transport
controls in SONAR send MMC messages to the tape deck, which in turn starts and stops playback in
SONAR via SMPTE/MTC Sync. In this configuration, SONAR’s transport buttons (Play, Record,
and Stop) are simply remote control substitutes for the buttons on your tape deck. In this type of
configuration, you must choose one MMC-controllable device as the time code master.
When MMC is enabled, press Play to start playback on all connected MMC devices, and press Stop
to stop all connected devices. If you press Record while playback is underway, all connected MMC
devices (e.g., tape decks) begin recording on any armed tracks. If you stop recording (without
stopping playback), SONAR instruct the tape decks to punch out. You must arm and disarm tracks
on the tape deck; you cannot do this from SONAR.
If you have established punch-in/out points using the Transport > Record Options command,
SONAR will attempt to preprogram the punch-in and punch-out times. However, your equipment
must recognize the MMC event command for this feature to work. (Consult the owner’s manual or
contact the equipment manufacturer for more information.) If your equipment behaves erratically
with automated punch-in, don’t attempt to use it when those pieces of equipment are connected.
SONAR instructs MMC devices to locate the current project position only when playback or
recording is started. This prevents excessive wear on the motors and tape heads of the devices.
Audio playback drifts out of sync with the
tape
Enable the Full Chase Lock option, which keeps audio from
freewheeling.
SONAR continues playing for up to one full
second after the time code stops
Some time code readers tolerate dropouts of up to one second,
without affecting playback. When you stop the tape deck, it takes
a full second for the reader to realize that this isn’t merely a
dropout and to signal the end of the time code to SONAR. This
does not indicate any problem with time code sync.
Problem What to do
Table 173.