User Manual

CHAPTER

7 Synchronization

OVERVIEW

This chapter explains how to use your MOTU Express

interface to synchronize computer software and other

devices to an audio tape recorder (ATR), video tape

recorder (VTR), or other time code sources using SMPTE

time code. It also explains how to generate time code (a

process commonly referred to as striping).

This chapter also explains how to:

■ Slave your Express interface and other devices to MIDI

Time Code

■ Measure incoming time code to see how fast or slow it is

■ Solve various SMPTE synchronization problems

If you are new to SMPTE Sync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Accessing sync settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Syncing your Express interface to time code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Slaving a Sequencer to SMPTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Striping time code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

LTC mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

MTC Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

IF YOU ARE NEW TO SMPTE SYNC

If you are not familiar with the process of synchronizing

with SMPTE time code, see Appendix B, “Time Code

Basics” page (81)before reading this chapter. It provides a

deﬁnition of time code and an explanation of how it is

used for synchronizing MIDI devices to audio and video

equipment.

ACCESSING SYNC SETTINGS

You can access the sync settings in your MOTU interface

via ClockWorks. See “Synchronization and MIDI

Machine control” on page 40 and “Sync tab settings” on

page 42 for details.

SYNCING YOUR EXPRESS INTERFACE TO TIME

CODE

Your Express interface ships from the factory ready to lock

the computer to time code via the MIDI Time Code

(MTC) routing shown below:

!USB Interfaces Manual Book Page 55 Tuesday, August 16, 2011 11:21 AM