User Manual

RECEIVE SYNC
954
SAMPLE-ACCURATE SYNC
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Figure 86-4: Sample-accurate sync settings. Notice that there is no
‘Sync to Port’ setting for sample-accurate sync, since Digital
Performer directly accesses the audio hardware for sample address
information.
If you are using Digital Performer with a MOTU
PCI-424 system, MOTU 828mkII, or any other
sample-accurate audio interface, Digital Performer
can achieve sample-accurate synchronization with
ADATs or any external recording device that
supports sample-accurate synchronization.
This allows you to transfer digital audio — entirely
in the digital domain — between Digital Performer
and an ADAT (or similar ADAT-compatible digital
audio recorder) via ADAT optical cables (or other
digital audio format) with single-sample accuracy.
For example, if you record some audio from the
ADAT into Digital Performer, and then send it
back to the ADAT, it will be placed at exactly the
same location — to the very sample — from where
it originated (assuming you don’t move it while it’s
in Digital Performer). You could transfer audio
back and forth digitally between Digital Performer
and the other device as many times as you like, and
the audio will not drift even one sample earlier or
later, no matter how many times it is transferred
between the two devices.
Sample-accurate transfers like this can also be
achieved with Tascam family tape decks (such as
the DA-38, DA-88, or DA-98) via a 2408mk3/PCI-
424 system. A MOTU Digital Timepiece is
required.
Digital audio I/O is required
Sample-accurate digital transfers require a digital
audio interface such as a MOTU 828x, which
supports sample-accurate sync. MOTU’s audio
interfaces provide a variety of digital audio
formats, including 8-channel ADAT optical,
AES/EBU and S/PDIF. For details, visit
www.motu.com/products.
MOTU PCI-424/FireWire hardware setup
If you have MOTU PCI-424 or FireWire Audio
system, refer to your hardware manual for specific
details about how to connect your system for
sample-accurate sync to an ADAT or Tascam tape
deck.
Digital Performer settings
For sample-accurate sync, choose the Sample-
accurate sync setting as shown above in
Figure 86-4. No additional sync settings are
required. Notice that the Sync to Port setting
disappears when you choose Sample-accurate
sync. This is because Digital Performer accesses
the sample address information directly in the
hardware (via the hardware driver, e.g. the PCI-424
driver for the MOTU 2408mk3, or the MOTU
FireWire Audio driver for the MOTU 828mkII
FireWire audio interface).
Hardware driver settings
Choose Setup menu>Configure Audio
System>Configure Hardware Driver and make the
appropriate clock source setting for the hardware
you are using. For the 2408mk3, choose PCI-424:
ADAT from the Clock Source menu as shown below.