Creative Emu 1820m Manual

7 - Appendix
SMPTE Background
E-MU 1820M/1820/1212M PCI Digital Audio System 121
Duplicating SMPTE time code
The Sync Daughter Card always generates clean SMPTE from the SMPTE output when 
reading SMPTE in. This time code is in sync with the incoming SMPTE and can be used 
to feed other devices in your studio or to clean up old SMPTE tracks. Copying SMPTE 
code from track to track produces deterioration of the signal with each generation, 
although one generation of dubbing will probably be OK.
Other...

7 - Appendix
MIDI Time Code (MTC)
122Creative Professional
MIDI Time Code (MTC)

MTC and SMPTE do 
NOT synchronize at the 
sample rate and are not 
locked to word clock in 
any way. 
SMPTE and MTC are used 
to synchronize music but 
do not have the required 
resolution to sample-lock 
digital audio. MIDI time code is basically SMPTE time code adapted to the world of MIDI. MTC 
specifies “absolute” location information in hours:minutes:seconds:frames, just like 
SMPTE. There are two main kinds of messages...

7 - Appendix
Word Clock In/Out
E-MU 1820M/1820/1212M PCI Digital Audio System 123
Word Clock In: Receives word clock (sample clock) from another digital device such as 
a digital video deck, digital recorder or digital mixer.
Word Clock Out: Sends word clock (sample clock) to another digital recorder. Word 
clock is always output, whether it is generated by the internal clock or passed through 
from the word clock input.
75Ω On/Off: Termination for the word clock input can be switched on or off in the...

7 - Appendix
Getting in Sync
124Creative Professional
Getting in Sync
Whenever you connect external digital audio devices together, you need to be aware of 
how they are synchronized to each other. Simply connecting digital out to digital in 
doesn’t guarantee that two digital devices are synced, even if audio is being passed. 
Unless you have set one to be the Master and the other a Slave, they are probably NOT 
synchronized and the quality of your audio will suffer.
S/PDIF and ADAT are two commonly...

7 - Appendix
Useful Information
E-MU 1820M/1820/1212M PCI Digital Audio System 125
Useful Information
AES/EBU to S/PDIF Cable Adapter 
This simple adapter cable allows you to receive AES/EBU digital audio via the S/PDIF 
input on the E-MU 1010  PCI card. This cable may also work to connect S/PDIF out from 
the 1010  PCI card to the AES/EBU input of other digital equipment.
Cables - balanced or unbalanced?
All inputs and outputs on the E-MU Digital Audio System are designed to use either 
balanced or...

7 - Appendix
Useful Information
126Creative Professional
Unbalanced Cables
Unbalanced cables have one conductor and one ground (shield) and usually connect 
via unbalanced 1/4 phone plugs or RCA phono plugs. The shield stays at a constant 
ground potential while the signal in the center conductor varies in positive and negative 
voltage. The shield completely surrounds the center “hot” conductor and is connected 
to ground in order to intercept most of the electrical interference encountered by the...

7 - Appendix
Technical Specifications
E-MU 1820M/1820/1212M PCI Digital Audio System 127
Technical Specifications
Specifications: 1820M System 
GENERAL
Sample Rates44.1 kHz. 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz from 
internal crystal. Externally supplied clock from S/PDIF, ADAT 
(or word clock with optional Sync Card)
Bit Depth16 or 24-bits
Hardware DSP100MIPs custom audio DSP. PCI Bus-Mastering DMA subsystem 
reduces CPU usage. Zero-latency direct hardware monitoring 
with effects. 1394 Firewire...

7 - Appendix
Technical Specifications
128Creative Professional
MIC PREAMP/LINE INPUT
TypeTFPro™ combination microphone preamp and line input
Frequency Response+0.8/-0.1 dB, 20 Hz - 20kHz
Stereo Crosstalk< 120 dB, 1kHz
LINE INPUT
Gain Range:-12 to +28 dB
Max Level: -17 dbV (19.2 dBu)
THD+N:-100 dB (.001%), 1 kHz at -1 dBFS
Dynamic Range:107 dB (A-weighted, min. gain)
SNR: 107 dB (A-weighted, min. gain)
Input Impedance: 10K ohm
CMRR: > 40 dB (60Hz)
MICROPHONE PREAMP
Gain Range:-10 to +50 dB
Max Level: -12...

7 - Appendix
Technical Specifications
E-MU 1820M/1820/1212M PCI Digital Audio System 129
TURNTABLE INPUTRIAA equalized phono input
Frequency Response:+/-0.5 dB, 50 Hz - 20 kHz
THD+N:-76 dB (.015%) (1 kHz, 10 mV RMS unbalanced input)
SNR:90 dB (1kHz, 10 mV RMS unbalanced input)
Stereo Crosstalk:< -80 dB (1kHz at -1 dBFS)
Maximum Level:Professional: 80 mV RMS
Consumer: 20 mV RMS
Input Capacitance:220 pF
Input Impedance:47K ohm
DIGITAL I/O
S/PDIF• 2 in/2 out coaxial (transformer coupled)
• 2 in/3 out optical...

7 - Appendix
Technical Specifications
130Creative Professional
Specifications: 1820 System
GENERAL
Sample Rates44.1 kHz. 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz 
from internal crystal. Externally supplied clock from S/PDIF, 
ADAT (or word clock with optional Sync Card)
Bit Depth16 or 24-bits
Hardware DSP100MIPs custom audio DSP. 
PCI Bus-Mastering DMA subsystem reduces CPU usage.
Zero-latency direct hardware monitoring with effects
1394 Firewire Core - Texas Instruments
Converters & OpAmpsADC -...