Tascam 24 Track 24 Bit Hard Disk Recorder MX 2424, Remote Control Unit Rc-2424 Owners Manual

							401 Inputs 9 – 16  /48k
This Menu allows selection of input source for the second block of eight channels.  Possible choices are:
AnalogWhen selected, input to tracks 9 – 16 is taken from inputs 9 – 16 of the analog I/O
module (IF-AN24) if installed.
Dig InWhen selected, input to tracks 9 – 16 is taken from inputs 9 – 16 of a digital I/O module
(IF-AE24, IF-AD24 or IF-TD24) if installed.
2CH InWhen selected, the stereo digital inputs are routed to channels 9 – 16 with the Left signal
going to the Odd tracks (9,11,13,15) and the Right signal going to the Even tracks
(10,12,14,16).  It is then possible to record enable the desired Odd/Even pair of tracks for
stereo recording. (NOTE: When using this option it will be necessary to choose between
AES/EBU and SPDIF in Menu 462. and select 2CH In in Menu 002.)
Analog 1 – 8When selected, input to tracks 9 – 16 is taken from inputs 1 – 8 of the analog I/O module
(IF-AN24) if installed.  This is useful if the MX-2424 is connected to an analog mixer
with 8 busses.
Dig In 1 – 8When selected, input to tracks 9 – 16 is taken from inputs 1 – 8 of a digital I/O module
(IF-AE24, IF-AD24 or IF-TD24) if installed.  This is useful if the MX-2424 is connected
to a digital mixer with 8 busses.
402 Inputs 17 – 24  /48k
This Menu allows selection of input source for the third block of eight channels.  Possible choices are:
AnalogWhen selected, input to tracks 17 – 24 is taken from inputs 17 – 24 of the analog I/O
module (IF-AN24) if installed.
Dig InWhen selected, input to tracks 17 – 24 is taken from inputs 17 – 24 of a digital I/O
module (IF-AE24, IF-AD24 or IF-TD24) if installed.
2CH InWhen selected, the stereo digital inputs are routed to channels 17 – 24 with the Left
signal going to the Odd tracks (17,19,21,23) and the Right signal going to the Even tracks
(18,20,22,24).  It is then possible to record enable the desired Odd/Even pair of tracks for
stereo recording. (NOTE: When using this option it will be necessary to choose between
AES/EBU and SPDIF in Menu 462. and select 2CH In in Menu 002.)
Analog 1 – 8When selected, input to tracks 17 – 24 is taken from inputs 1 – 8 of the analog I/O
module (IF-AN24) if installed.  This is useful if the MX-2424 is connected to an analog
mixer with 8 busses.
Dig In 1 – 8When selected, input to tracks 17 – 24 is taken from inputs 1 – 8 of a digital I/O module
(IF-AE24, IF-AD24 or IF-TD24) if installed.  This is useful if the MX-2424 is connected
to a digital mixer with 8 busses.
451 Dig In Rate Conv
This Menu toggles On/Off the sample rate converter built into the 24-channel AES/EBU digital I/O module 
[52] if
installed.  (NOTE: The TDIF and ADAT modules do not have sample rate conversion so this Menu will have no
effect when a TDIF or ADAT module is installed.)
461 2CH In Rate Conv
This Menu toggles On/Off the sample rate conversion process available on the stereo 
AES/EBU [55] and 
SPDIF
[54] digital inputs.
462 2CH In Source
This Menu selects either the 
AES/EBU [55] or 
SPDIF [54] input for transferring stereo audio into the MX-2424
digitally.  (NOTE:  When using input it may be necessary to enable sample rate conversion under Menu 461 and
select the appropriate Sample Reference under Menu 002. 
						

							465 2CH Out Select
With this Menu it is possible to select any adjacent Odd/Even pair of tracks for output from the stereo 
AES/EBU
[55] and 
SPDIF [54] connectors on the back of the MX-2424.  Both connectors will simultaneously output signal
from the same pair of tracks.  (NOTE:  When using this feature it will also be necessary to choose AES/EBU or
SPDIF protocol under Menu 466.)
If selected to Silent Clock, the stereo AES/EBU and SPDIF out connectors will output clock only.  This can be
useful if an external device needs to be digitally clocked to the MX-2424 using an XLR or RCA connector.  (The
default setting is 1,2.)
466 2CH Out Encoding
It is possible to output stereo digital audio in either AES/EBU or SPDIF protocol from both the XLR and Coaxial
stereo digital outputs on the rear of the MX-2424.  This Menu selects either AES/EBU or SPDIF protocol for these
outputs.  (NOTE: When set to SPDIF the MX-2424 does not enable the copy protection bit.)
ProfessionalAES/EBU
ConsumerSPDIF
Menu Bank 500: Audio Controls
510 Crossfade Length
When punching in/out or editing on digital audio the MX-2424 will generate a crossfade in RAM so there will not
be a click at the punch/edit point.  The crossfade value choices are in milliseconds and are as follows: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 22, 30, 45, and 90.  (Default is 10ms.)  Any crossfade will be applied in real time and
heard when punching in or out of record.
540 Gapless Punchout
Gapless Punchout allow the ability to immediately switch from monitoring input audio to previously recorded audio
without any delay.  This Menu allows this feature to be turned off if desired.  (Default is On.)  (NOTE: This affects
monitoring functions only, actual audio punching is always gapless.
(NOTE: When repeatedly punching 12 or more tracks in & out of record simultaneously with Gapless Punchout
enabled in Non-Destructive Record Mode during a short period of time a “Media Too Slow” error message may be
displayed.  In the unlikely event that this occurs it will be necessary to spread the punches out over separate passes,
reduce the number of tracks being recorded or turn Gapless Punchout off.)
The setting of this Menu has no meaning in TL-TapeMode since it is, by nature, gapless.
Menu Bank 700: Disk
700 Disk Encoding
The setting of this Menu determines the audio file format and bit depth recorded by the MX-2424.  The setting of
this Menu applies only to newly recorded audio files, and will not alter audio files that are already recorded on the
disk.  It is possible to change this setting in the middle of a Project so that both 16-bit and 24-bit audio files exist
within the same Project.  The possible choices are:
SDII 16-BitRecords 16-bit Sound Designer II audio files to a Mac formatted disk.
SDII 24-BitRecords 24-bit Sound Designer II audio files to a Mac formatted disk.  (Default) 
						

							701 Rec Disk
The setting of this Menu determines the target disk for recording audio files.  Only one target disk is possible at a
time for audio recording.  Disks are represented by their SCSI ID numbers.
702 Rec Disk Status
This is a detailed display indication only of the format of the currently selected Record Disk.  It is not possible to
make changes to any setting from this menu. The possible indications are:
Apple HFS
Unkown Format
703 Rec Disk Free
This is a dynamic display indication of approximate recording time left on the disk based on the number of tracks
selected for recording.  It is updated as more tracks are record-enabled.
710 Disk Initialize
This Menu Utility will initialize the selected disk.  This is a fast way to erase an entire disk.  INITIALIZING A
DISK WILL ERASE ALL AUDIO ON THE DISK.  THERE IS NO UNDO.  Before a disk is initialized it must be
un-mounted.
The SCSI ID location of the disk to be initialized must first be chosen.  Use 
TRIM [40] to select the correct disk:
Init Disk 0
Thru
Init Disk 6
Then the MX-2424 will prompt for confirmation.
The MX-2424 will initialize the disk to the Apple HFS disk format (Mac OS Standard).  If it is necessary to mount
the disk on a Macintosh then the disk may be initialized on the Macintosh to Mac OS Standard before recording
audio on the MX-2424.  If audio has been recorded on a disk with the MX-2424 and it is later determined that the
disk must be mounted on a Macintosh then Hard Disk Toolkit 3.0 must be used to install driver software on the
disk without affecting the recorded audio.  It is necessary to restart the Macintosh to complete driver installation. 
						

							711 Disk Low Format
This Menu Utility will perform a low level format on the specified drive.  This is different from initializing a disk
because it erases the disk sector by sector instead of just erasing the disk’s directory information.  Low Level
Formatting a disk takes longer than initializing a disk but should be performed periodically to keep the disk in
optimal condition.  LOW LEVEL FORMATTING A DISK WILL ERASE ALL AUDIO ON THE DISK.  THERE
IS NO UNDO.  After low level formatting a disk it will be necessary to initialize it in order to use it.  Additionally,
performing a Low Level Format on a disk will map out any bad sectors on a new disk.  Before a disk is formatted it
must be un-mounted.  If it is attempted to format a drive that is still mounted an error message will be displayed in
the LCD.  (NOTE: This operation takes approximately 20 minutes for a 9 gig drive and should not be interrupted.  If
the process is interrupted the drive will not be usable until a low level format is completely performed.)
The SCSI ID location of the disk to be formatted must first be chosen.  Use 
TRIM [40] to select the correct disk:
Format Disk 0
Thru
Format Disk 6
Then the MX-2424 will prompt for confirmation.
720 Disk Cleanup
This Menu Utility is used to free up disk space by deleting all audio files from the disk that are associated with
Projects that have been deleted by the MX-2424.  THERE IS NO UNDO FOR THIS UTILITY.  This process will
NOT remove any virtual tracks that are associated with a project.
  When this utility is selected it is necessary to
select the SCSI ID location of the disk to be Cleaned Up:
Cleanup Disk 0
Thru
Cleanup Disk 6
730 Backup Erase
This Menu Utility is used to erase a piece of backup media such as a DVD-RAM disk or Travan tape.
The SCSI ID location of the media to be erased must first be chosen.  Use 
TRIM [40] to select the correct disk:
Erase Disk 0
Thru
Erase Disk 6
Then the MX-2424 will prompt for confirmation.
740 Disk Copy Status
This is a display indication that shows the percentage of the Smart Copy/TapeMode Convert process that is
complete.  It is not possible to make changes to any setting from this menu.  This display appears automatically
when a Smart Copy or TapeMode Convert operation is initiated. 
						

							790 SCSI ID’s Mounted
This is a display indication only of the SCSI ID number of drives that are currently mounted on the MX-2424.
Menu Bank 800: Project
800 Project Name
From this Menu it is possible to create a new Project simply by creating a new and unique file name.  As soon as
audio is recorded for a new Project, audio file directories will be automatically created.  To access this Menu
directly, press 
SHIFT [19] then 
PROJ [45].  If a project is already loaded into the MX-2424 a new project
name will automatically be created that is the same as the loaded project with an additional numerical suffix.
810 Track Prefix
Whenever new audio events are created by the MX-2424 this user-definable default prefix will become part of the
Event Name.  This prefix may not exceed 7 characters.  If a prefix longer than 7 character is attempted any
characters above the 7
th will be truncated.
820 File Prefix
Whenever new audio files are recorded by the MX-2424 this user-definable default prefix will become part of the
File Name.
Menu Bank 900: System
900 Store Settings
This Menu allows the current MX-2424 configuration to be stored to one of eleven User Presets.  All Menu settings
are stored into these User Presets.  The possible choices are:
User 1 – 10Memory locations for storage of User Preset configurations.
User DefaultIf there is something stored to this location then it will be used as the default setting at
power up.  If nothing is stored here then the factory default setting will be used.
901 Recall Settings
This Menu allows stored configurations to be recalled to become the current MX-2424 configuration.  The possible
choices are:
User 1 – 10Memory locations for storage of User Preset configurations.
User DefaultIf there is something stored to this location then it will be used as the default setting at
power up.  If nothing is stored here then the factory default setting will be used.
Factory DefaultFactory Default Settings
910 Set Date
This Menu Utility allows the system date to be set using the 
TRIM key and the numerical keypad.
911 Set Time
This Menu Utility allows the system time to be set using the
 TRIM key and the numerical keypad.  The time is
entered in 24-hour format. 
						

							920 LED Brightness
This Menu Utility adjusts the brightness of the LED’s and Meters on the MX-2424.
940 Machine Name
This Menu Utility allows you to name your MX-2424 with up to a ten-character name. This menu is used to
distinguish multiple units when using ViewNet on a network.
930 
Machine I.D.
This displays the ID number of your MX-2424 that would be displayed in ViewNet.  It is not possible to change it.
950 IP Address
With this Menu Utility it is possible to set the IP Address to suit individual network needs.  The first nine numbers
of this address must be the same on all TASCAM hard disk recorders and network computers on the same network.
Individual machines are determined by the last three numbers, which must be unique to each machine and computer
on a network.  (NOTE:  if you attach your MX-2424 to a local network please make sure your IP settings do not
conflict with another device on the network.)
  Please refer to the ViewNet Manual for more detail.
951 IP Net Mask
This Menu Utility is used to enter the IP Net Mask.  This should be set to 255.255.255.000 and should not be
changed unless your network administrator advises that a different setting should be used. Please refer to the
ViewNet Manual for more detail.
952 IP Gateway
This Menu Utility is used to enter the IP Gateway.  This value is factory preset to 000.000.000.000 and should not
be changed unless the ViewNet network is part of a larger network which uses a Gateway.  If there is no Gateway in
use, there is no need to enter any data in this menu.  Contact your network administrator if you are unsure.
990 Software Version
This displays the version number of the software currently installed in the MX-2424.
995 
Save S/W To Card
This Menu Utility allows the firmware in the MX-2424 to be stored to a TL Media card inserted in the 
TL Media
Slot [22].  (Please refer to MX-OS Operations for details.)
999 Copyright ©
TimeLine 2000 
						

							Advanced Functions
Using Auto Punch, Loop Mode & Virtual Tracks
Auto Punch, Loop Mode and Virtual Track functions are separate operations, however they are very powerful when
used together so they will be covered together in this section.
Using Auto Punch
Auto Punch mode is used for automating record/rehearse punching.  There are times, when operating the MX-2424
alone, when it is helpful to have the machine automatically perform transport functions and record/rehearse
punching.  This allows the operator to play a musical instrument while the MX-2424 executes a punch and will
allow manually performed punches to be repeated automatically.
The Auto Punch function uses the Edit In and Out points to determine the punch in and out points for
recording/rehearsal.  There are three ways to set the In and Out points:
Direct Entry: A time code value can be entered with the 
NUMERIC KEYS [17] then stored to the In or Out
location by pressing 
STORE [20] then 
IN [30,69] or 
OUT [31,70].
Capture: In and Out points may be captured “on the fly” with the transport running or with the transport stopped.
Press 
CAPT [16,71] to capture the time code value in the top line of the 
LCD [18], which is the current location of
the play head, into the bottom line of the 
LCD [18].  With the 
CAPT LED flashing press 
IN [30,69] or 
OUT
[31,70] to store the captured value to the In or Out location.  Note that the time code value is captured at the time the
CAPT [16,71] button is pressed.  
CAPT [16, 71] may be pressed repeatedly, continually updating the captured
value until a target is determined.
Automatic: Every time a punch is manually performed the In and Out points are automatically updated by the MX-
2424 to match the most recently executed punch.  When a single record operation is performed during a pass the In
and Out points are placed at the beginning and the end of the newly recorded audio event when the transport is
stopped.  When multiple record operations are performed during a single pass the In and Out points are placed at the
beginning of the first newly recorded audio event and the end of the last newly recorded audio event when the
transport is stopped.  The screen shots below from ViewNet illustrate this.
Press 
SHIFT [19] then 
REC [37] or 
REH [36] to enable Auto Record or Auto Rehearse mode.  When the MX-2424
is enabled for Auto Record/Rehearse the 
REC/REH LED will flash to indicate that when the transport is engaged a
record/rehearse operation will be executed at the current In/Out points.  To cancel Auto Record/Rehearse mode
press the 
REC [37] or 
REH [36] button again and the LED will stop flashing indicating that Auto Punch mode has
been disabled. 
						

							Using Loop Mode
There are three Loop Modes determined by Menu 210 as described below:
Play RepeatedlyThis setting will cause the MX-2424 to play from the In point (with Pre-Roll) through the
Out point (with Post-Roll) repeatedly until the 
STOP key {34} is pressed.  (This is the
default setting.)
Play Once & CueThis setting will cause the MX-2424 to play from the In point (with Pre-Roll) through the
Out point (with Post-Roll), then locate back to the In point (with Pre-Roll) and stop,
disengaging the 
LOOP key.
Play Once & StopThis setting will cause the MX-2424 to play from the In point (with Pre-Roll) through the
Out point (with Post-Roll) and stop, disengaging the 
LOOP key.
Once the desired Loop Mode is set in Menu 210, Loop Mode may be used as described below:
From the MX-2424:
Press 
LOOP [26] to immediately initiate the Loop operation as set in Menu 210 relative to the In and Out points.
To cancel Loop mode press 
STOP [34].
It is also possible to cancel Loop mode on the fly by pressing PLAY.  In this case LOOP will be disengaged and the
transport will continue playing.  If the MX-2424 is recording then pressing PLAY will also punch out.
From the RC-2424:
Press 
LOOP [74] to immediately initiate the Loop operation as set in Menu 210 relative to the In and Out points on
the MX-2424 currently selected by the 
MACHINE SELECT [72] keys.
To cancel Loop mode press 
STOP [34].
It is also possible to cancel Loop mode on the fly by pressing PLAY. In this case LOOP will be disengaged and the
transport will continue playing.  If the MX-2424 is recording then pressing PLAY will also punch out.
(NOTE: The MX-2424 will not loop over “midnight” {time code location 00:00:00:00} including Pre/Post Roll.  If
it is necessary to use 00:00:00:00 as the In point of a Loop operation then the pre-roll will have to be set to zero.) 
						

							Using Auto Punch with Loop Mode
If the MX-2424 is set to perform an Auto Record/Rehearse and Loop Mode is engaged then the Auto Punch will be
executed at the In and Out points during the Loop operation.  When used in this way the MX-2424 will function as
described below for the three possible settings of Menu 210.
Play RepeatedlyThis setting will cause the MX-2424 to play from the In point (minus Pre-Roll), punch in
at the In point, punch out at the Out point and continue playing for the amount of time set
as Post Roll then repeat until 
STOP [34] is pressed or Loop Mode is cancelled.  (This is
the default setting.)
 If recording in Non-Destructive mode recording passes may be undone with the 
UNDO
[12] button.  NOTE: No Undo is available when recording in TapeMode.
Play Once & CueThis setting will cause the MX-2424 to play from the In point (minus Pre-Roll), punch in
at the In point, punch out at the Out point and continue playing for the amount of time set
as Post Roll then locate back to the In point (minus Pre-Roll) and stop, disengaging Loop
Mode.  (This is similar in operation to a TASCAM DTRS machine.) 
						

							Play Once & StopThis setting will cause the MX-2424 to play from the In point (minus Pre-Roll), punch in
at the In point, punch out at the Out point and continue playing for the amount of time set
as Post Roll then stop, disengaging Loop Mode.
When using Loop Mode in combination with Auto Punch it is possible to cancel the Loop operation on the fly by
pressing REC/REH or by holding REC/REH and pressing PLAY (as determined in Menu 202).  When Loop Mode
is cancelled in this way during an Auto Record operation the MX-2424 will continue to record until manually
punched out.
Using and Managing Virtual Tracks
Virtual Track Overview
The MX-2424 is capable of up to 999 Tracks per project.  24 of those tracks can be played back at once.  This
allows up to 975 virtual tracks to be utilized/stored in a project for alternate takes, work tracks, etc.  The process of
managing these Virtual Tracks is called loading and unloading
.  Only one track may be loaded at a time per
playback track.
Unloading a track removes it from the Physical Track location where it is played back by the MX-2424 while
leaving the audio file(s) on the hard drive.  Loading a track places it into the specified Physical Track location for
playback.  When operating in non-destructive record mode there may be many audio files associated with a single
track.  When operating in TapeMode there is only one audio file per track.