Tascam Digital Multitrack Recorder DA-78HR Owners Manual

							 
È 
DA-78HR 
Digital Multitrack Recorder
OWNERÕS MANUAL
 
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE  COVER (OR BACK).  NO  USER-SERVICEABLE  PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the pres-
ence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying  the  appliance. The lightning ßash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of uninsulated Òdangerous voltageÓ within the productÕs enclosure
that may be of sufÞcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.. 
This appliance has a serial number
located on the rear panel. Please record
the model number and serial number
and retain them for your records.
Model number
Serial number 
†
Ø
Ù 
WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS 
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. 
D00524000A 
						

							 
2 
  TASCAM DA-78HR 
Important Safety Precautions 
IMPORTANT (for U.K. Customers) 
DO NOT cut off the mains plug from this equipment. 
If the plug fitted is not suitable for the power points in your home or
the cable is too short to reach a power point, then obtain an
appropriate safety approved extension lead or consult your dealer.
If nonetheless the mains plug is cut off, remove the 
fuse and dispose of the plug immediately, to avoid 
a possible shock hazard by inadvertent connection to the mains
supply.
If this product is not provided with a mains plug, or one has to be
fitted, then follow the instructions given below: 
IMPORTANT: 
 The wires in this mains lead are coloured in
accordance with the following code: 
GREEN-AND-YELLOW : 
EARTH  
BLUE : 
NEUTRAL  
BROWN : 
LIVE  
WARNING: 
 This apparatus must be earthed.
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may
not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals
in your plug proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured GREEN-and-YELLOW must be
connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked by the letter
E or by the safety earth symbol  
  
 or coloured GREEN or GREEN-
and-YELLOW.
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal
which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the
terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED.
When replacing the fuse only a correctly rated approved type should
be used and be sure to re-fit the fuse cover.
IF IN DOUBT Ñ CONSULT A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN.
 
TO THE USER 
This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class A digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residental area
is likely to cause harmful interference in which
case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.  
CAUTION  
Changes or modifications to this equipment not
expressly approved by TEAC CORPORATION
for compliance could void the userÕs authority to
operate this equipment. 
For the consumers in Europe
WARNING  
This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment, this
product may cause radio interference in which case the user
may be required to take adequate measures.  
Pour les utilisateurs en Europe
AVERTISSEMENT  
Il sÕagit dÕun produit de Classe A. Dans un environnement
domestique, cet appareil peut provoquer des interfŽrences

des mesures appropriŽes.  
FŸr Kunden in Europa
Warnung  
Dies is eine Einrichtung, welche die Funk-Entstšrung nach
Klasse A besitzt. Diese Einrichtung kann im Wohnbereich
Funkstšrungen versursachen ; in diesem Fall kann vom
Betrieber verlang werden, angemessene Ma§nahmen
durchzufŸhren und dafŸr aufzukommen.
  For U.S.A 
						

							 
  TASCAM DA-78HR  
3  CAUTION:
 
É 
Read all of these Instructions. 
É 
Save these Instructions for later use. 
É 
Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the audio
equipment.
1) Read Instructions 
 Ñ All the safety and operating instructions should
be read before the product is operated. 
2) Retain Instructions  
Ñ The safety and operating instructions should
be retained for future reference. 
3) Heed Warnings 
 Ñ All warnings on the product and in the operating
instructions should be adhered to. 
4) Follow Instructions 
 Ñ All operating and use instructions should be
followed. 
5) Cleaning 
 Ñ Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning.
Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for clean-
ing. 
6) Attachments 
 Ñ Do not use attachments not recommended by the
product manufacturer as they may cause hazards. 
7) Water and Moisture 
 Ñ Do not use this product near water Ñ for
example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet
basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like. 
8) Accessories 
 Ñ Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand,
tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a
child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with a cart,
stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold
with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufac-
turerÕs instructions, and should use a mounting accessory recommended by
the manufacturer. 
9) 
 A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops,
excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart com-
bination to overturn. 
10) 
  
Ventilation 
 Ñ Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ven-
tilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product  and to protect it
from overheating, and these openings must not be blocked or covered. The
openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa,
rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in
installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided
or the manufacturerÕs instructions have been adhered to. 
11) Power Sources 
 Ñ This product should be operated only from the
type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of
the type of power supply to your home, consult your product dealer or local
power company. For products intended to operate from battery power, or
other sources, refer to the operating instructions. 
12) Grounding or Polarization 
 Ñ This product may be equipped with a
polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than
the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try
reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician
to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the
polarized plug. 
13) Power-Cord Protection 
 Ñ Power-supply cords should be routed so
that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or
against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product. 
14) Outdoor Antenna Grounding 
 Ñ If an outside antenna or cable
system is connected to the product, be  sure the antenna or cable system is
grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-
up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA
70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and
supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge
unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna-discharge unit, con-
nection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding elec-
trode.  Note to CATV system installer:
 
This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installerÕs attention to
Section 820-40 of the NEC which provides guidelines for proper grounding
and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the
grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as
practical. 
15) Lightning 
 Ñ For added protection for this product during a lightning
storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time,
unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system.
This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line
surges. 
16) Power Lines 
 Ñ An outside antenna system should not be located in
the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits,
or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits. When installing an
outside antenna system, extreme care should be taken to keep from touch-
ing such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal. 
17) Overloading 
 Ñ Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or
integral convenience receptacles as this can result in risk of fire or electric
shock. 
18) Object and Liquid Entry 
 Ñ Never push objects of any kind into
this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points
or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill
liquid of any kind on the product. 
19) Servicing 
 Ñ Do not attempt to service this product yourself as open-
ing or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other
hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 
20) Damage Requiring Service 
 Ñ Unplug this product from the wall
outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following
conditions: 
a) 
when the power-supply cord or plug is damaged. 
b) 
if liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product. 
c) 
if the product has been exposed to rain or water. 
d) 
if the product does not operate normally by following the operating
instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in
damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to its normal operation. 
e) 
if the product has been dropped or damaged in any way. 
f ) 
when the product exhibits a distinct change in performance Ð this
indicates a need for service. 
21) Replacement Parts 
 Ñ When replacement  parts are required, be
sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the
manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. 
Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other
hazards. 
22) Safety Check 
 Ñ Upon completion of any service or repairs to this
product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine
that the product is in proper operating condition. 
23) Wall or Ceiling Mounting 
 Ñ The product should be mounted to a
wall or ceiling only  as recommended by the manufacturer. 
24) Heat  
Ñ The product should be situated away from heat sources such
as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
ANTENNA
LEAD IN
WIRE
ANTENNA
DISCHARGE UNIT
(NEC SECTION 810-20)
GROUNDING CONDUCTORS
(NEC SECTION 810-21)
GROUND CLAMPS
POWER SERVICE GROUNDING
ELECTRODE SYSTEM
(NEC ART 250. PART H)
NEC - NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODEELECTRIC
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT
Example of Antenna Grounding as per
National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70
GROUND
CLAMP
  IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 
						

							Table of Contents
4 TASCAM DA-78HR
1 -  Introd uction  to  the DA-78HR
1.1 Unpa cking ......... ................... ............. 7
1.2 Featur es ............. ................... ............. 7
1.3 Using this manual ................ ............. 7
1.4 Pr ecautions and recommendations 8
1.4.1 Clock source in a digital studio ....... 8
1.4.2 HR  reco rd ing  and  emph asis ............ 8
1 .4.3  Env ironme nta l c onditions ................ 8
1.4.4 Installing the DA-78HR ..................... 9
1.4.5 Electrical  considerations ................. 9
1.4.6 Three-core power co rd ..................... 9
1 .4.7  Powering the  DA- 78 HR off  a nd on... 9
1.4.8 Co ndensation .................................... 9
1.5 Recomme nded tapes ........... ............. 9
1.5.1 Tape brands....................................... 10
1.5.2 Available recording and playback 
time........................................................... 11
2  - Fr ont an d r e ar  p an el  fe atu re s
2.1 Gene ral contr ols a nd indicators ...... 13
1 Power switch  ........................................ 13
2 Tape loadin g slot and EJEC T key  ...... 13
3 FORMA T/Fs key  ................................... 13
4 HR MOD E key ....................................... 13
5 CLOCK  key  ........................................... 13
6 Status indicators .................................. 13
7 Ta pe c ounte r ........................................ 13
8 PB CONDITION ind icator  .................... 13
2.2 Tape tr ansport keys  and contr ols ... 13
9 REW key  ............................................... 13
A F FWD  key  ............................................ 13
B STOP key  .............................................. 14
C PLAY key  .............................................. 14
D RECORD key  ........................................ 14
E DAT A/LEVEL control  ........................... 14
2.3 Sy stem contr ol  keys ............ ............. 14
F SHIFT key and in dicator  ...................... 14
G RHSL (D ELA Y) key and  indicator ....... 14
H AUT O IN/OUT (OFFSET ) ke y a nd 
indicator .................................................. 14
I CLEAR (PRE ROLL) key  ...................... 14
J VARI SPEED / PITCH key and 
indicator .................................................. 14
K ALL INPUT (t) key and indicato r  ...... 14
L AUT O MON (s) key  an d indicator  ...... 14
M REPEAT  (MENU) key and indicato r  .... 15
N CHA SE  (S UB ME NU)  ke y a nd 
indicator .................................................. 15
O LOC 1 (MEMO 1) key ............................ 15
P LOC 2 (MEMO 2) key ............................ 15
Q MIXDOWN (LEVEL/PAN) key and 
indicator .................................................. 15
2.4 Track c ontrols ... ................... ............. 15
R  REC  FUNC TION  k ey s  a nd  indica tors   . 15
S Peak meters .......................................... 15
2.5 Rear  pa nel  features . ................... .......15
T REMOTE IN/SYNC IN  ............................15
U MID I IN/OUT/THRU  ................................15
V SYNC  OUT  .............................................15
W REMOTE  IN  ...........................................15
X RE MOTE  PU NCH IN/OUT .....................16
Y TD IF-1 (D IGITAL I/O) .............................16
Z TIME CODE (IN, OUT )  ...........................16
a WOR D SYNC (IN , OUT, THRU )  ............16
b DIGITAL IN, OU T (COAXIA L)  ...............16
c AN ALOG INPUTS  (unba lanc e d)  ..........16
d AN ALOG INP UTS   (BA LANCE D)  ..........16
e AN ALOG OUTPUTS  (unb alan ced)  ......16
f AN ALOG OUTP UTS   (B A LANCE D)   ......16
g ~ IN .........................................................16
3 - Connections
3.1 Audio c onnections .. ................... .......17
3 .1.1  B ala nce d ana log audio c onne ctions1 7
3 .1.2  U nbala nce d an alog au dio  
c onnec tions .............................................17
3 .1.3  D ig it al aud io c onne ct ion s.................17
3.1.4 SPDIF  conn ectors..............................18
3.2 S ync hr oniz ation connections ... ....... 18
3 .2.1  W ord cloc k c onne ctions ...................18
3 .2.2  M IDI c onne ct ors (IN , OU T and 
THR U) .......................................................18
3.2.3 T imecod e  co nnections......................18
3 .2.4  M IDI t ime co de  c onnec tions ..............18
3.3 Connec tion to other TASCAM units 18
3.3.1 R EMOT E  IN.........................................18
3.3.2 F ootswitch..........................................18
3.3.3 Multiple DTR S units...........................18
3.3.4 “Indirect” word  sync .........................19
4 - Menu interface, etc.
4.1 The displ ay .............. ................... ....... 20
4.1.1 Peak  meters........................................20
4.2 The SHIFT key ......... ................... ....... 20
4.2.1 Shifted  keys........................................20
4.2.2 Shift mod e..........................................20
4.3 Me nus and sub-menus .............. ....... 21
4.3.1 Exiting menu mode............................21
4.3.2 Sub-menus .........................................21
4.3.3 A djusting  parameter values..............21
4 .3.4  R es et ting para met ers  t o def ault 
values .......................................................21
4.3.5 “L eft” and “right” keys......................22
4.3.6 Sub-frame  values...............................22
4 .3.7  U sing the  DATA /LEVEL  k nob to s et  
values .......................................................22
4.4 S YSTEM  menu......... ................... ....... 23
4.5 AUDIO1 menu.......... ................... ....... 23
4.6 AUDIO2 menu.......... ................... ....... 24
4.7 TC menu. .................. ................... .......24 
						

							Table of Contents
 TASCAM DA-78HR 5
4.8 TC chase menu................ .................. 25
4.9 TC generator  me nu ......... .................. 25
4.10 M IDI me nu ... ................... .................. 25
4.11 M aintenance menu........ .................. 26
4.12 Dedicated keys .............. .................. 26
5 - Basic operations
5.1 Formatting a tape ............ .................. 27
5.1.1 Selecting a word clock source ........ 27
5.1.2 F ormattin g ......................................... 27
5.1.3 A borting the format process............ 28
5.1.4 R ecording  wh ile formatting ............. 28
5.2 Recording the first tracks ................. 28
5.2.1 Preparing to record........................... 28
5.2.2 Selecting a clock source.................. 28
5.2.3 Write-protectin g cassettes............... 28
5.2.4 R ecording  the first  tracks (i)............ 29
5.2.5 R ecording the b asic tracks (ii)......... 29
5.2.6 R eplaying the first tracks................. 29
5.3 Input sele ction ................. .................. 29
5 .3.1  D ig it al input s elec tion....................... 29
5.3.2 Inpu t  patchbay routing..................... 30
5 .3.3  T ra c k  bounc ing ................................. 30
5 .3.4  R et urnin g t o ALL ANAL OG se tt in g . 3 1
5.4 More  on digital r ecording ................. 31
5 .4.1  Sa mpling f re que ncy  and  word 
leng th ....................................................... 31
5.4.2 Selecting in put word length............. 31
5.5 Overdubbing . ................... ..................31
5.6 P unch-in and punch-out . ..................32
5 .6.1  A utoma tic punc h point s et ting........ 32
5 .6.2  Se tting punc h points  “on the  f ly ”.... 32
5 .6.3  Se tting punc h points  using the  front  
panel......................................................... 33
5 .6.4  Editing th e pre- roll a nd post -roll 
times......................................................... 33
5.6.5 R ehearsing  the p unch-in.................. 34
5 .6.6  Int errupt ing  a  rehe ars al or punc h 
recording ................................................. 34
5.6.7 R ecording  the p unch-in.................... 34
5 .6.8  R epla ying the  punc hed ma te ria l...... 34
5 .6.9  Ex it ing punch -in mo de ..................... 35
6 - Moni toring
6.1 ALL INPUT .... ................... .................. 36
6.2 AUTO M ON.... ................... .................. 36
6.3 S huttle  monitor ................ .................. 36
6 .3.1  Ena blin g a nd disa bling shut tle 
monitoring ............................................... 36
6.4 S huttle  muting ................. .................. 36
6.5 S ummary of monitor  modes ............ 37
7 - Advanced operations
7.1 Autolocation . ................... ..................38
7.1.1 Setting MEMO 1 and MEMO 2 “on 
th e fly” ......................................................38
7.1.2 Checking, editing and manually 
entering  MEMO 1 and MEMO 2...............38
7.1.3 Setting  the location pre-roll time .....38
7.1.4 Movin g to MEMO 1 an d MEMO 2 ......38
7.1.5 Location and playback......................38
7.2 Re peat function .. ................... ............39
7.2.1 To start repeat play ...........................39
7.3 Tra ck delay.......... ................... ............39
7.4 S ub-mixer............ ................... ............40
7.4.1 Entering mixdown mode ...................40
7.4.2 Setting  the master level ....................40
7.4.3 Leaving edit/pan  setting mode .........40
7.4.4 Setting  levels an d p an positions......40
7.4.5  Setting the  sub-mixer  input  sources41
7.5 Cr os sfade times . ................... ............41
7.6  V ari speed (pi tch contr ol)..... ............41
7.6.1 To set a non -stand ard sp eed............41
7.7 S huttle oper ations................. ............42
7.7.1 Shu ttle monitoring .............................42
7.7.2 Shu ttle mutin g ...................................42
7.8 M ete r modes ....... ................... ............42
7.8.1 Peak hold time ...................................42
7.8.2 Meter ballistics...................................42
7.9 S ine os cillator..... ................... ............43
7.9.1 Recording the oscillator ...................43
7.10  REC MUTE (recording si lenc e) ......43
7.11  Dither ................. ................... ............43
7.11.1 Selectin g d ither settings.................44
7.12  Advanced output opti ons ... ............44
7.12.1 Outp ut word length .........................44
7.12.2 Outp ut patchb ay ..............................44
7.13  Emula tion .......... ................... ............45
7.14  Saving settings to tape ....... ............45
7.15  Restoring setti ngs from  tape .........45
8  - Sy nc hr oni zati on  with  oth er  D TR S 
uni ts
8.1 S ynchr oniz ati on connections ..........47
8.2  M achine I D  and master/slav e 
settings . .................. ................... ............47
8.2 .1  Diffe renc e s be twee n DTRS models .4 7
8.2.2 Setting  machine ID ............................48
8.2.3 Master/slave settings (CHASE 
mode)........................................................48
8.3 M achine offset.... ................... ............48
8.3.1 Setting  machine offset......................48
8.3.2 Can celling machine offset ................48
8.3.3 Setting machine offset “on the fly” .49
8.3.4 An example of setting  offsets ..........49
8.4 Digital dubbing... ................... ............50
8.5 S ynchr oniz ed formatting...... ............50 
						

							Table of Contents
6 TASCAM DA-78HR
8.5.1 Recordin g while  formattin g.............. 51
8.6 Individual c lock  mode ......... ............. 51
8.7 Er ror messages . ................... ............. 51
9 -  Operati ons related  to  timecod e
9.1 ABS and time code ............... ............. 52
9.1.1 AB S  time ............................................ 52
9.1.2 Tape timeco de................................... 52
9.1.3 Selecting T C  or A BS  timing ............. 52
9.2 Tape ti mecode mode ........... ............. 52
9.2.1 TA PE TC setting ................................ 53
9.2.2 AB S  setting ........................................ 53
9.3 Se lecti ng the  fra me  mode ... ............. 53
9.4 Timecode input and output .............. 53
9.4.1 Showing in put timecode................... 54
9.4.2 Timecode in put timing ...................... 54
9.4.3 Timecode  output ............................... 54
9.4.4 MTC  output ........................................ 54
9 .4.5  Fa s t line ar time code  (LTC)  output ... 55
9.4.6 Timecode output timing ................... 55
9.5 Recording timecode ............ ............. 55
9.5.1 Selecting the  timecod e  so urce ........ 55
9.5.2 Recording timecode  using  the 
gen erator ................................................. 56
9.5.3 Generator  modes .............................. 56
9 .5.4  Sy nthe sizing  timec ode  f rom A BS 
timing ....................................................... 56
9.5.5 External timecode sources .............. 57
9.5.6 Recording timecode  from  external 
sou rces .................................................... 57
9.5.7 Ch ecking external timecode ............ 57
9.5.8 Checking the frame mode of striped 
timecode .................................................. 58
9.6 Chasing to time code ........... ............. 58
9.6.1 Machine ID and  timeco de................. 58
9.6.2 Timecode  offset ................................ 58
9.6.3 Setting timecode offset .................... 58
9.6.4 Cancelling timecode offset .............. 59
9 .6.5  Se tting timec ode  offs et  “on the  f ly ” 59
9.6.6 Park  position ..................................... 59
9.6.7 Au tomatic park positio n setting ...... 59
9.6.8 Ab solute  and  relative  difference...... 60
9.6.9 Rechasing  timecode ......................... 60
9.6.10 Bypassing timecode errors............ 60
9 .6.1 1 Individua l re cording while ch as in g 
timecode .................................................. 60
10 - MI DI  control
10.1 MM C e nable and disable ... ............. 62
10.1.1 Assigning  a MIDI ID  to the 
DA-78HR ...................................................62
10.1.2 MMC commands and the DA-78HR62
10.2  M MC Bit M ap Ar ray .................. ....... 63
10.3  M IDI Control Cha nge ............... ....... 65
10.4  M IDI System Exclusive ............ ....... 65
10.4.1 Iden tity R eply ...................................65
10.4.2 TASCAM  Exclusive messages .......65
10.4.3 Track d elay .......................................65
10.4.4 Crossfade .........................................65
10.4.5 Mach ine  offset..................................65
10.4.6 Track C opy  Setup ............................66
10.4.7 Track C opy  Enable ..........................66
10.5  M IDI Implementation Chart ..... ....... 67
11 - Maintenance,  etc.
11.1  Hea d and transport clea ning .. .......68
11.1.1 To clean the heads and transport ..68
11.1.2 Checking error rates........................68
11.1.3 Checking drum time ........................69
11.2  Bac kup memory initia lization . .......69
11.3  Checking vers ion numbers..... ....... 69
1 1 .3 .1 Softwa re  upgra des..........................70
12 - Options, specifications and reference
12.1  Options for  the DA-78HR......... ....... 71
12.1.1 RC-898  remote control  unit.............71
12.1.2 RC-828  remote control  unit.............71
12.1.3 RC-808  remote control  unit.............71
1 2 .1 .4 IF-AE8  A ES/EB U digit al au dio  
converter ..................................................71
1 2 .1 .5 IF-8 8SD SDIF-2  d igit al audio 
converter ..................................................71
1 2 .1 .6 IF-TA D ADAT digita l a udio 
converter ..................................................71
12.1.7 TDIF-1EX extender box ...................71
12.1.8 Cables ...............................................71
12.2 S pe cific ations........ ................... ....... 72
12.2.1 Tape  recorder section .....................72
12.2.2 Analog  in puts and  outputs .............72
1 2 .2 .3 Digita l input s  a nd  output s ..............72
1 2 .2 .4 Re mote /s y nc  c onnec tors ................72
12.2.5 Wo rd  syn c  terminals .......................72
1 2 .2 .6 Timec ode  c onne ct ors......................72
12.2.7 MIDI  co nnectors ...............................72
1 2 .2 .8 Re mote  c ont ro l  c onne cto rs............72
12.2.9 Physical specifications ...................73
12.2.10 Power specifications .....................73
12.2.11 Audio  specifications......................73 
						

							 T ASCAM  DA-78HR 7
1 - Introduction  to the  DA-78HR
Th e TASCAM DA-78 HR is a d igit al au dio  mult i-
track recorder designed for us e in a variety of appli-
cations,  including video post-production  and audio 
mul titrack  wo rk . 
It reco rd s 8 tracks o f full-q uality  d igital aud io  o n 
standard Hi8 video cassettes using a specially-
d esig ned trans po rt and  head mech anis m. Using  this  
m e diu m,  up  to 10 8 m inu te s of  c on tinu ou s re c o rd ing  
is  possible on a single NTSC “120” tape 
Recording is carried out at either 24 or 16 bits  of res-
o lut ion , a nd  dig ita l da ta  ma y b e  in pu t a t 1 6,  20  or  2 4 
b its o f res olu tion . An alog  s ign als are conv erted  to  
digital data  using 64  times oversampling delta-sigma 
techniques.
Th e DA-7 8HR  b uild s  on  th e  fo un datio ns  laid  b y  th e 
TASCAM DA-88 , DA-3 8 and  DA-98  d ig ital  multi-
track recorders, an d retains co mp at ibility  wit h them. 
16-bit tapes recorded on one of the DA s eries can be 
r e pl ay e d an d ove r du bb e d o n an y oth er  m a c hin e  in the  
s eries, or any DTRS
1 mach ine. 24 -b it tapes can on ly  
be replayed in DA-78HR recorders,
1.1 Unpacking
The box contains the following.
• DA-7 8HR Dig ital Multitrack Recorder (x  1 )
• Accessories:
–Ra c k mo un t s cr e w  k it (x  1)
–AC power cord, 2 m (6 ft.) long (x 1)
–T his m a nu a l ( x 1 )
• Warranty card (x 1)
1.2 Features
Other key features of the DA-78HR include:
• TAS CAM-exclusive high-performance/high wear 
res istive rotary 4-head mechanism with TASCAM 
orig inal track  layou t (DTRS  s tan dard )
• Use of standard, low-cost media with long record-
ing and playback times
• 24 -bit or 16 -b it linear qu an tization  at eith er 4 4.1 
kH z  or  48 k H z  p ro vid e s CD -q ua lit y sou nd  or  b e tte r
• Fast, frame-accu rate tap e lo cation  an d po sitio nin g; 
e nd -t o- e nd  w in din g  f or   a  “ 1 20 ”  ta p e  is  a r ou nd   80  
seconds• Direct digital synchronization of up to 16 DTRS 
recorders (128 tracks) without the us e of any exter-
nal synchronizer or controller
• Direct d igit al  d ub bin g  between  DTRS  u nits
• An  in tern al dig ital p atchb ay, allowing  inp ut-to-
track assignment and selection of digit al, analog 
an d off-tape so urces witho ut th e u se of ex tern al 
sw itc h ing  or  ro utin g e qu ipm e nt
• I nte r na l 8  x  2 mix e r ( lev el a n d pa n ) f or  ste r eo  
replay of recorded tracks  and  output  through  a 
standard  SPDIF connector without external  mixing 
equipment
• SPDIF stereo input
• Balanced +4dBu analog inputs and outputs carried 
on a convenient compact D-s ub connect or
• Unbalanced –10 dBV connectors  (RCA) for con-
n ecti on to  semi-pro fess ion al eq uip men t
• 15-segment  peak meters  wit h  us er-s elect able  fall 
b allistics and  variab le h old  time (inclu din g con tin-
uous peak hold)
• Meters  als o us ed for display of channel and track 
in fo rmatio n
• Integ ral dig ital sin e o scillator, p rov id ing  s ign als at  
440Hz and 1kHz for tuning and other frequencies 
for lineup purposes
• Dig ital in pu t and  o utp ut o n a sing le co nven ient 
compact D-sub connector (TDIF-1 format)
• Settin gs  carried   ou t th rou gh  a  men u  h ierarchy
• SMPTE/EB U timecod e in pu t an d o utp ut
• MIDI Time Code and MIDI Machine Control 
• Simplified so urce/tape mo nito ring  fu nctio ns with  
au tomat ic s wit ch ing
• Auto punch-in and punch-out with rehearsal mode
• 2 -p oin t fu ll fu nctio n auto locato r with  A– B rep eat 
function.
• Variable speed recording and playback (up to 6.0% 
in  0 .1%  step s)
• Sh uttle mod e en ab les “ro ck and  ro ll” au dio  po si-
tio nin g o f key lo cation s
• Data entry mode allows u se of shu ttle kn ob  to  set 
d ata valu es
1.3 Using this manual
We s ug gest that yo u take the t ro ub le to  read this man -
ua l thr o ug h a t le a s t o nc e  be f or e  sta rt ing  to  use  th e 
DA-78 HR. In  th is way, yo u will fin d o ut where t o 
turn when you need answers .
1. D TRS is a tr ade ma rk of T EAC Cor poration 
						

							1 -  Intr oducti on  to the  DA-78HR
8 TASCAM DA-78HR
We s uggest  that  you make  a s pecial  note of the s ec-
tion 1.4, “Precautions and recommendations” as  
th ese co nt ain  some informati on wh ich is un iqu e to 
the DA-78HR .
We also  sug ges t th at yo u also  read , as  th is will help  
you when you come to perform basic operations.
When referring to a control or a connector on the 
DA-7 8HR , th e n ame of the con tro l or co nn ector will 
b e written  in  bo ld typ e, an d may  be fo llowed by  a 
number, as in the example below:
Holding  down the 
PL AY key C and pressing  
the 
RE C D key  wil l s tart  the recording  pro-
cess .
The n umbers refer to th e fron t an d rear p anel illu stra-
tio ns  an d des crip tion  in this  manu al.
When referring to a word or phrase which appears on 
th e d isp lay, the word  o r p hrase wi ll b e written  as  
foll ows:
M EMO. 1 (MEMO 1).
If on-screen  parameters  are given  as  part of a  dis play 
example, they may sometimes be shown in the fol-
lowing way, where the 
;; represents an unknown 
va lu e :
I D SEL ;; (ID  S E L   xx), where xx is the 
m achine ID
NOTE
Recordi ng is an ar t as wel l as a science. A success-
f u l rec o rd in g is  o ft e n ju dg ed  pr ima ri ly  on  th e q ua lit y  
of sound as art, and we obviously cannot guarantee 
that. A company that makes paint and brushes for 
ar ti sts cannot say that the paintings made with their  
p ro du cts wi ll  be  cr itical ly w ell -re cei ve d.  TA S CA M ca n  
m ake n o g ua ra ntee  tha t th e DA- 78 HR by itse lf w ill 
assur e the qual ity of the recordi ngs you m ake. Your 
skil l as a tech ni cian  an d you r ab ili ti es as a n ar tist will 
be signi fi cant factors in the resul ts you achieve.
1.4 Precautions and 
recommendations
As with any precision piece of electronic equipment, 
common-s ense precautions  apply wit h the DA-
78HR. 
However, there are a few extra precautions whi ch 
ap ply  to  the DA-78 HR, and  we su gg es t that yo u 
make a n ote of t hese, to  prolo ng  th e u seful life o f th e 
DA-78HR .
1.4.1 Clock source in a digital studio
The DA-78HR can be used in  a  variety  of  situations, 
and  with a  vari ety  of equipment, either  digital  or ana-
log.
If yo u are workin g with  more than  o ne d igital aud io 
u ni t in  y ou r  setup , y ou  sh ou ld  no te th at all  un its mu st 
be driven by t he same central cl ock source (“word 
c lo c k”  or  “ wo r d sy nc ” ) .
If different word clock sources are used throughout  
t he setup , it is  actu all y po ssib le to damage sp eak ers, 
etc. becaus e of mismat ches.
The DA-78HR can be designated  as  the  word clock 
master for your studio, or can be slaved to external 
w o rd  c loc ks , u sin g a  c o nve ni en t fr o nt- pa n el  s wi tch  
and standard BNC connectors.
Even though AES/EBU stereo digital audio signals 
are  self-clocking, any  AES/EBU format s ignals  con-
verted and fed to or from the DA-78HR must be syn-
ch roni zed   at  wo rd  level  with  th e DA-78HR .
1.4.2 HR recording and emphasis
R ecordin gs  made in 2 4-bit (HR) mod e do  n ot u se 
emphasis. 
If an  attemp t is  made to  record a dig ital sign al that 
contains emphasis  using either the TDIF or the 
S PDIF d igital aud io in pu ts, t he disp lay sh ows 
E 
EMP
 (E EMP), an d  th e s ign al  is  muted .
A  d igita l e mp ha s is ci rc u it is  pr ovi de d,  ho we ve r,  f or  
co mp atibili ty with p revio us  mod els of DTR S 
recorder.
No te that if a reco rd ing  us ing  emph asis is du bb ed to  
t he DA-78 HR via the analo g in pu ts, th is sig nal will 
need  to be modified  appropriately.
1 .4 .3 Env iro nm en tal  c ond itio ns
The DA-78HR can be operated  in mos t environ-
ments , but we s uggest that  you keep the environmen-
t al co nd ition s within  the fo llowin g limits:
• Ambient temperature between 5°C a n d  35°C (4 1°F 
and 95°F).
• Relative  hu mid ity  s ho uld  b e b etween  30 %  and  
80 % no n- c on de n sin g
• T he r e  s ho uld  b e   no  s tro ng  m a gn e tic  f ie lds  ( sp e a k-
ers, etc.) near the DA-78HR.
• Avo id sp ray ing  po lish, in secticides, etc. n ear the 
DA - 78 H R .
NOTE
If you need to clean the DA-78HR, use a soft cloth, 
moistened if necessary with a little detergent and  
						

							1 - Introduction  to the  DA-78HR
 TASCAM DA-78HR 9
water. D o not use abrasive cleaner s or solvents such 
as alcohol or thinner.
Avoid subjecting the DA-78HR to jolts, sudden 
s hocks, etc. 
NOTE— I MPOR T ANT
If you have to return the unit for service or repai r, use 
t h e or ig in al pa c k in g ma te ri als  if  po s s ible .  I f  t h e un it  i s  
to be transported to a recording location, etc., use a 
suitable transport case with sufficient shock 
protection. 
TASCAM does not accept responsibil ity for damage 
resu lting  from neglect o r accident .
1.4.4 Installing the  DA-78HR
T h e  D A -7 8H R  m a y be  in sta lle d in  a  sta n da r d 19 ”  
rack, occupyi ng 3U of s pace. Since the DA-78HR is 
q uit e h e av y ( ar o un d be tw e e n 7  a n d 8  k g – a b ou t 
16 lb.), your rack should be strong and stable to take 
the weight  of the DA-78HR .
The DA-78HR should be mounted  with  the  front 
p a ne l ve r tic a l.
1.4.5 Electrical considerations
Make su re th at y ou r lo cal p ower s up ply  matches th e 
v oltag e requ irements  mark ed  on  th e rear  p an el o f th e 
DA-78HR .
If you are in any doubt concerning the local power 
s upply, cons ult an electrician.
Avoid extreme voltage fluctuations. If necessary, us e 
an  inp ut vo ltage reg ulato r to  s mo oth  th e power s up -
p lied  to  t he  DA-78 HR.
Do  no t o pen  the un it to clean ins ide, o r to  perfo rm 
an y  internal  adju stmen ts. You  s ho uld  n ot  attemp t any  
cleaning or other maintenance procedures which are 
n ot d escrib ed in  th is man ual.
You may need to clean the heads occasi onally. The 
procedure for doing this, and for checking tape error 
r a te s,  e tc. ,  is give n  i n 11 .1 ,  “H e a d  a n d tr an sp or t 
cleaning”.
1. 4. 6 T hr ee - c or e  pow er  c or d
In  or de r  t o ma in ta in th e b e st po ssib le  a u dio  qua lit y,  
the DA-78 HR is su pp lied with a 3-core (g ro un ded ) 
pow e r  co r d.  DA - 78 H R sho uld  be  us ed  w ith a  
grounded power cord, connected to a suitable electri-
cal g ro un d, at all times . If it is no t, t here is a po ssib il-
ity th at th e au dio  qu ali ty will suffer.
1. 4. 7 Powering  the DA-78HR off  an d o n
Wh en  pow e r ing  the  DA - 78 H R of f a nd  on , a lw a ys 
wait for five seconds or more between powering the 
un it o ff and  tu rnin g it on  ag ain. If the po wer is 
switched too quickly, the precision power supply 
may  n ot  p ro vid e  th e p ower o f  th e p roper  qu ality 
required for recording.
If power is inad verten tly swit ch ed o ff an  o n q uick ly, 
and the power supply does not  respond  properly, 
switch th e u nit o ff ag ain, wait for five or mo re sec-
on ds,  a nd  sw itc h it on  ag a in.
1. 4. 8 C on de ns ati on
If you us e the DA-78HR in a warm place after mov-
ing it  from a cold place (for ins tance, recording on 
location), or if there has been a sudden change i n 
temp eratu re, co nd ensatio n  may  o ccur with in  the  tape 
mechan ism, with  a risk  o f p oss ible damage to th e 
un it.
If con dens ation  d oes  o ccur, yo u will no t be able to 
op erate the DA-78 HR con tro ls, and  y ou  will s ee th e 
fo llowin g mes sage on  the dis play 
E DE W (E DEW).
If you see the above message, leave the DA-78HR 
switched on  for  one or two hours, then  switch it  off 
and on  again before starting  recording.
If yo u are g oin g to u se the DA-78 HR in a locatio n 
where y ou  t hin k con den sation  is likely to  occur, 
mo ve th e DA-78 HR into  t he warmer locatio n abo ut 
one or two hours before recording is  due to start, and 
leav e it switched  o n. Turn the DA-78 HR off and  th en  
on again before starting recording.
1.5 Recommended tapes
Th e  D A - 78H R  i s de sig ne d  f o r us e  w ith  H i8 vid e o 
cassettes. You  cannot  use  any other kind  of tape with 
the DA-78 HR.
Alway s use n ew tapes, or tapes in  th e best p oss ible 
con ditio n, in  ord er to  ach ieve  the b est p os sible  resu lts 
when recording. Tapes which have been over-used 
will n ot  g ive s uch  g oo d  results  as  n ew  tap es . 
						

							1 -  Intr oducti on  to the  DA-78HR
10 T A SC AM  D A- 78 HR
There are two bas ic types of Hi8 tape: MP and ME. 
Each has  its  o wn particular characteristics  an d mer-
its :
• MP tapes are manufactured us ing a daubed mag-
netic particle depo sit p ro ces s and  ex hib it a level of 
performance whi ch is more than acceptable. They 
have a d urabi lity which  all ows them to  be us ed  as 
w or k ta pe s  in  stud io a n d po st- pr od uc tio n 
e nvir on me n ts.
• ME  tapes have their magnetic layer  produced 
throu gh   a metal evap oration  p rocess.  Generally 
sp ea k ing ,  th ou gh  the se  ta pe s h av e  a  hig h p e rf or -
mance level, they are not as robust as MP tapes (see 
a bov e ) a nd  sho uld  be  us ed  fo r  live  r e co r din g a nd  
archival  purposes, rather than as work tapes .
TASCAM does not endors e any specific tape or tape 
manufacturer. TASCAM has  licensed the use of the 
DTRS logo (ä) to ta p e  m a nu fa c tu re r s,  pr ovi de d 
their tape meets  the specifications required by DTRS  
tap e recorders. Th e tab le below lists  s ev eral such  
tap es, certified  fo r u se with  DTR S tap e record ers. 
However, the us e o f the DTRS log o on  the tape pack-
aging does not imply any endors ement of the tape by 
TASCAM. It is possi ble that the characteris tics and 
s en sitiv ities of t ap es may  b e ch ang ed by  the man u-
f a c tur e rs  w ith ou t no tic e.  T he  br a nd s a nd  m o de l nu m-
bers of tapes listed below may not always meet the 
s pecifications required by DTRS systems  for opti-
mum performance. TASCAM assumes no responsi-
b ility  for p ro blems  resu ltin g  from ch ang es  made b y  a 
manu factu rer t o the materials or sp ecification s of its 
tape products.
The electrical characteris tics of DTRS recorders are 
a d just ed  a n d s et  us ing  Son y  Hi 8 ta p e  pa r a me te r s ( M P 
an d ME) prior to sh ipment.
1.5.1 Tape brands
T he  fo llow in g br a nd s a n d mo de ls of  ta p e  c a n be  use d  
with  the DA-78 HR. As  mentio ned  ab ov e, thi s list 
d oes no t co ns titute any  end orsement by  TASCAM o f 
these products, nor is  it a guarantee that tapes  bearing t his brand  an d model name will con tin ue t o give op ti-
m u m pe r fo r ma n ce .
The electronics of DTRS recorders are designed to 
operate wi thin s pecific parameters. The use of a tape 
wit h sens itivity  h igh er o r lower than th at o f tap es fo r 
wh ich th e DTRS reco rder was o rig inally  desig ned  
may caus e an  error i n fu nctio nality  or prev en t the 
u ser from gettin g op timum p erfo rmance from the 
t ap e .  A lw a ys  u se  the  sh or te st po ssib le  ta pe  fo r a  
given project. Do not attempt to use 150-minute or 
l on ger tap es in DTRS mach ines, as the mach ine will 
detect t he thickness  of tape and automatically eject 
any tape thi nner than recommended.
Never att empt  to  use a tape with the DA-7 8HR th at 
has previously been used in video equipment.
NOTE— I MPOR T ANT
You cannot cut and splice DTRS 8mm tapes for edit-
ing purposes. Using a spliced tape in the DA-78HR 
w ill  in va ri ab ly  resu lt  in  se ri ou s d a mag e  to  th e  h ea ds, 
requiring replacement. All editing must be done digi-
ta lly.
Maker MP ME
S ony  D AR S- MP  E 6 -H M E
P6 -H M P E 5 -H M E
P6 -H M PX  E 6 -H M E A D
P5 -H M P E 5 -H M E A D
P5 -HMPX E6 -HMEX
E5-HMEX
Quantegy DA8 MP  
BASF  DA M P 
HHB  DA113 
Maxell DRS-113DA (P) 
F uji DPD-MP