Tascam Double Auto Reverse Cassette Deck 202mkiv Owners Manual

							
202MK%^
Double Auto Reverse Cassette Deck
D00935220B
»
OWNER'S MANUAL 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 TASCAM 202MKIV

The  exclamation  point  within  an  equilateral  triangle  is  intended  to  alert  the user  to  the  presence  of  important  operating  and  maintenance  (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
The  lightning  flash  with  arrowhead  symbol,  within  equilateral  triangle,  is intended  to  alert  the  user  to  the  presence  of  uninsulated  “dangerous  volt-age”  within  the  product’s  enclosure  that  may  be  of  sufficient  magnitude  to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
C AU T I O N :  TO  R E D U C E  T H E  R I S K  O F  E L E C T R I C  S H O C K ,  D O  N OT REMOVE    COVER  (OR  BACK).  NO  USER-SERVICEABLE  PARTS  INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
WARNING : TO PREVENT FIRE OR 
SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE 
THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR 
MOISTURE.
This  appliance  has  a  serial  num-b e r  l o c a t e d  o n  t h e  r e a r  p a n e l . Please  record  the  model  number a n d  s e r i a l  n u m b e r  a n d  r e t a i n them for your records.
Model number
Serial number
TO THE USER
This  equipment  has  been  tested  and  found 
to comply with the limits for a Class B digital 
d e v i c e ,  p u r s u a n t  t o  P a r t  1 5  o f  t h e  F C C 
Rules.  These  limits  are  designed  to  provide 
r e a s o n a b l e  p r o t e c t i o n  a g a i n s t  h a r m f u l 
interference  in  a  residential  installation.  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.
H o w e v e r,   t h e r e   i s   n o   g u a r a n t e e   t h a t 
interference  will  not  occur  in  a  particular 
installation.  If  this  equipment  does  cause 
harmful  interference  to  radio  or  television 
r e c e p t i o n ,  w h i c h  c a n  b e  d e t e r m i n e d  b y 
turning  the  equipment  off  and  on,  the  user  is 
encouraged  to  try  to  correct  the  interference 
by one or more of the following measures.a)  R e o r i e n t   o r   r e l o c a t e   t h e   r e c e i v i n g 
antenna.
b)  I n c re a s e  t h e  s e p a r a t i o n  b e t w e e n  t h e 
equipment and receiver.
c)  Connect  the  equipment  into  an  outlet  on 
a  circuit  different  from  that  to  which  the 
receiver is connected.
d)  C o n s u l t  t h e  d e a l e r  o r  a n  e x p e r i e n c e d 
radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION:
Changes  or  modifications  to  this  equipment 
n o t   e x p r e s s l y   a p p r o v e d   b y   T E A C 
C O R P O R AT I O N   f o r   c o m p l i a n c e   c o u l d 
v o i d  t h e  u s e r ' s  a u t h o r i t y  t o  o p e r a t e  t h i s 
equipment.
For U.S.A. 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
TASCAM  202MKIV 

 1 Read these instructions.
 2  Keep these instructions.
 3  Heed all warnings.
 4  Follow all instructions.
 5  Do not use this apparatus near water.
 6  Clean only with dry cloth.
 7  Do not block any ventilation openings. Install 
i n  a c c o r d a n c e  w i t h  t h e  m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s 
instructions.
 8  Do  not  install  near  any  heat  sources  such 
as  radiators,  heat  registers,  stoves,  or  other 
a ppa r atu s  ( including  a mplif ie r s )  that  p ro-
duce heat.
 9  D o  n o t  d e f e a t  t h e  s a f e t y  p u r p o s e  o f  t h e 
polarized  or  grounding-type  plug.  A  polar-
ize d  p l u g  h a s  t wo  b l a d e s  w i t h  o n e  w i d e r 
than  the  other.  A  grounding  type  plug  has 
two blades and a third grounding prong. The 
wide  blade  or  the  third  prong  are  provided 
for your safety. If the provided plug does not 
fit  into  your  outlet,  consult  an  electrician  for 
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
 10  Protect  the  power  cord  from  being  walked 
on  or  pinched  par ticularly  at  plugs,  conve-
n i e n c e  r e c e p t a c l e s ,  a n d  t h e  p o i n t  w h e r e 
they exit from the apparatus.
 11  Only use attachments /accessories specified 
by the manufacturer.
 12  Use  only  with  the  cart,  stand,  tripod,  brack-
et,  or  table  specified  by  the  manufacturer, 
or  sold  with  the  apparatus.  When  a  car t  is 
u se d,  u se  c aution  whe n  moving  the  c a r t /
apparatus  combination  to  avoid  injury  from 
tip-over.
 13  U n p l u g  t h i s  a p p a r a t u s  d u r i n g  l i g h t n i n g 
storms  or  when  unused  for  long  periods  of 
time.
 14  Refer  all  ser vicing  to  qualified  ser vice  per-
sonnel. Servicing is required when the appa-
ratus  has  been  damaged  in  any  way,  such 
as  power-supply  cord  or  plug  is  damaged, 
liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen 
into  the  apparatus,  the  apparatus  has  been 
exposed  to  rain  or  moisture,  does  not  oper-
ate normally, or has been dropped.
	 •	Do not expose this apparatus to drips or 
splashes.
	 •  Do not place any objects filled with liquids, 
such as vases, on the apparatus.
	 •  Do not install this apparatus in a confined 
space such as a book case or similar unit.
	 •  The apparatus draws nominal non-operating 
power from the AC outlet with its POWER 
switch in the off position.
	 •  The apparatus should be located close 
enough to the AC outlet so that you can 
easily grasp the power cord plug at any 
time.
	 •  An apparatus with Class I construction shall 
be connected to an AC outlet with a protec-
tive grounding connection.
 •  Batteries (battery pack or batteries 
installed) shall not be exposed to excessive 
heat such as sunshine, fire or the like. 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 TASCAM 202MKIV
Contents
1 − Introduction .........................5
Supplied accessories  ....................5
Rack-mounting the unit  ...............5
About this manual  .......................5
Precautions and notes for 
 placement and use  ...................6
About cassette tapes  ...................6
Cassette tapes that you should not 
 use..........................................6
Automatic tape type detection 
 function  .................................7
Tape slack  ..........................................7
Accidental erasure prevention 
 tabs  ........................................7
Maintenance  .....................................7
Cleaning the heads  ................................7
Connections  ..................................8
2 − Features of the 202MKIV  .....9
Front panel  ....................................9
Rear panel  ...................................10
Display  .........................................11
3 − Playback  ..............................12
Playback 1 (either TAPE 1 or 
 TAPE 2)  ....................................12
Playback 2 (either TAPE 1 or 
 TAPE 2)  ....................................13
Continuous playback  .................14
Blank scan  ...................................14
Song search  .................................15
Intro check  ..................................16
4 − Recording  ...........................17
Recording (either TAPE 1 or 
 TAPE 2)  ....................................17
To erase recordings  ....................18
Quick record start  ......................18
To stop recording temporarily  ...........18
Recording silence  .......................19
To create a blank of more than 4 
 seconds long  ..............................19
To create a blank of less than 4 seconds 
 long  .............................................19
Mic mixing recording  .................19
Adjusting mix recording level  .......20
Continuous recording  ................20
Parallel recording  .......................21
Dubbing (from TAPE 1 to 
 TAPE 2)  ....................................22
Editing during dubbing (only at 
 normal speed)  ........................23
Synchro reverse dubbing (from 
 TAPE 1 to TAPE 2)....................23
Timer playback  ...........................24
Playback  ..........................................24
Timer-controlled recording  ...........25
Connections  ....................................25
5 − Reference and 
 specifications  ....................26
Troubleshooting  .........................26
Specifications  .............................27
Dimensional drawing  .................27 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
TASCAM  202MKIV 

Thank you for your purchase of the TASCAM 
202MKIV Double Auto Reverse Cassette Deck.
Before connecting and using the unit, please take 
time to read this manual thoroughly to ensure you 
understand how to properly set up and connect the 
202MKIV, as well as the operation of its many use-
ful and convenient functions. After you have finished 
reading this manual, please keep it in a safe place for 
future reference.
Dolby NR
Dolby NR is designed to reduce tape hiss, a noise 
introduced during the recording and playback process-
es. This cassette deck is equipped with Dolby B-type 
Noise Reduction.
The Dolby NR system affects both recording and 
playback quality. In playback, be sure to set the 
DOLBY NR switch to the same position used when 
the recording was made.
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.
HX Pro headroom extension originated by Bang and 
Olufsen.
Dolby, HX Pro, and the double-D symbol are trade-
marks of Dolby Laboratories.
Rack-mounting the unit
If you are mounting the unit in a rack, leave 1U of 
space above it and 4 inch (10 cm) or more of space at 
the rear.
Use the rack-mounting kit to mount the unit in a stan-
dard 19-inch equipment rack, as shown in this section. 
Remove the feet of the unit before mounting.
Supplied accessories
In	addition	 to	this	 manual,	 the	202MKIV	 has	been	
packed	with	the	following:
•	A	rack-mounting	screw	kit	(screws	and	washers) 	...
1
•	A	warranty	card 	......................................................
1 Contact	
your	TASCAM	 supplier	if	any	 of	these	 items	
are	missing.
About this manual
In this manual, we use the following conventions:
The names of keys and controls are given in the fol-
lowing typeface: EJECT.
The alphanumeric portion of the display shows a 
message, this is shown in the following typeface: 
CP01.
If a preset indicator in the display (i.e. one which 
cannot change, but is either on or off ) is shown, 
this is shown as follows: PARALLEL.
•
•
•
1 − Introduction 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 TASCAM 202MKIV

1 − Introduction

Precautions and notes for placement and use
The 202MKIV may be used in most areas, but to 
maintain top performance, and prolong operating life, 
observe the following notes, precautions and environ-
mental conditions:
Avoid exposing it to extremes of temperature and 
humidity and avoid mechanical shocks and vibra-
tion.
Keep the unit away from strong magnetic fields 
(TV sets, computer monitors, large electric motors, 
etc.).
The nominal temperature should be between 5°C 
and 35°C (41°F and 95°F).
Relative humidity should be 30 to 90 percent.
As the unit may become hot during operation, 
always leave sufficient space above the unit for 
ventilation. Do not install this unit in a confined 
space such as a bookcase, and do not put anything 
on top of the unit.
Avoid installing this unit on top of any heat-gener-
ating electrical device such as a power amplifier.
Make sure that the unit is mounted in a level posi-
tion for correct operation.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do not open the sealed cabinet as this might result 
in damage to the circuitry or electrical shocks. If 
a foreign object should get inside the unit, contact 
your supplier or service agency.
When removing the power plug from the wall out-
let, always pull directory on the plug, never yank 
the cord.
The voltage selector on the rear panel is only 
available on units for the North American market. 
Please set this to match your local supply. If you 
are in any doubt in this matter, consult an electri-
cian
N O TE
	 W h e n	t ran s p o r t i ng 	t h e 	u n i t , 	a l way s 	u s e 	t h e	
original 	packing 	materials. 	For 	this 	reason, 	we	
strongly	 recommend	 that	you	save	 all	the	 pack
-
i n g 	m a t e r i a l s 	t h a t 	c a m e 	w i t h 	t h e 	2 0 2 M K I V,	
in 	case 	you 	need 	to 	transpor t 	it 	in 	the 	future.	
I n 	addition , 	when 	transpor ting 	the 	unit , 	you	
should	 tape	the	cassette	 decks	closed,	 using	an	
adhesive 	tape 	that 	will 	not 	spoil 	the 	finish 	of	
the	unit.
•
•
•
C A U T I ON
Do	 not	 open	 the	cassette	 or	pull	 the	tape	 out	of	
the	cassette.
Do	not	touch	the	tape	surface.
Do	 not	 use	 or	store	 the	tape	 in	a	humid	 or	dusty	
place.
•
•
•
Keep	 the	tape	 away	 from	any	magnetic	 sources,	
such 	as 	speakers 	or 	TVs, 	otherwise 	noise 	may 	be	
produced	 during	playback	 or	important	 record
-
ings	may	be	erased.
•
About cassette tapes
Cassette tapes that you should not use
Poor performance, errors, or malfunctions may result 
if you use any of the tapes described below. Some of 
these tapes may also cause tape clog problems that can 
damage the tape transport mechanism.
Cassettes that are imperfectly shaped
Do not use a deformed cassette or one that has unsta-
ble tape movement or makes a strange sound during 
fast-forward or rewind.
Long play tapes
Do not use C-120 or longer tapes. These tapes are very 
thin and can easily stretch or get tangled in the tape 
transport mechanism.
Endless tapes
Do not use these tapes because they can easily get 
tangled in the tape transport mechanism. 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
TASCAM  202MKIV 

1 − Introduction

Automatic tape type detection function
This cassette deck can detect what type of tape is 
being used based on the detection holes in the cassette 
shell. Be sure to use cassettes with detection holes.
With this cassette deck, you can play back normal 
(Type I), chrome (Type II) and metal (Type IV) tapes. 
For recording, use normal (Type I) or chrome (Type 
II) tapes.
Each deck (TAPE 1 and TAPE 2) is equipped with its 
own auto tape type detection function, so you can use 
different types of tape at the same time.
Metal (Type IV)
Automatic tape type detection holes
CrO2 (Type II)Normal (Type I)
Slack can cause the tape to get tangled in the capstan 
or other rotating parts. To prevent this, take up all tape 
slack using a pencil or the like inserted into the reel 
hole.
Tape slack
Tabs on top of the cassette shell allow you to prevent 
important recordings from being erased by mistake. 
There are two tabs on each cassette shell: one for side 
“A” and the other for side “B”.
Once these tabs have been removed using a screw-
driver or the like, there is absolutely no chance of the 
recording function being activated.
To record on a cassette whose tab has been broken off, 
stick a piece of adhesive tape over the hole. Be careful 
not to block the tape type detection holes.
Accidental  erasure  prevention 
tab for side “A”
Side “A”
Accidental erasure prevention tabs
If the surface of the deck becomes soiled, wipe it 
clean with a dry, soft cloth. To remove stubborn dirt, 
wipe with a cloth slightly moistened with a solution 
of mild detergent and water, then moisten a cloth with 
water, wring it well, and rub over the surface.
Do not allow the deck to remain in contact with rub-
ber or vinyl products for a long period of time, as 
these could damage the surface finish.
Never use volatile cleaners like thinners, benzine or 
alcohol because they will damage the surface finish.
C A U T I ON
	 For	safety, 	always 	unplug 	the 	power 	cord 	be-
fore	performing	any	maintenance.
Cleaning the heads
If the head section gets dirty, the recording quality will 
deteriorate, resulting in degraded playback sound or 
“drops” in sound. Also, if the tape transport path gets 
dirty, the tape may get entangled in the rotating parts. 
It is therefore recommended that the heads, pinch roll-
ers and capstans be cleaned regularly at intervals of 
10-hour use with a cotton swab moistened with a com-
mercially available, appropriate cleaning liquid.
ª
Maintenance 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 TASCAM 202MKIV

1 − Introduction
Connections
C A U T I ON
Plug	the	power	 cord	into	an	AC	 outlet	 only	after	
having	made	all	other	connections.
Read 	the 	instruc tions 	of 	each 	component 	you	
intend	to	use	with	this	unit.
Use the supplied RCA cables to make connections 
between this unit and your amplifier. Make sure to 
connect:
	 White	plug	to	White	jack	(L:	left	channel)
	 Red	plug	to	Red	jack	(R:	right	channel)
N O TE
	 Plugs 	must 	be 	firmly 	inser ted 	into 	the 	corr e-
sponding 	jacks. 	Do 	not 	bundle 	the 	RC A 	cables	
t o g e t h e r 	w i t h 	t h e 	p o w e r 	c o r d 	a n d 	s p e a ke r	
cables. 	Doing 	so 	will 	degrade 	sound 	quality 	or	
generate	noise.
•
•
Plug this AC power cord into an AC wall socket.
N O TE
Hold	 the	power	 plug	when	 plugging	 or	unplug-
ging	 the	power	 cord.	Never	 pull	or	yank	 on	the	
power	cord.
Unplug	 the	power	 cord	when	 you	are	not	 going	
to	use	the	unit	for	some	time.•
•
LL RRPLAYRECTAPE
N O TE
	 D o 	n o t 	m a ke 	a 	r e c o r d i n g 	o r 	p l ay 	b a c k 	t a p e	
when	 the	tape	 transport	 path	is	wet	 with	 clean
-
ing	 liquid,	 as	this	 could	 cause	 the	tape	 to	jam	 or	
clog.	Pinch roller
Capstan
Erase head
Record/playback head
Pinch roller
Capstan 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
TASCAM  202MKIV 

Front panel
1	Power switch	
This	switch	toggles	the	unit	on/off.
N O TE
	 The 	equipment 	draws 	nominal 	non- operating	
p o w e r 	f r o m 	t h e 	A C 	o u t l e t 	w i t h 	i t s 	P O W E R	
switch	in	the	OFF	position.
2	TAPE 1 compartment
3	INTRO CHECK key	
Pressing	this	key	allows	you	to	identify	recorded	
segments	by	listening	to	the	first	15	seconds	of	each	
segment.
4	COUNTER RESET keys	
Pressing	these	keys	reset	the	tape	counter	readings	
for	TAPE	1	and	TAPE	2,	respectively.
5	Synchro reverse key (SYNC REV )	
Pressing	this	key	activates	the	synchro	reverse	dub
-
bing	function.
6	BLANK SCAN key	
This	key	toggles	Blank	Scan	on/off.
7	Display	
This	shows	tape	counters,	level	meters,	etc.
8	Parallel record key (PARALLEL REC)	
This	key	lets	you	simultaneously	record	on	both	
decks.
9	Dubbing start key (DUB START)	
This	key	is	used	when	copying	the	contents	of	a	
tape	from	TAPE	1	to	TAPE	2,	either	at	normal	or	
high	speed.
0	TAPE 2 compartment
q	Reverse mode switch (REV MODE)	
This	switch	is	used	to	switch	between	reverse	
modes.
w	TIMER switch	
This	switch	is	provided	for	use	with	a	commercially	
available	audio	timer,	to	allow	timer	controlled	
recording	or	playback.


Normally,	leave	this	switch	to	the	
OFF	position.
e	DOLBY NR switch	
This	switch	toggles	the	Dolby	Noise	Reduction	sys
-
tem	on/off.	In	playback	you	need	to	set	this	switch	
to	the	same	position	as	when	the	recording	was	
made.
r	EJECT keys	
Pressing	these	keys	opens	the	TAPE	1	and	TAPE	2	
compartments.
t	Tape transport control keys
  RECORD
 
Pressing	this	key	shifts	the	corresponding	deck	to	
record-pause	mode.
	PAUSE 
Pressing	this	key	temporarily	stops	playback	or	
recording.
 Recording mute (REC MUTE)	
This	key	is	for	creating	the	4-second	blank	space	
needed	for	proper	operation	of	the	Computomatic	
Program	Search	(CPS)	function.
2 − Features of the 202MKIV 
						

							
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
10 TASCAM 202MKIV

2 − Features of the 202MKIV

 m/,	
Fast-forward/Rewind
 H	
Stop	of	playback/record
 h 	/	y	
Reverse	side	play/Forward	side	play
y	Headphones jack (PHONES)	
Plug	your	headphones	into	this	jack.
u	PITCH CONTROL	
This	control	is	used	to	vary	the	playback	speed.
o	REC LEVEL control	
This	control	is	used	to	adjust	the	recording	level.
o	MIC jack and level control	
Insert	your	microphone	into	this	jack	and	use	the	
knob	to	adjust	the	level	of	mic	input.
N O TE
	 The 	MIC 	jack 	is 	mono. 	You 	cannot 	use 	a 	stereo	
microphone	with	this	cassette	deck.
Rear panel
132
1	LINE IN and LINE OUT jacks	
Use	the	supplied	RCA	cables	to	make	connections	
between	this	unit	and	your	amplifier.	Make	sure	to	
connect:
	 White	plug	to	White	jack	(L:	left	channel)
	 Red	plug	to	Red	jack	(R:	right	channel)
2	VOLTAGE SELECTOR 
Switches	the	voltage	tp	either	230 V	or	120 V.
N O TE
The 	voltage 	selector 	is 	only 	available 	on 	units	
for	North	American	market.•
3	AC power cord	
Plug	this	AC	power	cord	into	an	AC	wall	socket.