This helpfile summarizes  procedures  for  using  the  Otari
_D_T_R-_8_S DAT deck in use in both the SGI and MIDI studios, and
for making recordings of  analog   signal   inputs  on  this
deck.   Information  on  related  topics is available in the
following sources:
     o+ For more complete information on the Otari deck: con-
     sult  the  hardcopy _D_T_R-_8_S manual available in the stu-
     dios  or  already  in  your  possession.   You   should
     already  be  familiar  with  the basic operation of the
     Otari deck before reading further.
     o+ Using the SGI DAT decks:  see Section 5 of  the  _E_C_M_C
     _U_s_e_r_s' _G_u_i_d_e
     o+ Copying recordings digitally from DAT  tapes  in  the
     Otari  deck  into   SGI soundfiles, and from SGI sound-
     files to a DAT tape in the Otari deck: see section 5 of
     the _E_C_M_C _U_S_e_r_s' _G_u_i_d_e
     o+ Recording calibration tones onto  DAT  tapes   :  see
     the  help  file  _c_a_l_t_o_n_e_s, section 5 of the _E_C_M_C _U_S_e_r_s'
     _G_u_i_d_e, and/or the _m_a_n page for the _m_k_c_a_l_t_o_n_e_s utility.
     o+ Making cassette dubs from DAT tapes: again, see  sec-
     tion 5 of the _E_C_M_C _U_S_e_r_s' _G_u_i_d_e

_1.  _P_r_e_l_i_m_i_n_a_r_y _t_i_p_s _a_n_d _r_e_m_i_n_d_e_r_s _o_n _u_s_i_n_g  _t_h_e  _O_t_a_r_i  _D_A_T
_d_e_c_k

     o+  When loading a DAT cassette  tape  into  the   Otari
deck,   always   use  the  _O_p_e_n/_C_l_o_s_e button.  Never push in
the door manually.

     o+ To record a _d_i_g_i_t_a_l signal from an SGI soundfile to a
DAT tape in the Otari deck, set the _I_N_P_U_T _S_e_l_e_c_t_o_r switch on
the Otari deck to _A_E_S/_E_B_U.
To record a microphone or other _a_n_a_l_o_g signal from  the  _C_S-
_1_1_5  to a DAT tape in the Otari deck, set the _I_N_P_U_T _S_e_l_e_c_t_o_r
switch on the Otari deck to _A_N_A_L_O_G.

     o+ Before recording  _a_n_a_l_o_g  signals,  make  sure   that
the  DAT   deck  is  set  to record at the sampling rate you
want.  Always use a _4_4._1 _k sampling rate on  the  DAT  deck.
This is the only sampling rate that is fully compatible with
all of the software and hardware on all three  of  our  stu-
dios.

     During DAT playback, and when copying 44.1k SGI  sound-
files  digitally   to   DAT   tape,   the  Otari  deck  will
automatically select the correct sampling  rate,  regardless
of  the  external  switch  setting on the front panel of the
deck.

     o+ To prevent accidental erasure of a valuable DAT tape,
slide  the little plastic tab in the lower right hand corner
of the cartridge to the left, so that only a  small  portion
of  the tab is visible and a "hole" appears. With the tab in
this position, recording to this tape  is  disabled.  Unlike
analog cassette cartridges, where the record enable tab must
be broken, DAT record-enable tabs can be  easily  re-enabled
at any time.

_2.  _A_b_s_o_l_u_t_e _t_i_m_e, _p_r_o_g_r_a_m _I_D _n_u_m_b_e_r_s _a_n_d _E_n_d-_o_f-_t_a_p_e  _m_a_r_k_s
=> _R_e_c_o_r_d_i_n_g  _a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e _t_i_m_e

If _a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e _t_i_m_e is not recorded,  it  cannot  be  displayed
when  the tape is played back, and you cannot print _S_t_a_r_t _I_D
numbers or _E_n_d-_o_f-_t_a_p_e marks on the tape. Always  make  sure
that  you have enabled the recording of _a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e _t_i_m_e before
making a recording on the  Otari  deck.   The  recording  of
_a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e  _t_i_m_e  on a tape must be continuous from the begin-
ning to the end of the tape, with no breaks.

I recommend that you record _a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e _t_i_m_e from the beginning
to the end of a new, blank DAT tape on the Otari deck before
making any audio recordings on this tape. To  do  this,  you
must  place the deck in record mode and "play" the tape from
beginning to end with no input signal. For a 60 minute tape,
this  will  take  slightly  more than an hour. To accomplish
this:
     (1) Load your DAT cassette tape into the Otari deck
     (2) _T_E_M_P_O_R_A_R_I_L_Y set the _I_N_P_U_T _S_e_l_e_c_t_o_r switch to  _C_O_A_X_-
     _I_A_L
     (There is no _c_o_a_x_i_a_l input to the Otari deck in the SGI
     studio,  so  silence will be recorded, even if you play
     SGI soundfiles or fiddle with the studio microphone ).
     (3) Tap the _R_e_c_o_r_d button to record  enable  the  deck,
     then tap the _P_l_a_y button to begin rolling tape.
     (4) About 61 minutes later, when the end of the tape is
     reached,  rewind  your  tape,  then be return the _I_N_P_U_T
     _S_e_l_e_c_t_o_r switch on the Otari deck to _A_E_S/_E_B_U or to _A_N_A_-
     _L_O_G.
If you have a tape in which _a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e _t_i_m_e has been  recorded
only  on  a portion of the tape, you can append time code to
this tape by beginning a new recording at  a  point  on  the
tape  where  time  code  already exists. Note, however, that
this will erase any audio recording on  the  tape  from  the
point  at  which  you begin this new recording.  If you have
previously printed an _E_n_d _o_f _t_a_p_e mark at  the  end  of  all
audio recordings on the tape this is no problem. Simply per-
form an _E_n_d _S_e_a_r_c_h to the _E_n_d _o_f _t_a_p_e mark, put the deck  in
record mode and append to the tape.

=> Recording _p_r_o_g_r_a_m _I_D  (_S_t_a_r_t  _I_D)   numbers  (see  DTR-8S
manual, page 9)

_P_r_o_g_r_a_m (_s_t_a_r_t) _I_D numbers, comparable to CD tracks, can  be
recorded   while  recording, either automatically else manu-
ally.
     o+ If _A_U_T_O _I_D is set to _O_N,  automatic  ID  printing  is
     selected.  Automatic ID recording prints a new start ID
     number at the beginning  of  a  recording   and   after
     every  silence  of  two  seconds  or  more in the audio
     input. In most cases, this is not what we want.
     If _A_U_T_O _I_D is currently selected, the  word  _A_U_T_O  will
     appear  near  the lower right corner of the LCD display
     on the DAT deck.  To toggle this switch between ON  and
     OFF, tape the _A_U_T_O _I_D button on the deck.
     o+ To record _s_t_a_r_t _I_D numbers manually while recording:
          (1)  make sure that _A_U_T_O _I_D is turned off
          (2) Tap the _I_D _M_O_D_E button as many times as neces-
          sary until the _I_D _M_o_d_e in the LCD display shows an
          arrow in front of _S_t_a_r_t.
          (3) Then, while making a recording, tap the  _E_n_t_e_r
          button   every  time you wish to insert a new pro-
          gram ID.  The ID numbers  cannot  be  closer  than
          about 12 seconds apart.

_P_r_o_g_r_a_m _I_D numbers also  can be  recorded, erased or  edited
at  a  later  time, during playback. See the _S_U_B_C_O_D_E _E_D_I_T_I_N_G
section on page 10 of the _D_T_R-_8_S manual for instructions.

=> Procedures for recording an _E_N_D _O_F _T_A_P_E mark at the  con-
clusion  of  all audio recordings you  have made on the tape
so far (see DTR-8S manual, page 9)
     (1) Stop or cue up the tape at the point where you wish
     to  record  an _E_n_d mark.  Make sure that you are at the
     correct point on the tape.
     (2) Tap the _I_D _M_O_D_E button as many times  as  necessary
     until  _I_D  _M_o_d_e  in  the  LCD display shows an arrow in
     front of _E_n_d.
     (3) Press the _E_n_t_e_r  button  to  print  an  End-of-tape
     mark.
To advance a tape to this _E_n_d-_o_f-_t_a_p_e mark any time  in  the
future,  simply  tap  the _f_a_s_t _f_o_r_w_a_r_d button and wait until
the Otari deck stops the tape at this _E_n_d mark.
                      ----------------

_3.  _R_e_c_o_r_d_i_n_g _m_i_c_r_o_p_h_o_n_e _a_n_d _o_t_h_e_r  _a_n_a_l_o_g  _s_i_g_n_a_l_s  _o_n  _t_h_e
_O_t_a_r_i _D_A_T _d_e_c_k

(1) Prepare your source  signal,so  that  it  is  ready  for
recording.
     o+ ON the _C_S-_1_1_5 _m_o_n_i_t_o_r _s_e_l_e_c_t_o_r select the  source  to
     be recorded.
     o+ If your signal source is the _S_y_m_e_t_r_i_x (e.g. a  signal
     from the studio condenser microphone), you will want to
     monitor this signal over headphones to  avoid  feedback
     from  the  loudspeakers  and to minimize room noise, so
     push in the _M_u_t_e button at  the  right  of  the  _C_S-_1_1_5
     panel  and use the studio headphones for audio monitor-
     ing.  For detailed information on  using  the  _S_y_m_e_t_r_i_x
     see  Section 3.6 of the _E_C_M_C _U_S_e_r_s' _G_u_i_d_e, or else con-
     sult the help file _s_y_m_e_t_r_i_x.
     o+ All signals except microphone sources are best  moni-
     tored  directly  on  the KEF speakers, rather than over
     headphones.
     o+ Listen to the signal and check its amplitude level on
     the  studio  monitor  meters (and, if you are using the
     _S_y_m_e_t_r_i_x_c, on the output meters  on  that  unit.)  Make
     any necessary  amplitude  or  timbral adjustments until
     you are happy with the signal quality and level.
     o+ The stereo outputs of the _C_S-_1_1_5 are normaled to  the
     analog  stereo  inputs  of  the Otari DAT deck. If your
     sound source is the _S_y_m_e_t_r_i_x, this monophonic signal is
     routed,  as a "split mono" signal, to both the left and
     right channel inputs on the Otari deck.

(2) Set up the _D_A_T _d_e_c_k:
     o+ Set the _I_N_P_U_T _S_e_l_e_c_t_o_r switch to _A_n_a_l_o_g.
     o+ Make sure that the sampling rate is set to 44.1  kHz,
     not to 48k or 32k.
     o+ Set the _I_n_p_u_t _l_e_v_e_l pot initially  to  12:00.  Adjust
     this  setting  as  necessary  to  obtain optimum signal
     level and quality.  Do  not  overdrive  this  (or   any
     other) amplifier.
     o+ Load your DAT cassette tape into the deck and cue  it
     up to the point where you wish to begin recording.
     o+ Make sure that the  recording  of  _a_b_s_o_l_u_t_e  _t_i_m_e  is
     enabled,   and  determine  how  you will print _S_t_a_r_t _I_D
     numbers.
     o+ Push in the red _R_E_C_O_R_D button to  record  enable  the
     deck.

(3) Re-check the signal level and make any necessary adjust-
ments
     o+ On the _C_S-_1_1_5 push in the _D_A_T button to  select moni-
     toring  of the signal at the Otari DAT deck record cir-
     cuits, rather than at the _C_S-_1_1_5 inputs.  You  can  now
     monitor the input signal level at the record circuit of
     the Otari deck, and from now on you should  rely   pri-
     marily   upon   the Otari meters for visual monitoring.
     Only the DAT meters provide a   precise  indication  of
     the  actual recording level.  However, if you are using
     the _S_y_m_e_t_r_i_x  also  check  the  Symetrix  _O_U_T_P_U_T  _L_E_V_E_L
     meters  occasionally  to  make  certain that the signal
     level is fairly hot, but undistortedm at the preamplif-
     ier.   Primarily use your _e_a_r_s rather than your eyes to
     assure that the signal quality is ready for recording.

(4) Make your recording
When you are ready to record, tap the _R_e_c_o_r_d button  if  the
deck  is  not  currently record enabled, then press the _P_L_A_Y
button and then, if you  are  printing  _P_r_o_g_r_a_m  _I_D  numbers
manually,  tap the _E_n_t_e_r button. Wait a second or so for the
tape to get fully up to speed, and   make   your  recording.
It  is  possible  to  _P_a_u_s_e in the middle of a recording, in
order to catch a breath. To resume recording, tap  the  _P_l_a_y
or _P_a_u_s_e button. When you are done, tap the _S_t_o_p button.

(5) Play your recording
If you are not happy with the recording, and  wish  to  redo
it,   recue  the  tape,  make  any adjustments in the signal
source or record level pots,  and  give it another shot.

                     September 9, 1998


