TIMECODE RECORDING AND PLAYBACK IN
CAKEWALK PRO AUDIO 6.01 (WIN95)

Fig. 1 - 16-channel audio recording, recorded from ADAT locked to computer
Click here to see detail

This App Note describes timecode recording / playback using Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.01 and ADATs using STUDI/O.  Timecode recording is when you have the computer following the ADAT tape so that it records and plays back in perfect synchronization (lock step) with the tape.

 

 

Hardware	Software
Pentium-II 300MHz   ASUS P2L97 AGP motherboard   384MB RAM   Adaptec AHA-2940U/AHA-2940UW PCI SCSI controller   4.5GB Seagate Cheetah 4LP SCSI hard drive   STUDI/O   2xADAT XT   MOTU Pocket Express   Steinberg ACI	Windows 95 B  Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.01   Sonorus 1.25 drivers   Virtual Memory On or Off  Graphics Acceleration OFF

 With this setup we were able to record 16 channels from the two ADAT XT's into the computer locked to timecode.  Then, we listened back to the recorded tracks, and the ADATs at the same time to make sure they were sync'd, and they were, over the whole 6 minute song!

Here are the pertinent setup screens in Cakewalk:
 

Fig. 2. Time Format

The SMPTE/MTC offset is used to set the start time of the song.  Don't forget to add an extra hour since the Steinberg ACI starts at 1 hour, like most ADAT sync boxes.

Fig. 3. Audio Options

Be sure to enable Low-Latency Mixing as this will insure that the playback from the disk is in sync with playback from the ADAT tapes.

Fig. 4. Advanced Audio Options

After running the Wave Profiler (with 'use wave out position for timing' checked), Cake sets up the DMA section for optimum operation.  Notice that we support Simultaneous Rec/Play.  Also notice that the sync is set to Freewheel.  This is because STUDI/O sample-locks to the ADATs via the optical lightpipes, keeping the samples exactly locked and drift free.  So there is no need (in fact it's undesirable) for Cake to re-interpolate the samples.

This is also where you set the maximum number of audio tracks you can play back, which is dependent on how much memory you have.  Adjust the queue time according to your hard disk and system performance.

 
Fig. 5. Midi Output

Don't forget to enable Transmit Midi Machine Code (MMC) or Cakewalk won't tell the ADATs to work together.

Be sure to join Cakewalk's newsgroups!  Click HERE.

Keep in mind, that these are the settings that we used to get this setup working.  Your mileage may vary.

Questions? Comments? Email us at techsup@sonorus.com.

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Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computers, Inc. Windows 95, Windows MM System are trademarks of Microsoft Inc. Studi/o is a trademark of Sonorus, Inc. Copyright © 1997 Sonorus, Inc. All rights reserved