Tascam MMR-8 Owner'S Manual Download

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Tascam MMR-8 Owner’s Manual • Chapter 1 • General Information

MMR-8

A 40-character (two line by 20-character) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) serves as the MMR-8 status and
control text window. The top line typically shows the machine status and current time code or feet/frames
location, while the bottom line shows various time code registers (memory, slip. etc.) and accepts input
from the front panel. The entire display may also alert the operator to any machine or user error
conditions. It can be scrolled horizontally or vertically, using the Wheel or arrow keys, for entering
Panel/Display state and setup information, or for finding and loading tracks.

As with other 8-track recorders, there are dedicated front panel LED peak meters that always display
monitor level information for the track outputs whether in audio input or playback. Each meter contains
seven green, yellow and red LEDs plus a CLIP/Hold LED for easy at-a-glance level monitoring. An
additional 74 status LEDs instantly identify current synchronization modes, bus control modes, sample
and frame reference settings, record format settings, transport status, and front panel input status.

The MMR-8 rear panel contains all the audio and synchronization connections. To minimize connector
footprint, female DB-25 connectors are used for the audio connections. The eight analog audio inputs are
on one female DB-25 and the eight analog audio outputs are on another female DB-25. Each analog
connector mounts on a separate card within the chassis, and is labeled Input or Output. The connectors are
pin-compatible with the Tascam DA-88 analog audio connector.

The DIO card allows direct digital audio transfers into and out of the MMR-8. Because it uses standard
AES/EBU digital signal conventions, there are four stereo digital inputs and four stereo digital outputs
with odd-even track pairs. Tracks 1+2 are on the first AES/EBU connection, tracks 3+4 on the second
AES/EBU connection, and so on. All eight tracks (four pairs of in and out) are on a single female DB-25
connector. Any of the digital inputs can serve as a sample rate reference and any of the input pairs can
also be routed through an on-board sample rate converter. Note that this connector carries AES/EBU
digital signals and is NOT pin-compatible with the Tascam DA-88 TDIF digital audio format connector.

Built-in biphase control allows the MMR-8 to automatically lock to and chase biphase devices
without having to use an external biphase to SMPTE/EBU adapter. Up to four biphase input

signals can be simultaneously connected to the MMR-8. The active biphase input is determined by menu
selection. A biphase output allows the MMR-8 to directly control a single biphase bus. Software setup
parameters allow various biphase device limitations to be imposed upon the MMR-8 (speed of fast
forward and rewind, ramp up and stop speed, etc.).

Not intended for public telecommunications

network connection.

Video post-production work can be done with any industry-standard playback device. The MMR-8
supports VITC, SMPTE/EBU LTC time code, Word Clock, house sync, MTC, and P2-bus (Sony 9-pin)
protocols.

The Tascam MM-RC is a dedicated remote control unit designed specially for use with the MMR-8 and
the MMP-16 sixteen-channel player unit. It connects directly to the UI/B board on the MMR back panel
and allows control of any combination of up to 100 MMR-8 or MMP-16 units.

The TimeLine Lynx Keyboard Control Unit (KCU) can function as a remote controller for up to six
MMR-8s or other transports as the MMR-8 contains an integrated Lynx-2 synchronizer. The Lynx KCU
900 software includes special MMR support for some editing and event slip commands. Other remote
controllers can also be used for controlling the transport and track arm functions of the MMR-8 through
the two Parallel Remote ports or the Editor Remote port.