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Silent Way's Tips and Tricks...fostering inspiration through technology... |
 Great Recording Deals at zZounds.com |
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Part of the tips, tricks and hidden functions public archive, courtesy of Silent Way Audio Equipment Rentals and Systems Consulting. |
For a description of the whole line of DA-x8 recorders, see Silent Way's Definitive DTRS guide.
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The most important consideration is that the DA-78 is much more sensitive to errors than previous models. The official recommendation from Tascam is to use Fuji tape. I agree. Most DA-78 users used the Fuji DPD-60MP and DPR-113MP, but Fuji stopped making it in 2007. See this page for mor eon tape choices.
Tascam also recommends using a "quick-clean" method. This involves the dreaded dry-cleaning tape (see the DTRS guide chapter two), which ordinarily causes excesive headwear. However, if the dry-cleaning tape is inserted WITHOUT putting the deck into it's "cleaning mode," it will only briefly touch the heads before being automatically ejected. I have opened up the deck during a "quick-clean" to confirm that this is true. This method will not create as much headwear as the usual 5-second pass when in "cleaning mode." Check error rates regularly in the error-rate window ("Maintenance"-->"Block Error").
To find places to buy tape, check The Silent Way Directory's Blank Tape Dealers links. My favorites: Comtel or Tape Warehouse.To determine the system software version of the DA-78HR:
Menu Maintenance--> sub menu Version. The display shows the internal system software version. Press the UP-arrow button to access the "Front" and "Servo" versions. Contact Tascam for the latest.
The software version is 1.17, as of 5/2005. (It was 1.14 as of 1/2004. The previous version, 1.13, was current for a few years.)
Before 1.13, there were a few quick software updates in a row, which brought the DA-78 up to system 1.08 as of 11/00. 1.08 had many problems. One which I witnessed is a situation which mutes the outputs after using the shuttle mode. Before the update, the user was required to press "STOP" after shuttling in order to unmute the outputs. Also corrected in later versions is compatibility issues with remote controllers. Contact Tascam about getting the free EPROM chip update (they may charge you a deposit until you return the old chip). It's a slightly different chip than the DA-88, but still easily installed. See pic of the board below, and note the system software chip in the bottom right corner.
There is a DA-78 timecode-related design flaw that users have successfully petitioned to have changed. When the timecode track is armed and recording, after you push stop the 78 un-arms the time code track! Thus you need to go into the deep submenu each time to re-arm the TC track. It should default to "stays on," with a new submenu item allowing the user to put the deck into a "turns off after record/stop" mode.
"There are now three settings for time code recording.
Once-Works just like it always has. When you push STOP time code stops.
OFF-Time code recording disabled.
On-The way you're used to it on the DA-88 and DA-98. You can push STOP and time code will just keep on going.
You can toggle between On and OFF by pushing SHIFT and CLOCK. Instead of using the menu structure."
Quite a few DA-78HRs were having dead batteries WAY too soon, as evidenced by "Low Battery" warnings on startup and loss of settings. According to Tascam and users reports on the (now defunct) Tascam Users' Forum, "there is a problem with the value of one resistor." Their first solution was to give you a bunch of free batteries. Their first guess was incorrect, regarding the battery holder which was supposedly draining the battery. Thus the "electrical tape fix" will not work. Remember that you will lose all your settings, but not the headhours, when the battery is dead or removed for replacement. You can store some settings to the head of a tape, and recall them from that stored location. These functions are in the "System" menu , labeled as "save" and "load". If your 78 is stricken with this syndrome, the battery can be replaced with Radio Shack CR-2032 lithium battery, catalog #23-162 ($2.79). The battery is mounted vertically in its holder (see picture). To remove it, push down slightly and then push back (towards the rear of the 78). |
This pertains to certain "impedance" balanced outputs, which the DA78HR's balanced inputs do not like. Basically, if a mixer's outputs are "impedance" balanced and not truly balanced, the DA-78 will not get a true +4 input level. A few examples are certain Mackie mixers, the Presonus DigiMAX mic pre, Presonus M80 (1/4" send jacks only) and one user's Dolby XP rack.
For a definition of impedence balancing read this definition at Sweetwater.
A quick fix for the Presonus units' 1/4" outputs is to use a unbalanced 1/4" cable into the 78HR's +4 inputs. This fixes the problem because the Presonus outputs are servo-balanced and will sense the fact that the tip and ring have been bridged. Perhaps this would work with other manufacturer's units if they are servo-balanced? A second choice is to use an unbalanced 1/4" to RCA cable into the 78's -10 RCA jacks. The signal will be 14 db hotter, so you might have to bring down your mic pre gain.
A long description from Jace at Tascam (originally on the Official Tascam Forum, which is no longer online)...
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" The meters on the DA-78HR are exactly the same as the meters on all of the previous DTRS machines. They function exactly the same. However, the analog signal path to the new A/D converter is different. In the past once the signal was received at the input, it was changed to an unbalanced signal and sent to the converter. Our new superior converter called for a balanced signal at its input. If the unit receives a truly "balanced" signal your meters will function normally. But if it receives an "impedance balanced" or "quasi balanced" signal that doesn't provide the proper input level, your signal will distort earlier then usual and thus your meters will not peak. Some manufacturers do not send a truly "balanced" signal from their console even though they use a standard "TRS" connector. They use what is called an "impedance balanced" signal. Usually with a "balanced" signal you have half of your signal on the positive wire (usually pin 2), half of your signal on the negative wire 180 degrees out of phase with the positive (usually pin 3) and a ground (usually pin 1). The two signals sum at their destination and reject any common noise. An "impedance balanced" signal sends all of the signal on the positive wire and only the proper impedance on the negative wire as well as a ground on pin 1. Because the signal is not properly balanced from the beginning, the DA-78HR is not able to get the proper signal to the converter. Once again previous converters in previous DTRS machines did not require this. So those machines didn't react the way that the DA-78HR does. So, you have a few choices on ways that you can handle this problem when using the DA-78HR. If you have a console that has a +4/-10 switch for the outputs, you could use a 1/4"-to-RCA cable and connect to the machine at the -10 RCA inputs. Your meters will function normally. For those of you who do not have a +4/-10 switch TASCAM is offering a free modification to your DA-78HR's -10 RCA input path. This will lower the input signal by 12dB allowing you to send a +4 signal in to the RCA connections. Your meters will again function normally. Keep in mind that you will not have any way to get a -10 signal into your machine after this modification has taken place. This will not change the signal path of the balanced D-SUB connectors in any way. This explains why some people are having trouble while others report that everything is functioning normally. Some consoles send a truly "balanced" signal and some don't. So make sure that the signal you are sending the DA-78HR is "truly balanced." If you are experiencing the meter problems that some users have posted here on the BBS, I can almost guarantee you that this is the problem. We've tested this quite thoroughly and have confirmed our findings with a few console manufacturers. If you're unsure about your mixing console please contact the console manufacturer and find out for sure. Thanks- Jace " - from a post by Jace, TASCAM Product Specialist and Moderator on the Tascam DTRS bulletin board, 10/10/2000. "To the best of my knowledge all of our analog mixers include impedance balanced outputs." (But, perhaps this person might have thought that I was just asking whether the outputs were balanced, not knowing that "impedence balanced" is not the standard.) - Mackie Designs Tech Support (800-258-6883), 10/31/00. "Q: Is the quarter inch analog output of the DigiMAX fully balanced? |
If you have a Mackie, look into this problem. Call Mackie and ask for a straight answer about your particular mixer's outputs ("Are they impedence balanced?"), and refer them to this webpage. Some folks at Mackie know about the problem, but some don't. Ask for someone higher in command if you don't get a satisfactory answer.
Yet another hardware design flaw is easily fixed. The word clock input jack is not terminated correctly.
Get a BNC "T" connector (Radio Shack part #278-270) and a BNC 50 ohm terminator (RS part # 278-112). Make sure that the terminator is not 75 ohm. Connect the terminator to one side of the T, and plug the T into the Word Clock input. Plug your clock source into the open side of the T. The THRU is self terminating as long as nothing is plugged in to it.
The Tascam DA-78 has a built-in digital sub-mixer, but there was no indication of what unity gain is...
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"Set the Master Level to 127 and the individual track levels to 100. At these settings, the output of mixdown mode appears to be unprocessed. Each time I did this, I was accurate within 1/10 of a decibel!" - from a post by "big g" on the Tascam DTRS bulletin board, 08-21-2000. |
My suggestion? Try "Hey Tascam, hire an ergonomics tester!"
1) Press shift so the SHIFT LED blinks.
2) Press HR MODE and MENU until the display reads "mAintn2".
3) Press SUB MENU until the display briefly reads "mSGEdit". The counter will then display "1. T" and a "T" will scroll across the meters.
4) Press UP and DOWN arrows to change the letter. Some letters will not show in the counter, but will show in the meters.
5) Press SHIFT and UP to enter the letter and move to the next letter.
6) When you're done, select "End" as the last character. Pressing SHIFT and UP once more will display "PrEViEw" in the counter and your new message will scroll across the meters.
7) Press SHIFT to exit.
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