User manual TASCAM US-224

TASCAM TEAC Professional Division D000640100A US-224 Universal Serial Bus Digital Audio Workstation Controller OWNER'S MANUAL 1 Important Safety Precautions CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. 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 voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons For U.S.A This appliance has a serial number located on the rear panel. Please record the model number and serial number and retain them for your records. Model number ______________________ Serial number WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. For U.S.A TO THE USER This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. 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. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense. CAUTION Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by TEAC CORPORATION for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment. IMPORTANT (for U.K. Customers) DO NOT cut off the mains plug from this equipment. If the plug fitted is not suitable for the power points in your home or the cable is too short to reach a power point, then obtain an appropriate safety approved extension lead or consult your dealer. If nonetheless the mains plug is cut off, remove the fuse and dispose of the plug immediately, to avoid a possible shock hazard by inadvertent connection to the mains supply. If this product is not provided with a mains plug, or one has to be fitted, then follow the instructions given below: IMPORTANT: The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code: GREEN-AND-YELLOW : EARTH BLUE : NEUTRAL BROWN : LIVE WARNING: This apparatus must be earthed. As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug proceed as follows: The wire which is coloured GREEN-and-YELLOW must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked by the letter E or by the safety earth symbol ç or coloured GREEN or GREEN-andYELLOW. The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK. The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED. When replacing the fuse only a correctly rated approved type should be used and be sure to refit the fuse cover. For the consumers in Europe WARNING This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment, this product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures. Pour les utilisateurs en Europe AVERTISSEMENT Il s'agit d'un produit de Classe A. Dans un environnement domes-tique, cet appareil peut provoquer des interférences radio, dans ce cas l'utilisateur peut être amené à prendre des mesures appro-priées. Für Kunden in Europa Warnung Dies is eine Einrichtung, welche die Funk-Entstörung nach Klasse A besitzt. Diese Einrichtung kann im Wohnbereich Funkstörungen versursachen ; in diesem Fall kann vom Betrieber verlang werden, angemessene Maßnahmen durchzuführen und dafür aufzukommen. IF IN DOUBT -- CONSULT A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN. 2 SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Read all of these Instructions. Save these Instructions for later use. Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the audio equipment. 1) Read instructions -- All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated. 2) Retain instructions -- The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference. 3) Heed Warnings -- All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to. 4) Follow instructions -- All operating and use instructions should be followed. 5) Cleaning -- Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. 6) Attachments -- Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards. 7) Water and Moisture -- Do not use this product near water _ for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like. 8) Accessories -- Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer's instructions, and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer. 9) A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination overturn. "Note to CATV system installer: This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to Section 820-40 of the NEC which provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as practical. 10) Ventilation -- Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, and these openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's instructions have been adhered to. 11) Power Sources -- This product should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your home, consult your product dealer or local power company. For products intended to operate from battery power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions. 12) Grounding or Polarization -- This product may be equipped with a polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug. 13) Power-Cord Protection -- Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product. 14) Outdoor Antenna Grounding -- If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the product, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode. 15) Lightning ­ For added protection for this product during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power line surges. 16) Power Lines ­ An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, extreme care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal. 17) Overloading ­ Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.. 18) Object and Liquid Entry ­ Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product. 19) Servicing ­ Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 20) Damage Requiring Service ­ Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: a) when the power supply cord or plug is damaged b) if liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the product c) if the product has been exposed to rain or water d) if the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal operation e) if the product has been dropped or damaged in any way f) when the product exhibits a distinct change in performance ­ this indicates a need for service. 21) Replacement Parts ­ When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards. 22) Safety Check ­ Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition. 23) Wall or Ceiling Mounting ­ the product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer. 24) Heat ­ The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other product (including amplifiers ) that produce heat. 3 This product is designed to help you record and reproduce sound works to which you own the copyright, or where you have obtained permission from the copyright holder or the rightful licensor. Unless you own the copyright, or have obtained the appropriate permission from the copyright holder or rightful licensor, your unauthorized recording, reproduction or distribution thereof may result in severe criminal penalties under copyright laws and international copyright treaties. If you are uncertain about your rights contact your legal advisor. Under no circumstances will TEAC Corporation be responsible for the consequences of any illegal copying performed using the US224. TEAC Corporation can take no responsibility for any loss of data stored on hard disk, or any other media, or on MIDI equipment such as sequencers, etc. In case of such loss, TEAC Corporation will in no way be liable for any damages, consequential or otherwise, caused by such loss of data. Declaration of Conformity Model Number : Trade Name : Responsible Party : US-224 TASCAM TEAC America, Inc 7733 Telegraph Road Montebello, CA 90640 Telephone Number: 1-323-726-0303 This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT and Windows XP are all registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft in the US and/or other countries. The full name of the product referred to as "Windows 98" is "Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system." Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation MIDI is a registered trademark of the Association of Manufacturers of Electronic Instruments (AMEI) All other brands or product names are trademarks of their respective companies or organizations. 4 Table of Contents Table of Contents........................................ 5 Introduction ................................................. 6 1.1 Overview............................................ 6 1.2 Features ............................................ 6 1.3 What's in the package ....................... 6 1.4 Nomenclature used in this manual.... 6 2. Controls and Indicators ........................... 7 2.1 Front Panel ........................................ 7 2.2 Rear Panel ........................................ 8 2.3 Front Panel Descriptions ................... 9 2.4 Rear Panel Descriptions.................. 10 3. Installation ............................................. 11 3.1 System Requirements ..................... 11 3.2 Installation ....................................... 12 3.2.1 Windows ................................... 12 3.2.2 Macintosh ................................. 14 3.3 Setting Up OMS (MacOS Only) ...... 14 3.4 Tuning Your PC............................... 14 3.5 Notes on USB interfacing ................ 16 4. Hooking up Audio and MIDI to the US-224 .................................................................. 17 4.1 Hooking up audio ............................ 17 4.2 Hooking up MIDI.............................. 18 4.3 Using the Input Monitoring .............. 18 4.4 Monitor vs. Master Level ................. 19 5. The US-224 Control Panel.................... 20 5.1 Main Page ...................................... 20 5.2 Buffer Size Adjustment................... 21 5.3 The Chromatic Tuner ..................... 21 6. Interfacing with your Audio Software .... 23 6.1 Selecting the US-224 as your Audio Device.................................................... 23 6.1.1 Audio Control Panel.................. 23 6.1.2. ASIO Control Panel ................. 23 6.1.3 VST Remote ............................. 23 6.2 Setting the Sample Rate and Bit Depth ..................................................... 24 6.3 Input Enabling ................................. 24 6.4 Transport Controls and Locate Points ............................................................... 25 6.5 Mute/Solo ........................................ 26 6.6 Data Wheel...................................... 26 6.7 BANK Controls and FADER NULL.. 26 6.8 ASIO2 Direct Monitoring................. 26 7. A Sample Recording Session in Cubasis .................................................................. 28 7.1 Setting Up........................................ 28 7.2 Recording Your Tracks.................... 29 7.3 Overdubbing .................................... 29 7.4 Mixdown .......................................... 30 8. Other Applications and US-428 Emulation Mode ......................................................... 31 8.1 Setting up Sound Manager Support (for use with ProTools Free and Other MacOS Applications) ............................. 32 9. Technical Support ................................. 34 9.1 Troubleshooting............................... 34 9.2 Tech Support Contacts.................... 34 9.3 Troubleshooting FAQs..................... 35 Appendix A - MIDI Implementation Chart . 36 Appendix B ­ Control Protocol .................. 37 Appendix C - US-224 Technical Specifications ............................................ 42 5 Introduction 1.1 Overview The US-224 is a USB controller designed for Cubasis and other Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software applications. Its design incorporates a two-input, two-output 24-bit audio interface, a 16-channel MIDI interface, and a control surface for your most-used mouse functions. Our goal was to create a device to make your DAW software as easy to use as a Portastudio. The transport and other controls are designed and laid out to look and function just like a Portastudio ­ if you've ever used a tape recorder, you know how to use the US-224. Because the US-224 is USB based, it's the ideal companion to any desktop- or laptopbased digital recording setup. And since it's as compact as a laptop, it can be combined with one to create a complete portable digital audio workstation solution. The US-224's control surface includes a variety of controls which make working with audio software faster and easier. The channel section of the control surface consists of four channel faders (plus one master fader), four MUTE/SOLO buttons, a switch to toggle Solo and Mute functions, and individual record-ready and select switches. The master section features a DATA wheel, PAN control (assigned by pressing the channel SELect key) and dedicated transport and locate controls, offering one-button access to these oftenused functions. 1.3 What's in the package The US-224 package contains the following items. When opening the package, please make certain that all the included items are present. If anything is missing, contact the dealer where you purchased it. US-224 Controller USB Cable CD-ROM containing driver software and Cubasis VST 1.2 Features The input section comprises a 24-bit audio interface, capable of streaming two simultaneous tracks of audio into your computer. Inputs include two balanced XLR mic inputs, two 1/4" unbalanced line inputs (switchable to high-impedance, for direct input of a guitar, bass or other hi-Z source), and an S/PDIF digital input. Outputs include a pair of unbalanced line outputs on RCA connectors, S/PDIF output, and separate headphone output. The US-224 also features MIDI Input and Output ports, allowing you to send and receive data and MIDI Time Code (MTC) from your MIDI-based keyboards and other devices. 1.4 Nomenclature used in this manual The following conventions will be used in this manual: ALL CAPS will be used to designate physical buttons, faders, controllers and LED indicators on the US-224. BOLD CAPS will be used to designate physical connectors on the US-224 Italics will be used to designate software dialog messages Underlined Italics will be used to designate software menu functions and on-screen controllers. 6 2. Controls and Indicators 2.1 Front Panel 5 6 1 2 3 4 7 17 16 8 15 9 10 11 14 13 12 Power LED USB LED MIDI In & Out LEDs Mic/Line ­ Gtr Switches Signal and OL LEDs A and B Input Trims Line Out and Phones Output Levels 8. DATA Wheel 9. NULL Switch and LED 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Input Monitor Switch and LED Bank Switches and LEDs Transport Controls Locate and Set Switches Channel and Master Faders SELect Switches and LEDs, RECord Ready Switch 16. RECord LEDs 17. MUTE Switches and LEDs, SOLO switch and LED 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 7 2.2 Rear Panel 18 20 22 25 26 19 21 23 24 18. PHONES jack 19. OUTPUT L/R jacks 20. INPUT A and B 21. MIC INPUT A and B 22. Digital In and Out 23. MIDI Out 24. MIDI In 25. USB jack 26. POWER switch 8 2.3 Front Panel Descriptions 1. Power LED Indicates that the unit is powered on when lit. 2. USB LED Indicates a valid USB connection to the host computer when lit. 3. MIDI In LED indicates presence of incoming MIDI data at MIDI input. MIDI Out LED indicates transmission of MIDI data from MIDI output. 4. Mic/Line / Gtr Switches switches inputs between Mic/Line level and Hi-Z Level. 5. SIGNAL LED indicates the presence of audio signal on the respective channel. (Specifically, when input level exceeds ­42 dBFS.) Only functions on analog input. OL LED indicates an overload on the input level to the respective channel. (Specifically, a level of ­2.5dBFS.) Only functions on analog input. 6. A and B Input Trims input level adjustment. Rotate clockwise to increase input level of analog sources. 7. Line Out Level controls the level to the RCA (analog) outputs. Headphone Out Level controls the level to the headphone outputs. 8. DATA Wheel 9. Fader NULL Switch and LED when pressed, disengages physical faders from the application. Used to match US224's faders with those of the software application's internal mixer. When using FADER NULL, the selected channel's REC and SEL LED's indicate the US-224's fader position relative to the associated channel in Cubasis' mixer. 10. Input Monitor Switch and LED toggles Input Monitor adjust mode. When the associated LED is on, the FADER and MUTE switches for channel strips 1 and 2 control the level of Inputs A and B to the US224's stereo output. 11. Bank Switches and LEDs pages between successive banks of four faders. 12. Transport Controls: REW transport rewind. FFWD transport fast forward. STOP transport stop. PLAY transport play. RECORD transport record. 13. LOCATE << and >> moves transport to L and R locate points. SET holding SET and pressing << and >> buttons sets L or R locate points, either on the fly or while stopped sends continuous controller information to application. In Cubasis, functions as a shuttle wheel if no SELECT switch is held down, or as PAN control if a channel SELECT switch is pressed and held.) 9 2.4 Rear Panel Descriptions 14. Channel Faders send continuous controller information for banks of four faders, as selected by the BANK switch Master Fader controls level to the stereo bus output, and/or sends MIDI controller information to the host. 18. PHONES jack standard 1/4" stereo headphone output. 19. OUTPUT L/R jacks unbalanced (RCA) analog audio output of stereo bus. 20. INPUT A and B Analog inputs A and B. Balanced when MIC/LINE-GUITAR switch is set to MIC/LINE; unbalanced when set to GUITAR 21. MIC INPUT A and B Balanced XLR Inputs A and B. 22. Digital In and Out S/PDIF digital input and output. 23. MIDI Out MIDI output 24. MIDI In MIDI input 25. USB jack input for USB connection to host computer. 26. POWER switch push on/push off power switch. 15. SELECT Switches selects channel for editing, recording, etc. SELECT LEDs indicates selected status of channel. RECord Ready Switch when held, pressing the SELECT button toggles the selected channel(s)' recordready status. 16. RECord LEDs indicates record status of selected channel. 17. MUTE Switches toggles mute or solo status for selected channel. MUTE LEDs when illuminated, indicates mute status of selected channel. (When SOLO LED is on, the associated channel's MUTE LED's indicate solo status when lit) SOLO switch toggles between mute and solo status. SOLO LED when illuminated, indicates MUTE buttons and LEDs are toggled to solo status. . 10 3. Installation 3.1 System Requirements PC: Minimum requirements: Pentium II - 266 MHz (or equivalent) processor running Windows 98 (Second or Millennium Edition), Windows 2000 or Windows XP, 96MB RAM. Recommended: Pentium II 300MHz processor with 128MB RAM or better. (These requirements are for use with Cubasis VST. Other applications will have different requirements. Consult your application's manufacturer for further information.) NOTE: The US-224 is not supported under Windows 95. We also do not recommend Windows98 First Edition, due to its limited USB implementation. A fast EIDE hard disk is required for throughput of multiple audio tracks. 96MB RAM is the minimum recommended, but with all digital audio programs, you'll have better results with more RAM. An SVGA graphics card is suggested (min. 256 colors, 800x600 resolution or better). Although this product has been checked for use with standard configuration computers which meet the specifications above, we cannot guarantee the operation of the product, even with computers meeting the specifications, due to differences in architecture and implementation between computers. Chipsets are also a concern with USB audio. We've found that the most dependable motherboards are ones which utilize Intelbased chipsets. You can determine your chipset by going into the Device Manager. On the Windows 98 desktop, right click on My Computer, and select Properties. Click on the Device Manager tab, and then click on the plus (+) sign next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers. (see illustration 3.01) Illustration 3.01 - Determining your USB Controller The following chipsets have successfully run with the US-224: been Intel 82371 AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller Intel 82371 SB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller Intel 82801 AA PCI to USB Universal Host Controller ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller Some other chipsets, notably those specifying Open Host Controllers or OHCI (rather than Universal Host Controllers or UHCI), have been subject to occasional incompatibilities. While most OHCI systems have no problems with the US-224, occasionally some older OHCI systems will exhibit problems. We have found that, in the majority of these rare cases, a PCI-based USB card utilizing an Opti-chip controller will work dependably. These cards (also available in PCMCIA format for laptops) are available through a number of manufacturers. Please consult the TASCAM website for further information. 11 MacOS: PowerPC running MacOS 8.6 or better, and a USB port. Any Macintosh computer with one or more USB ports running Mac O/S 8.6 or later (the US-224 has not been tested with Mac O/S X as of this writing. Please check the website for updates). Very early iMac computers may need one (or more) firmware updates to use the US224. Which firmware update(s) is (are) needed depends on which Mac O/S version is installed in the early iMac. Apple provides details in its Apple Support Article #58174. PowerBook G3 Series (or later) with built in USB (or using a 3rd party PCMCIA USB Card) have been tested and work fine. Additionally, older PowerMac computers using 3rd party PCI-based USB cards also have been tested and work fine. Any iMac, G3 or G4 will work fine as well. A MacOS version earlier than 8.6 will not implement full USB support, and is not recommended. Again, plenty of RAM and fast drives are suggested. cause damage to hearing, as well as to speakers, etc. Use only the enclosed USB cable to connect the US-224 and the computer. Do not use other types of cable for this purpose, as some cables contain resistors. If you attempt to use such a cable, the audio input and output will not work properly, and the sound level will be inaudible or very faint. 3.2.1 Windows The US-224 drivers are available on the CD as executable installers. You'll find two executable installer files on the disk, labeled as: "US224_Win98_Install_1_10.exe" (for Windows 98 Second Edition and Millennium Edition) and "US224_Win2k_Install_1_10.exe" (for Windows 2000 and Windows XP). Note that we have also included the individual driver files as a ZIP file, for users wishing to install via Windows Hardware Manager. However, we recommend using the installers, as they will also locate and uninstall any files pertaining to older versions of the US-224 drivers. To install under Win98SE or ME: Note: The US-224 will run under Win98 SE (Second Edition) or ME (Millennium Edition). Due to its limited USB capabilities, First Edition Win98 is not recommended. Note: Run the Installer with US-224 turned OFF. Double click on the executable file "US224_Win98_Install_1_10.exe". (The blue US-224 icon). The installer will run. Click the "Setup" button. The Welcome dialog box will appear. Click the "Next" button. The driver files will be installed to your hard drive. 3.2 Installation Because the US-224 is a USB device, connection is pretty straightforward. Simply plug the USB cable into the US-224, and the other end into your computer. Make certain that your computer's USB host port is enabled. (Normally, most standard PC BIOS settings default to enabled, but make certain that it hasn't been turned off in the BIOS). NOTE: Handle the enclosed CD-ROM with care. If it becomes dirty or scratched, it will be impossible for a computer to read it, and the software cannot be installed. If the disc becomes unreadable, a charge will be made for its replacement. Do not attempt to play the enclosed CDROM using an audio CD player, as this may 12 In some cases, Add Hardware Wizard may ask for the file "US224WDM.SYS". Should this occur, click Browse and direct it to the path Windows/System32/Drivers. In some cases, Add Hardware Wizard may ask for your Win98 CD-ROM if it is unable to find all the needed system files. We suggest you have it handy. The Setup Complete dialog will appear. Click "Yes, I want to restart my computer", followed by the Finish button. The computer will reboot. Connect the US-224 to the computer, plug it in, and turn it on. The Windows plug-n-play will notice a new USB device and start the Add New Hardware wizard, which will find the needed files on its own. This will take about 30-60 seconds. The drivers are now installed and the US224 is ready to operate. wizard, which will find the three needed files on its own. This will take about 3060 seconds. The drivers are now installed and the US224 is ready to operate. To install using Windows New Hardware Wizard: Unzip the driver files into a new (empty) folder on the hard disk. Connect the US-224 to the computer, plug it in and turn it on The Windows plug-n-play will notice a new USB device and start the Add New Hardware wizard. Choose "Search for a suitable driver for my device" and press Next Enter the path where the drivers are stored and press OK After Windows finds the download" driver, click Next Click "Finish" · The components will be discovered and loaded "firmware To install under Win2K or Windows XP: Note: Run the Installer with US-224 turned OFF. Double click on the executable file "US224_Win2k_Install_1_10.exe". (The US-224 Setup icon). The installer will run. Click the "Setup" button. The Welcome dialog box will appear. Click the "Next" button. The driver files will be installed to your hard drive. NOTE: You may be prompted by a message informing you that the software you are about to install does not have a digital certificate. Simply click "Continue the installation anyway" and proceed. If you are prompted to restart your computer, do so. Connect the US-224 to plug it in, and turn it on. plug-n-play will notice device and start the Add the computer, The Windows a new USB New Hardware other driver automatically Click "Finish" if prompted, and reboot if prompted Illustration 3.02 - Windows 98 New Hardware Wizard 13 3.2.2 Macintosh Insert the CD-ROM into the computer, double-click on the US-224 installer, and follow its instructions. Connect the US-224 to the computer, and connect power to the unit. When the US-224 is connected and powered up, the Mac will find the drivers itself. Select "New Studio Setup" from the File menu. When prompted to select a serial (modem or printer) port, leave both selections unchecked. Click yes and continue. OMS will assess all the MIDI ports attached to your computer and build OMS instruments for the ones it recognizes. When the setup is complete you should see a list of all your connected MIDI ports. At the least you should see three icons pertaining to the US-224 specifically: the US-224 icon, US-224 MIDI port and US-224 Control port. (US-224 Control is the "virtual" MIDI port with which the US-224 and its control surface communicate with your host application.) Once OMS setup is successfully completed, you can proceed with setting up the US-224 with your chosen application. Please refer to the specific documentation for your application for more details. 3.3 Setting Up OMS (MacOS Only) Cubasis, ProTools and several other applications rely on OMS for MIDI implementation. OMS (Open Music System) is a standard for MIDI management on the Macintosh. Since the US-224 relies on MIDI controller commands for its communication with the host computer, you will need to install OMS. (The exception is Digital Performer, which utilizes FreeMIDI. The v3 drivers support OMS and FreeMIDI independently.) To set up OMS to work with the US-224: First, run the OMS installer. If you do not have the current version of OMS, it may be freely downloaded at 3.4 Tuning Your PC A few words about computers and audio. Much has been written about the best ways to optimize your PC for handling audio applications, and generally speaking, it's a much deeper topic than we've got space for in this manual. But here are a few basic points to help you get the best out of your audio programs: Don't run extraneous applications. While it's likely you'll sometimes use your computer for applications other than audio, it's strongly recommended that you avoid running other applications at the same time you're running audio programs. Processing digital audio requires considerable overhead from your computer, so don't overtax the system by running other applications (especially graphics or internet tools) that can steal those resources. www.opcode.com. Locate the "US-224 Drivers" folder, which was placed on your desktop when you ran the US-224 installer. In this folder, locate the US-224 OMS driver. Drag the US-224 OMS driver into the OMS folder inside your System folder. Do not drag this file into the Opcode folder on your hard drive ­ it will not work correctly. Restart your computer. Then turn on the US-224 and start the OMS Setup application (located in the Opcode folder on your hard drive). 14 Certain devices, such as network cards and WinModems, can cause conflicts with the native handling of USB. Should you experience such conflicts, the offending device can usually be temporarily disabled in the Device Manager. Refer to your Windows manual for detailed instructions on how to resolve conflicts. Assuming your computer has an IDE hard disk (most do), enabling Direct Memory Addressing (DMA) on will improve performance. Some programs (such as Cubase VST) allow you to configure the DMA as enabled on install. If you've not already done this, here's how to configure the DMA transfer mode: On the Windows desktop, go to the Start menu, Settings, Control Panel, System. In the System Properties window, select the Device Manager tab. Click on the plus sign next to Disk Drives, and highlight the IDE disk listing, then click on the Properties button. Check the DMA box under options. (see illustration 3.03) Increase the amount of RAM in your system. While most digital audio software will function with a minimum of 32 MB, increasing your computer's RAM to 96, 128 or even 256 MB will markedly improve performance. Consider the addition of a dedicated hard disk for audio; preferably one with a high spindle rate (over 7200 RPM is recommended for most audio applications). Using different drives for program and audio data speeds up the seek time for the audio track data. (Note that simply partitioning a large drive will not have the same effect, as the computer will still be accessing the same physical drive.) For best results, add a SCSI or Wide-SCSI drive and SCSI controller card. SCSI (and particularly Wide and UW-SCSI protocol) are capable of considerably higher data transfer speeds; you'll notice a dramatic increase in track count and in the amount of signal processing plug-ins your computer can handle. Note that some of the recent UDMA-66 drives have proven to be almost as fast (and certainly cheaper); however, they are still limited in the amount of physical drives allowed and the bus length. If you're presently using a PCI-based graphics card, and your motherboard has an AGP slot, consider getting an AGP-based graphics card. This will decrease traffic on the PCI bus and allow for faster screen redraws. Illustration 3.03 - Enabling DMA on your IDE drives In addition, a number of simple hardware modifications and enhancements can substantially improve your computer's handling of audio, as well as your track count and DSP capability: Special Note: For even more detail on optimizing your PC for audio, please refer to the PDF document PC_Optimization.pdf included on the US-224 CD-ROM. This document is also available on the TASCAM website. 15 3.5 Notes on USB interfacing The USB protocol is an extremely versatile one, and much has been made of the possibility of using multiple (over 100) devices on a single bus. While this is certainly a possibility, we recommend using as few other USB devices as possible in a system equipped with the US-224. The demands placed on the USB bus by passing multiple tracks of audio through it are considerable, and adding additional devices will risk reducing that bandwidth. NOTE: The drivers of many other USB devices, especially CD burners, scanners, printers, and cameras, are written to poll the USB buss on a regular basis (usually once every millisecond). This can lead to dropouts, clicks, pops and other artifacts in your audio. We strongly suggest unplugging any non-essential USB devices while recording with the US-224. (USB keyboards and mice are the notable exceptions ­ in most cases they are passive devices with very minor bandwidth requirements.) Another well-documented advantage of USB is the ability to "hot-plug" devices (that is, plug them in and out without powering the computer down). While this applies to the US-224 as well, we recommend against plugging or unplugging, or powering the unit on or off, while running your audio application. Doing so can result in audible pops, or even hanging or crashing the program. You'll find a listing of web links and resources on hard disk recording on our website at www.tascam.com. 16 4. Hooking up Audio and MIDI to the US-224 4.1 Hooking up audio To monitor output from your computer, connect the analog outputs of the US-224 to your mixer, amplifier or powered monitors. Output volume is controlled by the LINE OUT level pot. If you've got a digital mixer, external D/A converter, or other device with S/PDIF input, you may prefer to monitor via the US-224's S/PDIF output. To record audio from the US-224 into your computer, simply connect a device to the appropriate input. Microphones should be plugged into the INPUT A or B XLR inputs. Note that the US-224 does not supply phantom power, so if you're using condenser mics, you'll need an external preamp or power supply. You can connect line-level sources (e.g., keyboards and sound modules) into one of the two LINE INPUTS (A or B). If you wish to plug in a guitar, bass, or other high-impedance source, simply move the sliding switch below the Input Trim control to the "Guitar" position. Finally, digital sources (e.g., CD players, DAT's etc) may be connected to the S/PDIF INPUT. The inputs of channels A and B are available as either balanced XLR mic-level inputs, unbalanced (1/4") line-level inputs, or S/PDIF digital inputs. Digital output is taken directly from the stereo output of your digital audio application. Digital input is chosen in the US-224's Control Panel, as detailed in Section 5.1. While it's possible to use both mic and line level analog inputs simultaneously on either input, in actual practice this is not recommended, as the signal level of the inputs will be summed and very likely interfere with each other. Inputs A and B are also switchable between the analog inputs and the S/PDIF digital input. The input source is selected in the US-224 Control Panel main page. (See section 5.1 for details). Input level for analog sources is regulated by the TRIM level pots. NOTE: The INPUT A and B TRIM controls do not affect digital input. Sampled audio from the S/PDIF digital Illustration 4.01 - Connecting audio to the US-224 17 input is passed directly to the application without modification. To reduce the level of the digital audio signal at inputs A and B, you will need to reduce the output level of your digital source. Note about levels and gain structure here. The TRIM controls directly affect the input level at the A/D converters on the US-224, so it's advisable to use the SIGNAL and OVER LEDs to help set your levels. Unlike analog tape, when recording digital audio, it's important to keep your input level close to 0dB, but never to exceed it. If the input level is too high, the audio signal will clip not a desirable sound. If the input level is too low, then the dynamic range that the US224's A/D's are capable of is not being used, and the signal will be closer to the noise floor than it needs to be. In either case, this can not be fixed after the tracks have been recorded, so it's important to make this adjustment carefully. can use the MIDI I/O's to send and receive MTC (MIDI Time Code). This allows you to sync tracks from your MTC-capable Portastudio, DTRS multitrack, or any other machine that accepts time code with your digital audio software, for transferring tracks back and forth for editing and processing. 4.3 Using Monitoring the Input In digital audio, the amount of time it takes for the input signal to pass through the circuitry of the unit and the software processing and arrive at the outputs will sometimes result in an audible delay. (This is commonly referred to as "audio latency".) This added delay can be confusing when, for example, you're trying to overdub to previously recorded tracks. The INPUT MONITOR mixer built into the US-224 eliminates this problem by providing a way to listen to the signals you're recording directly, without any computer processing delay. When the INPUT MONITOR button is depressed, the first two channel faders control the input levels of inputs A and B to the US-224's internal mixer. Changes in these levels affect the monitor and headphones outputs, but have no effect on the audio levels seen by the audio software application. The first two MUTE buttons also affect the inputs, and PAN is also available in this mode; the inputs come up panned to center, but can be SELected and PANned anywhere within the stereo field. Illustration 4.02 - Input trims and level indicator LED's NOTE: In INPUT MONITOR mode faders 34 are inactive. NOTE: All the controls mentioned here are also accessible via the ASIO control panel, which displays the current status of the INPUT MONITOR section. 4.2 Hooking up MIDI The MIDI in and out jacks give you 16 channels of MIDI I/O. Simply connect the MIDI out of your keyboard or other device to a MIDI in jack on the US-224, and vice versa. If you've got a MIDI sync box, you 18 4.4 Monitor vs. Master Level It's important to make a distinction between MONITOR LEVEL control and level of the stereo bus output, as controlled by the MASTER FADER. When using the US-224's analog inputs, only the TRIM controls actually affect the input level to the audio software application. When using the US-224's Digital inputs, the digital audio data received at the US-224's digital input is passed directly to the audio application without any gain or other modifications. When monitoring audio playback from the application via the US-224, the level is controlled by that track's software gain control (which, in turn, is controlled by the US- 428's channel FADERs), the MASTER FADER, and the LINE OUT or PHONES OUT level controls. The LINE OUT and PHONES level controls directly affect the audio levels that appear on the LINE OUTPUT and PHONES jacks, respectively. The audio level produced at the DIGITAL OUTPUT is not affected by either control. The MASTER FADER is the final level control affecting the digital stereo output to the application, consequently changes made to the MASTER FADER level will also affect the output level to the speakers. Thus, if you want to simply reduce the volume of your listening environment, you'll want to use the MONITOR LEVEL control to do this without affecting the level of your stereo mix. 19 5. The Panel US-224 Control 5.1 Main Page In the Control Panel's main page, you can specify a number of options of the US-224's ASIO handling. The Input selector toggles the source of the US-224's inputs from analog (via any of the mic or line inputs) to digital (via the S/PDIF input). The Status area provides a view of the US224's current settings: Clock source: Sample rate: Resolution: Digital input: Signal: Red - no digital input Green - digital input active Fmt: Red - improper format Green - proper S/PDIF format Illustration 5.01 - Control Panel Main Page Internal or Digital In 44100 or 48000 24 Bit or 16 Bit Lock: Red - digital in not ready to record, Green - digital in ready to record The Control Surface Protocol setting governs the type of MIDI messages used to send fader and button information from the US-224 to applications. The corresponding drop-down box allows you to select from US-224 Native or US-428 emulation modes. For more information US-428 emulation mode, refer to chapter 8. For use with most DAW applications, it's recommended that you leave the default "US-224 Native" selection. The Master Fader always sends changes in position via MIDI. It can also be used to make the US-224 itself change the output level coming from an application. (This is useful for programs that do not have their own master volume control, such as Sound Forge.) In Cubasis, select the MIDI only option. The Input Monitor area is a viewable and controllable version of the US-224 INPUT MONITOR mixer. Here you can control the level and position of each US-224 input as it will appear on the LINE OUTPUT, DIGITAL OUT, and PHONES connectors. Three controls (level, pan and mute) are available for both inputs. Note that these controls can also be changed from the US-224 by pressing the INPUT MONITOR switch on the unit, and using channel strips 1and 2. If you make the changes this way, the controls displayed in the US-224 Control Panel will be updated to reflect the new values. Any settings shown in the input monitor section of this control panel can be saved as one of four Snapshots. To save your settings as snapshot number 1, for example. click on "Save" and then click on "1". Any snapshot can then be recalled by just clicking on its corresponding button. 20