Choosing The Right S-Vhs Cassette Tape; What Is Tape Formatting - Alesis ADAT-LX20 Reference Manual

LX20 Essentials - Chapter 2
C
HOOSING THE
We cannot overemphasize the importance of using only premium quality, name
brand S-VHS cassettes such as Quantegy 489 DM Digital Mastering Audio Tape, or
Alesis ADAT Mastering Audio Cassettes. Other acceptable brands include Maxell
XR-S Black, JVC XZ, Sony DASV, BASF Digital Master 938, Apogee AA-40, HHB
ADAT45, and TDK SP Super Pro. The cassette shell, hubs, rollers and tape guides in
S-VHS cassettes are precision devices that properly handle and protect the tape
within them.
Although VHS cassettes may appear to work at first, their unpredictable quality
and less-than-premium formulation will decrease the reliability of your recording.
Inferior tapes not only jeopardize the recordings made on them, they may shed
oxide and leave behind a coating of dirt that will interfere with future recordings,
even if you switch back to premium quality tape. Defective tape may even clog the
head, requiring service. Don't trust your work to anything less than premium
quality S-VHS tape.
Rewind and fast forward a new tape several times from end to end before attempting
to record on it. This crucial step "unpacks" the tape properly, and leads to more
reliable long-term operation (this is also recommended practice for DAT tapes).
Treat your tapes as the precision, fragile components that they are. Do not expose
them to extremes of heat, cold, or humidity (in other words, don't leave them in
your car). Never place tapes near magnetic fields (such as power amps, TVs,
monitors, magnets, etc.) and handle tapes gently.
W
HAT IS
Standard blank S-VHS tapes must first be formatted in an ADAT-family machine
before they can be used. Formatting prepares the tape for recording and
synchronization, as described later.
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IGHT
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ADAT LX20 Reference Manual
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