Recording While Formatting; Format Extend - Alesis ADAT-XT20 Reference Manual

R
ECORDING
F
ORMAT
ADAT XT20 Reference Manual
The XT20 briefly enters play mode to achieve proper speed and check if
the tape is formatted. The XT20 performs a complete format by
recording 15 seconds of leader (the LED display will read "LEAd"),
followed by two minutes of data (the LED display will read "data"),
then time reference starting at -0:00:05.00 and continuing to the end of
the tape.
Lead Data
-02:00:00
-02:15:00
If an unformatted tape is not at the very beginning, it will
automatically be rewound to the beginning. However, if any formatting
is detected while rewinding, the transport will stop rewinding and
leave the tape at this position, ready for a format extension (see next
page).
• If the tape has been previously formatted and is in the data
portion (before 0:00:00.00), the tape will be automatically rewound to
the beginning of the tape and the XT20 performs a complete format.
• If the tape has been previously formatted and is in the audio
portion of tape (past 0:00:00.00), the tape will be formatted from that
point upon entering record mode (this is called Format Extend; see
below).
W
HILE
Audio can be recorded while formatting a tape, whenever you need to
record something immediately and have no formatted tapes available.
To place a track into record-ready, press the RECORD ENABLE
button(s) [1] – [8] for the track(s) to be recorded (see page 54) before
turning on the Format function. While formatting, record-ready tracks
will be recorded with audio from the inputs (analog or digital,
depending on the Input Select setting; see page 48). However, audio
will not be recorded until the audio portion of tape is reached
(0:00:00.00). Tracks not in record-ready (safe) will be recorded with
silence while formatting. On multiple ADAT systems, you first need to
format past the LEAD and DATA sections of the tape before recording
while formating in sync (for example, when making a backup tape.)
Once this is done, you can "Locate 0" and continue formating while you
record.
E
XTEND
It is possible to extend the formatting on a tape that has only been
partially formatted. When performing a format extend, you must enter
Basic Operations: Chapter 4
Audio
00:00:00
F
ORMATTING
40:00:00
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