About This Manual; What Can The Syncstation Do; Clock Distributor; Machine Control - Steinberg Nuendo SyncStation Operation Manual

About this manual

In this manual you will find a basic overview of what the
Nuendo SyncStation can do. A quick synchronization
primer will help define the terms and concepts used in this
manual. A detailed explanation of all the possible connec-
tions that can be made to the SyncStation will follow. Next,
the menu system of the SyncStation will be explored in de-
tail and how these settings can also be made in Nuendo.
Some example hookup diagrams will be used to explain
some of the possible hardware connections to the Sync-
Station.

What can the SyncStation do?

The Nuendo SyncStation is a complete hardware synchro-
nizer solution for your Nuendo digital audio workstation. It
allows your Nuendo system to be accurately synchronized
with other audio and video hardware including:
• Video Tape Recorders (VTRs)
• Analog tape machines
• Other Steinberg systems (System Link)
• Other Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)
• Multi-machine synchronization systems
• Centralized house sync generators (black burst, tri-level)
• GPIO interface for record lights, online indicators, and record
footswitches
The Nuendo SyncStation is the central hub by which all of
these different tape machines and other systems can
communicate with Nuendo in order to maintain perfect
(sample-accurate) sync between all devices. In today's
ever-changing world of new media, HDTV and the Inter-
net, the needs of a synchronization system have evolved,
requiring the adoption of new standards such as tri-level
HD video sync, hi-resolution audio clocks (96K, 192K)
and various transport protocols (MIDI Machine Control,
Sony P2 9-Pin RS422). Steinberg's SyncStation includes
all of these standards in a professional, rugged and so-
phisticated piece of hardware designed to meet your syn-
chronization needs.

Clock distributor

In today's digital music and post-production environments,
accurate clock synchronization between audio devices is
always necessary. The SyncStation can receive, generate
and distribute audio clock signals to four word clock out-
puts, two AES outputs, and consumer Toslink and SPDIF
outputs simultaneously.

Machine control

Using both MIDI Machine Control (MMC) and Sony 9-Pin
RS422 protocols, the SyncStation can receive and send
machine control commands, allowing Nuendo to control
audio and video tape machines and have the SyncStation
to be controlled from an external controller.
This allows for easy locating of an entire system to a spe-
cific timecode position. Plus, machine control can be used
to arm tracks for recording and automating audio layback
to VTRs using Nuendo's punch features, for example.

Timecode synchronizer

As a timecode synchronizer, the SyncStation can read and
generate timecode via LTC, MTC or RS422 connections,
so that other computer workstations, MIDI sequencers and
audio and video recorders can follow a master timecode
source.

SyncStation extended System Link

The SyncStation uses an extended implementation of the
System Link protocol, allowing the SyncStation to correct
Nuendo's position relative to the edge of each frame down
to the sample.
Since MIDI timecode is used to send position data to
Nuendo, it can only be accurate to a few milliseconds
(depending on the MIDI interface). The System Link con-
nection is used to send sample-accurate position informa-
tion back to the SyncStation which then calculates an
offset to correctly align Nuendo's transport to the edge of
the video frame. This is a unique and extremely accurate
method of synchronization exclusively provided by the
SyncStation.
7
Introduction