Eventide VR240 Operator's Manual
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Eventide VR240 Operator's Manual

Audio logging recorder
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Eventide, Inc.
One Alsan Way
Little Ferry, NJ 07643
United States of America
www.eventide.com
OPERATOR'S MANUAL
MODEL VR240
AUDIO LOGGING RECORDER
DVD
R A M
DVD
R A M
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Stop
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Channel Status
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Eventide
VR240
Digital Audio
Logging Recorder
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Full
Almost Full
Phones
Fault
©January 2000
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Summary of Contents for Eventide VR240

  • Page 1 OPERATOR’S MANUAL MODEL VR240 AUDIO LOGGING RECORDER Eventide VR240 R A M Digital Audio Logging Recorder R A M Channel Status Full Play FFwd Stop Eject Almost Full Phones Relay Fault Eventide, Inc. One Alsan Way Little Ferry, NJ 07643 United States of America www.eventide.com...
  • Page 3 Follow these recommendations in sequence to enhance the performance reliability of the VR240. This will prevent improper operation and malfunctions. Check input power settings (paragraph 2-7). Plan ahead for the installation of the VR240 in a convenient environment (paragraph 2-5). Perform the following in sequence upon powerup: (1) Set the clock (paragraph 2-3.4)

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    2-3.4 Setting the System Clock 2-3.5 Setting Up Input Channel 1 for Recording 2-3.6 Media Loading and Formatting 2-3.7 Recording to the Archive Drives 2-3.8 Adjust the Speaker Volume 2-10 2-3.9 Put the VR240 in Record 2-12 Section II. INSTALLATION 2-14 INTRODUCTION...
  • Page 6 Chapter Page INPUT OPTIONS 2-16 2-8.1 Connecting the Telephone Channel Inputs 2-17 2-8.2 Connecting the Audio Channel Inputs 2-17 2-8.3 Squelch Requirements 2-19 2-8.4 Audio Board Front End Options 2-20 2-8.5 Rear Panel Serial Port Connectors 2-20 Section III. FRONT PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS 2-21 VFD DISPLAY 2-21 2-10...
  • Page 7 DYNAMIC RANGE, SNR, AND THD+N WOW AND FLUTTER CROSSTALK 4-4 4-10 DEGRADATION 4-11 TAPE USAGE 4-5 Section II. THE VR240 CHANNEL HOUR CAPACITY 4-12 THE "CHANNEL HOUR" 4-13 HARD DISK DRIVE 4-7 Section III. VR240 THEORY OF OPERATION 4-14 MAIN COMPONENTS...
  • Page 8 Chapter Page 4-15 GENERAL OPERATION 4-16 CONCLUSION 4-11 OPERATION Section I. PREPARATION FOR OPERATION GENERAL MEDIA FORMATTING DDS DRIVE CLEANING 5-3.1 Clean the DDS Drive 5-4 5-3.2 Reset the Cleaning Timers Section II. TRANSPORT CONTROLS AND INDICATORS TRANSPORT CONTROLS 5-6 TRANSPORT CONTROLS REACTION TIME Section III.
  • Page 9 FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION CLOCK FREQUENCY ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE LITHIUM BATTERY VOLTAGE CHECK TIME CODE INPUT A-2 RS-232 CONFIGURATION AND DATA FORMAT A-3 VR240 CLOCK EXAMPLE STATUS PRINTER INDICATION APPENDIX B 4MM DDS TAPE ISSUES AVAILABILITY AND SELECTION TAPE TYPES AVAILABLE SELECTING YOUR TAPE...
  • Page 10 APPENDIX E THE OPTIONAL LABEL PRINTER DESCRIPTION USER-DEFINED TITLE APPENDIX F THE STATUS PRINTER PRINTER REQUIREMENTS F-1 CONFIGURING THE VR240 TO OUTPUT DESIRED SYSTEM STATUS REPORTS F-2.1 Detailed Activity Printouts F-2.2 Activity Summaries F-2.3 Summary When Media Is Ejected F-2.4 Summary on Demand F-3...

  • Page 11: Introduction

    1-2. CONFIGURATIONS. Your VR240 has several features and options that are determined when the unit is ordered. It may have one or two media drives. It may have 8, 16, or 24 audio input channels. In addition, the inputs may be configured differently depending upon your audio signal sources. Finally, an optional label printer provides a provision for automatic media labeling.
  • Page 12 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder MODEL VR240, SERIAL NUMBER _______________________ NUMBER OF DRIVES 1 (Serial number and options information appears on the rear panel data plate.) DRIVE TYPE: 4MM DDS DVD-RAM 8MM EXABYTE MAGNETO-OPTICAL FIRMWARE VERSION ______________________________ (On display during turn-on, accessible from the menus.) If your unit is not configured as desired, or if you should need to change the configuration in the future, drives and channels can be added easily.

  • Page 13: Section Ii. Equipment Description And Data

    1-3. PURPOSE AND FEATURES. 1-3.1 Purpose. The VR240 Audio Logging Recorder is a multi-channel, full-featured digital logging system. The recorder archives voice files on DDS-2 or DDS-3 cassettes, or Rewriteable DVD-RAM. 1-3.2 Features. The VR240 has several features, capabilities, and options.

  • Page 14: Equipment Data

    Depth (main frame) 17 inches (431.8 mm) 1-4.2 Power Requirement. The VR240 is factory-configured for the line voltage of the country of installation. Fuse type is 2A, 250V, time-delay, 20 mm (Eventide P/N 316054). Same type is used for 115 Vac or 230 Vac.

  • Page 15: Preparation For Use And Installation

    2-1. GENERAL. This section will familiarize you with the VR240. You will learn how to format media, monitor live communications, begin the record process, enable/disable channels for playback, adjust the speaker volume, and scroll between the two archive drives and the internal hard disk. It is recommended that the initial setup be done prior to installing the unit in its permanent operating location.
  • Page 16 PORT C PORT D CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN. VR240 with three 8-channel telephone boards pin 25 pin 1 Detail B Detail B pin 50 pin 26...

  • Page 17: Initial Turn-On

    2-3.1 Power. The VR240 does not have an ON/OFF switch. To apply power, first plug the power cord into the rear panel power connector. Next, plug the other end of the cord into a power outlet. The logger turns on and operates continuously when plugged in.

  • Page 18: 2-3.4 Setting The System Clock

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-3.4 Setting the System Clock. Press the Config soft key Upper: Not Ready Controls SysInfo Drive Config Press the Clock soft key. Upper: Not Ready < Descriptors System Quit > Clock Press the SetTime soft key CLOCK CONFIGURATION <...

  • Page 19: 2-3.5 Setting Up Input Channel 1 For Recording

    The display will give you the time and date as stored in the VR240. This may be accurate, or completely incorrect if never set. The VR240 uses 24-hour time and the “European” method of giving the date as DAY/MONTH/YEAR. 2-3.5 Setting Up Input Channel 1 for Recording.
  • Page 20 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the Board soft key CONFIGURATION: < AutoRec Trigger Quit > Board Press the RecEnable soft key and you will see a display for board 1: CH1: followed by a mode description. CONFIGURATION BOARD 1: Chan 1-8 (Telephone) <...

  • Page 21: 2-3.6 Media Loading And Formatting

    Make sure this is done before continuing. Insert your new magneto-optical disks in the VR240 by putting them in the slots, either side up, with the write protect latch toward you, until a gentle resistance is encountered as the disk is almost fully inserted. Apply just enough pressure to overcome the resistance, and the drive will pull the disk in and begin the loading process.
  • Page 22 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the > (next) soft key UPPER: Media unreadable < Controls GoTo Drive Resume > Press the PrepMedia soft key. UPPER: Media unreadable < SysInfo MediaInfo Config PrepMedia Press the Format soft key. PREPARE UPPER:...

  • Page 23: 2-3.7 Recording To The Archive Drives

    2-3.7 Recording to the Archive Drives. Once the formatted media is in one or both drives, the VR240 is ready to record. The first thing to do is confirm that audio is present on channel 1.
  • Page 24 Adjust the output level of your signal source so that the input signal to the VR240 is as high on the “meter” as possible without “clipping”, as indicated by red LEDs on the right of the array. It is OK if the rightmost set of asterisks flashes occasionally. (When the Monitor menu times out or you hit Done, the “meter”...

  • Page 25: 2-3.8 Adjust The Speaker Volume

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-3.8 Adjust the speaker volume. Press the Done soft key. Monitoring: 1 Enable Disable Done Press the Volume soft key. CONTROLS: < Monitor Lock Quit > Volume Press the Speaker soft key. VOLUME: < Headphone...
  • Page 26 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the Lower or Higher key to decrease or increase the speaker volume. The increments are 0 (no volume) to 40 (maximum volume). To return to the VOLUME: screen, press the Done soft key. SPEAKER VOLUME: 15...

  • Page 27: 2-3.9 Put The Vr240 In Record

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-3.9 To put the VR240 in record. When you see UPPER: Ready, it means that the transport controls are active. To begin recording, press the Rec transport key located under the archive drives. UPPER: Ready <...
  • Page 28 DualRec soft key. NOTE You have now set up the VR240 so it will be able to do its job. The rest of the operation’s manual will be slightly less detailed. Some of the menu choices you have while in the record mode include:...

  • Page 29: Section Ii. Installation

    2-5. PLANNING. Identify and allocate the inputs to be used as the signal sources for the VR240. Then determine if you have any channels remaining. If you do, bring them to a convenient patch field as you will probably find other applications for the VR240 in the future.

  • Page 30: System Connection

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-6. SYSTEM CONNECTION. Figure 2-1 shows the rear panel of the VR240. There can be up to three telephone or audio input connectors, depending upon the number of optional channel boards installed. Your primary job will be to connect the input channels to your signal sources. Additional tasks include providing power, audio output, and, if desired, PC remote control, and printer interface signals and connections.

  • Page 31: Input Options

    Refer to initial turn-on (paragraph 2- 2-8. INPUT OPTIONS. Up to three input boards may be installed in each VR240 mainframe (see Figure 2-2). This manual describes the two board styles available. Voice-quality audio input board (8 channels).

  • Page 32: 2-8.1 Connecting The Telephone Channel Inputs

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-8.1 Connecting the Telephone Channel Inputs. The connector comes with mating plugs. The mating plugs use crimp type screw terminals to secure the telephone lines (wires). The input impedance is 10kΩ. Looking at the rear of the unit, each 16-position connector is numbered as follows: Line 8 “tip”...
  • Page 33 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Table 2-1. Rear Panel Audio Connector Pin-Out PAIR COLOR SIGNAL BOARD: CHANS 01-08 09-16 17-24 WHT/blu Audio in – Channel BLU/wht Audio in + WHT/org Audio out ORG/wht Ground WHT/grn Squelch GRN/wht Ground WHT/brn Audio in –...

  • Page 34: 2-8.3 Squelch Requirements

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-8.3 Squelch Requirements. A “high” is either an open circuit, or a voltage level greater than 4 volts. A “low” is either a contact closure to ground or a voltage level lower than 2 volts.
  • Page 35 Serial Chan. F: RS-485 for time code input, remote record control Serial Chan. A: time code output Serial Chan. C: RS-232 status printer Ground Serial Chan. E: "PC Remote" connection, RS-485 party line Figure 2-5. VR240 CPU: Rear Panel Serial Port Connectors January 2000 2-21...

  • Page 36: Section Iii. Front Panel Controls And Indicators

    (approximately one minute for each menu level selected). Press the Menu soft key for access to all available functions and controls. When the VR240 is recording, the first screen that appears after the Menu soft key is pressed is shown below:...

  • Page 37: Drives

    Archive Drives These may be 4MM DDS tape, rewriteable DVD-RAM, 8MM Exabyte cassette, or magneto-optical disk. The VR240 logger may be equipped with a single drive or, more commonly, with dual drives. Transport Controls You may use these controls to operate both the drives and the internal hard disk.
  • Page 38 Media Drive Indicator Lights Different tape and disk drives have their own indicator lights. In most cases, ignore these lights. In general, the VR240 display provides more and better information. Channel Status Array These LEDs will light as required to report the current state of each installed channel.
  • Page 39 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 2-11. KEYPAD AND FRONT PANEL PORTS, Table 2-5 describes the front panel controls and ports. Table 2-5. Front Panel Controls and Ports Description ITEM CONTROL OR INDICATOR DESCRIPTION Numeric Keypad The keypad can be used in place of the soft keys when entering numbers in the VR240.

  • Page 41: Software Configuration

    3-1. DESCRIPTION. Setup is a configuration procedure performed from the front panel of the VR240. At this point, we assume that the unit is connected to power and audio, and is powered up. If so, you will be looking at a display with a legend indicating either Ready or Not Ready depending upon whether the drive is loaded.
  • Page 42 VR240. This may be very close to accurate, or completely incorrect if never set. The clock is powered by a lithium battery that allows it to keep time even if no power is applied to the VR240. If the battery is discharged, the date and time will be wrong. This will affect the playback functions when time and date is selected.

  • Page 43: Section Ii. Global System Configuration

    3-5. SAMPLING. Sampling allows you to select the sampling rate of the recorder. The VR240 uses digital signal processing to compress the input audio. As discussed elsewhere in this manual, the number of samples determines the media usage. This is a linear function. Doubling the sampling rate reduces the recording time by half.
  • Page 44 A technical note: Normally one would expect sampling rate to change frequency response. The VR240 has a fixed frequency response of slightly over 3 kHz. This would normally imply a sampling rate of about 8kHz and, in an 8-bit system like this one, a 64K (8 times 8) bit per second sampling rate would be required.

  • Page 45: Security

    It also is possible to LOCK the unit in various states. From the CONFIG/SYTEM/SECURITY menu, you can LOCK the VR240 in an inoperative state to prevent its being used at all. CONFIG/SYSTEM/SECURITY is also the menu that allows you to change the password.

  • Page 46: 3-6.2 Change User Password

    If you enter the password twice and both versions are identical, the VR240 will accept the new password and the old one will then be invalid. If you do not enter the correct “old” password or if you make any mistakes during this procedure, it will abort and leave the password unchanged.

  • Page 47: 3-6.4 Unlock

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Use the keypad to enter your eight-digit password. The unit will now automatically lock. A legend indicating that the controls are locked will appear in the top right corner of the display. Enter Password: Cancel 3-6.4 Unlock...
  • Page 48 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Whatever is showing on the display when you press Done will be the current configuration. MEDIA USAGE: Record over previous media – If you have selected this option under Media Usage, when the media in the...

  • Page 49: Display Ascii Character Adjustment

    Toggle between the option of standard ASCII characters or ASCII with Change European characters (useful if you plan to use the VR240 in a language other than English). Whatever is showing on the display when you press the Done soft key will Done be the current configuration.
  • Page 50 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder The following menus are used to configure the status printer. If you have not connected a status printer, these settings should be left at their default values (Line Length: 78; Detailed Activity Report: CHAN 01: off, Intervals – Summary: None, PRINT: None, NEXT RPT: 00:00).

  • Page 51: Time Track

    Time Track is a feature that can be enabled to assure that the media is “always running.” One of the main advantages to the VR240 is that no space on the media is used when there is nothing to record. In some applications, however, it is desirable to have a continuous time track to be able to prove that the media was running continuously and that no input was missed because it was temporarily stopped.

  • Page 52: Language

    Done will be the current configuration. 3-11. LANGUAGE. As of this printing, the only language available in the VR240 is English. From time to time you may want to check our web site or the local trade magazines for news of the availability of French and German languages.

  • Page 53: Serial I/O Port Parameters

    PC remote control, master clock systems, and other external control devices. The VR240 supports two types of printers, an optional label printer, and an optional status printer. The label printer automatically prints a label that identifies media when it is ejected.

  • Page 54: C3Ecc Error Connection

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Use the the Change soft key to scroll through the parameter options above Change the cursor. Whatever is showing on the display when you press the Save soft key will be Save the new configuration.
  • Page 55 VR240 software detects that there Fault is some problem with the unit, such as a defective drive. “Full media”...

  • Page 56: Automatic Formatting

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder By pressing Change, you cycle through the above conditions. Note that Playing and None each appear by themselves on the display. However the other three can be selected in any combination. This allows you to select conditions that need to be called to your attention. For example, if you are in a location where you can hear the beeping alarm, you may wish to have the relay close only on a FAULT condition.

  • Page 57: Set Id

    Done 3-19. SET ID #. Set ID# (Set identification number) identifies each VR240 to the optional PC Remote control. The PC Remote control, a software program available from Eventide, gives you remote access to key front panel functions for search, playback, and channel configuration. Because this program can run up to 8 units, the program must know which unit it is speaking to.

  • Page 58: Disk Control

    To understand the difference between Separate mode and Automatic mode, you need to know something about how the VR240’s internal hard disk is used. Whenever you start recording on the Upper archive drive, the VR240 creates a file on the hard disk.

  • Page 59: Automatic Recording Configuration

    Note: “Separate Hard Disk Control” is recommended when using the “Dual Record” feature. 3-21. AUTOMATIC RECORDING CONFIGURATION. The VR240 has the capability of starting and stopping a recording automatically. You can set the start time, stop time, and select a repeat cycle that will allow you, for instance, to record every day between the hours of 08:00 and 17:30.

  • Page 60: 3-21.1 Notes On Auto Record Timer Settings

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Select the timers and cycle parameters. allows you to set the time and date of three operations: SetTimers Sets the time that the recorder begins operation. StartRec Sets the time at which the drives on a two-drive recorder switch SwapRec over.

  • Page 61: 3-21.2 Options Available In Auto Record

    The VR240 automatically gives you a 1-minute margin on start and stop. It will start a minute before you program it to, and stop a minute after you program it to stop. If this is undesirable, take this margin into account when setting the timers.

  • Page 62: Trigger

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder gives the time and date at which the current (if recording) or Stop Timer the next scheduled (if stopped) recording will stop. located on the keypad, drops back to the previous menu, Quit as does simply waiting for timeout.

  • Page 63: Section Iii. System Information

    If the upper line of the display shows an archive drive in a “not ready” (no media) state press the SysInfo soft key displayed on the first menu page. Note: The Config soft key will be displayed if the VR240 is not recording, it will not be displayed if the VR240 is recording.
  • Page 64 Keeps a record of the last time you reset your cleaning timers. You must Cleaned: reset these timers every time you clean a drive. Cleaning timers that have not been reset will cause the VR240 to light the front panel “fault” LED. Refer to paragraph 5-3, DATA DRIVE CLEANING. SysLogs...

  • Page 65: Media Information

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 3-24. MEDIA INFORMATION. Media information provides information about the media itself, which may have come from another recorder, and therefore may have different descriptors or a different sampling rate. Use the Drive soft key to select the archive drive that contains the required media.

  • Page 66: Disk Information

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 3-25. DISK INFORMATION. Disk information provides information about the internal hard disk (capacity and recording status). Press the Drive soft key until “Disk: (status)” appears on the top line. Press the SysInfo soft key. Press the DiskInfo soft key.

  • Page 67: Section Iv. Board/Channel Configuration

    The following instructions will step through the process of configuring the first 8 channels of your VR240. To configure higher channels, simply press the NextBoard soft key until the channels displayed on the screen are the ones you want to configure.

  • Page 68: 3-27.1 Telephone Board - Recenable Modes

    Off Hook condition. Note that you cannot change the individual channel modes while the VR240 is recording since the Setup functions are only available when the unit is in a Ready mode.

  • Page 69: Vox (Voice Activated)

    In such cases, a long time setting (8 to 10 seconds is recommended) will allow the VR240 to continue recording the “conversation.” Cases where there is a definite end to a message, such as when a radio is squelched, will benefit from shorter delays.
  • Page 70 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder After pressing the Config and the > (next) soft key, press the Board soft key. Then press the VOX soft key. VOICE OPERATED SWITCHING: Level Quit HoldTime Press the HoldTime soft key. VOICE OPERATED SWITCHING:...

  • Page 71: 3-28.2 Setting The Vox Level

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 3-28.2 Setting the VOX Level. After pressing the Config and the > (next) soft key, press the Board soft key. Then press the VOX soft key. VOX HOLD: Channel 01 : 01 < Channel Decrease...

  • Page 72: Audiogain

    Done – saves the setting that appears on the display and exits you from this screen. 3-30. BEEP. Beep allows you to enable or disable the sound (made by the VR240’s beep generator) that lets all parties know a conversation is being recorded. Each channel has its own control.

  • Page 73: Beep

    Cancel 3-31. OFF HOOK. OffHook sets the level that the DC voltage on the telephone line must drop below for the VR240 to begin recording. The DC voltage on a telephone line is normally 48 volts. When a telephone is lifted off hook, the DC voltage drops as a result of the load that the telephone puts on the line.

  • Page 74: Offhook

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder To set the Off Hook level: OFF HOOK LEVEL: Channel 01 : 32 volts Channel Decrease Increase Done selects the channel for which the off hook voltage is to be adjusted, and Channel shows its current value on the upper line of the display. You may also use the vertical or side-to-side arrow keys located under the keypad to scroll through the channels.

  • Page 75: Section V. Descriptors

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Select channels to be enabled or disabled as follows: AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL: Channel 01 : On Channel Change Done selects the channel for which the AGC is to be turned On or Off and Channel shows its current value on the upper line of the display.
  • Page 76 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the Modify soft key. CONFIGURE DESCRIPTORS: CopyFromMedia Quit Modify Select a channel to modify using the – (minus) and + (plus) soft keys. Hitting these keys changes the display that shows the channel number and the descriptor currently valid for that channel.

  • Page 77: Copy Descriptors

    The purpose of this feature is to allow you to substitute one VR240 for one that may be on temporary duty elsewhere or out of service for other reasons. This operation does not change other aspects of the machine configuration.
  • Page 78 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder a. Press the Config soft key then press the Descriptors soft key CONFIGURATION: < Clock System Quit > Descriptors b. Press the CopyFromMedia soft key. c. Select from the options shown: The display shows a legend: UNIT DESCRIPTORS WILL BE LOST and two soft keys CONTINUE and CANCEL.

  • Page 79: Theory Of Operation

    This section explains aspects of the VR240 that may not be obvious, but with which you should be familiar in order to make the best use of the unit’s capabilities.

  • Page 80: Audio Quality Considerations And Tradeoffs

    (audio) becomes very fuzzy (noisy). In digital recording, as used on the VR240, the audio signal is measured at regular intervals and converted to numbers. Instead of relying on the amount of magnetization on the tape to accurately represent an audio signal, digital recording relies on the magnetization to represent only two values –...

  • Page 81: Sampling Rate In The Vr240

    4-6. SAMPLING RATE IN THE VR240. In the VR240, the recording time of a tape depends on the “sampling rate” chosen via the front panel. We chose the term “sampling rate” because it is more obviously related to digital audio than “transcoding rate”, which is a more accurate term.

  • Page 82: Wow And Flutter

    VR240 adds time and channel information so that when the tape is played back the samples are sent to the proper output channels The only crosstalk in the VR240 is a result of proximity of electronic circuitry, and is easy to control.

  • Page 83: Degradation

    The VR240, however, “multiplexes” all channels onto a single data track. When there is no active signal on a channel, there is no data for that channel on the tape. Therefore, if only two channels are active, an 8-channel VR240 will use tape only one fourth as rapidly as an 8- channel analog recorder.

  • Page 84: Section Ii. The Vr240 Channel Hour Capacity

    Section II. THE VR240 CHANNEL HOUR CAPACITY 4-12. THE “CHANNEL HOUR”. The VR240’s capacity is measured in channel-hours: the number of hours of a single channel that can be recorded on one tape (see Table 4-1). That number, for a 120 meter DDS-2 cassette, is about 520 hours, or some 21 days.

  • Page 85: Hard Disk Drive

    Another benefit of the hard disk drive in the VR240 is that it prolongs the life of the tape drives. Here’s why: a DDS tape drive is either “streaming” (recording data on tape at a fixed rate of about 500KB per second) or it is stopped.

  • Page 86: Section Iii. Vr240 Theory Of Operation

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Section III. VR240 THEORY OF OPERATION 4-14. MAIN COMPONENTS. The main components of the VR240 are: Input Boards (signal conditioning, A/.D and D/A conversion, data reduction) CPU Board (microprocessor, memory, SCSI, clock, Ethernet, communication ports)

  • Page 87: Conclusion

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder The VR240 can be controlled from the front panel or it can be operated remotely via RS- 232/RS-485. Several connectors on the rear panel provide access to various functions including remote control, time code input/output, and outputs to a label printer and status printer.
  • Page 88 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder This page intentionally left blank. 4-10 January 2000...

  • Page 89: Operation

    Media Info, this information is displayed. For this reason, it is important to format media on the VR240 which will subsequently be used to record on it. If you format media on a machine with different descriptors, when you load it you will get a message Ready, descrip.dif.
  • Page 90 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder NOTE Media can be formatted on one drive while the other drive is recording. Insert new media in the drive slowly until you feel resistance. Gently continue pressing forward. The drive will swallow the tape or disk and try to load it. (The display will show that the drive is loading, and, shortly thereafter, indicate that the media is “unreadable.”)

  • Page 91: Dds Drive Cleaning

    DVD-RAM disk. If you have a stack of media to format and a dual drive VR240, you can save time by formatting on both drives at once. While one drive is formatting, use the Drive function key to select the other drive, and repeat the above steps.

  • Page 92: 5-3.1 Clean The Dds Drive

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 5-3.1 Clean the DDS drive. Insert a DDS cleaning cartridge, such as the one supplied with the VR240. Wait for it to pop out. Then reset the clean timers. That’s it. (The drive recognizes the cleaning tape and will automatically eject it.
  • Page 93 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the Cleaned soft key DRIVE INFORMATION: ActvHours Quit Cleaned Press the Reset soft key. UPPER HOURS SINCE CLEANING: 100:00 Quit Reset January 2000...

  • Page 94: Section Ii. Transport Controls And Indicators

    Play at the wrong time; newer ones automatically stop the media before going into Play even if you don’t explicitly hit Stop. While media motion is not a problem in the VR240, there are several inappropriate operations that are locked out. For instance, Eject is not honored if the unit is in the process of recording.
  • Page 95 FForward The FFwd key is active both when the media is stopped and when the VR240 is playing. If you hit FFwd while the media or optical disk is stopped, it will be moved from its current position to the end.
  • Page 96 Hitting Stop from Play returns to a paused mode. Stop When you Stop from Rec, the VR240 will ask if you wish to Stop (end all recording completely) or Suspend (temporarily suspend the transfer of data from the internal hard disk to the drive). If you Stop from Record, additional information must be written to index the media.

  • Page 97: Transport Controls Reaction Time

    In the VR240, equipped with archive drives, you can not see the medium, and the recorder may have a queue of tasks to perform, so it might take longer to complete. The good...

  • Page 98: Section Iii. Signal Monitoring, Level Indicator, And Channel Status

    (Whether a channel uses AGC is determined during configuration. Refer to paragraph 3-36.) 5-6. MONITOR. You can confirm that your signals are present at the VR240 input and are of the correct level by using the Monitor function. Press the Controls soft key. Upper: Not Ready...

  • Page 99: Level Indicator

    Monitor all channels simultaneously as follows: Press the Enable soft key. Press the All soft key. Press the Done soft key. The VR240 will immediately begin playing all active channels. c. Monitor multiple channels as follows: Press the Enable soft key.

  • Page 100: Channel Status During Record

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder NOTE If you entered Monitor while you were recording, we make the assumption that you want to listen continuously to the signals selected, and the audible monitor remains active until you deliberately disable the channels you are monitoring. If you entered Monitor from a Ready...

  • Page 101: Section Iv. Record Operation

    5-9. RECORD. Once placed in the record mode, the VR240 logging recorder will record until it is stopped. Data is stored on the internal hard disk for 250, 500, or more channel hours depending on the size of the hard drive. Every three channel hours the internal hard disk automatically transfers data to a ready drive.

  • Page 102: 5-9.2 Stop Recording From The "Disk Select" Position

    Choose either (or both) ready drive(s). The hard disk will begin to record. NOTE When you put the VR240 in record from the “Disk: Ready” position, the hard disk will not automatically transfer data to the archive drive(s). You must manually set the archive drive(s) to record.

  • Page 103: 5-9.3 Begin Recording From The "Drive Select" Position

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder 5-9.3 Begin Recording From The “Drive Select” Position. Load formatted media into an available drive. UPPER: Ready < Controls GoTo Drive Resume > Press the Record transport control key. Choose the Record soft key. UPPER: Recording 000001...

  • Page 104: 5-9.4 Begin The Dual Record Operation

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder When the operator performs the Stop-Stop steps, the VR240 buffer transfers information from the hard disk to the archive drive. If the buffer is in the process of transferring, it will complete the transfer before the VFD screen displays Ready. If you eject the media, it has recorded only up to the second you hit Stop.

  • Page 105: Section V. Record Operation

    97%, (equal to approximately 500 channel hours on a 120M DDS), and if you have another media in the second drive ready to record, the VR240 will switch over to the second drive at this time. Note that this switchover occurs before the media is exhausted.

  • Page 106: Automatic Media Formatting

    If you insert new media, it will be unreadable by the drive, and will be formatted immediately upon loading. If you insert media that was previously formatted on the same VR240, it does not need to be formatted (unless the descriptors are changed) and will be loaded.

  • Page 107: With The Recording Drive Selected

    Recall Recall feature. Recalling during record allows the replaying of a previous passage on any selected channel while the VR240 continues to record. This is particularly useful when the recording is being monitored in real time. When Recall is activated and a channel is selected, the available time frame to listen to is backed up 30 seconds from the current time.
  • Page 108 Setting the time “back” seriously disrupts the index process of the media and prevents you from searching both the drive and the internal hard disk for that period of time. Eventide recommends that you do not change the clock for daylight savings time. If you set the clock ahead in the spring, you may have trouble in the fall.

  • Page 109: With The Idle Drive Selected

    (If the media has been recorded beyond the Almost Full point, Resume will give you a message and exit.) If you hit the Record transport key instead of resume, the VR240 will ask if you wish to resume.
  • Page 110 For example, you may want to transfer data from the optical disk to the VR240 clipboard buffer so that you can return the disk to permanent storage. You may re-record up to 2.18 channel hours of data into the Clip Board.

  • Page 111: Routine Record Operation

    Once installed and operational, the VR240 requires essentially no attention. If your mode of operation is typical, you will simply press the Record transport button and periodically remove and replace media, a matter of a few seconds each.

  • Page 112: Resume Recording On A Drive

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder The VR240 logger allows you to “suspend” recording on the drive so that you may temporarily use it for other purposes. You then “resume” recording when the drive is available. During the normal course of operation, the logger buffers data onto the hard disk before transferring it to the drive.

  • Page 113: 5-17.2 Display Status Indicators While Playing From The Internal Hard Disk

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Indicates that the channel is enabled but there is no activity on it. Green Indicates that the channel is not enabled and there is activity on it. Indicates that the channel is enabled and there is activity on it.
  • Page 114 This gives you the ability to find a location on the media before having to play it. GoTo It is likely that you will want to start playing at a certain time/date, and the VR240 makes this easy. Regardless of whether it is activated from Ready or while the media is playing, the GoTo menu operates the same way.
  • Page 115 Press this key to step through messages as they occurred from the search NextMessage time forward. The VR240 looks for pauses between messages and uses them as an indication of where one message ends and another begins. Scan gives you the opportunity to perform a “local” fast forward and rewind, Scan and to watch the time while doing so.

  • Page 116: Simultaneous Play And Record, And Resume

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Allows you to listen to the audio as you move forward at Advance (relatively) high speed through the recording, starting at the point at which you hit Advance. The speed depends upon how many channels are recorded. If you have one or only a few channels, the scan will proceed many times faster than it would if you listened to the media.

  • Page 117: Important Note About Write-Protection

    As mentioned above, we recommended that whenever you are putting media that Under certain you do not want to record on the VR240, you set the write protect tab. circumstances, the VR240 will automatically format media. It is always possible to hit the wrong button accidentally.

  • Page 118: 5-21.1 Copy

    The time required to Copy is largely dependent upon how nearly full the source is. The VR240 does not automatically prevent you from attempting to copy a larger medium to a shorter one. Of course, if you do this, it may not be possible to get all the data to the destination.
  • Page 119 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the PrepMedia soft key. Upper: Not Ready < DualRec MediaInfo Config > PrepMedia Press the Copy soft key PREPARE UPPER: Format MakeIndex Quit Copy f. The screen will now confirm that you have chosen to copy from the “UPPER TO LOWER”...
  • Page 120 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder In which case the source media is not rewound before the copy operation Append begins. If you position the source media at the beginning of a desired section, you can save the time and inconvenience of copying unnecessary material.

  • Page 121: 5-21.2 Make Index

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Stops the operation at the current point, and rewinds both media. The CancelCopy destination will have a valid index reflecting the beginning and ending times of the material copied, which may differ from those of the source media itself.

  • Page 122: Play Back From The Hard Disk

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Hitting MakeIndex gives you three choices, Complete, Fast, and Quit. It also displays a message, INDEX UPPER: (LOWER:) and, if the media has a valid index, Already has a valid index. Of course, if you see the valid index message, you should hit Quit.
  • Page 123 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder If the display does not indicate Record Buffer, press the Previous and Next arrow keys until Record Buffer is displayed. Then press the Select soft key. After a moment, the display will indicate that the disk is ready and you may now search and/or play the hard disk.
  • Page 124 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Use the Cursor and Decrease or Increase soft key to enter the desired search time and date. The keypad may also be used to enter digits. Press the Done soft key. SEARCH TIME: 07:02:40 29Feb2000...

  • Page 125: Play Back From The Archive Drive

    To stop Play Back, press the Stop transport control key twice. 5-24. PLAY BACK FROM THE ARCHIVE DRIVE. The VR240 allows you to play archive or currently loaded media without interrupting the record process. A unit equipped with dual drives typically has the benefit of an “extra” non-recording drive.
  • Page 126 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder (depending on the size of your internal hard disk) to use the drive before the hard disk capacity is exceeded and data is lost. NOTE Be sure to write protect your archive media to protect against accidental erasure.
  • Page 127 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the Start soft key. SEARCH UPPER: For 10:00:51 19Nov1999 Quit Start Once the search time/date has been located, press the > (next) soft key. UPPER: Paused 00002 10:00:51 19Nov1999 < Play GoTo NextMessage Scan >...

  • Page 128: Instant Recall

    SaveMessage > Recall The VR240 will automatically select channel 01 as the default. To select an alternate channel, use the Previous and Next soft keys. Once the desired channel appears on the display, press Select soft key. RECALL: Playing CH 01 15:00:59...

  • Page 129: Set Memory Location

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder NOTE The VR240 will now search for 30 seconds back from the command time. Then it will begin playing on the channel selected. You may now use the Pause, Rewind and FastForward soft keys or transport controls to review the selected material.

  • Page 130: 5-27.2 To Search And Play A Set Memory Location

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the soft key under the memory location in which you wish to store the mark. You may want to note which location you choose, as you will be asked to select it when it comes time to search the drive.
  • Page 131 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder Press the soft key under the memory location desired. SELECT MEMORY TO SEARCH FOR: Memory1 Memory2 Memory3 Memory4 Press the Start soft key. The VR240 will search for that location. SEARCH LOWER: M3 15:10:54 29Feb2000 Memory1 Memory2 Memory3 Memory4 f.

  • Page 132: Section Vi. Key Record Operations

    The VFD screen displays “Resume recording at the end of DDSa?” If the Record soft key is pressed, the VR240 will fast forward to the end of the media and begin recording at the point where the media stopped.

  • Page 133: Appendix A Clock Accuracy, Adjustment And Time Code Input

    It has a large, configurable display that shows a time display as setup by the user. The clock generates a time code for the VR240 that will keep the VR240 accurate with respect to UTC or local time indefinitely. Further information on this clock is available from Eventide. If you use this accessory clock, most of the information in Appendix A will be of little interest and can be disregarded.

  • Page 134: Clock Frequency Adjustment Procedure

    Refer to the VR240 maintenance manual for the CPU-3 time clock adjustment procedure. A-3. LITHIUM BATTERY VOLTAGE CHECK. A lithium battery that allows it to keep time even if no power is applied to the VR240 powers the clock. This battery also powers the non-volatile RAM that maintains unit configuration information such as channel descriptors.

  • Page 135: Configuration And Data Format

    In order to receive time code data, the generator must create the data in the proper format, and the RS-232 parameters of the VR240 must match those of the generator, whose data is received on RS-232 channel B. To configure channel B, start out from the Config menu.

  • Page 136: Vr240 Clock Example

    It is normal for the VR240 internal time to differ from that of the time code generator by up to two seconds. It is also normal for the VR240 to require up to a minute before responding to time changes commanded by the generator.

  • Page 137: Status Printer Indication

    When the second sequence is received, the VR240 will synchronize with it. This format is generated by Eventide’s accessory clock, described at the beginning of this Appendix, and is also an available output format from the Spectracom NETCLOCK/2.

  • Page 139: Availability And Selection

    DAT tapes (Digital Audio Tape tapes). It is important to understand the differences among the tapes usable in the VR240. In some applications it may not matter which brand or quality you use; in others it may be critical. We strongly recommend that you use only tapes marked DDS, DDS-2, or DDS-3, depending on the types of drives installed in your VR240.

  • Page 140: The Tape Counter And Tape Capacity

    B-4. THE TAPE COUNTER AND TAPE CAPACITY. The VR240 recognizes and operates with 90, 120, 125 (DDS-3 equipped machines) meter DDS tapes. The tape counter is re-calibrated depending upon the length of the tape. Therefore, “tape full” will occur in the 9900-9999 range regardless of selected length. Tape changeover, in units so equipped and configured, usually occurs in the 9600-9900 range.

  • Page 141: Deliberate Erasure

    If you feel you must erase a tape for security reasons, you can use a standard audio DAT recorder to record over it. Alternatively, use the COPY function of a dual-drive VR240 to record non-critical data over the material to be erased. January 2000...

  • Page 143: Appendix C Uninterruptable Power Supply (Ups)

    The UPS derives its power from a multicell lead-acid storage battery in the VR240 chassis. The battery is charged whenever the VR240 is operating; the charge rate is normally very low (trickle charge), but increases significantly if the battery has become discharged.

  • Page 144: Ups Precautions

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder memory. That way, when power returns, it can resume recording from where it left off without human intervention. The recorder is smart enough to know that if it is not recording or playing, it can shut off after 30 seconds without further action.

  • Page 145: Appendix D Software Update Procedure

    APPENDIX D SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE The VR240 is controlled by software contained in a pair of EPROMs on the CPU board. As with all complex software-controlled devices, it is probable that updates will be issued, both to resolve defects (“bugs”) and to enhance the product. If you receive an update from Eventide, the following procedure installs it.

  • Page 147: Appendix E The Optional Label Printer

    130. A required adapter cable compatible with the PC (not Macintosh) version of the printer is available from Eventide. The printer and labels are available from Eventide and many computer dealers. The printer is connected to Port B on the rear of the VR240 using the Eventide cable.

  • Page 148: User-Defined Title

    Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder machine, a new serial number will be assigned. The start and end time and date is taken from the index on the media, and is normally the allowable range for SEARCH operations on that media.
  • Page 149 Decrease/Increase keys to place spaces in all character positions. To allow the greatest number of characters, the title is left justified immediately adjacent to the Eventide Logo on the label. If you use fewer than 11 characters, we recommend adding one or two leading spaces to the title for better appearance.

  • Page 151: Appendix Fthe Status Printer

    APPENDIX F THE STATUS PRINTER The VR240 has a provision for creating a printed record of channel activity. In order to take advantage of this, you must provide a “line printer” and an appropriate cable. Because of the vast selection of printers on the market, Eventide does not provide either the printer or cable.

  • Page 152: Configuring The Vr240 To Output Desired System Status Reports

    CONFIGURING THE VR240 TO OUTPUT DESIRED SYSTEM STATUS REPORTS. F-2.1 Detailed Activity Printouts. The VR240 can report start and stop times for each message. This feature can be enabled or disabled individually for each channel. Each activity report results in one line on the printer including time, date, input channel number, start/stop status, and descriptor.

  • Page 153: F-2.3 Summary When Media Is Ejected

    Contest Line 2 F-2.4 Summary on Demand. A printed summary can be requested at any time while the VR240 is recording. This summary is in addition to those programmed for automatic printing. Manually requesting a summary prints out the information available at the time it is requested, i.e., all summaries accumulated since the most recent programmed printout or manual request.
  • Page 154 Model VR240 Audio Logging Recorder buffered to be printed is erased after the printout occurs. The time for printing the next summary, however, is not modified. Summary data is only accumulated if the unit is configured to print a summary. (If you have not programmed this feature, hitting the ACTV SUMRY key will not generate a printout.)

  • Page 155: Warranty Page

    Our sole liability is to repair or replace the unit as described herein. Responsibility for Shipping To obtain service under this warranty, it is the responsibility of the customer to notify Eventide of any defects, at which time Eventide will either send replacement hardware as it determines appropriate, or will request return of the unit or of the defective module for repair.

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