Upgrading The Software - SoundCraft Ghost User Manual

9.6
M M o o r r e e A A b b o o u u t t t t h h e e C C P P U U F F e e a a t t u u r r e e s s
M M a a c c h h i i n n e e C C o o n n t t r r o o l l
The Machine Control section makes Ghost the true centrepiece of your studio by
enabling your tape machine, hard disk recorder, VTR or MIDI sequencer to be
stopped, started, located and dropped in and out of record, all from the centre
section of the console, meaning that you dont have to move from the mixing
"sweetspot".
The Ghost is fitted with two alternative types of machine control interface, in line
with current equipment trends: MIDI Machine Control (MMC), which uses a stan-
dard MIDI connection, and Sony 9-pin, or P2, which uses a 9-pin D-type RS422
serial connection. If your machine does not support either of these two interface,
it may be possible to use a separate synchroniser unit which can convert MMC or
9-pin commands to the specific interface required by your machine. Due to varia-
tions in the way different machine manufacturers implement MMC and 9-pin
remote control, it is necessary to configure Ghost to match the particular machine
you are using. This is easily done in Ghost's setup page, and once set will be mem-
orised in flash ram, until it is deliberately changed due to use of a different
machine, for example.
The list of supported machines is as follows. This may be updated from time to
time when new machines come onto the market. Software upgrades will be made
available, should this happen (see Upgrading the Software).
MTC Master
MTC Slave
LTC Master
LTC Slave
Fostex R-Series (MTC)
Fostex G-Series (MTC)
Fostex RD-8 (LTC)
General Closed Loop MMC (MTC)
General Closed Loop MMC (LTC)
MMC Open Loop (MTC)
Alesis ADAT with AI-2
Alesis ADAT with BRC (MTC)
Tascam DA-88 (MTC)
Tascam DA-88 (LTC)
Sony UVW1800 9-pin plus DA-88 MMC track enable
Sony 9 pin P2 (48 track record enable)
Sony 9-pin P2 (no record enable)AKAI DR4/DR8 (MTC)
Note: the first four items in the above list are not machines as such, but timecode
generation or reading modes, which allow the Ghost to either act as a master
machine, generating MTC or LTC when its transport controls are pressed, to
which other machines can be synchronised, or act as a slave, where the transport
controls are inoperative, and the console simply displays incoming code (to which
mute snapshots can be fired, if required).
The other machines in the list generally allow the option of whether to use MTC
or LTC as the synchronisation medium. MTC is more convenient, because it is
transmitted down the same MIDI cables used for transport control, but may suffer
from timing errors if the MIDI data stream becomes overloaded, whereas LTC is
immune from this but requires a separate signal cable from the machines timecode
output to Ghost's LTC input.
The Open Loop MMC option is designed for general use with machines which
may not be listed, or MIDI sequencers. This differs from the other MMC options
in that it doesnt require the machine to send back tally information to confirm that
it has received and actioned the instruction. It is often this part of the process
which is different from one manufacturer to another, and therefore the Open
Loop option will often work if difficulty is experienced with a new or unlisted
machine. The Open Loop option is also recommended for use with Sequencer
GHOST Application Guide