DAT-heads Digest #517, Volume #7 Sun, 19 Jun 05 12:50:01 EDT Contents: DAT>PC Transfers: What are people using now? (DATtrader) Re: Sony PCM 501ES and 701ES (Gary Gilliland) FS: Zefiro Inbox (aka denecke AD-20) ("Sanjay M. Suchak") ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: DATtrader Subject: DAT>PC Transfers: What are people using now? Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 17:56:34 -0400 Are there any USB devices that do DAT > PC transfers, much like the Opcode DATport did a few years ago with Win98? I am trying to find the easiest way to transfer all my DATs to PC via USB, so I'm hoping I can stay away from having to purchase an additional soundcard. Thanks in advance. Dt ------------------------------ From: Gary Gilliland Subject: Re: Sony PCM 501ES and 701ES Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 01:05:21 +0000 (GMT) Steve Bennett asked: "If anyone has any experience using these outboard PCM devices please contact me. I have come across one of each, and they both play PCM tapes fine (MFSL Dark side of the moon on Beta PCM tape) but I cannot seem to get the units to record." The Sony PCM units do not record, per se. However, they have a cluster of four video connections (RCA/Cinch with yellow insulators), the top two are the Video In (which Steve is using successfully for playback) and Video Out (which should be connected to the VCR's video input). The other two, Monitor Out and Copy Out can safely be left unterminated for the moment and do not figure in Steve's problem even if inoperative. Unplug everything from the PCM Adapter (The 501 or 701) and power it up. The Video Out terminal will have NTSC (or PAL, depending on the unit's overall format) video output at substantially all times. Make certain the Copy function is not engaged, then select the Mute function and connect the Video Out to a video monitor. There should be alternating very wide white and black vertical bars across the screen, with some much narrower bars toward the left side of the screen. On a scope or waveform monitor it will appear as a monochrome video signal, nominally 1vPP, 75 Ohms. This is the signal to be recorded. Next, un-mute the unit and see how much white-and-black TV-snow-like fringe appears as the wide bars narrow somewhat. What you are seeing is analog noise internal to the PCM adapter with unterminated input. It shouldn't amount to very much. Next connect an audio source to the Audio In L & R and advance the Recording Level control until the bars are narrowed by half by the TV-snow-like stuff. This is the PCM-encoded audio. What is left of the wide bars is for error correction. Note that at this time there will be no indication on the front-panel "meter" that any audio is being processed. Next move the monitor/scope connection to the Monitor Out connector and the appearance should be the same. Connect a jumper between the Video Out and Video In connectors and the front-panel "meter" should come to life and let you adjust levels. Leave lots of headroom; Sony called for 20dB and that is not a terrible place to start. The less headroom, the less error correction, and with Beta or VHS it's best to have plenty. Connect the PCM Audio Out to an audio monitor and verify that what's coming out is what's going to the Audio In, making allowence for level differences. If the unit does as described to this point, it is functioning as designed. Next connect PCM Video Out to VCR Video In and vice versa. Now try making a brief recording and playing it back. If it doesn't work, there is something about the VCR that is incompatible (very unlikely on VHS and impossible on Beta) or malfunctioning. The Sony PCM Adapters were remarkable when new and have proven to be reliable workhorses through the decades, pulling as much weight as they ever did. Nowadays 44.1/16 seems trivial, but it is all that CD-DA had when it turned the music business upside-down and teansformed Sony from a technology innovator into a copyright proprietor. Hope this helps. Gary ------------------------------ From: "Sanjay M. Suchak" Subject: FS: Zefiro Inbox (aka denecke AD-20) Reply-To: sms21@geneseo.edu Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 22:46:07 -0400 (EDT) I have a Denecke AD-20 for sale. I bought it from another taper and never got to use it. I would like to get $175 plus shipping and paypal fees. Thanks! -Sanjay sms21@geneseo.edu ------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** To unsubscribe from this digest, please send email to dat-heads-unsubscribe@datheads.phish.net If your email address has changed, you may (optionally) send the message to dat-heads-unsubscribe-oldaddress=olddomain@datheads.phish.net and the old address will be removed. 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