E-MU 0404 PCI - Manual (Page 18)

3 - PCI Card & Interfaces
The Sync Daughter Card Option
10 Creative Professional
The Sync Daughter Card Option
The Sync Daughter card option adds word clock in and out, SMPTE (LTC) in and out
and an additional MIDI output for transmitting MIDI Time Code (MTC). MIDI Time
Code is a special rendering of SMPTE that can be transmitted over MIDI cables. For
additional information about SMPTE, please refer to
SMPTE Background .
Synchronization is a basic technique needed for connecting multiple pieces of
equipment. Word Clock, S/PDIF or S/PDIF optical are all industry standard methods of
synchronizing digital equipment together at the system sample rate. The master clock
source is set in the Mixer Session Settings menu. See
System Settings for more infor-
mation.
Recording equipment can also be synchronized so that two audio recorders or an audio
and video recorder can lock together as a single machine. SMPTE and MTC sync are used
because they convey absolute time information. Word clock, or S/PDIF sync only
synchronize the sample rate and unlike SMPTE and MTC, do not convey song position
information. In a synchronized system, there is usually one MASTER machine, and one
or more SLAVES. When the master starts, the others will follow (chase).
The Sync Daughter card is also a format converter. It converts incoming SMPTE time
code to MIDI Time Code (MTC) and passes this information to the host computer to be
used by a sequencer or audio recorder application. When your computer application is
the “Master”, the Sync Daughter card converts MTC into SMPTE and sends it out to
another SMPTE device.
Connecting Cables to the Sync
Daughter Card
The Sync Daughter Card contains Word Clock
inputs and outputs for clock signals used in a
studio where a common sample rate reference is
required to keep multiple pieces of digital
equipment running together. This is referred to
as “house clock” or “house sync,” and is set to
the actual sample rate of the system. Use a cable
with BNC connectors to connect incoming clock
signals to the Word Clock In jack on the Sync
Daughter card. Connect the Word Clock Out to
your other digital equipment to use the Sync
Daughter Card as the Master Word Clock source.
See
Word Clock In/Out .
The Sync Daughter Card provides SMPTE (LTC)
sync in and out on two 1/4” phone jacks. LTC
can be recorded onto an unused audio track on
an analog or digital recorder and then fed back
into the SMPTE input to synchronize your
computer sequencer/recorder. See
SMPTE
Background for more information.
MIDI Time Code is also output whenever MTC
is being generated by the host application
(sequencer or audio recorder). A special cable
converts the mini DIN to a standard MIDI jack.
See the Sync Daughter Card Supplement for more information about using the Sync
Daughter Card.
Word Clock
In
Out
MTC Out
SMPTE
In
Out