360 Systems DigiCart/EX - Manual (Page 13)

Overview
Introduction to the DigiCart Recorder
As the 1980s came to a close, the promise of high-quality digital audio became a reality with the
introduction of compact disks – but only for pre-recorded music. 360 Systems responded by
designing the first practical digital cart machine, introducing it to the broadcast industry at the 1990
NAB Convention. Aptly named DigiCart
® , this new broadcast standard rapidly replaced the
industry’s analog NAB tape carts.
By including an internal hard disk as a standard component, the DigiCart recorder provides fast
access to many thousands of cuts, plus a degree of reliability never before achieved with tape
recorders. Remote controls, networking and distributed storage now make the DigiCart recorder a
standard in broadcast facilities throughout the world.
There have been several advances since the original DigiCart, but all models share these common
features: The ability to record and store thousands of cuts and play them back instantly, the ability to
do routine editing, convenient front panel controls, automation control, and removable media for
backups and file transfers. Transportable recordings for archiving and backup are now stored on
removable SD format memory cards. These economical, re-recordable cards are DigiCart's "carts".
DigiCart offers several recording formats and sampling rates. Generally, linear recording is
recommended because it will produce the highest quality playback and because today hard disk
storage space is inexpensive. However, for compatibility with earlier DigiCart recorders, DigiCart/EX
can record and play files using Dolby
® AC-2 compression. AC-2 uses 5 times less disk space, while
delivering full bandwidth stereo. It should only be used for new recordings when absolutely
necessary for compatibility with older DigiCarts, or to make recordings longer than possible with the
.WAV format.
DigiCart/EX stores supplementary information along with each individual audio recording, including:
• An index file ID reference that identifies drive, directory and cut
• A name of up to fifteen alphanumeric characters
• Total running time
• Sampling rate
• Recording format
• Editing information for Head and Tail times, Fade In, Fade Out, and Gain
Much of this information is displayed on the front panel of the DigiCart to assist in managing a large
audio library.
0BOverview
• 1