Teac MMR-16 v4.0 - Manual (Page 30)

32 TASCAM MMP-16 User’s Guide • Chapter 2 • Installation MMP-16
MIDI Connections
The MMP-16 has MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) In, Out, and Thru connectors. These are
used for sending MIDI Time Code and for controlling the transport via MIDI Machine Control.
The MMP MIDI OUT connector carries a MTC signal generated by the MMP-16 whenever the unit is in
Play. To slave MIDI devices that can follow MTC (MIDI Time Code) to the MMP-16, connect the MMP
MIDI OUT connector to MIDI In port of the external device. The MIDI out signal (and the MIDI
Through signal, if it is set as a second MIDI output) will contain any MMP-16 responses to the MMC
input commands in addition to MTC generated by the MMP-16 from the time code reference source.
The MIDI IN port on the MMP can receive MIDI Machine Control messages for operating the MMP’s
basic transport control functions. The MIDI THRU jack on the MMP will pass through any MIDI signals
appearing at the MMP MIDI IN port.
External Controllers & Bus Connections
In most installations the MMP-16 will be rack mounted in a machine room and thus will either be remote
controlled through slaving to another time code-based machine (typically a VTR) or to a biphase machine
(typically a film transport). Any controller that has a Lynx port can also directly control, or be controlled
by, the MMP-16 (the TimeLine Lynx Keyboard Control Unit and the TimeLine Lynx-2 module are two
examples). There is also a fully featured remote, the TASCAM MM-RC, which is specifically designed to
control multiple MMR and MMP units.
Lynx Bus / KCU Connection
The TimeLine Lynx Keyboard Control Unit (KCU) can be used with the MMP-16. Multiple units may be
daisy-chained using either of the two LYNX connectors as input. The other LYNX connector could be
tied to another MMP-16, or to a Lynx module for controlling other tape machine transports. The Lynx
KCU can control a total of up to six machines.
MMR Sync Bus Connections
The real power of the MMR-8/MMP-16 system comes into play when multiple MMP-16s are tied
together using the MMR Bus to create larger “virtual” audio playback machines. The MMR bus supports
up to 100 MMP-16s, all tied together to create up to an 800-track playback system that could be
controlled by a single MMP-16, MM-RC Remote, Lynx KCU, or other machine remote controller.
The MMR Bus connects each MMP-16 using a 15-pin connector located on the SYNC card connector on
the MMP back panel. Two DB-15 connectors are provided on the back of each MMP-16 so that multiple
machines can be daisy-chained together. The system is auto terminating. To add MMP-16 units to the
system, connect a cable from the last unit in the chain to the new unit.
The MMP Bus is made active on each machine by choosing the MMP Master or Slave setting in Setup
Menu 110, MMP Bus Request. All of the MMP-16s that are tied together can then be software divided
(Setup Menu 100) into four Sync Groups, each featuring fully independent control within their group. All
of the MMR/MMP machines that are connected, Online, and set to the same sync group can then be
controlled together. The MMR Bus thus turns three MMP-16s into a single 48-track playback machine,
six MMP-16s into a 96-track machine, and so on up to 100 MMP-16s functioning as a single 1600-track
playback machine. Any MMP-16 tied onto the MMR bus can also be individually taken off-line and
controlled locally at any time. MMR and MMP Units can be added or dropped from Sync Groups using
the Online key on the front panel.