8. Start the tape (or video, or other master device) that contains the timecode. Nuendo starts playing when it receives timecode with a position “higher” than, or equal to, the project Start frame.

You can wind the device that sends the timecode to any position and start from there.

When the master device with the timecode is stopped, you can use the Nuendo transport controls as you normally do, when it is not synchronized.

You should also take a look at the Timecode Preferences, see “Timecode Preferences” on page 454.

The Sync indicator

On the Transport panel you can check the status of incoming timecode by observing the sync indicator. It switches between “Offline” (not waiting for sync), “Idle” (ready for sync but no signal is coming in), and “Lock xx” (where xx indicates the frame rate of the incoming signal).

Timecode Preferences

The following timecode preferences are available in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog:

Lock Frames

Using this field you can set how many frames of “correct” timecode Nuendo should receive before attempting to “lock” (synchronize) to incoming timecode. If you have an external tape transport with a very short start-up time, you could try lowering this number to make lock-up even faster than it already is.

Drop Out Frames

On an analog tape with timecode, dropouts may occur. If a drop-out is very long, Nuendo may (temporarily) stop. In the Drop Out Frames field you can set how long a dropout (in frames) should be tolerated until Nuendo decides that the tape isn’t good enough to synchronize to. If you have a very stable timecode source, you may lower this number to make Nuendo stop more swiftly after the tape recorder has been stopped.

Inhibit Restart

Some synchronizers will still transmit MIDI Time Code for a short period after an external tape machine has been stopped. These extra frames of timecode can sometimes cause Nuendo to restart suddenly. Inhibit Restart allows you to control the amount of time in milliseconds that Nuendo will wait to restart (ignoring incoming MTC) once it has stopped.

Machine Control

Nuendo can control external tape transports and similar devices via MIDI Machine Control or Sony 9-Pin. This allows you to operate an external tape transport from Nuendo’s Transport panel. That is, Nuendo can make the tape recorder locate to a certain position, start, stop, rewind etc.

About sync and machine control

Controlling tape transports is a two-way process:

•Nuendo sends out machine control commands to the tape recorder, asking it to locate to a certain position and activate playback etc.

•The tape recorder locates to the requested position, starts and delivers timecode back to Nuendo, to which Nuendo is synchronized.

Even though it appears as if Nuendo is controlling the tape recorder completely, it is important to remember that in this setup, Nuendo is still being synchronized to the external tape transport, not vice versa.

Also note that the two processes of sync and machine control are completely separated, in terms of protocols used. You can for example synchronize to MTC while sending out transport commands via MMC.

MIDI Machine Control (MMC)

This is a standard MIDI protocol for controlling tape transports. There are a number of tape recorders and hard disk recording systems on the market that support this protocol. Nuendo allows you to control the transport of an external MMC device and arm tracks for recording.

Sony 9-Pin

This is a standard protocol established by Sony, for controlling audio and video tape transports. It is implemented via regular serial port communication (RS-422). The correct cabling varies between computer platforms and models. Please refer to “Connecting a Sony 9-pin compatible device” on page 456 to find out more about the correct setup for your computer.

•If your Sony 9-pin device supports RS-232, you need a “null modem cable”.

•The Sony 9-pin device most likely needs to be switched from local control to remote control in order to be controlled by Nuendo. If the device is not set to the correct mode, Nuendo will inform you. Most video decks have a switch on the front panel for this.

•Normally you should not lock Nuendo to timecode from the Sony 9-Pin device. There is timecode information in the 9-pin signal but it is primarily used for locating and shuttling. It is erratic and not stable enough to use as a timing or speed reference. Timecode should be read from either an LTC source or VITC source on a video tape machine.

•Nuendo implements Start, Stop, Record, Fast-Forward, Rewind, Shuttle, Nudge and Locate commands for 9-Pin devices, along with some special features - see “Audio Layback for 9-Pin Devices” on page 458.

Setting up Machine Control

Machine Control commands can be sent using one of two different protocols: MIDI Machine Control (MMC) or Sony 9-Pin. The setup procedures are slightly different for the two formats:

MIDI Machine Control

1.Set up and test basic timecode synchronization, as described earlier in this chapter.

2.Connect a MIDI Out on your MIDI interface to MIDI In on the tape recorder (or similar device).

If you have not already done so (when setting up for MIDI Timecode), also connect a MIDI cable from the MIDI Output on the tape recorder to a MIDI In on the computer.

3.Make sure you have timecode recorded on the tape recorder, and that it is set up to use MMC.

4.Open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog on the Transport menu in Nuendo.

5.In the Master Machine Control section, select “MIDI Machine Control”.

6.In the Master Machine Control Settings section, select the correct MMC Inputs and Outputs from the respective pop-up menus.

MIDI Machine Control selected

MIDI ports selected for MMC

7.Make sure that the MMC Device ID corresponds to the ID of the controlled device.

If more that one machine is connected or if you do not know the Device ID, this can be set to “All”, the “Broadcast” device ID.

8.Set the “Number of Audio Tracks” setting to the number of tracks on the external tape recorder.

9.Open the Preferences dialog from the File menu (on the Mac, this is located on the Nuendo menu), select the MIDI Filter section and make sure Sysex is activated in the Thru section.

This is necessary since MMC uses two-way communication (the tape recorder “replies” to the MMC messages it receives from Nuendo). By filtering out Sysex Thru, you ensure that these MMC System Exclusive replies are not echoed back to the tape recorder.

10.Close the Preferences dialog and open the Project Setup dialog from the Project menu.

11.As when synchronizing without using transport control, use the Start value to specify which frame on the tape should correspond to the beginning of the project.

12.Close the Project Setup dialog.

13.Pull down the Devices menu and select MMC Master.

The MIDI Machine Control master transport panel appears.

It is now possible to control the external tape recorder independently or together with Nuendo:

•If you activate the Online button on the MMC Master panel you can use the transport buttons on the panel to control the transport of the device.

•You can also use the buttons to the left on the MMC Master panel to arm tape tracks for recording.

The number of record arm buttons depends on the “Number of Audio Tracks” setting in the Master Machine Control Settings section of the Project Synchronization Setup dialog.

•The “A1, A2, TC, VD” items refer to additional tracks usually found on video tape recorders.

Refer to the manual of your VTR device to see if these tracks are supported.

•If you activate the Sync button on the Transport panel, the MMC Master transport buttons (or the buttons on the main Transport panel) will control the external tape recorder and Nuendo in sync.

14.On the Transport panel, activate the Sync button.

15.Try to Stop, Fast Forward and Rewind from Nuendo and activate Play from different positions in the project.

The tape transport should follow.

• To turn off the synchronization between the tape recorder and Nuendo, simply deactivate Sync on the Transport panel.

Nuendo as MMC slave

This is set up in the MIDI Machine Control Slave section. Simply specify the MIDI ports and the MMC Device ID.

Some mixers support the MMC-Master protocol for controlling external devices, including Tascam DM-24, Yamaha DM2000 and SSL. This means that Nuendo can be used as a “recorder”, where track arming and transport commands can be sent from the master device. In addition, some digital audio workstations (DAWs) can only operate in MMC-Master mode.

Connecting a Sony 9-pin compatible device

On Windows computers

The serial port (9-pin D-SUB connector) of your computer is used to establish communication with your Sony 9-pin compatible device (VTR, DAT, Multitrack etc.). However, PCs provide an RS-232 signal at the serial port, not the RS-422 signal expected by Sony 9-pin devices. External RS-232 to RS-422 converters are available from various manufacturers at your local dealer or can be purchased via the internet. If you are planning to cover distances exceeding a few meters please make sure that this adapter also balances the signal.

On Macintosh computers

The serial port of your computer is used to establish communication with your Sony 9-pin compatible device. As newer Macintosh computers do not provide serial ports, you have to install extra serial ports on these Macintosh computers using one of the following methods.

• Stealth Serial Port.

This is a very common device used to provide a serial port on Macintosh computers lacking this kind of connectivity. This card can be bought in Macintosh stores or via the internet. It is inserted in the modem slot inside your Macintosh and is recognized by the operating system as a serial port. The signal present at the 9-pin D-SUB connector is already RS-422 but you need to adapt between the 8-pin Mini DIN connector of the Stealth Card and the 9-pin D- SUB connector found on your Sony 9-pin device using an appropriate cable.

• USB to serial adapter.

These USB devices are used to provide a serial port on Macintosh computers lacking this kind of connectivity. Such devices are available from various manufacturers at your local dealer or can be purchased via the internet. Make sure to install the driver of the device properly so the operating system can register the device as a serial port. The Keyspan USB to serial converter USA-19W has been used in this capacity with much success.

Depending on the kind of product you are using, the electrical signal available at the 9-pin D-SUB connector of the adapter can be either RS-422 or RS-232. Refer to the technical specification of the adapter used to find out more. If an RS-232 signal is used, you must convert this to the RS-422 signal expected by your Sony 9-pin device.

External RS-232 to RS-422 converters are available from various manufacturers at your local dealer or can be purchased via the internet. If you are planning to cover distances exceeding a few meters please make sure that this adapter also balances the signal.

Setting up Sony 9-Pin

1.Set up and test basic timecode synchronization, as described earlier in this chapter.

2.Connect an unused serial port (COM port) on the computer to the external tape transport.

As mentioned earlier, you may need a RS-232 to RS-422 converter or conversion cable.

A typical Sony 9-Pin setup.

• Note that you can have two separate 9-Pin devices connected to the computer when using Nuendo!

3.Make sure you have timecode recorded on the tape recorder, and that it is set up to utilize Sony 9-Pin.

4.In the Project Synchronization Setup dialog, select either 9 Pin Control 1 or 2 in the Master Machine Control Device section.

5. In the Master Machine Control settings section, use the Serial Port pop-up menu to select the correct serial (COM) port.

By selecting different ports for the two 9-Pin Devices, you can separate two different external tape recorders, video systems, etc. The other options in this dialog are described on the following pages.

6. Set the number of audio tracks available on the 9-pin device by clicking on the arrows in the respective field or by entering a number directly. There can be up to 48 audio tracks for each 9-pin device.

You will be able to remotely arm each audio track for recording from the 9- pin control window. This is very handy when working in a large facility that utilizes a common machine room where all the tape machines are located.

In the 9-Pin Device Settings section (to the left of the Timecode Source section), you will find two additional options for each 9-pin device:

• “Control Playback Speed”.

This option instructs Nuendo to attempt to control the playback speed of the 9-pin device in order to keep it in sync with Nuendo’s internal clock. This should be a last resort option as it is very difficult to achieve acceptable results. Use this if there is no other way to lock to timecode coming from the 9-pin device other than through the 9-pin connection.

• “Display Follows Locating Device”.

This is a very useful option for tape-based machines that take a certain amount of time to locate to new positions. When this option is activated and sync is enabled, the project cursor in Nuendo will reflect the position of the 9-pin machine’s transport as it locates to different positions. For instance, if you place the cursor several minutes ahead of the current tape position, Nuendo can immediately locate there but the tape machine will take several seconds to arrive at the same position. During that time, the cursor will move with the tape machine, giving the user visual feedback as to its location. This is necessary in larger facilities that have a central machine room where the tape machine is located. Since the Nuendo system is in another room, the user will not know when the tape machine has located to the correct position.

7.Click OK to apply your changes and close the Project Synchronization Setup dialog.

8.Open the Project Setup dialog from the Project menu.

9.As when synchronizing without using transport control, use the Start value to specify which frame on the tape should correspond to the beginning of the project.

10.Close the Project Setup dialog.

11. Pull down the Devices menu and select “9-Pin Device 1” or “9-Pin Device 2”.

The corresponding 9-Pin Device control panel appears. This has a separate set of transport buttons, for controlling the transport in the 9-pin device. There’s also a separate Online button, above the transport controls.

The 9-pin control panel. Most professional video tape machines have four audio tracks and if they are digital, use a 48k sampling rate. Tracks 1 and 2 are record enabled.

It’s now possible to control the transport and track arming of the 9-pin device independently or together with Nuendo:

•If you activate the Online button on the 9-Pin Device control panel you can use the transport buttons on the panel to control the transport in the device.

•If you activate the Sync button on Nuendo’s Transport panel, the 9-Pin Device transport buttons (or the buttons on the main Transport panel) will control the 9-pin device and Nuendo in sync.

•When using Sony 9-Pin it is possible to advance the external transport frame by frame by using the Nudge Position buttons on the Transport panel. You can assign a keyboard shortcut for this as well.

•Whenever you want to turn off the synchronization between the tape recorder and Nuendo, simply deactivate Sync on the Transport panel.

Preferences

There are several Master Machine Control Preferences available for 9-pin control in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog. They are as follows:

• “Machine position follows mouse edits”.

When this option is activated and the transport in Nuendo is set to “Edit Mode,” the 9-pin device will track the edits you make with the mouse in the project window. Actions such as adjusting event boundaries, moving fade handles and even selecting events will cause the 9-pin machine to follow the mouse position as you make the edit. This emulates the response of a video file playing in Nuendo under Edit Mode.

• “Send Shuttle instead of FF/Rewind”.

When the fast forward and rewind buttons are pressed on the Transport panel, Nuendo can send either fast forward and rewind commands to the 9-pin device or send shuttle commands. Each 9-pin device will react differently to these commands so some experimentation will be necessary. Tape machines will most likely respond best to fast forward and rewind commands. This option is deactivated by default.

• “Send Still instead of Stop”.

Many video tape machines will not display an image when in stop mode as the tape is typically retracted from the playback heads in this mode. Using a still or pause command instead will allow most video tape machines to display the current frame of video while paused. Many video tape machines have internal settings that affect this as well, allowing images to be displayed in stop mode.

• “Allow machine controlled cycle”.

Nuendo can behave in two ways when in cycle mode and using machine control. When this option is not activated, Nuendo will begin the cycle normally from the left locator. But when it gets to the right locator, Nuendo will go back to the left locator to start the cycle again while the tape machine (or other external transport) will continue on until stop is pressed. When this option is activated, once Nuendo reaches the right locator, playback will stop on both the machine and in Nuendo. Both will locate back to the left locator and begin playback automatically. This will continue until stop is pressed. Also, if there are pre and post roll values activated in the Transport panel, Nuendo will include these in the cycle, playing past the right locator by the post-roll amount and then locating to a point before the left locator by the pre-roll amount and playing from there. The tape machine will follow all of this in sync.

Audio Layback for 9-Pin Devices

Nuendo has some special features for working with 9-Pin devices (typically video decks). These allow you to transfer audio to the 9-Pin device by recording it from Nuendo, manually or automatically. A typical application would be audio layback – if you have edited audio for a video in Nuendo and want to transfer the audio back to the audio track(s) in the video deck, at the correct positions.

This assumes that Machine Control of the 9-Pin device has been set up, and that the proper audio connections have been made for recording audio from Nuendo to the 9-Pin device.

1.Open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and select the 9-Pin device (1 or 2) in the Master Machine Control Device section.

2.Make sure the “Number of Audio Tracks” value is correct.

This should be set to the number of audio tracks in the 9-Pin device. The maximum number of audio tracks supported is 48.

Ö If you have activated “Try to Recognize Device” and the 9-Pin Device model is known to Nuendo, the number of audio tracks is automatically set to the correct value.

3.Close the Project Synchronization Setup dialog.

4.Select “9-Pin Device 1” (or 2, depending on your connections and setup) from the Devices menu.

The control panel for the 9-Pin Device appears.

The numbered buttons to the left correspond to the set number of audio tracks.

5.Make sure the Online button is activated.

6.To record enable an audio track in the 9-Pin device (which is connected to Nuendo via a suitable device), click the corresponding numbered button in the panel.

The button lights up, indicating that the corresponding audio track is record enabled.

7.Set the locators in Nuendo to encompass the audio section you want to transfer.

8.Click the Auto Edit button in the 9-Pin device panel.

This is the button to the right of the transport controls.

• If the Auto Edit function is supported by the 9-Pin device, the device will automatically go to a position just before the left locator, start playback, activate recording at the left locator and punch out at the right locator.

Assuming you have connected the proper outputs from Nuendo to the correct inputs of the tape machine, the audio section will be played back in Nuendo and recorded on the audio tracks of the 9-Pin device.

• If the Auto Edit function is not supported by the 9-Pin device, you have to activate recording “manually”.

Use the 9-Pin device control panel transport (or the main Transport panel) to rewind to a position before the left locator, activate automatic punch-in and punch-out and start playback. If no Nuendo tracks are record enabled, recording will only be performed by the 9-Pin device.

Please consult the documentation for the 9-Pin device for information about whether the Auto Edit function is supported or not.

Setting Preroll and Postroll for Auto Edit

For the Auto Edit function provided on 9-Pin device panels you can set individual preroll and postroll values. This is done in the Master Machine Control section Settings in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog.

1.Open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and select the 9-Pin Device in the Master Machine Control Device section.

2.In the Master Machine Control Settings section to the right, click on the Edit PRE/POST up/down arrow buttons to set a new value for the preroll and/or postroll for the auto edit function.

You can also click directly in the value field and enter the desired pre/ postroll value manually.