Apogee AD-8000 Supplement

1999 Apogee Electronics Corp AD-8000/ATR/Lynx Page 1of 2
ApplicationNotes
Product: AD-8000
Topic: Analog Tape Recorder/Time Line Synchronizers/PT
Document #: 14
The best way to synchronize your 2” machine to an AD-8000 is to use a synchronizer to act as
master over the 2” transport. In this application note we will discuss the most popular
synchronizers, the Timeline Lynx systems (Lynx I, Lynx II, and Micro Lynx).
Lynx and Lynx II
The idea is to have the Lynx control the 2” transport. The time code from tape is fed into the
Lynx. The TC is then regenerated (referenced to the Lynx’s internal crystal) and output to the
USD. The USD is consequently always receiving fresh TC referenced to a stable crystal source
(the same source that is controlling the ATR transport). Your digital audio won’t suffer from the
inconsistency in speed (wow and flutter) of a “wild” analog tape recorder.
Lynx Setup (the Lynx must have firmware version 5.0 or higher)
DSPL SEL GEN
CODE TYPE for 29.97 non-drop (which is what you should be using) choose NTSC
REF SRC INT XTL (or VIDEO if using Black Burst as master sync)
GEN MODE TACH>TC
GEN ON switch to ON
DSPL SEL READER
2" ATR
LYNX firmware v. 5.0 or higher
LYNX II any firmware version UNIVERSAL SLAVE DRIVER
(for SSD or VSD use SLAVE CLOCK)
PRO TOOLS
APOGEE AD-8000
TRANSPORT
CONTROL
TC
from tape
TC
GEN
OUT
DIGI-8+
MULTIPIN
CABLE
TC
WC
(or Slave Clock)
SYNC SOURCE: WC
(when using Slave
Clock select AMBus
slot w/ Digi-8+ card)
CLOCK REF: LTC
POSITION REF: LTC

AD-8000 Application Notes
1999 Apogee Electronics Corp AD-8000/ATR/Lynx Page 2of 2
TRAN MODE ONLINE
MASTER switch to ON
REF SRC INT XTAL (or VIDEO if using Black Burst as master sync)
Lynx II Setup (any Lynx II software)
DSPL SEL GEN
GEN CODE select which type (29.97)
GEN REF INT
*Press and hold SHIFT and press GEN ON to select TACH > TC
GEN ON switch to ON
DSPL SEL RDR
TRAN MODE ONLINE
MSTR ON
Make sure that the master reference is RDR and not VSO.
The most-recently developed synchronizer from Time Line, the Micro Lynx (with the addition of
the ACG card), can provide a Word Clock output to the AD-8000 and an MTC output directly to
the Pro Tools software via a serial cable to the Mac, effectively acting as the only necessary
synchronizer. The WC output and the regenerated TC output are synchronous providing the
best possible lock to the ATR. While a detailed description of the Micro Lynx setup is beyond the
scope of this note, the Micro Lynx manual has very good application notes describing its use as
an interface to a DAW. Setting up a Micro Lynx without the ACG card is similar to the setups
above with the following notes:
Make sure that the transport setup is not in VSO mode (should be in INT or VIDEO)
Generator output is connected to the USD as above, the analog transport (A, B, C, or D) should be
master.
The time code generator should be slave.
The Micro Lynx with the ACG card can be setup up as follows (sans the USD):
2" ATR
Micro LYNX
PRO TOOLS
APOGEE AD-8000
TRANSPORT
CONTROL
TC
from tape
GEN
OUT
DIGI-8+
MULTIPIN
CABLE
WC
SYNC SOURCE: WC
MTC