JoeCo BlackBox BBR1US User manual

BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0 Page | 1
BLACKBOX RECORDER
User Manual
V 3.0 rev 1
Date: October 2013
Congratulations on your purchase of the JoeCo BlackBox Recorder. This document
will lead you through the basics of how to set up and use the product. The BlackBox
Recorder (BBR) has been designed to be as simple as possible to set up and operate.
Consequently you will find that this user manual is not a long document and can be
read from cover to cover in a short while. However, we strongly recommend that you
do read it just in case there are some aspects of the product that are not immediately
obvious.
This manual covers all 24 channel variants of the BlackBox Recorder: BBR1B; BBR1D;
BBR1A; BBR1U and BBR1US and should be read in conjunction with the Quick Start
Guide.
More information is available in the LOGIN area of the JoeCo Website
www.joeco.co.uk . Visitors can gain immediate access to more detailed information
whilst EndUsers, once approved, are eligible for software upgrades and other
downloads.
IF YOU NEED INFORMATION IN A HURRY, REGISTER AS A
VISITOR AND UPGRADE TO AN ENDUSER LATER ON.
© JoeCo Limited 2009 - 2013. E&OE. All rights reserved. All trademarks and names are
recognised as the property of their respective owners

Page | 2 BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0
Contents
BLACKBOX RECORDER.................................................................................................. 1
Important Safety Information .................................................................................. 3
WARNING - Read the following before proceeding : ........................................... 3
Copyright Warning ................................................................................................... 4
Opening the Box....................................................................................................... 5
Box Contents........................................................................................................ 5
Controls and Interfaces ............................................................................................ 6
Front Panel .......................................................................................................... 6
Rear Panel........................................................................................................... 7
Installation................................................................................................................ 9
Deciding where to install ..................................................................................... 9
How to wire the BBR into your console ............................................................... 9
Deciding on a disk drive ..................................................................................... 10
Connecting a disk drive...................................................................................... 11
Power connection.............................................................................................. 11
Checking that everything works ........................................................................ 12
Normal Operation .................................................................................................. 12
Recording........................................................................................................... 13
Playback............................................................................................................. 14
File Names ......................................................................................................... 15
Virtual Sound Checking...................................................................................... 17
Monitoring......................................................................................................... 18
Summary of Combined Controls........................................................................ 19
Using the Menu...................................................................................................... 20
Menu structure and operation .......................................................................... 20
Setting up adjustable parameters...................................................................... 20
Software updates............................................................................................... 28
Linking multiple BlackBox Recorders together....................................................... 30
Using a PS2 keyboard ............................................................................................. 33
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................... 34
Safe’n’Sound Record Recovery .......................................................................... 36
Summary of Alert Messages .............................................................................. 36
JoeCo Conditions of Use......................................................................................... 38
Software Licence Agreement ................................................................................. 40
Warranty Information ............................................................................................ 44
Product Returns ..................................................................................................... 46
Product and End User Registration ........................................................................ 47

BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0 Page | 3
Important Safety Information
WARNING - Read the following before proceeding :
Read instructions: Retain these safety and operating instructions for future
reference. Adhere to all warnings printed here and on the equipment. Follow the
operating instructions printed in this User Guide.
Do not remove covers: Operate the equipment with its covers correctly fitted. Refer
any service work on the equipment to competent authorised technical personnel
only.
Power sources: Connect the equipment using the mains power adapter supplied.
Power cord routing: Route power cords so that they are not likely to be walked on,
stretched or pinched by items placed upon or against them.
Grounding: Do not defeat the grounding and polarisation means of the power cord
adapter or plug. Do not remove or tamper with any ground connection in the power
cord.
Water and moisture: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock do not expose the
equipment to rain or moisture or use it in damp or wet conditions. Do not place
containers of liquid on it which might spill into any openings.
Ventilation: Do not obstruct any ventilation. If the equipment is to be operated in a
flight-case ensure that it is constructed to allow adequate ventilation.
Heat and vibration: Do not locate the equipment in a place subject to excessive heat
or direct sunlight as this could be a fire hazard. Locate the equipment away from any
devices which produce heat or cause excessive vibration.
Servicing: Unplug the power immediately if the unit is exposed to moisture, spilled
liquid, the power adapter becomes damaged, during lightening storms, or if smoke,
odour or noise is noticed. Refer servicing to qualified technical personnel only.
Installation: Install the equipment in accordance with the instructions printed in this
User Guide. Use the equipment connections for their intended purpose only.
Precautions
Environment: Protect from excessive dirt, dust, heat and vibration both when
operating and storing. Avoid drinks spillage, tobacco ash, smoke, and exposure to
rain and moisture. If the equipment becomes wet, remove power immediately. Allow
to dry out thoroughly before using again.
Cleaning: Avoid the use of chemicals, abrasives or solvents. The equipment is best
cleaned with a dry lint-free cloth. Do not remove the cover to clean the unit.

Page | 4 BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0
Damage: To prevent damage to the equipment cosmetics, avoid placing heavy
objects on the unit, scratching the surface with sharp objects, or subjecting the unit
to rough handling and vibration.
Transporting: The equipment should be transported in the original packing or
purpose built flight case to protect it from damage during transit.
Cables: Plan the location of the equipment so that the connecting cables are not fully
extended. Full extension of the cables can stress the equipment and cables and may
result in undesired performance. Ensure that all cables are located such that they
cannot be stood on or tripped over.
Copyright Warning
JoeCo’s recorder products are designed to enable you to record and reproduce
material to which you own the copyright, or material which the copyright owner has
granted you permission to record and/or reproduce.
It is illegal to record, reproduce, distribute, sell, hire, lend, perform or broadcast all or
part of a work (written or musical composition, broadcast, performance or similar)
whose copyright is held by a third party without permission of that third party.
Do not use this Product for purposes that could infringe a copyright held by a third
party. JoeCo and its authorised distributors and resellers assume no responsibility
whatsoever with regard to any infringements of third-party copyrights arising
through your use of this Product.

BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0 Page | 5
Opening the Box
Box Contents
Inside the box you will find the following:
BlackBox Recorder
Power Supply
User Manual
Quick Start Guide
3 x Input /Output (i/o) cables (only included with the unbalanced BBR1U,
otherwise available separately)
The BlackBox Recorder is not a standard multitrack recorder nor is it a digital audio
workstation (DAW). It has been designed specifically to capture multitrack audio in
live acquisition applications and will not necessarily be appropriate for use in a studio
situation. It will typically be used to record audio material onto a USB2 drive for
subsequent editing and processing in a DAW.
A number of specific features have been added to make it suitable and safe in a live
environment such as built-in analogue relays, playback lockout, protection against
accidentally ending a recording, virtual sound checking, no general purpose operating
system, etc.
Some features often found in other multitrack machines are not present in the
BlackBox Recorder such as overdubbing and punch in facilities.

Page | 6 BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0
Controls and interfaces
Front Panel
The front panel of the BlackBox Recorder contains all the user controls for the unit.
The buttons are all touch sensitive which prevents them wearing out through
constant use –just place the flat of your finger on the button to operate.
The left hand side of the unit contains the metering section. Each channel or Track [1
through 24] has 3 rows of metering LEDs above the Track Arming LEDs.
Green = signal present: dimly lit at approx -45dBFS; bright at -22dBFS,
Yellow = good signal level: dim at -22dBFS; bright at -10dBFS
Red = getting hot / clip: dim at -10dBFS; bright red at 0dBFS
The metering LEDs get brighter as the signal level gets louder and the Red LED can be
set to stay on when an overload occurs. The meters are positioned above a two
colour LED that indicates whether the track is armed ready for recording or not
(Green for playback ready; Red for record ready). There are also indicators for Disk
activity and Playback Lockout which can prevent you from accidentally entering
playback during the performance.
To the right of the JoeCo logo is the control wheel which has a number of functions
explained later.
Then there are the main Transport controls [PLAY, STOP, RECORD] with the four
other control buttons above [L-R: BACK, MARK, LOOP, MENU].
Finally, at the right hand side of the front panel is the colour LCD display. This is the
primary user interface and shows the current mode of operation along with settings
Metering Area
Transport
Controls
Control buttons
Display
Data
Wheel

BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0 Page | 7
and any error messages. Most screens are colour coded to more easily see what is
happening from a distance.
Rear Panel
The rear panel will look slightly different depending on which style of audio interface
you have on your BlackBox Recorder. The areas indicated in the diagram below are
explained in more detail later in this manual.
The lower 3 D-type (sometimes called D-sub) connectors* are the main unbalanced
analogue i/o connectors on the BBR1U, BBR1A and BBR1D. The cable looms conform
to the TASCAM standard for analogue i/o (N.B. all pin outs are available on the visitor
page of the JoeCo website Login area)
On the BBR1B with Balanced i/o, these lower 3 D-type connectors* are the balanced
inputs and the upper row are the balanced outputs. The BBR1B does not have the
loop through inserts as the output cables can be plugged into any external effects
required before returning to the console.
On the BBR1A (lightpipe i/o) version the upper option area contains the lightpipe i/o
connections and the lower row of D-types are unbalanced analogue i/o (See BBR1A
Quick Start Guide for diagram).
On the BBR1D (AES/EBU i/o) version the upper row of D-type connectors provide
digital i/o (normally configured to the Yamaha standard pin out) and the lower row of
D-types are unbalanced analogue i/o
Linear timecode can be provided on the tip of the ¼” jack socket; the ring of the same
socket is for a momentary contact closure or footswitch. The MIDI input is “open
loop” format. The 9-pin socket allows control via Sony PII format. A PS2 keyboard
socket allows control and text input from a standard PS2 style keyboard.
i/o options
Loop through insert points
Unbalanced Analogue i/o*
Clocks
Disk
Keyboard
Headphones
Timecode,
Sync and
Control
Power

Page | 8 BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0
The rest of the rear panel is fairly self explanatory we hope and is explained in
greater detail later in this manual. There are more technical details on the JoeCo
website (www.joeco.co.uk) should you require them.

BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0 Page | 9
Installation
Deciding where to install
In a live situation, it depends on whether the live engineer wants to be able to see
the BBR interface or not and whether you intend to utilise the Virtual Sound Check
facility. The analogue cable looms supplied with the standard unbalanced unit are 3m
long so if you’re planning on mounting the unit in a rack close to your console then
that will be the deciding factor. However, some people will prefer to install it close to
the stage box. It’s best to install it at eye level for ease of operating the menus.
How to wire the BBR into your console
The BBR1U is normally supplied with 3 analogue breakout looms that are designed to
plug directly into the insert points on your mixing console. Each loom is terminated in
8 labelled TRS ¼” jacks which have both the send and return signals (on tip and ring
respectively with the sleeve being the ground connection). The advantages of
plugging into the insert break points are:
a) The insert points are as close to the mic amps as possible (and therefore
will be recording the cleanest signal), and
b) you can use the BlackBox as a Virtual Sound Check device.
However, some people will prefer to take their signal from group or direct outputs,
or other places within the signal chain of the mixing desk, which is fine. The BBR1U
BlackBox Recorder accepts unbalanced audio (as this is what most insert break points
provide), and can be switched between Low and Pro levels in the Setup Menu (page
25).
Setting
LOW
PRO
Nominal level
-10dBu
+4dBu
Headroom above nominal level
14dB
18dB
0dBFS (when digital clipping will occur)
+4dBu
+22dBu
The units with unbalanced analogue audio i/o have the outputs of the top 8 channels
(17-24) available on the “loop through insert” points on the rear panel. These 8 TRS
¼” jack sockets allow you to plug external effects (such as you might want to insert
into a channel on the console) into the signal chain. As the BBR has used up the insert
points on the console, these allow you to still insert effects such as compressors into
some channels. The loop through inserts are only available on the unbalanced

Page | 10 BLACKBOX RECORDER - User Manual v3.0
analogue outputs of the BBR1 and are disabled on the balanced BBR1B i/o and when
using digital i/o.
The BBR1B (balanced i/o) accepts the same levels as the BBR1U but uses
electronically balanced signals. Its balanced inputs are the lower row of three 25-way
D-type connectors and its balanced outputs are the upper row.
The same type of i/o cables can be used, but in this case the tip is the hot (+ve) signal
and the ring is the cold (-ve) signal with the sleeve acting as ground. There are some
desks that provide balanced insert break points, but in many cases you will want to
connect a Balanced BBR1B to group outputs on the console. i/o cable looms are not
supplied with the balanced or digital versions as there are too many variants to cater
for every eventuality. However, your dealer will be happy to supply suitable cable
looms for your application.
It is not possible to use the balanced i/o unit plugged into unbalanced inserts as if it
were an unbalanced unit, but it is possible to feed the inputs from an unbalanced
feed providing you ground the cold (-ve) input signal. This will need special cables to
be made.
Both the unbalanced and the balanced versions of the BBR1 have analogue relays on
the i/o connectors to ensure that even in the event of a power failure, the input
signal will be looped through to the output so that there is no risk of losing audio
through the console.
If you have either of the digital i/o variants of the BlackBox Recorder, the digital
signals are accessed on the upper row of i/o connectors. The AES/EBU i/o signals
appears on the upper row of 25-way D-type connectors (default = Yamaha digital pin
out) and the Lightpipe connectors are the normal TOSLINK type. Just wire these to
the console in the normal way, but pay special attention to the clocking signals to
ensure that the BBR1 is being clocked correctly. There is more on this subject later, in
the clocking section (page 22).
Deciding on a disk drive
The BlackBox Recorder is not particularly fussy about its Disk Drive. We cannot
guarantee that every drive in the world will work but most do. Critical features are:
Up to 2TB with USB2 or USB3 interface
Mains powered
7200rpm recommended