MicroBoards Technology StartREC User manual

Reference Manual
Microboards
1721 Lake Drive West, Chanhassen, MN 55317
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
Web http://www.microboards.com

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................................4
1.1 WELCOME.................................................................................................................................................................................4
1.2 PACKAGE CONTENTS..........................................................................................................................................................4
1.3 CRUCIAL INFORMATION!..................................................................................................................................................4
1.4 SUPPORT ....................................................................................................................................................................................5
1.5 CONVENTIONS........................................................................................................................................................................5
1.6 NAMES AND FUNCTIONS...................................................................................................................................................6
1 Power switch..............................................................................................................................................................................6
2 Sync Rec LED ............................................................................................................................................................................6
3 Rec LED......................................................................................................................................................................................6
4 Record switch.............................................................................................................................................................................7
5 Stop switch..................................................................................................................................................................................7
6 Play/Pause switch.....................................................................................................................................................................7
7 Display........................................................................................................................................................................................7
8 Search/Rewind/Down...............................................................................................................................................................7
9 Search/Forward/Up..................................................................................................................................................................7
10 Edit/Menu switch ....................................................................................................................................................................7
11 OK/Enter switch......................................................................................................................................................................7
12 Input switch..............................................................................................................................................................................7
13 Cancel/Display switch............................................................................................................................................................7
14 ANA(log) LED .........................................................................................................................................................................7
15 DIGI(tal) LED .........................................................................................................................................................................7
16 Rec Level control ....................................................................................................................................................................8
17 Phones Level control ..............................................................................................................................................................8
18 Phones jack ..............................................................................................................................................................................8
1.7 REAR PANEL CONNECTORS .............................................................................................................................................8
1 AES/EBU format digital audio (XLR connector).................................................................................................................8
2 Coaxial SPDIF format digital audio (RCA phono connector)..........................................................................................8
3 Optical SPDIF format digital audio (TOSLINK) ................................................................................................................8
4 Balanced analog audio (XLR connectors)............................................................................................................................8
5 Unbalanced analog audio (RCA phono connectors)..........................................................................................................8
6 Optical SPDIF format digital audio (TOSLINK) ................................................................................................................9
7 Balanced analog audio (XLR connectors)............................................................................................................................9
8 Unbalanced analog audio (RCA phono connectors)..........................................................................................................9
9 Voltage selector switch (115V/230V) ....................................................................................................................................9
1.8 BASIC MENUS AND OPERATIONS..................................................................................................................................9
1.9 BASI C MENU EXAMPLES............................................................................................................................................10
COPY MENU EXAMPLE..........................................................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER 2: COPY MENU..........................................................................................................................................................12
2.1 OVERVIEW..............................................................................................................................................................................12
2.2 MAKING CD COPIES ...........................................................................................................................................................12
2.3 CHANGING COPY OPTIONS.............................................................................................................................................12
2.3.1 COPY CHANGE...............................................................................................................................................................13
2.3.2 HD BLOCK CHANGE....................................................................................................................................................13
2.3.3 SUB INDEX.......................................................................................................................................................................14
2.3.4 WR(ITE) MODE CHANGE............................................................................................................................................14
2.3.5 WR(ITE) SPEED CHANGE............................................................................................................................................15
2.3.6 WR(ITE) TYPE CHANGE...............................................................................................................................................15
2.3.7 FORMAT CHANGE.........................................................................................................................................................16
2.3.8 MODE CHANGE.............................................................................................................................................................16

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CHAPTER 3: TRACK EXTRACTION MENU........................................................................................................................17
3.1 OVERVEW...............................................................................................................................................................................17
3.2 TRACK EXTRACTION JOBS.............................................................................................................................................17
3.3 CHANGING EXTRACTION OPTIONS............................................................................................................................18
3.3.1 MODE CHANGE.............................................................................................................................................................18
3.3.2 HD BLOCK CHANGE....................................................................................................................................................18
3.3.3 SUB INDEX.......................................................................................................................................................................19
3.3.4 WR(ITE) SPEED CHANGE............................................................................................................................................19
3.4 HOW TO EXTRACT AND COPY TRACKS....................................................................................................................20
4.1 OVERVIEW..............................................................................................................................................................................22
4.2 GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................................22
4.3 AUDIO MENU JOBS.............................................................................................................................................................23
4.4 SELECTING THE INPUT FOR RECORDING ................................................................................................................23
4.5 CHANGING AUDIO SETUP OPTIONS ...........................................................................................................................24
4.5.1 HD BLOCK CHANGE....................................................................................................................................................24
4.5.2 ERASE ALL .......................................................................................................................................................................25
4.5.3 SCMS CHANGE...............................................................................................................................................................25
4.5.4 REC MODE CHANGE....................................................................................................................................................25
4.5.5 SILENCE CHANGE.........................................................................................................................................................26
4.5.6 PROGRAM LIST FEATURE.........................................................................................................................................26
4.6 PLAY AND RECORD TIME DISPLAYS.........................................................................................................................27
CHAPTER 5: EDIT MENU............................................................................................................................................................28
5.1 CHANGING EDIT OPTIONS ..............................................................................................................................................28
5.1.1 INDEX WRITE..................................................................................................................................................................28
5.1.2 COMBINE TRACK...........................................................................................................................................................29
5.1.3 MOVE TRACK..................................................................................................................................................................30
5.1.4 ERASE TRACK .................................................................................................................................................................30
5.1.5 ERASE ALL .......................................................................................................................................................................31
5.1.6 FADE OUT........................................................................................................................................................................31
5.1.7 FADE IN ............................................................................................................................................................................32
APPENDIX A: UPGRADING THE STARTREC 400............................................................................................................33
APPENDIX B: TROUBLES HOOTING......................................................................................................................................34
B.1 COMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS....................................................................................................................34
B.2 ERROR MESSAGES AND ERROR CODES....................................................................................................................35
B.2.1 ERROR MESSAGES........................................................................................................................................................35
B.2.2 ERROR CODES...............................................................................................................................................................35
B.2.3 MASTER DRIVE ERROR CODES................................................................................................................................36
B.2.4 TARGET DRIVE ERROR CODES................................................................................................................................37
OPERATIONAL FLOW CHART ................................................................................................................................................41

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 WELCOME
Thank you for purchasing the StartREC 400, a breakthrough in CD-R duplication for audio professionals.
The StartREC 400’s advanced features include:
§Duplicate data or audio CDs (perfect for backing up hard disk recording system session files).
§Supports up to four 8X CD-R writers for blazingly fast speed—make four copies of a typical 60
minute CD in slightly over 8 minutes.
§Internal 6 Gigabyte hard disk with three partitions holds several projects simultaneously.
§Extract audio from CDs to the hard disk, then use editing features to rearrange, delete, combine, and
index audio.
§Standalone operation eliminates problems of computer-based devices (operating systems not optimized
for recording, limited analog and digital I/O, resource conflicts with other hardware, etc.).
§Accepts analog signals (balanced or unbalanced) and digital signals (SPDIF coax, SPDIF optical, and
AES/EBU).
§High-quality 40X Plextor reader drive.
§Easy-to-understand operatingsystem.
§Solid construction designed for consistent, day-in, day -out operation.
Thank you again for purchasing the finest standalone CD duplicator for audio professionals; we are sure
you will find it a valuable partner in your work. For StartREC 400 news and updates, visit the Microboards
web site at www.microboards.com.
1.2 PACKAGE CONTENTS
Your package contains:
§StartREC 400 unit
§Power cable
§User’s manual
§Warranty card
1.3 CRUCIAL INFORMATION!
§The StartREC 400 works on 115 or 230V, as set by a small switch located above the rear panel power
cable receptacle (see the rear panel view in section 1.7). Before plugging in the unit, make sure this
switch is set correctly for your line voltage.
§StartREC 400 writes to CD-R media only, not CD-RW.However, it can copy most CD-RW discs.
§For 8X duplication, use only 8X-certified media. Microboards recommends Taiyo Yuden blank media.
§Interrupting power to the StartREC 400 while writing not only terminates the duplication process, but
in extreme cases, can damage the unit. Consider investing in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to
eliminate problems due to line voltage variations. A UPS designed for a large personal computer
system can usually provide enough power to finish duplicating multiple CDs, even if a total blackout
occurs during duplication. Suitable models cost around $100-$150 at office supply stores.
§Fill out and send in your warranty registration so we can notify you of StartREC 400 operating system
updates.

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1.4 SUPPORT
In the unusual event that you experience problems with the StartREC 400, Microboards is committed to
insuring your satisfaction. Please contact us at:
(phone)952/556-1614
(fax)952/556-1620
(web) http://www.microboards.com
(mail) Microboards, 1721 Lake Drive West, Chanhassen, MN 55317
If calling, please have your StartREC 400 powered-up and near your phone to expedite the troubleshooting
process.
1.5 CONVENTIONS
Please note the following conventions used in this manual:
HD = Hard disk
Block = A hard disk partition
Button names are indicated in upper/lower-caseBold.
Display prompts are shown in upper case BOLD ITALICS.

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1.6 NAMES AND FUNCTIONS
Front panel view
Display unit view
1 Power switch
Turns power on and off.
2 Sync Rec LED
The StartREC 400 can begin recording automatically (Auto Mark mode) upon receiving a signal at any
digital input. It will also place an index marker at the beginning of the audio. The Sync Rec LED indicates
that Auto Mark is active. If the LED is off, recording and marker placement is initiated manually.
3 Rec LED
This lights while the StartREC 400 is recording, and flashes in record pause mode.

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4 Record switch
Places the StartREC 400 in Record Pause mode (record-ready).
5 Stop switch
Ends recording or playback.
6 Play/Pause switch
Press to play back the audio tracks recorded on the internal HD, or go from Record Pause to Record mode.
Pressing this switch while playing back or recording pauses these processes. Pressing again while paused
resumes playback or recording.
7 Display
This shows the StartREC 400’s status, audio level meters, various menus, and other useful information.
8 Search/Rewind/Down
During playback, pressing this buttononce skips to the previous track. Pressing and holding this button
“rewinds” through the track at about 6 times normal speed. When editing parameters, this button steps
backward through functions and parameters.
9 Search/Forward/Up
During playback, pressing this buttononce skips ahead to the next track. Pressing and holding this button
“fastforwards” through the track at about 6 times normal speed. When editing parameters, this button steps
forward through functions and parameters.
10 Edit/Menu switch
Press this switch repeatedly to cycle through the three main, “top level” editing modes (Audio, Track
Extraction, and Copy). While operating the StartREC 400, it is sometimes necessary to press this switch a
few times to “back out” of the current level and return to the top level, or to select sub-menus (e.g., the
Audio Setup menu when the StartREC 400 displays the main audio screen).
11 OK/Enter switch
Press this to enter parameter values into the StartREC’s memory. For example, a menu may offer several
possible values, as accessed with the Down/Up buttons. When the screen shows the desired value, press
OK/Enter.
12 Input switch
While on the main audio screen, pressing Input repeatedly cycles through the various analog and digital
input options.
13 Cancel/Display switch
This cancels out of a particular operation, and in other contexts, changes the display to a different operation
or returns to the previous screen.
14 ANA(log) LED
Lights when the selected input signal is analog.
15 DIGI(tal) LED
Lights when the selected input signal is digital.

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16 Rec Level control
Sets the recording level to obtain the maximum signal level short of distortion. This is a concentric control;
the outer ring controls the left channel level, while the inner knob controls the right channel level. These
can be adjusted independently to compensate for signal sources where the two channels are not evenly
balanced.
17 Phones Level control
You can monitor the HD audio; this control sets the level.
18 Phones jack
Plug in headphones here. Low-impedance headphones will give somewhat lower level than higher-
impedance headphones.
1.7 REAR PANEL CONNECTORS
Rear panel view
The rear panel provides the following analog and digital audio inputs:
1 AES/EBU format digital audio (XLR connector)
2 Coaxial SPDIF format digital audio (RCA phono connector)
3 Optical SPDIF format digital audio (TOSLINK)
4 Balanced analog audio (XLR connectors)
5 Unbalanced analog audio (RCA phono connectors)

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There are three audio outputs in addition to the headphones out mentioned previously:
6 Optical SPDIF format digital audio (TOSLINK)
7 Balanced analog audio (XLR connectors)
8 Unbalanced analog audio (RCA phono connectors)
The rear panel also includes AC power connectors and a voltage switch:
9 Voltage selector switch (115V/230V)
1.8 BASIC MENUS AND OPERATIONS
The StartREC 400 has three main menus that access all available operations:
§Copy This menu includes functions that copy data from the source CD (read-only) drive, or the
internal HD, to the CD Recorder drives. Supported formats include standard audio Red Book,
Windows data, Macintosh data, Multi-Session, etc. Optional verification/comparison is also available.
§Audio Sets parameters for recording analog or digital audio directly to the internal HD, as well as
selecting various user options (whether to include SCMS, silence between cuts, track editing, play list
etc.).
§Track Extraction Extracts audio tracks from the source CD drive to the internal HD or to CD
Recorder drives.
Pressingthe EDIT/MENU button advances to the next menu. When the display shows the desired menu,
press OK/Enter to access the associated functions.
On power-up, the StartREC 400 defaults to whichever menu was last loaded.

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1.9 BASIC MENU EXAMPLES
Copy Menu Example
This procedure steps you through copying a Master CD and making HD to CD copies
1. Power on the unit.
2. The Display will state Audio Menu, Copy Menuor Trk Ext Menu. Press the Menubutton until the Copy Menuis
displayed
3. Press the OK / Enterbutton to load the Copy Menu
4. Place the Master CD you with to copy into the Reader drive.
5. The display will state Copy Start? CD to CD
6. Place the blank CD-R discs into the CD-Recorder drives and close the trays.
7. Wait for the busy lights to go out on the CD-Recorder drives.
8. Press the OK / Enterbutton.
9. The master disc will be analyzed and the tracks will be copied to the CD-Recorder drives.
10. Once the recording is finished, the discs will eject from the CD-Recorder drives.
The same steps would be used to copy audio files from HD to CD. Use the following procedure to change the source
from the CD Reader to the HD.
1. Power on the unit.
2. The Display will state Audio Menu, Copy Menu or Trk Ext Menu. Press the Menu button until the Copy Menu is
displayed.
3. Press the OK / Enterbutton to load the Copy Menu
4. The display will read Copy Start? CD to CD
5. Press the Cancel button. The display will state Copy Change? Copy
6. Press the Down button. The display will state Mode Change? CD to CD
7. Press OK / Enter. The display will state CD to CD?
8. Press the UPbutton until the display reads HD(A) to CD.
9. Press OK / Enter. The display will state HD(A) to CD.
10. Press Cancel. The display will state Copy Start? HD(A) to CD.
11. Place blank CD-R discs into the CD-Recorder drives and close the trays.
12. Wait for the busy lights to go out on the CD-Recorder drives.
13. Press the OK / Enterbutton. The audio files on the HD will be copied to the CD-Recorder drives.
14. Once the copy is complete, the discs will eject from the CD-Recorder drives.
Audio Menu Example
This procedure steps you through recording audio from a DAT source to the Hard Drive
(This example connects the DAT to the StartREC with the Optical Connections)
1. Connect the DAT player to the StartREC using an Optical Digital Cable.
2. Power on the DAT player and the StartREC unit.
3. The Display will state Audio Menu, Copy Menu or Trk Ext Menu. Press the Menu button until the display states
Audio Menu.
4. Press the OK / Enterbutton.
5. The display will state Audio? HD Block:A
6. Press OK / Enter. This will allow you to copy audio to Block A on the HD.
7. The display will state TOT 00 000:00. This indicates that there are no audio tracks on this block and the total time
iszero.
8. The input selection must now be set. Press the Input button until the display reads Input : Digital Optical and then
press OK / Enter
9. Check the Sync Auto selection by looking at the Sync Auto light on the left side of the display. If the light is off,
the unit is in manual mode. If the light is on, the unit is in automatic mode. In auto mode, the Start ID’s are
automatically detected from the DAT tape. In manual mode, Start ID’s will need to be put in manually after the
audio is recorded to the HD.

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10. To change this setting, press the Menubutton. The display states: Set Up Menu? Cancel to Audio
11. Press OK / Enter. The display states HD Block Change? A: Free.
12. Press the UP button until the display states: REC Mode Change? Manual Mark.
13. Press the OK / Enterbutton. The display will state Auto Mark?
14. Press the UPbutton to choose between Auto and Manual Mark.
15. Once you decide which setting you wish to use, press OK / Enter. The display will state: REC Mode Change?
Manual or Auto Mark
16. Press the Cancel button. The display will state Set Up Menu? Cancel to Audio
17. Press the Cancel button. The display will state TOT 00 000:00
18. Press the REC button. The display will show the Pause symbol blinking and it will show TRK 01.
19. Start your DAT player. If the REC Mode is set to Auto, the StartREC will automatically start recording. If the
REC Mode is set to Manual, you must press the Start button on the StartREC to start recording.
20. To Stop the recording, press the Stop button. This can be done in either Auto or Manual mode. If you are in Auto
mode and the DAT player stops playing, the recording will automatically stop.
21. Once the audio tracks are on the HD, you can make copies using the CD-Recorder drives in the Copy Menu,
selecting HD to CD copy.
Track Extraction Sample
This procedure steps you through extracting audio files from a Master CD to the internal hard drive in the StartREC.
1. Power on the unit.
2. The Display will state Audio Menu, Copy Menu or Trk Ext Menu. Press the Menu button until the Trk Ext Menu
isdisplayed
3. Press the OK / Enterbutton to load the Trk Ext Menu
4. Place the Master CD you with to extract audio from into the Reader drive.
5. The display will state Trk Extraction? CD toCD
6. Press the Cancel button. The display will read Mode Change? CD to CD
7. Press OK / Enter. The display will read CD to CD?
8. Press the UPbutton once. The display will read CD to HD(A).
9. Press OK / Enter. The display will read Mode Change? CD to HD(A).
10. PressCancel. The display will read Trk Extraction? CD to HD(A).
11. Press OK / Enter. The display will then read Disc Analyze?
12. Press OK / Enter. The master disc will now be read.
13. The display will read Select Track and show the time for track one on the CD.
14. To select the tracks you want to move to the HD, press the UPand DOWN buttons to move between tracks.
15. Once on the track you want, press the OK / Enterbutton. A √mark will appear next to the track number.
16. Using the UP / DOWN buttons, continue to select the other tracks you wish to extract.
17. Once all the tracks have been selected, press the REC button. The tracks will be copied from the CD to the HD
18. After the tracks have been copied, the Master CD will be ejected from the reader drive and the display will state
EXIT?
19. If you wish to add tracks from another audio CD, press the Cancel button.
20. Place the Audio CD into the reader drive and close the tray.
21. Repeat steps 11 through 18.
22. If you are finished extracting audio to the HD, press the OK / Enter button.
23. At this time, you have the audio tracks on the HD and are ready to record the files to CD, using the Copy Menu.

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Chapter 2: COPY MENU
2.1 OVERVIEW
The Copy functions allow you to copy/verify data from your source (master) CD or the internal HD to
recordable CD media, as well as copy data from your source CD to the internal HD.The CD to be copied
always inserts in the source drive.
The Copy menu has two jobs:
§COPY START? This initiates the copy process. The display shows the copy source (CD or HD) and
destination (CD or CD+HD).
§COPY CHANGE? This accesses copy function options. Pressing theDown/Up buttons cycles the
display through various sub-menus.
To load the Copy functions, pressOK/Enter at the COPY MENU?prompt. (To toggle among the Audio,
Copy, and Track Extract menus, press the Menu/Editbutton.)
To toggle between these jobs, press the Cancel/Display button.
2.2 MAKING CD COPIES
You will likely want to change some of the setup parameters (sections 2.3, 3.3, 4.5, and 5.1) before making
any copies. Once everything is set up as desired, proceed with copying.
If you’re not copying from HD, place the disk to be copied in the CD Master drive, and have at least one
recordable CD in a target CD Recorder drive. The StartREC 400 must be pre-loaded with the appropriate
discs to allow copying.
When the display says COPY START?, press OK/Enter to initiate copying.
2.3 CHANGING COPY OPTIONS
Several sub-menus let you change copy parameters. To access these from the COPY MENU? prompt:
1. Press Cancel/Display until the display shows COPY CHANGE?

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2. Use the Down/Up buttons to cycle through sub-menus that contain various parameters.
3. When the display shows the sub-menu whose parameters you want to modify, press OK/Enter. (To
return to a previous display, press Cancel/Display.)
4. Use the Down/Up buttons to choose the desired parameter value.
5. Press OK/Enter to enter the changed parameter in the StartREC 400’s memory. Altered settings are
retainedindefinitely unless you change them again, or load new firmware.
Following is a list of sub-menus and their parameters.
2.3.1 COPY CHANGE
This determines whether the StartREC 400 will copy, verify, or both. After pressing OK/Enter at the
COPY CHANGE?prompt, select from the following options with the Down/Up buttons.
Note that the StartREC 400 can also verify, or copy + verify, CDs using the CD-DA format. However,
audio data entering the system via the Audio menu changes the CD’s TOC, so thatit cannot be verified
against the original audio data.
§COPY? Copies HD/CD source material to CD Recorder drives, or source CD material to HD.
§VERIFY? Compares the contents of source and target material to make sure the copies are bit-for-bit
accurate.
§COPY+VERIFY? Copies as with the standard Copy function, then verifies as with the standard Verify
option.
2.3.2 HD BLOCK CHANGE
The StartREC 400’s internal HD has three different storage Blocks (partitions): A, B, and C. Select the
Block containing thedata you want to copy to CDs, or to which you want to write data from CD or the
audio inputs.
After pressing OK/Enter at the HD BLOCK CHANGE?prompt, select from the following options with
the Down/Up buttons.
§A? Chooses Block A
§B? Chooses Block B
§C? Chooses Block C

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For each option, the display’s bottom line shows one of the following status indications:
§FREE There is no data in the Block.
§AUDIO There is audio data in the Block. Also shows P(#),where # is the number of tracks.
§DATA There is non-audio data in the Block.
If the target Block shows FREE, press OK/Enter. That block becomes the target for copies.
If you press OK/Enter and OVERWRITE?appears, there is already data in the target Block. Either choose
a different, free Block, or erase data in the current Block so it can beoverwritten with new data. To do this:
1. When the display shows OVERWRITE,press OK/Enter.
2. Existing data is erased, and the Block is free for recording.
CAUTION:Selecting OVERWRITEerases all data within that Block. This data cannot
be recovered! Make sure you copy the Block data to at least one CD if you will need to
use this data later. The data in other Blocks remains intact.
2.3.3 SUB INDEX
After pressing OK/Enter at the SUBINDEX? prompt, select from the following options with the
Down/Up buttons.
§ON? Copies Sub Index information from the source CD to target CD(s). The StartREC 400 reads the
source CD to detect Sub Index data; the more Sub Index data, the longer it takes to read.
§OFF? Copies without Sub Index information, even if the source CD has Sub Index data.
Note: This function is relevant only if the master data source contains sub index data. The StartREC 400 does not create
sub indices with this function.
2.3.4 WR(ITE) MODE CHANGE
After pressing OK/Enter at the WR MODE CHANGE? prompt, select from the following options with the
Down/Up buttons.

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§TEST WRITE? Performs a copywithout turning on the CD Recorder drive’s laser,so that the blank
media remains blank. Use this mode to test whether a CD can be duplicated without problems.
Verification is not available in this mode, because no data is written to the target CD that can be
verified.
§REAL WRITE? Copies with the laser turned on, creating useable copies.
2.3.5 WR(ITE) SPEED CHANGE
StartREC accepts CD Recorder drives with up to 8X speed, and can write at 8X, 4X, 2X, and 1X speeds.
Faster speeds allow for quicker duplication, but may be more prone to errors.At faster speeds, use blank
CD media certified for 8X operation. For most standard recordable CDs, writing at 2X or 1X produces the
fewest errors. Note that not all speeds may be available, depending on the CD Recorder drives installed in
the StartREC 400.
After pressing OK/Enter at the WR SPEED CHANGE?prompt, select from the following options with
the Down/Up buttons.
§WRITE SPEED x8? Writes data eight times as fast as real time (e.g., duplicating a 60 minute audio
CD takes approximately 7.5 minutes).
§WRITE SPEED x4? Writes data four times as fast as real time (e.g., duplicating a 60 minute audio
CD takes approximately 15 minutes).
§WRITE SPEED x2? Writes data twice as fast as real time (e.g., duplicating a 60 minute audio CD
takes approximately 30 minutes).
§WRITE SPEED x1? Writes data in real time (e.g., duplicating a 60 minute audio CD takes
approximately 60 minutes).
2.3.6 WR(ITE) TYPE CHANGE
Although the StartREC400 cannot add sessions to target media (all target media must be blank CDs), it can
duplicate discs that are left open so that more tracks can be added later. For example, suppose you produce
a CD-ROM that is left open, so that tracks can be added later using a personal computer’s CD recording
program. StartREC can copy the CD-ROM and leave the copy open. Thissub-menu chooses whether a
duplicated CD will be left open or closed.
After pressing OK/Enter at the WR TYPE CHANGE? prompt, select from one of the following four
options with the Down/Up buttons.
§SAO:CLOSE? SAO (Session At Once) is used mostly when copying data CDs. This option copies in
the SAO format, then closes the CD so that no further data can be added.
§SAO:OPEN? This copies in the SAO format, but leaves the CD open so that further data can be added
using appropriate CD recording programs (e.g. Adaptec’s EZ-CD Creator).
§TAO:CLOSE? Track At Once (TAO) is used mostly when copying audio CDs. This option copies in
the TAO format, then closes any copies so no more tracks can be added. This creates a standard Red
Book audio CD that plays back on any CD player.

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§TAO:OPEN? This copies in the TAO format, but leaves the CD open so that further data can be
added using appropriate CD recording programs (e.g. Adaptec’s EZ-CD Creator). This option is
generally intended for situations where you know the source CD was recorded in TAO format, as often
occurs when a CD consists of cuts played into a stand-alone audio CD recorder from DAT. Caution:
This does not produce a standard Red Book CD, and will generally not play over standard audio
compact disc players.
Note: When copying from the internal HD, the Write Type cannot be changed, no matter how you edit the
above settings. The Write Type will always be the same as the data stored on the HD.
2.3.7 FORMAT CHANGE
The StartREC 400 detects CD formats automatically, except for CD-G. Specify this format manually at the
FORMAT CHANGE? prompt. If a format is not supported, the display shows UNKNOWN FORMAT.
To accommodate CD-G, after pressing OK/Enter at the FORMAT CHANGE? prompt, select from the
following options with the Down/Up buttons.
§AUTO FORMAT? This default mode supports all recognized formats.
§CD-G FORMAT? Select this if the CD to be copied uses the CD-G format.
Note: The StartREC 400 defines CD-EXTRA and ENHANCED-CD formats as:
§1st track = CD-DA
§2nd track = CD-ROM XA
If your CD-EXTRA/ENHANCED-CD differs, it will be copied using the Multi-Session format.
2.3.8 MODE CHANGE
This defines the copy source and destination. After pressing OK/Enter at the MODE CHANGE?prompt,
select from the following options with the Down/Up buttons.
§COPY? Copies from the source CD to the CD Recorder drive(s).
§CD TO HD/CD? Copies from the source CD to the CD Recorder drives(s) and the HD. Note that the
StartREC 400 can record to a maximum of 4 devices, including the HD, at 8X writing speed.
§CD TO HD? Copies from the source CD to one of the internal HD’s Blocks (chosen previously; see
section 2.3.2).
§HD TO CD? Copies from one of the internal HD’s Blocks (chosen previously; see section 2.3.2) to
the CD Recorder drive(s).
§Program List? Copies audio files that are located on the Program List to the CD Recorder drives(s).
Available only when the Program List is set to on. Selecting Program List as the mode, the copy menu
will display Copy Start? Program List. With CD-R discs loaded in the CD Recorder drive(s), pressing
Enter will copy the Program List from the internal hard drive.

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Chapter 3: TRACK EXTRACTION MENU
3.1 OVERVEW
Track Extraction is similar to duplication, but instead of copying an entire CD or HD Block, this function
extracts individual audio tracks from CD. You can extract (copy) them to the internal HD in Disc At Once
mode, or to recordable CD drive(s) in Track at Once mode.
When extracting to recordable CDs, the CD is left open so it is possible to add more tracks. This CD is not
Red Book compatible and therefore cannot play over standard CD players. To create a Red Book CD,
extract the tracks to HD first, then transfer the contents of the HD Block to a recordable CD, using the HD
to CD copy function (section 2.3.8) and the TAO:Close protocol (described in section 2.3.6).
Note that although you can copy multiple, different tracks during a Track Extraction session, exiting the
session automatically fixes the CD and no more tracks can be added. This is true even if you remove the
CD, and use it in a computer with software designed for multi-session writing. Also note that there is no
test function available in the extraction menu.
To loadthe Track Extraction functions, press OK/Enter at the TRK EXT MENU? prompt. (To toggle
among the Audio, Copy, and Track Extract menus, press theMenu/Editbutton.)
3.2 TRACK EXTRACTION JOBS
The Track Extraction menu has two jobs:
§TRKEXTRACTION? This initiates the extraction process. The display initially shows the copy
source (CD) and destination (CD or HD), then shows extraction progress until extraction is complete.
§MODE CHANGE? This presents different extraction options. Pressing theDown/Up buttons cycles
through various sub-menus, as shown in the display.
To load the Mode Change functions, press OK/Enter at theTRKEXT? prompt. To toggle between the two
jobs, press theCancel/Display button.

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3.3 CHANGING EXTRACTION OPTIONS
To access the track extraction sub-menus:
1. Press Cancel/Display until the display shows MODE CHANGE?
2. Use the Down/Up buttons to cycle through sub-menus that contain various parameters.
3. When the display shows the sub-menu whoseparameters you want to modify, press OK/Enter. (To
return to a previous display, press Cancel/Display.)
4. Use the Down/Up buttons to choose the desired parameter value.
5. Press OK/Enter to enter the changed parameter in the StartREC 400’s memory. Changed settings are
retained indefinitely unless you change them again, or load new firmware.
Following is a list of sub-menus and their parameters.
3.3.1 MODE CHANGE
This defines the copy destination (the extraction source is always the source CD drive). After pressing
OK/Enter at the MODE CHANGE?prompt, select from the following options with the Down/Up buttons.
§CD TO CD? Extracts from the source CD drive to the CD Recorder(s).
§CD TO HD? Extracts from the source CD drive to one of the internal HD’s Blocks (chosen
previously; see section 3.3.2).
3.3.2 HD BLOCK CHANGE
The StartREC 400’s internal Hard Drive (HD) has three different storage Blocks (partitions): A, B, and C.
Select the Block where you want to copy the extracted CD data.
After pressing OK/Enter at the HD Block Change prompt, select from the following options with the
Down/Up buttons.
§A? Chooses Block A
§B? Chooses Block B
§C? Chooses Block C

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For each option, the display’s bottom line shows one of the following status indications:
§FREE There is no data in the Block.
§AUDIO There is audio data in the Block. Also shows P(#),where # is the number of tracks.
§DATA There is non-audio data in the Block.
If the target Block shows FREE, press OK/Enter. That block becomes the target for copies.
If you press OK/Enter and OVERWRITE?appears, there is already data in the target Block. Either choose
a different, free Block, or erase data in the current Block so it can beoverwritten with new data. To do this:
3. When the display shows OVERWRITE,press OK/Enter.
4. Existing data is erased, and the Block is free for recording.
CAUTION:Selecting OVERWRITE erases all data within that Block. This data cannot
be recovered! Make sure you copy the Block data to at least one CD if you will need to
use this data later. The data in other Blocks remains intact.
3.3.3 SUB INDEX
After pressing OK/Enter at the SUBINDEX? prompt, select from the following options with the
Down/Up buttons.
§ON? Extracts Sub Index information from the source CD to target CD(s). The StartREC 400 reads the
source CD to detect Sub Index data; the more Sub Index data, the longer it takes to read.
§OFF? Copies without Sub Index information, even if the source CD has Sub Index data.
3.3.4 WR(ITE) SPEED CHANGE
StartREC accepts CD Recorder drives with up to 8X speed, and can write at 8X, 4X, 2X, and 1X speeds.
Faster speeds allow for quicker duplication, but can be more prone to errors. (This applies only when
writing to CD, not HD. For HD, you can always select the fastest possible speed.)
At faster speeds, use blank CD media certified for 8X operation. For most standard CDs, writing at 2X or
1X produces the fewest errors. Note that not all speeds may be available, depending on theCD Recorder
drives installed in the StartREC 400.
After pressing OK/Enter at the WR SPEED CHANGE?prompt, select from the following options with
the Down/Up buttons.