Tascam PCI-822 User manual

PCI-822
User’s GuideUser’s Guide
PCI-822 is a trademark of TASCAM Professional Division, TEAC America, Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the
property of their respective holders.
Copyright © 2000, TASCAM Professional Division, TEAC America, Inc.
7733 Telegraph Road • Montebello, CA 90640 • 323-726-0303
All Rights Reserved

Contents
Introduction .................................................. 1
PCI-822 Overview........................................ 1
Technical Support ....................................... 2
Connectors and Cables ............................... 3
Windows Installation .................................... 5
MIDI Limitation (for Windows 95 only) .......... 5
Installing in Windows 95/98.......................... 6
Installing GigaSampler LE ........................... 7
Updating the PCI-822 Software.................... 8
Uninstalling the PCI-822 .............................. 9
Macintosh Installation.................................10
Installing in the Macintosh ..........................10
Updating the PCI-822 Software...................11
Uninstalling the PCI-822 .............................11
Software Reference ....................................12
Macintosh Control Panel.............................12
Windows Control Panel...............................12
Clock/Device Status Tab.............................13
Patchbay Tab (Windows only).....................16
System Tab ................................................17
Using the PCI-822........................................19
Synchronization .........................................19
Unusable Clock Settings.............................21
TM-D1000 Digital Mixer...............................22
DTRS Multichannel Tape Machines .............24
DAT Tape Machines....................................25
IF-TAD Converter .......................................26
IF-AE8 Converter........................................26
MA-AD8 Converter .....................................27
IF-DA8 Converter .......................................27
continuedè

Troubleshooting on the Macintosh............28
MIDI ports don’t appear..............................28
Audio devices don’t appear........................28
Audio output (playback) .............................28
Audio input (recording) ..............................29
Computer locks up .....................................29
Clicks and pops..........................................30
Troubleshooting in Windows......................32
Installation .................................................32
MIDI in/out..................................................32
Audio output (playback) .............................32
Audio input (recording) ..............................33
Computer locks up .....................................33
Clicks and pops..........................................34
Tuning a Windows System..........................39
Hard Drive and Adapter..............................39
Disk Fragmentation ....................................40
Data Compression......................................41
Sporadic Disk Activity ................................41
Multi-tasking ..............................................43
File Caching ...............................................44
Other Caching Options...............................45
32-bit Drivers .............................................45
Virtual Memory Swapfile.............................46
Video Card.................................................47
Graphics Acceleration ...............................47
Windows System Monitor ...........................48
PCI-822 Specifications ...............................50

PCI-822 User’s Guide 1
Introduction
The PCI-822™ is a PCI soundcard that
integrates these digital audio and MIDI features:
• TDIF-1 (DB-25) connector for 8 inputs and
8 outputs of digital audio with up to 24-bit resolution
• RCA (coax) input and RCA (coax) output
for 2-channel SPDIF audio
• BNC word clock output
• 2 MIDI inputs and 2 MIDI outputs
(standard DIN-5 MIDI connectors)
The PCI-822 supports 44.1
and 48 kHz sample rates, and
can also lock to digital audio
inputs from 39–51 kHz.
The Windows 95/98 driver can dynamically resample 8, 11.025,
16, 22.05 and 32 kHz digital audio output for playback through
high-quality external converters.
The PCI-822 has a software control panel for digital audio input
status, sample rate selection, and clock source control.
The PCI-822’s ASIO driver provides low-latency performance when
adjusting parameters and monitoring inputs with applications such as
Cubase VST. The PCI-822 also has a direct GigaSampler®Interface
(GSIF) driver.
The TDIF-1 connector on the PCI-822 can be connected to any
device that supports TDIF, including digital mixers such as the
TM-D1000, the TASCAM IF-TAD converter for TDIF/ADAT translation,
TDIF-compatible tape machines such as the DA-38/78/88/98, and
external A/D-D/A converters.

2PCI-822 User’s Guide
In addition to this User’s Guide, your PCI-822 package should contain:
• PCI-822 circuit board
• Breakout cable that connects to the 15-pin connector on the PCI-822,
providing 2 RCA (coax) connectors for SPDIF in/out, 1 BNC connector
for word clock out, and 4 standard 5-pin MIDI connectors (2 in, 2 out)
• CD-ROM containing Macintosh and Windows drivers for the PCI-822,
and GigaSampler LE software (from Nemesys™ Music Technology)
• Two CD-ROMs containing Soundware Demos for use with GigaSampler
• TASCAM warranty card
Technical Support
If you have any problems or questions that aren’t addressed in the
Troubleshooting chapter or elsewhere in this Guide, there are three
ways to get more help:
• Refer to the TASCAM web site for information on current revisions,
answers to frequently asked questions, and additional documentation.
The web site is available every day, 24 hours a day.
(http://www.tascam.com/products)
• Send specific questions via email to [email protected].
• For time-critical questions, you can call TASCAM’s USA tech support
number (1-323-726-0303, x617). Phone support is normally provided
weekdays from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm PST.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 3
Connectors and Cables
The PCI-822 includes several types of connectors. Here are some
suggestions for using them.
— TDIF cables —
A TDIF cable provides 8 channels of digital audio in both directions,
with up to 24-bit resolution. It also carries clocking signals that
are used for synchronizing the transmission and reception of the
audio. TDIF cables are constructed in very specific ways to carry this
high-speed digital audio data reliably.
True TDIF cables are available from manufacturers such as Cable-Up.
Here are the part numbers and lengths available:
CU/PW88DS ½m (2')
CU/PW88D 1m (3')
CU/PW88DM 3m (10')
CU/PW88DL 5m (16')
— Word clock cables —
The 15-pin PCI-822 breakout cable has a BNC connector for word
clock output. Word clock signals contain high frequencies and should
be transmitted on 75-ohm coax cables for reliability. Usually, a BNC
connector is used for word clock. A 75-ohm video cable with BNC
connectors works well.
WARNING: Use only cables that are specifically made for TDIF
interfaces. Similar computer-type cables will not provide reliable
operation. TDIF connectors have metric fastening screws. The non-
metric 4-40 screws found on computer-type cables are incompatible.

4PCI-822 User’s Guide
— SPDIF cables —
The 15-pin PCI-822 breakout cable includes RCA (coax) connectors
for stereo SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format) digital audio.
Standard audio cables with RCA connectors have twisted-pair wire
rather than coaxial cable, and are not recommended for use with
SPDIF signals. Although they have the correct connector on each end,
and may work over short distances, they are not reliable for SPDIF
data streams. The reason is related to the differences between audio
and SPDIF signals — audio signals contain frequencies in the tens of
kiloHertz, but SPDIF signals contain frequencies in the tens of
megaHertz, much like a video signal.
Since SPDIF inputs and outputs look the same, make sure you check
the labels on the molded connectors of the PCI-822 breakout cable,
and connect your 75-ohm coax cables to the correct connectors.
— MIDI cables —
The 15-pin PCI-822 breakout cable also provides four DIN-5 MIDI
connectors for use with standard 5-pin MIDI cables. Since MIDI inputs
and outputs look the same, make sure you check the labels on the
molded connectors of the PCI-822 breakout cable and connect your
MIDI cables to the correct ports.
Note: For reliable SPDIF connections, especially over distances
longer than a meter, use only 75-ohm coax video cables or cables
that are manufactured specifically for SPDIF use.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 5
Windows Installation
WARNING: The components in your computer and on the
PCI-822 board are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Follow
these precautions to avoid damage caused by static electricity —
• Leave the PCI-822 board in its anti-static wrapping until you’re
properly grounded.
• To become grounded, make sure the computer is off but leave
its power cord plugged in. Remove the cover, and touch the
computer’s metal chassis.
• Only handle the PCI-822 board by its edges and metal bracket.
MIDI limitation (for Windows 95 only)
Windows 95 can only support up to 11 MIDI input ports and 11 MIDI
output ports, which can be hardware MIDI ports and/or software MIDI
devices that appear as MIDI ports to Windows 95 (MIDI devices in soft
synths or virtual keyboards, for example).
Adding the PCI-822 MIDI ports may put your Windows 95 system
beyond the limit, causing it to crash with the “blue screen” message
“MSGSRV32 caused a general protection fault…”
If you’re running Windows 95, and you already have 8 or more MIDI
ports in your system, follow this procedure to work around the bug:
1. Temporarily disable the MIDI devices in your system, and then reboot
the computer.
2. Install the PCI-822 card, as described on the next page.
3. Open the System tab of the PCI-822 control panel, and disable the
PCI-822 MIDI ports (by setting the MIDI Mode to ‘Disabled’).
4. Re-enable your other MIDI ports, and then reboot the computer.

6PCI-822 User’s Guide
Installing in Windows 95/98
The PCI-822 requires one PCI slot in your computer.
1. Make sure the computer is off (but leave its power cord plugged in),
and then remove its cover.
2. Using a screwdriver, remove the blank metal bracket from an empty PCI
slot in the computer, and verify that the motherboard has no protruding
components that would obstruct the PCI-822 connectors.
3. Insert the PCI-822 board into the empty PCI slot, and secure the
PCI-822 bracket with a mounting screw.
4. Attach the PCI-822 breakout cable to the 15-pin connector, using the
screws on each side of the connector to secure it firmly.
5. Replace the cover, and restart your computer. As it starts up,
Windows detects the presence of the new hardware, and automatically
opens an installation wizard. In Windows 95, it’s the “Update Device
Driver” wizard. In Windows 98, it’s the “Add New Hardware” wizard.
6. Follow the instructions in the wizard, letting Windows search for the best
driver for your device. You’ll need to insert the PCI-822 CD-ROM into
your CD-ROM drive and click the “Next” button as the wizard leads you
through the driver installation process.
Note (for Windows 98 only): To avoid an installation bug in Windows 98,
choose the top option (Search for the best driver for your device) when
the ‘Add New Hardware Wizard’ asks ‘What do you want Windows to
do?’. Then click the ‘Next’ button and select ‘CD-ROM drive’ from the list
of locations to search.
7. When the wizard indicates that the PCI-822 Audio Device is installed,
click the “Finish” button.
8. After the installation is finished, remove the CD-ROM and keep it in a
safe place in case you ever need to re-install the PCI-822.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 7
When the PCI-822 is installed, its icon appears in the
Windows Taskbar (usually near the bottom right of the screen).
Double-clicking the icon opens the PCI-822 control panel.
Installing GigaSampler LE
To install GigaSampler LE on your computer, insert the “PCI-822
Software Drivers” CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive, and make sure
you have the CD Key from the back of the CD-ROM jewel case. Open
the file called “SETUP.EXE” and follow its instructions.
You’ll find tutorial information for GigaSampler LE in the “Docs” folder
and by running the TUTORIAL.HLP file. Two additional CD-ROMs of
demo soundware for GigaSampler are also included in the PCI-822
package.
Note: The MIDI-to-audio latency in GigaSampler is affected by the
“Buffer Size” setting in the System tab of the PCI-822 control panel.
Smaller buffer sizes provide lower latency but increase the risk of audio
glitches. The default value is 256 samples, but many systems work well
with the Buffer Size set to 128 samples.

8PCI-822 User’s Guide
Updating the PCI-822 Software
in Windows
You can download the latest version of the PCI-822 software from the
TASCAM web site. To install the latest version of the software:
1. Go to the web site (http://www.tascam.com) and download the latest
software, which is contained in a compressed (zip) file. If necessary,
you can also download a copy of WinZip (from http://www.winzip.com).
2. Insert a blank, formatted floppy disk into your computer’s floppy drive.
3. Open the zip file, and extract the enclosed PCI-822 files onto a floppy
disk (and then leave the disk in the floppy drive).
4. Open the Windows Control Panel (StartgSettingsgControl Panel), and
double-click the System icon.
5. When the System window appears, select the “Device Manager” tab.
6. Click the ‘+’ next to “Sound, video, and game controllers” to open that
part of the device tree.
7. Select “PCI-822 Wave and MIDI Driver,” and click ‘Properties.’
8. When the PCI-822 Properties window appears, select the “Driver” tab.
9. Click the ‘Update Driver…’ button, and follow the wizard’s instructions,
letting Windows search for the best driver for your device.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 9
Uninstalling the PCI-822 in Windows
To uninstall the PCI-822, you need to remove the driver and control
panel software, and remove the PCI-822 hardware.
— Removing the software —
1. Open the Windows Control Panel (StartgSettingsgControl Panel), and
double-click the System icon.
2. When the System window appears, select the “Device Manager” tab.
3. Click the ‘+’ next to “Sound, video, and game controllers” to open that
part of the device tree.
4. Select “PCI-822 Wave and MIDI Driver,” and click ‘Remove.’
5. When prompted to “Confirm Device Removal,” click ‘OK’ to remove the
driver software.
6. To remove the control panel software, open the Windows\System folder
and delete the “P822Pnl.cpl” file.
— Removing the hardware —
1. Make sure the computer is off (but leave its power cord plugged in),
and then remove its cover.
2. Remove the mounting screw that holds the PCI-822 bracket in the
computer.
3. Lift the PCI-822 board straight out of its PCI slot, and put the board
into an antistatic bag.
4. Replace the blank metal bracket and the computer’s cover, and restart
your computer.

10 PCI-822 User’s Guide
Macintosh Installation
WARNING: The components in your computer and on the
PCI-822 board are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Follow
these precautions to avoid damage caused by static electricity —
• Leave the PCI-822 board in its anti-static wrapping until you’re
properly grounded.
• To become grounded, make sure the computer is off but leave
its power cord plugged in. Remove the cover, and touch the
computer’s metal chassis.
• Only handle the PCI-822 board by its edges and metal bracket.
Installing in the Macintosh
The PCI-822 requires one PCI slot in your computer.
1. Make sure the computer is off (but leave its power cord plugged in),
and then remove its cover or open its side panel.
2. Using a screwdriver, remove the blank metal bracket from an empty PCI
slot in the computer, and verify that the motherboard has no protruding
components that would obstruct the PCI-822 connectors.
3. Insert the PCI-822 board into the empty PCI slot, and secure the
PCI-822 bracket with a mounting screw.
4. Replace the cover or close the side panel, and restart the computer.
5. Attach the PCI-822 breakout cable to the 15-pin connector, using the
screws on each side of the connector to secure it firmly.
6. When the Macintosh desktop appears, insert the PCI-822 CD-ROM into
the CD-ROM drive.
7. When the CD-ROM window appears, open it and double-click the
“PCI-822 Mac Installer” icon, and follow its instructions.
8. After installation, run the “PCI-822 Installation Test” (in the PCI-822
Driver Files folder) to verify that the installation was successful.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 11
Updating the PCI-822 Software
on the Macintosh
You can download the latest version of the PCI-822 software from the
TASCAM web site. To install the latest version of the software:
1. Go to the web site (http://www.tascam.com) and download the latest
software, which is contained in a compressed (hqx) file.
2. If your browser didn’t automatically expand the file, use a BinHex
expander (such as Stuffit Expander) to expand the hqx file. If
necessary, you can download a copy of Stuffit Expander from the
Aladdin website (http://www.aladdinsys.com).
3. Double-click on the “PCI-822 Mac Installer” icon, and follow its
instructions.
Uninstalling from the Macintosh
To uninstall the PCI-822, you need to remove the driver and
control panel software, and remove the PCI-822 hardware.
1. To remove the software, delete the following files:
Desktop gPCI-822 Driver Files folder
System Folder gControl Panels gPCI-822
System Folder gExtensions gPCI-822SharedLibrary.dll
System Folder gOMS Folder gPCI-822 OMS Driver
System Folder gPreferences gPCI-822 Settings
Application ASIO Folder gASIO PCI-822 16-bit
Application ASIO Folder gASIO PCI-822 24-bit
2. Make sure the computer is off (but leave its power cord plugged in),
and then remove its cover or open the side panel.
3. Remove the mounting screw that holds the PCI-822 bracket in the
computer.
4. Lift the PCI-822 board straight out of its PCI slot, and put the board
into an antistatic bag.
5. Replace the blank metal bracket and the computer’s cover or side
panel, and restart your computer.

12 PCI-822 User’s Guide
Software Reference
The PCI-822 has both Macintosh and Windows 95/98 drivers.
The Macintosh PCI-822 control panel includes two tabs —
Clock/Device Status, and System. The Windows PCI-822 control panel
includes three tabs — Clock/Device Status, Patchbay, and System.
Each tab contains several sections, each with one or more fields.
Macintosh Control Panel
On a Macintosh, you can open the PCI-822 control panel by selecting
‘Control Panels > PCI-822’ from the Apple menu. For convenience,
you may want to make an alias on your desktop for the control panel:
1. Open the System folder on your hard drive.
2. Open the Control Panels folder, and click once on the PCI-822 icon to
select it.
3. Select ‘Make Alias’ from the File menu.
4. Drag the new alias icon to the desired location on your desktop.
Windows Control Panel
Whenever the PCI-822 is installed in your system, an icon with two
bars appears in the Windows Taskbar (usually at the bottom of the
screen). The top bar lights red whenever any PCI-822 input is active,
and blinks whenever an active input has an error
(see the “Clock/Device Status Tab” section for
details about input errors). The bottom bar lights
green whenever any PCI-822 output is active.
Double-clicking on the icon opens the Clock/Device
Status tab of the PCI-822 control panel. You can also right-click on
the icon to display a menu that lets you go directly to any of the three
tabs.
To open the PCI-822 control panel from the Start menu, navigate to
SettingsgControl Panel, and double-click on the “PCI-822” icon.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 13
Clock/Device Status Tab
The Clock/Device Status tab contains four sections — Clock Source,
Sample Rate, Digital Input Status, Digital Output Status.
— Clock Source —
The audio clock can come from one of three sources.
For more information about audio clocks and sample rates, see
‘Synchronization’ later in this Guide.
Internal With this setting, the computer is the sample clock master,
running at either 44.1 or 48kHz, depending on the
Sample Rate selection.
TDIF With this setting, the TDIF device connected to the PCI-822
DB-25 connector is the sample clock master.
S/PDIF With this setting, the stereo SPDIF device connected to the
PCI-822 coax input is the sample clock master.

14 PCI-822 User’s Guide
— Sample Rate —
In this section, a drop-down box lets you select
the expected sample rate (44.1 or 48kHz). If
the ‘Lock’ box is checked, then applications can only use the selected
sample rate. For example, if the sample rate is locked at 48kHz
and you try to play a 44.1kHz sound, an error message appears
(although it may not clearly state that the sample rate is incorrect).
The Sample Rate section also displays the actual current sample rate
as measured by the computer.
It’s normal for the actual rate display to vary over time, since the
computer timer used for the measurement is not very precise.
A variable actual rate display does not mean that your audio clock
is unstable.
— Digital Input Status —
This section displays the audio input status in the form of error
indicators, and shows which input channels are in use.
On the left are three rectangular error indicators
for each of the PCI-822 inputs (TDIF and Coax).
A red indicator represents an error, and green
means “good to go.” A slash across a green indicator means that
at least one error was detected since the errors were last cleared.
To remove all slashes, click ‘Clear Errors.’
From left to right, the indicators are:
Signal green = input signal active
red = input signal inactive
Format
(Fmt)
green = valid digital audio format detected
red = error in digital audio signal format
Slip green = the PCI-822 is locked to incoming audio clock
red = the PCI-822 sample rate is different than the
incoming audio clock

PCI-822 User’s Guide 15
If the PCI-822 sample rate is almost the same as the incoming audio
clock, but not perfectly locked, the Slip indicator flashes red
periodically. A slash appears across the green indicator until you click
‘Clear Errors.’ See “Synchronization” later in this Guide for more
details about slip errors.
The TDIF and SPDIF inputs are mapped directly to the recording
devices (T 1:2, T 3:4, T 5:6, T 7:8, and S 1:2) that you’ll use within
your audio applications.
The ‘Channels In Use’ indicators show activity on each input channel.
If an input channel is open or in use, its indicator is bright red.
— Digital Output Status —
This section shows which output channels are active. When an output
channel is playing data, its indicator is bright green.
— Hardware Status (Macintosh only) —
On the Macintosh, this section displays status information about the
PCI-822 hardware.

16 PCI-822 User’s Guide
Patchbay Tab (Windows only)
The Patchbay tab lets you route any of the PCI-822 audio inputs to
any of its audio outputs. You can use the Patchbay tab both for input
monitoring and for real-time digital audio format conversions.
For example, you can monitor the PCI-822 “TDIF 5:6” inputs through
the SPDIF coax outputs, as shown here.
The PCI-822 inputs appear in the top row of icons; outputs appear in
the bottom row. To create a patch, click on an input icon and then
click on an output icon, or drag the cursor from an input to an output.
Lines automatically appear to indicate the routing(s).
To delete a particular routing, double-click on its input or output icon.
To undo all the current routings, click the “Clear patches” button.
To save the current routings in the Patch Library, click “Save…” and
type a name for the patch. You can then restore those routings by
selecting the saved patch from the drop-down box.
To remove a saved patch from the Library, select the patch in the
drop-down box and then click the “Delete” button.

PCI-822 User’s Guide 17
System Tab
In addition to displaying the PCI-822 software version and contact
information for TASCAM, the System tab lets you enable the MIDI ports
and set other options. Clicking the ‘TASCAM Web Site’ button accesses
our web site if your PC has an internet link and web browser.
The System tab also has a checkbox labelled “Keep Window On Top.”
When the box is checked, the control panel remains in front of other
windows on your screen.
— MIDI Mode (Windows only) —
To enable the PCI-822 MIDI ports, set the MIDI mode
to ‘2x2’ and then reboot the computer. To disable
the MIDI ports, set the MIDI mode to ‘Disabled’ and
then reboot the computer.
WARNING: Windows 95 crashes if the system exceeds 11 MIDI
devices. If you’re running Windows 95, and your system includes other
MIDI devices, please see “MIDI Limitation (for Windows 95 only)” in the
Installation chapter of this Guide.