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Opcode Studio 64XTC http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr98/articles/studio64xtc.html?pri...
Sound On Sound : Est. 1985
Opcode Studio 64XTC
MIDI Interface/Patchbay/Digital Synchroniser
Reviews : MIDI Interface
Although it's less than a year old, Opcode's highly useful Studio 64X multi-port MIDI
interface and patchbay has been redesigned to incorporate even more features
(including a wide range of synchronisation facilities), and has re-emerged from its
refit as the Studio 64XTC. MIKE COLLINS gets connected.
Opcode are certainly not a company renowned for resting on their laurels. In Spring 1997, they released
the Studio 64X, a combined MIDI patchbay, 4-port MIDI interface and SMPTE generator/SMTPE-to-MTC
converter, which was compatible with both Apple Macs and PCs (see review in SOS May 1997). Less than
a year later, the company have followed up the original 64X with the Studio 64XTC, which expands the
capabilities of the original to include facilities for synchronisation with ADATs and other digital audio
equipment. (This is similar to the functions provided in MOTU's competing MIDI Timepiece AV, which retails
for over £200 more than the Studio 64XTC, although the MOTU device is an 8-way unit more suited to
larger studios). You can use the Studio 64XTC to control one or more Alesis ADATs using MIDI Machine
Control (MMC) via the Studio 64XTC's ADAT Sync port (just as on the MOTU MTP AV), while running other
digital audio equipment from the XTC's Word Sync output. A Superclock output is available on the 64XTC
for use with Digidesign Pro Tools systems (more on superclock in a moment), and the unit will also sync to
blackburst house sync or to composite video signals (here, the XTC offers more than the MTP AV, which
only has one wordclock output, although this is switchable to provide superclock). Finally, composers
working to picture may be interested in the 64XTC's expansion port for Sony P2 9-pin connectors, which
will shortly allow MMC control of professional video decks.
Published in SOS April 1998
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If hooking up one or more ADATs is straightforward, controlling a Tascam
DA88 via MMC is not quite as simple, although you can with the aid of
Tascam's optional SY88 sync card, which can accept MTC (MIDI Time Code),
MMC and wordclock from the Studio 64XTC. You can use any MIDI
sequencer with MMC commands to send messages for play, record, pause,
stop, fast forward, rewind and track record-enable to MMC-compatible
hardware connected to the Studio 64XTC. On the Mac, MOTU's Performer,
Emagic's Logic, Steinberg's Cubase and Opcode's Vision all now support
MMC, as does the recent Pro Tools v4.1 software.
The Studio 64XTC can also function as a stand-alone MIDI patchbay, and
four user programs are accessible from the front panel to let you recall
routings and filter settings, although you can only edit these settings with the
included PC or Mac editing software (like its predecessor the 64X, the 64XTC
is compatible with both Apple Macs and IBM-compatible PCs). However,
seeing as most people will be using the 64XTC with a personal computer
anyway (to run their MIDI sequencer), this is no great hardship. You connect
the 64XTC to a PC using a PC-compatible 16550 COM port and to a Mac via
the standard serial port connector (the appropriate cables are included, as is
an adaptor for 25-pin PC serial ports).
A MME-compatible driver for Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows for
Workgroups is supplied on a PC floppy disk, along with a setup program that
installs the driver for you, as well as installing the other applications on the
disk; the XTCDIAG diagnostics software and PC Studio 64XTC program
editor. Macintosh users need to have Opcode's Open Music System (OMS)
installed in order for the program editing software to work, but fortunately for
those who don't have it, the latest version, 2.3.3, is supplied on the Mac floppy
disk, along with a specific driver for the Studio 64XTC and an OMS manual in
Adobe Acrobat PDF format. A well-written reference manual is also included
to explain both the Mac and PC software and the general operation of the
hardware.
pros & cons
OPCODE STUDIO
64XTC £429
pros
Simultaneous wordclock
and superclock outputs
(unlike MOTU's MTP
AV), ADAT Sync, MMC,
blackburst/video
reference input, 0.1%
pull-up/pull-down
sample rates, and full
SMPTE support as
standard.
Future expansion option
for Sony 9-pin P2 video
control.
Also provides a 4-In,
6-Out MIDI interfacing
with potential control of
up to 64 MIDI channels.
Can be linked to an
Opcode Studio 4 MIDI
interface to provide
additional MIDI Ins and
Outs.
cons
USER & PRESET PROGRAMS
The Studio 64XTC has four user programs that specify how it processes MIDI
input and output, and how its digital sync options are set up. These user
programs are stored in non-volatile (battery-backed up) memory and recalled
from the front panel using the Program button. When a user program is
selected, its settings are always active whether a MIDI software program is
running or even if the Studio 64XTC is not connected to a computer -- this
Larger professional
studios might need a
stand-alone MIDI
interface with more
inputs and outputs.
summary
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just click the scissors icon or type backspace, delete or clear. The Connection Grid also has a row and
Opcode Studio 64XTC http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr98/articles/studio64xtc.html?pri...
allows use of the Studio 64XTC with a stage rig without having the computer
connected, provided you've set up the programs you need beforehand.
As supplied from the factory, the Studio 64XTC's User Program 1 routes its
inputs and outputs to and from the computer only -- the ideal configuration for
MIDI sequencing. Program 2 routes each input to all outputs except the
corresponding output (so In 1 goes to Out 2, Out 3 and Out 4, for example),
while User Program 3 has each input routed only to its corresponding output
(eg. In 1 to Out 1 only, and so on) and User Program 4 routes all inputs to all
outputs. Also, each of the default user programs routes the ADAT port to and
from the computer -- which is necessary for MMC control of connected
ADATs. As well as the four user programs, the Studio 64XTC also has four
preset programs. Preset Program 1, marked Panic, sends an All Notes Off
message to each of the four MIDI ports to turn off stuck notes. Preset
Program 2, marked SMPTE, stripes SMPTE according to the settings for
frame rate start time and freewheel and MTC routing of the current user
program. To specify a particular format before striping, you can just call up the
SMPTE function and choose the desired frame rate with the Sync button -although you cannot save these settings without using the computer. Preset
Program 3, marked All, routes all the MIDI Ins directly to all the MIDI Outs,
while Preset Program 4, marked Tune, sends continuous A440 note
messages to each port. These can be used to verify that instruments are connected, turned on and set to
the proper volume levels.
PROGRAM EDIT WINDOW
User programs are displayed and edited from the Program Edit window, which can be accessed from the
Program Editor under Windows or from the OMS Setup application on the Mac. I tested the Studio 64XTC
connected to a Macintosh computer using the OMS Setup application. With the Studio 64XTC installed and
connected to the printer port of the Mac, an extra menu for the hardware appears in the OMS Setup menu
bar. The first two menu selections let you open the Program Edit and SMPTE windows (above). You can
also open and save, copy and paste, load and store settings for the Studio 64XTC on disk using further
menu selections here.
The Studio 64XTC is the
most cost-effective
synchroniser available
with such a wide range of
facilities -- it'll let you lock
just about anything in your
studio together. You can
work with MIDI
sequencers, ADATs,
DA88s (with the SY88
sync card installed), Pro
Tools and SMPTE coming
from analogue audio or
video recorders. In short,
it's ideal for the
well-equipped home
studio.
The Connection Grid at the left of the Program Edit window lets you define connections to route MIDI
between inputs on the left and outputs located at the top. Connections are indicated by MIDI socket icons;
to define one, you just click and drag across empty grid locations. To disable a selected connection, you
column for the Alesis ADAT to allow routing of MMC to a connected ADAT either from the computer or from
an external MIDI device.
The Audio Sync settings let you determine the sync reference
"I could report no
problems with it during
the period of the review,
despite my attempts to
confuse it with lengthy
SysEx dumps."
transmitting SMPTE to the ADAT in this window.
The SMPTE Monitor displays scrolling SMPTE frames when receiving or generating timecode and, when
receiving, the monitor will detect the frame rate automatically. Here you can set freewheeling (of which
more in a moment) and adjust the start time to be used when striping.
What particularly distinguishes the Studio 64XTC from the previous 64X model are the new synchronisation
capabilities. These have been added in recognition of the fact that many project studios are now using
ADATs or Pro Tools, or other digital audio recorders which need to be properly synchronised with
sequencers running on personal computers -- and possibly with video or audio tape recorders.
source, the source for receiving MTC, and the sample rate for
generated wordclock or superclock (a timing reference protocol
used by Digidesign and some other companies as an alternative
to standard wordclock sync signals). You would check the
Digital Phase Lock option here when using word and superclock
with digital audio hardware, as this provides the most accurate
sync, although it takes a little longer to lock up. If you are not
using digital audio, and are just sync'ing to SMPTE or MTC, you
can uncheck this item for faster lockup. You can also set the ID
for controlling a connected ADAT and specify an offset for
PERFECT SYNC
Like its predecessor, the Studio 64XTC supports all the commonly-used SMPTE frame rates and lets you
'freewheel' over a specified number of frames (up to 60 with the Studio 64XTC) to avoid sections of bad
timecode (for example those resulting from tape dropouts) when reading SMPTE off tape. This level of
sync is adequate if you want to synchronise a MIDI sequencer to timecode coming off a video or audio tape
recorder and have the MIDI sequence play from an appropriate SMPTE address while following any speed
variations of the incoming SMPTE code. Unfortunately, it's not good enough when it comes to
synchronising digital audio, as the timing reference of the audio also needs to locked to that of the incoming
SMPTE.
Here, it is important to make a distinction between the source of the SMPTE addresses and the source of
the timebase required for synchronising digital audio devices. A SMPTE address specifies a location from
which you can start all your devices playing, while a timebase source (such as a blackburst video signal
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Opcode Studio 64XTC http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr98/articles/studio64xtc.html?pri...
from a house sync device) provides an accurate timing reference. In case you were wondering, a
blackburst generator is used in professional studios to provide a master sync reference for all video devices
(and an increasing number of audio devices) to ensure that all these devices are locked together and also
locked to the video frames produced by the highly accurate blackburst video sync generator. Consumer
VCRs don't normally accept separate sync signals like this; instead they use composite video signals which
also contain timing information. Fortunately, the Studio 64XTC will accept either blackburst signals or
composite video as a timebase reference, so you can use the XTC with both professional and consumer
video equipment.
You should be aware that the address source does
not necessarily have to be the same as the timebase
source, so, for instance, you might use a highlystable video sync source as the timebase master,
while MTC comes from your sequencer as the
address source. If you are using any digital audio
devices, you will need to feed a wordclock or
superclock signal to your audio device to keep this
locked to the timebase alongside everything else.
The Studio 64XTC's sample rate setting controls the
wordclock and superclock generated, and you can
choose between 44.1 and 48kHz rates here.
You can also use Pull Up and Pull Down sample
rates to compensate for speed changes that occur
when transferring between film and video. If you are
scoring to film, a video worktape is usually provided
to which a copy of the film has been transferred using
the Telecine process. In the USA, this transfers a film
running at 24fps (frames per second) to video tape
running at 30fps. Recording at 30fps ensures that no
frames are lost in the transfer. Unfortunately, playing
this on NTSC video decks, which run at 29.97fps,
results in a slowed-down playback and consequently
a flattened audio pitch. This 'pulled-down' audio is
typically referred to as playing at 'tape speed' as
opposed to the original 'film speed'. If you need to
work with such a tape, you can use the Pull Up mode
when recording the tape's audio with your digital
audio hardware. After recording, disable the Pull Up
mode and the transferred audio will play back at 'film
speed'. Once you have a scratch track running at film
speed, you can then record additional audio or
dialogue as needed. On the other hand, if you are
working with digital audio tracks which are running at
'film speed' and you want to synchronise these with a
video tape which is playing at 'tape speed', the two
will drift out of sync and play back at different pitches
-- so you use the Pull Down mode here to
compensate for these discrepancies.
IN USE & CONCLUSION
In use, I am happy to report that the Studio 64XTC
behaved flawlessly -- exactly as a
interface/synchroniser ought to! I could report no
problems with it during the period of the review,
despite my attempts to confuse it with lengthy SysEx
dumps; it just sat there, sync'ing and interfacing
without any problems. In addition to this glowing
report, it's worth mentioning another of the Studio 64XTC's plus points -- the price. If you want reasonably
extensive sync options and multiple-port MIDI interfacing for under £500, this is the only box around that
will do the trick. Its nearest competitor is the MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV (reviewed in SOS January 1997),
although this costs over £200 more, which might put off owners of home studios on a budget. The great
thing about the Studio 64XTC is that it has everything you need to connect your computer-based MIDI
sequencer to all the popular audio and video equipment you are likely to encounter -- and achieve
professional synchronisation between these. Professional users are more likely to go for the MTP AV if they
need more MIDI ports, or the Digital Timepiece if they need the wider range of sync options available on
this, and Pro Tools users may well choose Digidesign's Universal Slave Driver (at over £1700) which offers
varispeed and specialised features for people working with film. Having said this, even professionals will
find the Studio 64XTC more than adequate for straightforward sync'ing requirements while doing
pre-production work.
The front panel has a couple of buttons to let you
program the unit, along with indicator LEDs for
MIDI activity and sync settings and a power on/off
switch with an associated LED indicator.
Front-panel programming is very straightforward;
you simply press the Program button to select
from the four user programs and the four preset
programs. When you have stepped through these
eight choices, further presses of the Program
button take you to the three sync functions:
Sample Rate, Sync Ref and SMPTE. When you
choose one of these three, you can edit the
settings using the Sync button, by pressing this
repeatedly to step through and select the various
options. The green Sync Status LEDs let you keep
track of what's going on here; when the chosen
sync function is Sample Rate, for example, the
appropriate LEDs indicate the sample rate of the
wordclock and superclock. They also indicate
whether the pull up or pull down function is in use
and whether an ADAT is connected or not. When
Sync Ref is chosen, the Sync button lets you
choose the sources for the address and the
timebase. You can do this independently too, so
that the SMPTE address information comes from
tape while the timebase information is supplied
from a blackburst source, for example. Finally,
when the chosen function is SMPTE, the LEDs
indicate the frame rate of any SMPTE or MTC
being received or transmitted.
On the back panel, there are the four MIDI inputs
and six MIDI outputs, the 9-pin serial port
connector for PCs and 8-pin serial connector for
Macs, and a second 8-pin RS422 connector which
lets you hook up an Opcode Studio 4 to provide
extra MIDI ports. Three BNC connectors are also
provided -- one each for wordclock and
superclock, and a third for blackburst/video sync
input. A further 9-pin port provides ADAT sync
output, and a pair of quarter-inch jack sockets
carry SMPTE signals in and out. Finally, there is
the small connector to attach the external power
supply.
ALL FRONT (& BACK)
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£429 including VAT.
SCV London, 6-24
Southgate Road, London
N1 3JJ.
0171 923 1892.
0171 241 3644.
mail@scvlondon.co.uk
www.scvlondon.co.uk
Published in SOS April 1998
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