Tascam FW-1884 User Manual

D00731500A

Professional Control Surface / FireWire Audio-MIDI Interface

OWNER’S MANUAL

The following marking is located on the bottom of the unit:

Ü

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert

ÿ
Ÿ

This appliance has a serial number
located on the rear panel. Please record
the model number and serial number
and retain them for your records.

Model number
Serial number

the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure
that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the pres­ence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK

HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS

APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

Important Safety Precautions

IMPORTANT (for U.K. Customers)

DO NOT cut off the mains plug from this equipment.

If the plug fitted is not suitable for the power points in your home
or the cable is too short to reach a power point, then obtain an
appropriate safety approved extension lead or consult your dealer.

If nonetheless the mains plug is cut off, remove the fuse
dispose of the plug immediately, to avoid a possible shock hazard
by inadvertent connection to the mains supply.

If this product is not provided with a mains plug, or one has to be
fitted, then follow the instructions given below:

IMPORTANT: The wires in this mains lead are coloured in
accordance with the following code:

GREEN-AND-YELLOW : EARTH
BLUE : NEUTRAL
BROWN : LIVE

WARNING: This apparatus must be earthed.

As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may
not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the
terminals in your plug proceed as follows:

The wire which is coloured GREEN-and-YELLOW must be
connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked by the letter
E or by the safety earth symbol ç or coloured GREEN or
GREEN-and-YELLOW.

and

For U.S.A

TO THE USER

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class A digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residental area
is likely to cause harmful interference in which
case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.

CAUTION

Changes or modifications to this equipment not
expressly approved by TEAC CORPORATION
for compliance could void the user’s authority to
operate this equipment.

The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the
terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK.

The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the
terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED.

When replacing the fuse only a correctly rated approved type
should be used and be sure to re-fit the fuse cover.
IF IN DOUBT — CONSULT A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN.

For CANADA

This class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian
ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la class A est conforme à la
norme NMB-003 du Canada

CE Marketing Information

a) Applicable Electromagnetic Environment: E4
b) Peak inrush current: 7A

For the consumers in Europe
WARNING

This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment, this
product may cause radio interference in which case the user
may be required to take adequate measures.

Pour les utilisateurs en Europe
AVERTISSEMENT

Il s’agit d’un produit de Classe A. Dans un environnement
domestique, cet appareil peut provoquer des interférences
radio, dans ce cas l’utilisateur peut être amené à prendre
des mesures appropriées.

Für Kunden in Europa
Warnung

Dies ist eine Einrichtung, welche die Funk-Entstörung nach
Klasse A besitzt. Diese Einrichtung kann im Wohnbereich
Funkstörungen versursachen; in diesem Fall kann vom
Betrieber verlang werden, angemessene Maßnahmen
durchzuführen und dafür aufzukommen.

2 TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual

Important Safety Instructions

1 Read these instructions.
2 Keep these instructions.
3 Head all warnings.
4 Follow all instructions.
5 Do not use this apparatus near water.
6 Clean only with dry cloth.
7 Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in

accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8 Do not install near any heat sources such as radia-

tors, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized

or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than the other. Grounding
type plug has two blades and a third grounding
prong. The wide blade or the third prong are pro­vided for your safety. If the provided plug does not
fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10 Protect the power cord from being walked on or

pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience recep­tacles, and the point where they exit from the
apparatus.

11 Only use attachments/accessories specified by the

manufacturer.

12 Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or

table specified by the manufacturer or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.

13 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or

when unused for long periods of time.

14 Refer all serving to qualified service personnel. Ser-

vicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has
been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate
normally, or has been dropped.

• Do not expose this apparatus to drips or splashes.

• Do not place any objects filled with liquids, such
as vases, on the apparatus.

• Do not install this apparatus in a confined space
such as a book case or similar unit.

• The apparatus draws nominal non-operating
power from the AC outlet with its POWER switch
in the off position.

TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual 3

Table of Contents

1 – Introduction

1.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.2 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.3 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1.4 In The Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1.5 Nomenclature Used In The Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.6 Software application notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.7 Special notes for touch-faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.8 Copyright, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 – Controls And Indicators

2.1 Front Panel Illustration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2.2 Rear Panel Illustration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.3 Front Panel Control Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2.4 Rear Panel Control Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3 – Functional Overview

3.1 Control Surface Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3.2 Global Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3.3 Dedicated Computer Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3.4 Dedicated Modifier Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3.5 MIDI Routing Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3.6 Clock System Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.7 Monitoring and Metering Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4 – Control Surface Modes and Operation

4.1 Computer Control Mode – (General Notes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

4.1.1 Native Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

4.1.2 Mackie Emulation Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

4.1.3 HUI Emulation Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

4.2 MIDI Control Mode – (General Notes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

4.2.1 Customizing MIDI Control Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

4.2.2 Programming Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4.2.3 Programming Encoders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

4.2.4 Programming Faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4.2.5 Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

4.2.5 “Hidden” functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

4.3 Monitor Mix Mode – (General Notes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4.3.1 Audio I/O and the Monitor Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4.3.2 Monitoring Setups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

4.3.3 Setting Input Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

4.3.4 SOLO modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

4.3.4 “Hidden” functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

5 – Host Computer Interfacing

5.1 Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

5.1.1 SETTINGS TAB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

5.1.2 ROUTING TAB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

5.1.3 MIDI PROGRAMMING TAB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

6 – Troubleshooting and Support

6.1 Audio Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

6.2 Control surface issues

6.3 Contacting Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

7 – Appendices

7.1 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

7.2 Dimensional drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

7.3 FW-1884 “Hidden” Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

4 TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual

1.1 Overview

1 – Introduction

Thank you for choosing the TASCAM FW-1884. We
designed the FW-1884 to be an all-in-one solution for
your computer-based digital audio workstation system.
Its integrated design incorporates a high-resolution
professional multi-channel audio interface and inte­grated zero-latency input monitor mixer, a fully inde­pendent 4 x 4 MIDI interface and routing matrix, and
a highly programmable, ergonomically designed con­trol surface for your audio software.

The FW-1884 was designed to be the nerve center of
your digital audio environment. Its versatile control
surface features nine touch-sensitive motorized faders,
transport and multi-function controls for direct, imme­diate communication between your audio software and
you. Its full complement of analog mic and line inputs,
ADAT and S/PDIF inputs and outputs provides a high
resolution, 24 bit audio front end for input and output
of your digital audio workstation. With eight analog

1.2 Features

The audio input section is fully 24-bit and can accom­modate sample rates of up to 96 kHz. It is capable of
inputting up to 18 simultaneous channels of audio to
your computer. It features eight analog XLR inputs
with professional quality microphone preamps and
switchable phantom power, as well as eight line inputs
with channel inserts. Digital inputs are available in
ADAT lightpipe, TOSLink and S/PDIF coaxial con­figurations.

The output section offers eight balanced line level ana­log outputs. Outputs 1 and 2 can be used alone to pro­vide a two-channel mix output, or up to eight outputs
can be used independently to configure a multi-chan­nel surround mix. ADAT lightpipe, TOSLink and S/
PDIF coaxial digital outputs are also featured.

The MIDI section features a fully independent 4 x 4
MIDI patchbay. Routing and configuration can be eas­ily controlled via the FW-1884’s front panel. For syn­chronization to external devices, word clock input and
output is offered on 75 Ω coaxial BNC connectors.

and ten digital outputs it can accommodate various
surround modes, and its integrated free-standing mixer
provides the connectivity you need for your entire stu­dio. Its fully configurable 4 x 4 MIDI routing matrix
requires no external software. And it connects to your
Windows or MacOS computer with a single
FireWire connection.

Please take some time to look through this owners
manual and familiarize yourself with the FW-1884’s
features and operation. We suggest you pay particular
attention to the operational notes for your software
application(s) of choice. You may also want to refer to
your software’s documentation in many cases, for a
clear understanding of how certain features are inte­grated. Your experience with the FW-1884 will be
greatly enhanced by a good working knowledge of your
audio software.

The FW-1884’s control surface is intuitively designed
to integrate with all major digital audio workstation
software. Its nine touch-sensitive faders respond
instantly to your commands and update just as quickly.
Its transport controls, shuttle wheel and generous array
of application-dedicated switches puts deep control of
your audio software at your fingertips.

The FW-1884 is supported under Windows XP and
Windows 2000, as well as MacOS 9.2.2 or later, and
MacOS X.2.4 (Jaguar) or later. In addition, your com­puter must be fitted with an IEEE-1394 (FireWire)
interface. (NOTE: Some manufacturers may use a dif­ferent nomenclature to refer to their FireWire con-
nections, such as Sony’s “iLink”, or simply “1394”.)

The FW-1884 comes with a high-quality six-pin to six­pin interface cable. We strongly suggest you use this
cable, or one of equal quality, for optimum audio per­formance. If your computer is fitted with a 4-pin inter­face, you will need to obtain a 4-pin to 6-pin IEEE
1394 cable, available at most computer dealers.

The FW-1884 is supplied with a 2 m (6-foot) cable. If
you wish to use a longer cable, the length should not be
more than 4.5 m (15 feet) and the cable should be the
best possible quality available to avoid data loss, which
results in audio dropouts.

TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual 5

1 – Introduction

NOTE

Despite the fact that you can connect and disconnect
the FW-1884 to and from the computer with power
turned on, we strongly recommend that all connections
and disconnections are made without the DAW soft­ware using the FW-1884 running. If the DAW software
is running when connections are made or broken, it
may result in your computer crashing, or “freezing” and
possible loss of data. This also applies to turning the
power of the FW-1884 on and off when it is con­nected—turn on the power before launching the DAW
software, and quit the software before turning off the
FW-1884.

1.3 System Requirements

The FW-1884 is supported under Windows XP and
Windows 2000. The FW-1884 is not supported under
Windows 98 or Windows ME.

In the case of Windows 2000, you must be running
SP3 or SP4 and then install the supplied Hotfix. Win­dows 2000 SP5 includes the Hotfix, so there is no need
to install it separately. For Windows XP, you must be
running SP1 and then install the supplied Hotfix.
Windows XP SP2 includes the Hotfix, so there is no
need to install it separately.

1.4 In The Box

The FW-1884’s box contains the items listed below.
When opening the package please be certain all the
items listed are included. If any items are missing,
please consult your TASCAM dealer.

• FW-1884

•Power cable

• IEEE 1394 6-pin to 6-pin cable

On the Mac, the FW-1884 is supported under MacOS

9.2.2 or later, and Mac OSX version 10.2.4 or later.
Earlier versions of Mac operating systems are not sup­ported.

• A CD-ROM containing the driver and utility soft­ware and documentation for the FW-1884 (Win­dows and Mac compatible).

•This manual

•The Setup Guide

• Warranty card.

6 TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual

1.5 Nomenclature Used In The Manual

1 – Introduction

Within this manual, the following typographic conven­tions are used:

• The name of a control or connector on the unit is
written in the following way: LINE/MIC.

• The name of a control or connector on another unit
is written in the following way: AUX IN.

• When referring to the screen display of the host com­puter, we refer to any prompts, messages, etc. in the
following typeface:

Press any key to continue.

1.6 Software application notes

Since much of the FW-1884’s operation pertains
directly to your DAW software, TASCAM has prepared
a series of application notes on using the FW-1884
with a number of different DAW programs. These
application notes are included on the FW-1884 CD­ROM, and are available online in PDF format on the
TASCAM website at www.tascam.com.

• If you have to type something into the computer, we
write it this way:

• The names of keys to be pressed on the computer
keyboard are written in this typeface with square
brackets enclosing them [F1].

• Keys that are to be pressed together are joined by a +
symbol, so that [Ctrl]+[F1] means press and hold
the Control key and press the F1 key.

To read them, you will need an application capable of
displaying PDF files, such as the Adobe Acrobat Reader
(version 4 or above), available for free download from
the Adobe Web site at www.adobe.com.

Since software applications and operating systems often
evolve and develop after their initial release, we suggest
you check the TASCAM site regularly for updated
information. It’s also a good idea to check your soft­ware manufacturer’s website regularly, for information
and version updates.

FILENAME.EXT.

1.7 Special notes for touch-faders

The usual rules regarding precision electronic equip­ment naturally apply to the FW-1884. In addition,
note the following that apply to the touch-sensitive fad­ers:

The faders need a human finger to operate their touch­sensitivity. Do not use a pencil, ruler, etc. to operate
them. Even using your fingernails may not activate the
touch-sensitivity.

1.8 Copyright, etc.

Windows, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 are trade­marks of Microsoft Corporation.

Macintosh, MacOS, MacOS X and FireWire are
trademarks of Apple Computer.

i.LINK is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

The humidity and temperature of your environment
affects the touch-sensitivity of the faders. Under nor­mal working conditions you should experience no
issues. However, extremes of temperature and/or
humidity may sometimes cause operational problems.

HUI and Mackie CONTROL are trademarks of
Mackie Designs.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective
holders.

TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual 7

2 – Controls And Indicators

2.1 Front Panel Illustration.

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8 TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual

2.2 Rear Panel Illustration

2 – Controls And Indicators

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TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual 9

2 – Controls And Indicators

2.3 Front Panel Control Descriptions

1. Trim Pots 1-8 – These are analog level controls

for the input level of the Mic (XLR) and line inputs 1 –

8. Their function is the same regardless of the control
surface mode selected. It’s important to note that the
best signal-to-noise ratios are achieved by maximizing
the level of analog inputs at the A/D converters. For the
mic and line inputs of the FW-1884, the trim controls
provide the means for optimizing these levels. For a
complete discussion of this issue, please refer to Section
section 4.3.3, “Setting Input Levels”

2. Phantom Power Indicator LEDs – These

LEDs light to indicate +48 V phantom power to the
XLR microphone inputs. Phantom power is switchable
in two groups of four channels, channels 1-4 and chan­nels 5-8. The LEDs are unaffected by control mode
selection.

3. Signal and OL LEDs 1-8 – The signal LEDs

light to indicate the presence of an audio signal on the
corresponding analog input. The OL LEDs light to
indicate a signal peaking at –2.5dBFS or higher by
default. (This level is adjustable between 0.0 dBFS and

5.0 dBFS, in 0.5 dB increments, via the FW-1884’s
control panel.) This indicates an overloaded input –
reduce the input level to that channel until this light
goes out. These LEDs indicate signal level to the eight
analog inputs regardless of the control surface mode
selected.

4. Channel Rotary Encoders – In COM-

PUTER Control mode, these rotary encoders affect the
application parameter currently selected by the
Encoder keys. In most cases, the PAN and AUX 1-8
Encoder keys correspond to the associated Pan and Aux
Send parameters in the host application. Refer to the
Application Notes for your software for details.

In MON MIX mode, these encoders function exclu­sively as PAN controls, and the associated PAN
encoder key is always lit.

In MON MIX mode, these LEDs are used to show that
channel’s PAN location. Rotating an encoder will cause
the SEL and REC LEDs to shift left/right as you move.

In MIDI CTL mode these LEDs have no function.

6. Channel SEL Keys and LEDs – In COM-

PUTER Control mode, these keys select the associated
channel as active in the host application. The EQ con­trols will typically address the host application’s
SELected channel. In most cases, holding the REC key
and pressing one or more channel SEL keys will arm
the host application’s associated channels for recording.
Refer to the Application Notes for your software for
details.

In MON MIX mode, pressing a channel’s SEL key
causes the REC indicators to show the selected chan­nel’s pan position (indicator 1 is lit with pan position at
full left, indicator 8 is lit at hard right, indicators 4 and
5 are lit together when panned center, etc.).

In MIDI CTL mode, these keys send out specific con­troller commands.

7. Channel SOLO keys – In COMPUTER Con-

trol mode, these keys will solo their respective channels,
while muting the audio on all other channels in the
host application. Any number of channels can be
soloed simultaneously. (Note that in COMPUTER
Control mode, the operation of the SOLO function is
dictated by the host application. For more information
please refer to the Application notes for your DAW
software application.)

In MON MIX mode, the SOLO keys function is iden­tical, but only affecting the FW-1884’s built-in moni­tor mixer. The SOLO mode (Pre-Fader Listen or Solo­in-Place) is selected by the PFL key. The PFL function
applies only to the monitor mix SOLOs.

In MIDI CTL mode, these keys send out specific con­troller commands.

In MIDI CTL mode, these encoders send out continu­ous controller commands.

5. Channel REC LEDs – In COMPUTER Con-

trol mode, these LEDs light or blink to indicate that
the selected channel(s) are in record-ready or record
status. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

10 TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual

8. Channel MUTE keys – In COMPUTER

Control mode, these keys will mute the audio of the
selected channel. Any number of channels can be
muted simultaneously.

In MON MIX mode, the MUTE keys function is
identical, but only affecting the monitor mix.

In MIDI Control mode, these keys send out specific
controller commands.

2 – Controls And Indicators

9. Channel Faders – In COMPUTER Control

mode, the channel faders send continuous controller
information to banks of eight channels in the host
application’s software mixer. The current bank is
selected by the BANK keys.

In MON MIX mode, the channel faders control the
monitor level of the audio inputs, as selected by the
BANK keys:

Bank 1 = analog inputs
Bank 2 = ADAT inputs
Bank 3 = S/PDIF inputs (channels 1 and 2 only. Chan-

nels 3-8 are inactive.)

NOTE: The faders do not affect the input level to the
host computer.

In MIDI control mode, the channel faders send out
continuous MIDI controller commands.

10. FLIP key – In COMPUTER Control mode, this

key will switch the control parameters of the Channel
Faders and their associated Channel Rotary Encoders.
(Example: if the Rotary Encoder is set to Aux Send
function, pressing the FLIP key will cause the encoder
to control the channel level, while the channel fader
will control the Aux Send function.)

13. SHORTCUT KEYS:

CONTROL PANEL – This key will open the FW-

1884’s Control Panel on the host computer. Pressing
the key a second time will close the Control Panel. It
will function as long as the host computer is connected
and running, whether or not an application is active.
This key functions globally, regardless of selected con­trol surface mode.

SAVE/F1 – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this key

is normally mapped to the host application’s Save func­tion. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

REVERT/F2 – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this

key is normally mapped to the host application’s Revert
function. Refer to the Application Notes for your soft­ware for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

11. PAN key – In COMPUTER control mode,

when the PAN key is pressed, the Channel Rotary
Encoders will control the Panning function for the cur­rently selected bank of eight channels in the host appli­cation.

In MON MIX mode this key has no function, but
remains lit since the channel encoders only function as
PANs.

In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI
control commands.

12. AUX keys 1-8 – In COMPUTER Control

mode, when an AUX key is pressed, the Channel
Rotary Encoders will control the Auxilliary Send level
for the selected bank of eight channels in the host
application.

In MON MIX mode, these keys have no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, these keys send out specific

MIDI controller commands.

ALL SAFE/F3 – In COMPUTER Control Mode,

this key is normally mapped to the host application’s
All Safe function (deactivating any tracks armed for
recording). Refer to the Application Notes for your
software for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

CLR SOLO/F4 – In COMPUTER Control Mode,

this key is normally mapped to the host application’s
Clear Solo function (disengaging any Soloed channels).
Generally, holding SHIFT and pressing this key will
clear all mutes. In both cases, the key will affect all
channels, even those which are not currently visible.
Refer to the Application Notes for your software for
details.

In MON MIX mode this key will clear all soloed input
monitor channels, even on channel fader banks that are
not currently visible. Holding SHIFT and pressing this
key will clear all mutes, even on channel fader banks
that are not currently visible.

In MIDI Control mode, this key sends out specific
MIDI control commands.

TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual 11

2 – Controls And Indicators

MARKER/F5 – In COMPUTER Control Mode,

this key is normally mapped to the host application’s
Place Marker function. Refer to the Application Notes
for your software for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

LOOP/F6 – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this

key is normally mapped to the host application’s Acti­vate/Deactivate Loop (repeat) mode function. Refer to
the Application Notes for your software for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

CUT – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this key is

normally mapped to the host application’s Cut func­tion. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

DEL - In COMPUTER Control Mode, this key is

normally mapped to the host application’s Delete func­tion. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

COPY – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this key is

normally mapped to the host application’s Copy func­tion. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

PASTE – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this key is

normally mapped to the host application’s Paste func­tion. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.

In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI
controller commands.

ALT/CMD – This is a modifier key. When held, it

modifies the behavior of other selected keys. Its behav­ior is entirely dependent on the host application sup­port; in some cases it will replicate the behavior of the
associated key on your computer keyboard, while in
others it may modify the FW-1884’s surface controls.
Refer to the Application Notes for your software for
details.

This key always sends messages to the host computer,
regardless of which control mode is selected for the rest
of the control surface.

UNDO – In COMPUTER Control Mode, this key is

normally mapped to the host application’s Undo func­tion. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, this key has no function.
In MIDI CTL mode, this key sends out specific MIDI

controller commands.

SHIFT – This is a modifier key. When held, it modi-

fies the behavior of other selected keys. Its behavior is
entirely dependent on the host application support; in
some cases it will replicate the behavior of the SHIFT
key on your computer keyboard, while in others it may
address the FW-1884’s surface controls. Refer to the
Application Notes for your software for details.

This key always sends messages to the host computer,
regardless of which control mode is selected for the rest
of the control surface.

In MON MIX mode, holding SHIFT and pressing
CLR SOLO clears all mutes.

CTRL – This is a modifier key. When held, it modifies

the behavior of other selected keys. Its behavior is
entirely dependent on the host application support; in
some cases it will replicate the behavior of the CON­TROL key on your computer keyboard, while in others
it may address the FW-1884’s surface controls. Refer to
the Application Notes for your software for details.

This key always sends messages to the host computer,
regardless of which control mode is selected for the rest
of the control surface.

12 TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual

2 – Controls And Indicators

14. REC key – In COMPUTER Control mode, this

is a modifier key. When pressed and held, it modifies
the behavior of other selected keys. Its behavior is
entirely dependent on the host application support.
Typically, holding the REC key and pressing a channel
SEL key will arm the selected DAW channel(s) for
recording. Refer to the Application Notes for your soft­ware for details.

In MIDI CTL and MON MIX modes, this key is inac­tive and sends no data.

15. EQ Controls - In COMPUTER Control

mode, the EQ functions are normally mapped to the
corresponding parameters on the host application soft­ware. Refer to the Application Notes for your software
for details.

In MON MIX mode, the EQ controls have no func­tion.

In MIDI CTL mode, the four EQ band keys send out
specific MIDI messages, while the three rotary encod­ers send out specific continuous controller commands.

The following descriptions apply in COMPUTER
control mode only:

FREQUENCY – Normally mapped to the frequency

control of the selected band on the host application’s
EQ section.

Q (Bandwidth) – Normally mapped to the Q

(bandwidth) control of the selected band on the host
application’s EQ section.

GAIN - Normally mapped to the Gain control of the

selected band on the host application’s EQ section.

LOW key – Normally selects the Low band of the

host application’s EQ section.

LOW MID key – Normally selects the Low Mid

band of the host application’s EQ section.

HIGH MID key – Normally selects the High Mid

band of the host application’s EQ section.

HIGH key – Normally selects the High band of the

host application’s EQ section.

16. PFL key – In COMPUTER Control mode, this

key has no function. Solo monitoring of tracks from
the host audio application is handled by the host appli­cation, and soloed tracks appear as outputs from the
host application.

In MON MIX mode, this key toggles the state of the
Solo function from PFL (Pre-Fader Listen) to Solo-In­Place. Refer to section 4.3, “Monitor Mix Mode –
(General Notes)” for further details.

In MIDI CTL mode, this key has no effect.

17. Solo level control – This is an analog level

control for the output level of the Solo buss. It func­tions independently of Control mode selection, and
only affects the level of the Monitor Mix channels
when soloed in PFL mode.

18. Stereo LED level meters – The twelve-seg-

ment stereo LED meters display the level of the moni­tor buss stereo output, before the Monitor Level
output. The signal are metered before the Monitor
Level control, so its position will not affect the level at
the LEDs The meters can monitor Inputs only, DAW
channels only, or both sources simultaneously. Three
metering modes – Instantaneous, Peak Decay or Peak
Hold – are available. For more information on meter­ing functions, refer to section 3.7, “Monitoring and
Metering Modes”.

19. Monitor level control – This is an analog

level control for the output level of the Monitor buss. It
can affect all eight analog outputs, or only analog out­puts 1 and 2, depending on the settings selected in the
FW-1884 Control Panel. For more information refer to
section 5.1, “Control Panel”. Its function is the same
regardless of the control mode selected.

20. Headphone level control – This is an ana-

log level control for the level of the Headphone output.
Its function is the same regardless of the control mode
selected.

21. Clock input LEDs – These LEDs show the

current status of the digital clock master.

• FireWire – FireWire (indicates valid FireWire
connection to the host computer)

• CLOCK – Internal Crystal Clock

• ADAT – ADAT Lightpipe Input

• D IN – S/PDIF digital input

22. Surface Mode Selection keys - These

keys function globally to select the Control Surface
Mode. For more information on the FW-1884’s vari­ous Control modes, please refer to section 3.1, “Con­trol Surface Modes”, and to the Application notes for
your software.

TASCAM FW-1884 Owner’s Manual 13