Fostex invented timecode DAT in 1987. At the lime the fusion of our skills in tape transport control and the emerging digital technology was seen by the industry as revolutionary. (The results can still be seen in recording studios around the world.) The revolution continues today with the introduction of Fostex D-30.
What differentiates the Fostex D-30 from its competition?
The large high resolution backlit LCD display which allows the status of the machine to be determined at a glance – the first time the user can easily see and control the set up and the status of a DAT machine.
Ten soft keys arranged around the display enable different functions to be selected with ease and speed. Touch any one of these keys and you will find an intuitive hierarchical menu structure where every option is clearly identified.
The Fostex D-30 offers the ultimate answer to concerns that you might have about formal reliability: it enables you to see the DAT tape and the four-head drum, so you can actually see if the tape is engaged and moving. Couple this with the familiar large, illuminated transport buttons and the four-motor mechanism and you will be more reassured than ever that your master is in good hands. In fact, the whole front panel is designed to give you instant visual feedback on the status of the machine.
The Fostex D-30 uses RAM. For the first lime on any DAT machine, you can hear not only accurately but instantly what you are scrubbing, allowing you to find sync or edit points immediately. The D-30’s RAM is close coupled Io the transport which allows for fast and accurate usage – just as in the days of analogue tape. Only better.
The two megabytes of RAM in the standard Fostex D-30 give you 10 seconds of storage permanently available, constantly running in parallel with the tape. Apart from enabling you to use the Instant Start function repeatedly and continuously, this also means that you can scrub both the audio and the timecode together wherever you slop the tape. Throw in independent channel recording (for twin track SFX for example), variable length crossfades (0ms to 300ms), Spot Erase and Auto Cue-up then the problems of assemble or insert editing become things of the past.
With the 8331-option card the has an additional two megabytes of source RAM which allows you Io cut, copy and paste internally, and then preview the edit before committing to tape. Off tape the Fostex D-30 is also an expert. Using the dual function Fast-Forward and Rewind keys the transport can be motioned at 5 or 100 times play speed. In tape shuttle mode search al 112 Io 16 times play speed or use tape jog mode for more precise location of points.
What more can you expect from this machine?
A fully implemented chase lock synchroniser. It goes without saying that the Fostex D-300 reads timecode; it will also generate and regenerate timecode. Offsets can be captured and adjusted on the fly whilst the large display shows you external timecode, tape timecode, current offset, chase mode and lock window – all updated in real time.
The incorporation oi a wideband LTC (1/30th to 50 times play speed) and VITC reader puts the Fostex D-30 into a class of its own it will never be left trailing in the wake of your video machine. We have included all Ihe standard clock references oi word, video and DAT frame, added the ability to resolve to incoming timecode and finished with a regenerated video sync output.
Naturally, the Fostex D-30 supports Sony 9-pin protocol but the unique, availability of two RS-122 ports means that il can control a video machine. Useful for lay-offs and lay-backs. You will be able to control another 9-pin DAT player and better still, if you have two Fostex D-30s (one filled with an 8331 card) then you will be able to perform machine to machine editing, previewing and fine, tuning in RAM – all without the added expense oi a separate edit controller. li system integration concerns you, it shouldn’t. VTR emulation is supported as standard, and we have included IDs for most popular machines.
Pull-up and pull-down of 44.1kHz & 48kHz sampling frequencies, to finally help solve, those tricky standards problems, no more NTSC nightmares! 799 program numbers and a user-settable level or the auto-recording oi them, mean that getting lost on long DAT tapes is a thing of the past. Two expansion slots into which, for example, you can plug options such as the 8331 parallel GPI card for custom installation interfacing.
And it’s easy to service – remove the six screws on the front panel and you can access all the, main sub-assemblies. Finally, just in case you thought we might have overlooked the fidelity of the sound produced by the we haven’t. It uses the highest quality 18bit A/D and D/A Converters … and it sounds excellent!
