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Panasonic 744T Speaker System User Manual

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1. 11 i Rec Timer Stop Set a specific time date to stop record enter time date ing May be used with or without the Rec Timer Start May be set before the Timer Start time to temporarily stop recording and then resume recording with Timer Start 12 Rec Error Handler Sets the behavior when a hard drive Stop recording _ write error occurs Create New Take 13 Input Routing Allows the user to setup their routing 12A 2B l matrix among all available inputs and 1 gt A 1 gt B tracks There are four preset routings and e 1 gt A B 2 A B one custom routing available Pressing 12A 22 B 32C 4 D the input select key repeatedly will cycle 1 225 A 1 5 B 22 C 3 D through all preset routings 12 AC 2 BD m f 37C 4 gt D Primarily accessible from the Input Select Key Custom Route 14 i Input 1 48V Phantom Enables or disables 48 V phantom power Off 15 Input 2 48V Phantom on inputs 1 and 2 On Mic l On Mic and Line 16 j Mic Inputs Limiter Enables or disables the analog input Disabled limiter on input 1 and 2 mic preamps Enabled 17 Mic Input 1 Low Cut Enables the high pass low cut filter to Disabled 18 Mic Input 2 Low Cut reduce sensitivity to low frequencies Enabled 19 Mic Input 1 Low Cut Freq Selection of twelve high pass filter 40 80 160 240 Hz 12 dB oct 20 Mic Input 2 Low Cut Fre
2. By definition of the file format MP3 recordings are limited to two tracks therefore only tracks A and B are available for assignment Time code is not a part of the MP3 format Even with time code enabled and running during MP3 recording time code will not be recorded with the file Recording and Playback Recording and playback of audio are unquestionably the most important functions of the 744T The user interface of the product has been designed to leverage the existing paradigm of a tape record er so that the unit is easily understood Recording and playback functions are quite similar to that of tape based machines however the nature of a non linear recording medium provides additional control not possible with tape based recorders SOUND Q DEVICES EJ 744T User Guide and Technical Information Recording REC The largest most easily accessed control on the 744T is its record key Recording takes priority over all activity except for disk formatting disk speed tests and file transfers The 744T will immediately enter record mode whenever the record key is pressed When recording the adjacent red LED will illuminate to indicate that the unit is in record mode If no inputs are routed to tracks recording cannot take place Make certain that at least one record track is assigned for recording While recording the power ff rew input tone and drive keys are disabled Recording is stopped by pressing and ho
3. 5 pin LEMO XLR M and XLR F used to connect the time code output to SMTPE time code inputs and outputs BNC to BNC to connect word clock from external sources to the 744T for synchronizing the 744T also used to sync external devices from the word clock of the 744T 5 pin LEMO to BNC used to jam video cameras from the 744T E firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Keyboard Shortcuts Menu Navigation Shortcuts To speed navigation the 744T has numerous navigation shortcuts The following is a complete list a n acts as an escape key and exits from most menus and functions immediately REC drops all functions except file copy and begins recording e Qo press simultaneously to enter the time code jam menu GO C2 press backlight then tone to lock all front panel buttons except for Record Stop and Play FF and Rev are available in playback mode Use backlight and tone again to unlock the panel press repeatedly to cycle through input routing presets Last preset will open the input routing menu to the custom route selection C2 toggles input 1 phantom power C2 toggles input 2 phantom power amp toggles input 2 high pass GZ C toggles input 2 high pass SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Glossary of Terms daily folder a directory generated b
4. In the example below the data rate of a single 16 bit 48 kHz audio stream is computed in megabytes per minute Division by 1 048 576 converts from bits to megabits Division by 8 converts from mega bits to megabytes multiply by 60 converts seconds to minutes 16 x 48000 1 048 576 8 x 60 5 19 MB min El firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Recording Time Calculation MP3 Compressed Record Time in Hours MP3 Data Rate bit depth sample rate stereo track 64 kb s 96 kb s 128 kb s 160 kb s 192 kb s 256 kb s 320 kb s 0 47 MB min 0 70 MB min 0 94 MB min 1 17 MB min 1 40 MB min 1 86 MB min 2 34 MB min 1 35 29 07 140 Wo 8 7 V NCNE Mut ONE M GG se iem 4 wu 9 n 8 Ag 83 28 5 1 GB e ur LM x MEE EE Tk ad uar NM MEM WEEK AT ER NREN Cum Xs ur c2 ua NM GNE S 1000 MB Storage in GB The chart above shows recording time available with the 744T when recording to an MP3 file Time is expressed in hours at the specified MP3 supported by the 744T Note that all recordings are two channel recordings Compressed Audio When digital audio is compressed using some form of lossy perceptual process such as MPEG2 Layer3 MP3 audio Windows Media encoding WMA ATRAC encoding used in MiniDisc AAC MPEG 4 audio or others it can
5. 3 5 mm tip signal L mates with 3 5 mm TRS jack Headphone ring signal R sleeve signal ground 5 pin LEMO 1 ground LEMO B series connector Time code 2 SMPTE In 3 ASCII in out 4 tuning out 5 time code out AES3id S PDIF Inputs center pin signal sleeve ground BNC female unbalanced coaxial connection 75 ohm connectors recommended AES3id S PDIF Outputs center pin signal sleeve ground BNC female unbalanced coaxial connection 75 ohm connectors recommended Word Clock Input and Output center pin signal sleeve ground BNC female unbalanced coaxial connection 75 ohm connectors recommended FireWire 1394 I center pin signal sleeve ground 1394 6 pin male FireWire cable C Link In Out 1 4 3 3V 2 Tx output 3 ground 4 Rx input 5 WCin 6 TCin Not a telephone jack Hirose 4 pin DC Input 1 ground 2 ground same as pin 1 3 DC charge 4 DC operate SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Recording Time Calculation The calculation of available 744T recording time involves three factors track count how many concurrent audio tracks are selected for recording data rate calculated from the sample rate and bit depth for non compressed audio and by bit rate for data compressed audio Data rate determines how big the data container is for the
6. The peak meters front panel markings are calibrated in dBFS decibels relative to full scale digital signal Peak Hold Essentially the same as Peak metering where the peak level indication will hold for the peak level indication for several seconds Peak hold indicators are useful for metering in applications when an overload condition is unacceptable Peak VU The meter can simultaneously display VU and Peak level information In this mode the perceived loudness VU is displayed on a bar graph and the Peak signal on a dot above the VU With this SOUND Q DEVICES 23 744T User Guide and Technical Information combination the user gets the best of both VU and Peak metering by seeing both the loudness of the signal and the peaks at the same time Peak VU is the factory default Peak Hold VU Similar to VU Peak mode this mode holds the peak level indication for several seconds before releasing Peak Hold indicators are useful for metering in applications when an overload condition is unacceptable Peak LEDs 1234 O OOnc 1 input peak LEDs 000 000 um input signal present LEDs Onk gt oof 4L OOact um headphone peak LED 99g boty In addition to the main LED output meter peak LEDs show input peaks track peaks and head phone peaks Input Peak The 744T has a peak LED associated with each input These LEDs illuminate when input signals reach the user selected signal threshold Tra
7. audio signal see the calculation below for determining PCM audio storage medium capacity typically expressed in GB Uncompressed Recording Time in Track Hours Data Rate bit depth sample rate one track 16 44 4 16 48 24 48 24 96 24 192 5 05 MB min 5 49 MB min 8 24 MB min 16 5 MB min 33 0 MB min 1 3 30 3 03 2 02 1 01 0 51 ae e aa a e Se 1 495 455 03 52 7B 60 198 182 PE 60 7 30 3 The chart above shows recording time available with the 744T Time is expressed in hours per track track hours at the specified data rate supported by the 744T If recording two tracks divide the track hours figure by two Similarly for four track recording divide track hours by four Note that the 744T supports additional sample rate bit depth combinations however only the most common are included below Record Time The chart shows that when recording 24 bit 48 kHz audio to a 40 GB hard drive the maximum amount of recording time available roughly 80 track hours If recording a stereo two track file this yields 40 stereo hours of record time Note that most storage mediums now quote capacity in GB using SI units where 1000 megabytes equals one gigabyte PCM Audio Uncompressed digital audio is expressed numerically by two measurements bit depth and sampling frequency such as 16 bit 48 kHz These two numbers are used to compute the data rate of uncom pressed audio Audio Data Rate Bit Depth x Sampling Frequency
8. will be addressed on an individual basis THE WARRANTY AND REMEDIES SET FORTH ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE SOUND DEVICES LLC DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICU LAR PURPOSE SOUND DEVICES LLC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY OR UNDER ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY Because some jurisdictions do not permit the exclusion or limitations set forth above they may not apply in all cases For all service including warranty repair please contact Sound Devices for an RMA return mer chandise authorization Product returned without an RMA number may experience delays in repair Sound Devices LLC Service Repair RMA XXXXX 300 Wengel Drive Reedsburg WI 53959 USA telephone 608 524 0625 Technical Support For technical support on all Sound Devices products contact Sound Devices LLC E mail support sounddevices com web www sounddevices com contact support htm Telephone 1 608 524 0625 Toll Free in the U S A 800 505 0625 Fax 608 524 0655 Sound Devices cannot guarantee that a given computer software or operating system configura tion can be used satisfactorily with the 744T based exclusively on the fact that it meets the minimum system requirements SOUND Q DEVICES EJ 744T User Guide and Technical Information Software License End user license agreement for Sound Devices 7
9. 0 0 80 Hz 18 dB oct 0 Limiter Enable on on on off Input Peak LED Threshold 3 dBFS 3 dBFS 3 dBFS 3 dBFS Track Peak LED Threshold 0 0 0 0 Timecode Frame Rate 30ND 30ND 30ND 30ND Timecode Mode free run free run off off Timecode User Bit Mode mm dd yy tt mm dd yy tt mm dd yy tt mm dd yy tt Time Format 12 hour 12 hour 12 hour 12 hour Date Format MM DD YYYYY MM DD YYYY MM DD YYYY MM DD YYYY Record Timer Enable Off off off off Start Timer enable Off off off off Record Take Count 1 1 1 1 Record File Format poly WAV mono WAV MP3 128 poly WAV Media Select CF amp hard drive CF amp hard drive hard drive CF amp hard drive Marker Mode Off new file new file new file Marker Pre roll disabled disabled disabled disabled Auto file split Size 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB Digital Output Source Tr A B Tr A B Tr A B Tr A B Digital Output Attenuation 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB an firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Parameter Line Output Source Line Output Attenuation HPMon1 HPMon2 HPMon3 HPMon4 HPMon5 HPMon6 HPMon7 HPMon8 HPMon9 HPMon10 HPMon11 HPMon12 HPMon13 HPMon14 HPMon15 HPMon16 HPMon17 HPMon18 HPMon19 HPMon20 Number of HP Monitor Modes Current HP Monitor Mode HP Monitor Favorite Mode Factory Preset Tr C D 0 inputs1 2 inputs 3 4 tracks A B tracks C D input 1 input 2 input 3 input 4 mon A B mon C D end of list 10 Tr A B Tr A
10. 2 Setthe sample rate as needed 3 Select the file format for recorded files 4 Select the storage medium internal hard drive Compact Flash or both for recording Time Code Setup When using a time code workflow proper time code setup is essential Skip this section if time code is not being used 1 Selecta time code frame rate appropriate for your project For film typical the time code rates are 30 fps non drop US or 25 fps EU For standard definition video projects use either 29 97 or 29 97 non drop For high definition projects use either 23 976 or 29 97 2 Select the time code run mode free run continuous jam record run or 24 hr run 3 Use the 744T as the master clock source and jam time code to all other recording devices This will assure that every device is using the same time reference See Time Code for additional information on time code setup Recording Now that file basics are set you are ready to begin recording The 744T is a record priority box Pressing the record key cancels all functions except file operations and immediately starts record ing a new file When record is pressed the red record LED illuminates to confirm record mode The filename in the LCD display shows the currently recorded file Push the B stop 150 ms key to end recording Playback When recording is stopped the most recently recorded file is immediately available for playback Press the gt key to begin file
11. BWF e 599910001 MP3 hopend S999T0002 MP3 File Finder Navigation Moving from file to file is similar to navigating among files on a computer 1 Enter the file menu by either selecting Fi e Vi ewFiles file in the setup menu or by pressing the front panel HDD key By default the current record folder is opened To move up the hierarchy scroll up to the top of the menu to Press enter or the Multi Function Controller button to go up one menu level From the root menu selecting opens the media select screen Pressing enter or the controller button opens the root directory of the highlighted media 9v mno gm ior NN Continuing up the file hierarchy the media menu is viewable Select either internal hard drive or CF if installed and drill down through the directories of that medium to the file required SOUND Q DEVICES E 744T User Guide and Technical Information u Mediat E C ey Ea SEI 250 ME p Larger files take added time to show details this is normal File Directory Screen SINE 2 75 04 WWE STD sal 10 40PM s ME MH 1CH 245 132808 RoGBOTBdOS QU 22 40 19 OBA The file directory screen contains information about the individual audio files contained in the direc tory The left side of the display shows files and folders The top line displays the directory path in the form of medi alf ol der name File names are listed in the order they were recorded Data
12. File Copying Between Internal Drives Audio files are easily transferred between CF and the 744T s hard drive File transfer is initiated with the setup menu option File Copy FileSelect The Copy File Select menu has four options for each media type Copy All Media gt Media Copies all files from one media to the other Last 24Hr Media gt Media Copies files created in the last 24 hours between media Last 48Hr Media gt Media Copies files created in the last 48 hours between media Flagged Media gt Media Copies all files with their archive bit set between Once file copying has begun the 744T searches the source media for the selected files The 744T will then search the destination drive looking for duplicate file names The LCD will report the number of files found the number of duplicates found and the net number of files to be copied and prompt to continue Pressing the enter key or controller button begins copying The LCD will report progress of the file being copied and the number of files remaining to be copied When file copy is complete the 744T will report the number of files successfully copies and show a progress bar showing the percentage of files successfully copied Error Conditions If a file is to large for the destination medium the 744T will give you the option to skip the it or can cel copying If an error occurs during file copying the 744T will prompt to cancel the transfer Wh
13. are sent to three output connections analog line out 2 x TA3 two channel analog tape out 3 5 mm TRS two channel digital 1 AES3id BNC connection two channel Analog Line Out L R The analog line outputs are active balanced line level signals on Switchcraft TA3M locking connec tors The output level is a nominally 4 dBu at 20 dBFS The level of the line output can be attenu ated in the setup menu by up to 40 dB in 1 dB increments Analog Tape Output The tape output connection is stereo unbalanced consumer output level 10 dBV on a TRS 3 5 mm connector Output attenuation does not affect this output level Digital AES3id Output The unbalanced AES3id output is directly compatible with most S PDIF inputs Attenuation to the Master Output Bus affects both analog and digital signals Output Bus 2 Just as with the Master Output Bus Output Bus 2 can be assigned signal sources from inputs or tracks Sources assigned to Output Bus 2 are exclusive and do not affect the assignments to the Mas ter Output Bus or headphone assignments The same signal sources available for the Master Output Bus are available for Output Bus 2 see chart above Digital AES3id Output 2 Output Bus 2 appears solely on the AES3id BNC output connector There is no analog output con nections for Output Bus 2 The unbalanced AES3id output is directly compatible with most S PDIF inputs The maximum output level is 0 dBFS and can be attenuated in the setup
14. can be expected before recorded audio appears at the output The 744T will play back recorded audio from the media highlighted in the LCD panel see File Management and Copying for more information on selecting and highlighting recording medium Setting Headphone Source Options In addition to the 10 preset headphone routings a total of 20 available slots can be filled in a user defined order Headphone monitoring sources can be set from various combinations of inputs tracks and post record tracks including stereo and MS decoding The order of headphone selections is user selectable Available audio sources for headphone monitoring include HP Sources Description Inputs 1 2 Stereo monitoring of input pairs Inputs 1 and 3 are assigned to left headphone output inputs 2 and Inputs 3 4 4 are assigned to right headphone output Tracks A B Stereo monitoring of track pairs Tracks 1 and 3 are assigned to left headphone output tracks 2 and Tracks C D 4 are assigned to right headphone output Upon playback will play as track monitor Monitor A B Stereo monitoring of playback post record track pairs Tracks 1 and 3 are assigned to left head Monitor C D phone output tracks 2 and 4 are assigned to right headphone output Input 1 Solo monitoring of selected input This signal is sent to both sides of the headphones Input 2 Input 3 Input 4 Track A Solo monitoring of selected track This signal is sent to both sides of
15. files not native to the 744T will show in the file directory view but no detail will be available They will report as Invalid File Format File detail is shown at the right side of the display The center divider points to the file selected for information viewing Information shown includes file creation date and time stamp file size number of tracks bit depth and sample rate beginning BEG time code stamp of the file for BWF files or the length LEN of MP3 files file archive bit status checked means the file archive bit is set clear means the file archive bit is cleared The file directories always exit to the main screen whether entered via the menus or the HDD key Setting Clearing Flag Bits Pressing the tone key in the file directory display opens the Set or Clear Flag Bit screen The options for setting or clearing flag bits include set or clear the selected file set or clear all the files in the current folder or set or clear all files on the volume BALL IM FOLDER CURRENT FILE CLEAR Flag Bitis MBJALL on MED 1A All files created by the 744T have their archive bit set to on EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation File Management Automatic Flag Clearing The 744T can be set to clear the flag bit of copied files automatically When enabled in the File Copy Flag Control menu all files copied internally
16. medium can support the selected number of tracks at 192 kHz Drive Repair The same drive repair utilities are available for the CF as the internal hard drive Qualified CF Cards Several CF mediums have been tested and approved for use in the 7 Series including Lexar Media SanDisk and Kingston Technology cards in capacities ranging from 512 MB to 4 GB It is not feasible for Sound Devices to test all available CF cards for compatibility or maximum throughput with the 744T Use the CF transfer speed test to verify that an installed card can support the needed read write speed File Naming Numbering Files generated by the 744T are named using a syntax made up of four parts scene number take number mono track designator if mono file is selected and extension 3901100011 ENF extension Scene take mono number number file designator Scene Numbers Scene numbers are user selected in the setup menu and remain unchanged until changed by the user Scene numbers start with the letter S followed by three digit integers between 001 and 999 Scene numbers are helpful to match audio with the corresponding scene in production E firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation File Management Take Numbers Take numbers are four digit integers between 0001 and 9999 starting with the letter T Take numbers increase by one each time
17. number generated A user defined value can be jammed into the internal genera tor from the jam menu Continuous Jam The onboard time code generator will re jam from external time code whenever time code is con nected to the TC input Similar to free run mode the generator runs continuously without regard to record mode For a jam to occur the time code signal must be disconnected and re connected to the time code input Continuous jam is useful when slaving additional recorders to a master recorder Slaves should be set to continuous jam to follow the master time code device 24 Hour Run Identical to free run with the exception that the generator will automatically jam itself from the time of day clock on power up The generator will also re jam if the time of day clock is reset Once jammed the generator will run continuously from the time code clock not the time of day clock If the time of day clock is reset during the production day the time code generator value will change You must re jam all time code devices to ensure proper synchronization Jam Menu incoming received timecode or zero value AAG Ge Ge MEI press to jam 44 MEDIT VALUE 10 52 42 09n 744T current timecode value menu selection Time code setup is done from the jam menu Ti mecode jJ a mMenu Pressing the drive key and menu keys simultaneously quickly enters the jam menu In this menu the top of the display shows the value of sig
18. of the channel 1 input Normal mic input range is from 25 dB to 70 dB low gain mic range is from 10 dB to 55 dB line input range is from 6 dB to 18 dB For line level inputs this control can be defeated and gain can be setup menu controlled If the LCD display shows locked when the pot is turned gain control of the line level input is menu controlled When inputs are linked as a stereo pair input gain 1 controls the gain of both inputs Input 2 Gain Controls input 2 as in 2 above When inputs are linked as a stereo pair input controls left to right balance MENU Key Used to access all 744T setup menu selections When in menu mode used to move up through the menu selections Pressing the HDD and MENU keys simultaneously brings up the time code jam menu Primary display of 744T status The LCD is backlit using the LCD backlight control 15 Tone Oscillator Tone frequency tone level and routing are controlled in the setup menu Press and hold to activate the tone oscillator Input to Track Matrix LEDs Blue LEDs indicate inputs 1 2 3 4 enabled for recording to tracks A B C D A solid blue LED indicates an input is routed to a track A flashing LED dur ing custom routing mode shows the selected input track combination INPUT Select Key Pressing this key cycles through the six factory preset input to track routing combinations plus the custom routing menu In the custom routing menu
19. only one media is present press and hold is disabled Pressing simultaneously with MENU opens the time code jam menu Headphone Output Peak LED Indicates overload of the headphone amplifier When lit the headphone cir cuit is overloading Reduce headphone level LIM LED Indicates that the microphone input limiters are activated This LED does not show input limiting activity see descrip tor 27 Microphone Input Limiter LEDs Link LED Indicates that channels 1 and 2 are linked as a stereo pair In link mode the channel 1 potentiometer controls gain channel 2 potentiometer controls left to right balance Inputs can be linked as either a stereo L R pair or as an MS pair 744T User Guide and Technical Information 23 Media Ready LEDs Indicates storage media is present and available to record IN internal hard drive CF Compact Flash EX exter nal Firewire device EX not available in firmware version 1 x Flashing indicates media problem 24 Media Activity LEDs Indicates storage media read write activity IN internal hard drive CF Compact Flash EX external Firewire device EX not available in firmware ver sion 1 x 25 ma High Pass Filter LEDs mic level only Indicates that the high pass low cut filter is active for the individual channel Phantom Power LEDs Indicates phantom power 48 V is ac tive for the individual channel 26 27 Microphone Input Limiter LEDs Illumin
20. or recording a direct PA board feed as well as a live mic in the front of house space Word Clock Stable word clock is fundamental to a high quality audio signal The 744T uses a rock stable time code crystal to generate its internal word clock frequencies The 744T can clock external devices from its word clock and accept external clock sources for recording The 744T can be used as a master word clock source or it can lock to external word clock during recording The 744T disregards external clock both AES and word clock during playback Clock Master When sending digital audio to several devices one unit is designated as the word clock master and the others should be slaves Generally the device with the analog to digital converter is designated as the word clock master The 744T can function as an A D converter and can be used as the master word clock source Slaved devices will derive their word clock timing from either their digital audio inputs S PDIF or AES EBU or through their word clock input connection As a word clock master the 744T generates word clock whether or not audio is sent Clock Slave When using an external digital preamplifier connected to the 744T inputs the recorder can derive its clock signal from the AES S PDIF stream it will slave to the external device or the external device can be slaved from the 744T if the external device has word clock input If for example you are us ing a wireless
21. playback from the beginning of the file To select a file for playback LB firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Quick Start Guide 1 Press and hold the key to select the volume for playback The default playback directory is the present volume being recorded 2 Use the Multi Function Controller or the arrow soft keys to navigate through the file directory 3 Once a file is highlighted press the play key to begin playback When playback has finished the filename will begin flashing Use the gt fast forward key or rewind key to step through files in the folder or press the 5 stop key to exit playback mode FireWire File Transfer When connected via FireWire IEEE 1394a to a Mac OS or Windows OS computer see Specifications for computer requirements the internal hard drive and connected Compact Flash storage mediums are mounted onto the computer as letter accessible drives Use the appropriate FireWire cable either 6 pin to 4 pin or 6 pin to 6 pin for interconnection Files on the 744T can be treated as if they are lo cal files including renaming files copying and playing directly from the 744T medium In general it is good practice to copy all needed audio files from the 744T to a computer before any pro cessing is performed on the files To connect the 744T for FireWire transfer 1 Stop all playback and recording a
22. the headphones Upon play Track B back will play as track monitor Track C Track D Monitor Am Solo monitoring of playback post record track Highlighted media is source of monitor program Monitor Bm This signal is sent to both sides of the headphones When not in playback headphones have no Monitor Cm program Monitor Dm Inputs 1 2 MS Stereo monitoring of discrete M mid and S side input pairs Highlighted media is source of moni Inputs 3 4 MS tor program SOUND Q DEVICES Ea 744T User Guide and Technical Information HP Sources Description Tracks A B MS Stereo monitoring of discrete M mid and S side track pairs Highlighted media is source of moni Tracks CD MS tor program Upon playback will function as MS track monitor Monitor A B MSm Stereo monitoring of playback post record discrete M mid and S side track pairs Highlighted Monitor C D MSm media is source of monitor program When not in playback headphones have no program When tracks A B C or D are assigned to headphones audio assigned to the tracks appear in head phones during recording whereas the recorded track audio appear in headphones during playback To set the available headphone source options for headphone monitoring enter the HP Monitor modes menu Once you enter the Monitor Modes menu you will immediately be in slot 1 Rotate the Multi Function Controller to select the source you wish to appear first in your Headphon
23. the signal source for the Master Output Bus TA3 outputs tape outputs and digital 1 outputs inputs 1 2 inputs 3 4 tracks A B e tracks C D e monitor A B post record monitor monitor C D post record monitor 47 Output 1 L R Attenuation Selects the attenuation level of signal sent to the Master Output Bus SOUND Q DEVICES selectable from 0 to 40 dBFS 744T User Guide and Technical Information Setup Name Setup Description Setup Parameters 48 Output 2 L R Source Selects the signal source for output bus 2 e inputs 1 2 sent to digital output bus 2 inputs 3 4 e tracks A B e tracks C D monitor A B post record monitor monitor C D post record monitor 49 Output 2 L R Attenuation Selects the attenuation level of the signal selectable from 0 to 40 dBFS output to bus 2 50 Play AutoPlay Mode Allows user to play file s consecutively Disabled from selected directory one time through Play all or continuously Repeat one Great for playing an MP3 collection e Repeat all during down time 51 Time Date 12 24 Hr Selects between 12 hour and 24 hour 12hr time 24 hr 52 Time Date Date Format Selects the date syntax of the recorder e mm dd yyyy yyyy dd mm 53 Time Date Set Sets the internal date and time of the lt time date gt du Clock is not set until done is selected Resetting th
24. 0 kHz variable output assigned to tracks or outputs menu selectable Quick Setups Four factory presets one user setup stored to CF or HD as data file Dimensions and Weight Size 45 mm x 209 mm x 125 mm H x W x D 1 8 x 8 2 x 4 9 Mass unpackaged 1 2 kg 2 6 lbs without battery E firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Connector Pin Assignments Specifications Each connector type electrical characteristics and pin assignment is shown below Connector Pin Assignments Notes XLR 1 ground 4000 ohm input impedance mic level Analog Inputs 2 signal 20k ohm input impedance line level 3 signal active balanced XLR 1 ground transformer balanced for use 110 ohm twisted pair AES Inputs 2 signal cabling AES3 specification 3 signal TA3M 1 ground 20k ohm input impedance line level Inputs 2 signal active balanced Mates with Switchcraft TAGF type con 3 signal nector TA3M 1 ground 120 ohm output impedance active balanced Master Output Bus 2 signal For unbalanced connection pin 1 ground pin 2 hot 3 signal pin 3 not connected Mates with Switchcraft TA3F type connector 3 5 mm tip signal L Master Output Bus signal in an unbalanced consumer Master Output Bus ring signal R electronic level sleeve signal ground
25. 24 hr gt In HDD Copies all files recorded in the last 24 hours from the Compact Flash to the hard drive e Last 48 hr gt In HDD Copies all files recorded in the last 48 hours from Compact Flash to the hard drive Flagged CF In HDD Copies all files from the Compact Flash that have their flag bit set to the hard drive Disabled Enabled 46 firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation 42 Setup Name Time Code Frame Rate Setup Description Sets the time code frame rate All com mon time code frame rates are available Setup Menu Setup Parameters 23 976 used with high definition video cameras 24 to sync audio to film where no transfer to NTSC video is expected 25 to sync sound to PAL video 29 97 to sync sound to NTSC video shot in non drop frame mode 29 97DF to sync sound to NTSC video shot in drop frame mode 30 to sync sound to film where transfer to NTSC video is expected 30DF to sync sound to film for transfer to NTSC video in drop frame mode 43 Time Code Mode Sets the mode for the time code genera tor Off time code not active recorded or output Free Run time code is initialized from the jam menu and then runs continuously regardless of record mode Continuous Jam time code is initialized from an external source a
26. B Headphone Monitor Controller Sw Function fav mode Input Routing Selection Record Folder Option Tone Level relative to 0 dBFS Tone Frequency Tone Mode Channel 1 Phantom Power Channel 2 Phantom Power Input 1 2 Source Input 1 2 Control Input 1 Gain Input 2 Gain External Voltage Threshold Clear Source Flag Bit after File Copy Auto Play mode User Setups 4 track daily 20 1 kHz Tr amp outs off off auto knobs 20 dB 20 dB 11 VDC enabled play all Film Preset Tr C D 0 inputs1 2 inputs 3 4 tracks A B tracks C D input 1 input 2 input 3 input 4 mon A B mon C D end of list 10 Tr A B Tr A B fav mode 4 track take clear 20 1 kHz Tr amp outs on on auto knobs 20 dB 20 dB 11 VDC enabled play all Reporter Preset Tr C D 0 inputs1 2 inputs 3 4 tracks A B tracks C D input 1 input 2 input 3 input 4 mon A B mon C D end of list 10 Tr A B Tr A B fav mode mono 2 daily 12 1 kHz Tr amp outs on on auto knobs 20 dB 20 dB 11 VDC enabled play all Setup Menu Music Preset Tr C D 0 inputs 1 2 inputs 3 4 tracks A B tracks C D input 1 input 2 input 3 input 4 mon A B mon C D end of list 10 Tr A B Tr A B fav mode stereo daily 12 1 kHz Tr amp outs on on auto knobs 20 dB 20 dB 11 VDC enabled play all All of the set parameters in the table above can be saved in a file to internal hard drive or to CF
27. Governing Law This agreement and limited warranty are governed by the laws of the state of Wisconsin EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Notes SOUND Q DEVICES SOUND Q DEVICES
28. Hz 48 048 kHz 192 kHz 88 2 kHz 3 Rec Bit Depth Sets the bit depth of the 744T recordings 16 bit 24 bit 4 File Format Selects the file format type recorded to WAV poly the selected medium WAV and BWF files e WAV mono are identical the only difference is the BWF poly file extension BWF mono MP3 64 kb s 96 kb s 128 kb s 160 kb s 192 kb s 256 kb s 320 kb s 5 Rec Media Select Selects the media used for recording All IN HDD Only media are selectable even if not present e CF Only IN HDD and CF 6 Rec Take Counter Reset able numeric counter that incre number ments every time record is pushed Used to create unique file names 7 i Rec Scene Number Numeric scene number used for file number naming 8 Rec Pre Roll Time Selects the amount of pre roll time the 0 10 sec Q 48 kHz 744T will add to the beginning of each 0 5 sec 88 2 96 096 kHz file 0 3 5 sec 192 kHz 9 Rec Dither Selects whether to dither is added to 24 Off bit digital signals while recording 16 bit On 16 bit only files 10 i Rec Timer Start Sets a specific start time date for unat enter time date tended recording Unit must be powered aa firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Setup Name Setup Description Setup Menu Setup Parameters
29. Input to Track Routing The 744T uses a simple yet powerful routing scheme The microprocessor controlled matrix allows any input to be routed to any track Multiple inputs can be routed to a single track to create mono mixed recordings The 4 by 4 blue LED matrix makes it easy to check your current routing at a glance A solid blue LED indicates an input is assigned to a record track 18 firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Input to Track Routing 1234 8000 any combination of B the four inputs can c Le routed to any of the four tracks oo HDD TRACKS Regardless of which tracks are assigned for recording monophonic file numbering always starts with 1 i e if only track D is selected for recording in a monophonic WAV file the resulting filename will have a _1 suffix not _4 Polyphonic files will play back the recorded track starting from track A i e if a poly file is recorded on tracks B and D playback will occur on tracks A and B Use the nput Routing selection in the menu to enter input select mode Alternatively press the input key to cycle through the six preset input routing combinations The last selection in the list is Cus t o mRout e Press the EDI T soft key to enter custom routing mode Custom routing allows any input to be assigned to any record track When assigning customer rout ing active input and tr
30. ONNECTION in the LCD While audio will still pass through the 744T no recording or playback is possible 4 Navigate the drives on the computer and copy all needed audio to local storage To avoid possible directory corruption on the 744T internal media always properly dismount the drives from the operating system On Mac platforms drag the drive icons to the trash On Win dows platforms use the Disconnect External Media icon in the system tray Powering The 744T is powered from either a removable rechargeable Li on battery or external DC power The included 7 2 V Li on cell can be used as either primary or backup power The unit automatically chooses the power source depending on the voltage levels of the removable battery and external sources The switch between external and removable battery is seamless and does not affect record ing or playback One of the hallmarks of Sound Devices equipment is its power efficiency During normal operation using the rechargeable cell the 744T will run for approximately two hours 1500 mAh Li on battery Lithium lon Rechargeable Battery The 744T is powered from Sony compatible L or M type Li on battery cells Numerous battery capacities are available in these battery mounts ranging from 1000 mAh to 6000 mAh The 744T s mount can accommodate a variety of cells since the back panel mount accommodates unlimited bat tery depth Larger amp hour cells provide more run time When powered b
31. SOUND Q DEVICES 744T COo AN MENU 1234 O C 2 66660000000000009905555 750609600006906908099999523559 i c99099699890999960999953555 Te ee G ee6099000090000909999999 i e DO we Iamu o REC 7 744T High Resolution Digital Audio Recorder with Time Code User Guide and Technical Information rev 1 04 Sound Devices LLC 300 Wengel Drive Reedsburg WI USA 2e 1 608 524 0625 fax 1 608 524 0655 Ko Toll Free 800 505 0625 FireWire www sounddevices com Table of Contents Introduction Table of Contents sese 1 Quick Start Guide orem 3 Powering the Unit Menu Navigation Basics Connecting Audio Sources Routing Inputs to Tracks Recording Parameter Setup Time Code Setup Recording Playback FireWire File Transfer Front Panel Descriptions usse 6 LCD Display Descriptions 9 Left Panel Connectors and Controls 11 Right Panel Connectors and Controls 12 Back Panel Descriptions s 13 Input Setup and Control Lus 14 Input Source Selection Analog Inputs 1 and 2 Analog Inputs 3 amp 4 Signal Presence and Peak Indicator Digital Inputs AES3 Digital Inputs AES3id S PDIF Input Delay Word Clock 5 mr erm mes 17 Clock Master Clock Slave C Link Multi Unit Linking Input to Track Routing sese 18 Outputs Analog and Digital 20 Master Output Bus O
32. Series Embedded Software Firmware Important Read carefully This Sound Devices LLC end user license agreement EULA is a legal agreement between you either an individual or a single entity and Sound Devices LLC for the Sound Devices LLC software product identified above which includes computer software embedded software and may include associated media printed materials and online or electronic documentation SOFTWARE PRODUCT By using installing or copying the SOFTWARE PRODUCT you agree to be bound by the terms of this EULA If you do not agree to the terms of this EULA do not use or install the SOFTWARE PRODUCT Software Product License The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is licensed not sold Grant of license This EULA grants you the following limited non exclusive rights In consideration of payment of the licensee fee Sound Devices LLC as licensor grants to you the licensee a non exclusive right to use this copy of a Sound Devices LLC software program hereinafter the SOFTWARE on a single product and or computer All rights not expressly granted to licensee are reserved to Sound Devices LLC Software ownership As the licensee you own the hardware on which the SOFTWARE is recorded or fixed Sound Devices LLC shall retain full and complete title to the SOFTWARE and all sub
33. Ti mecode Framerate menu ee Frane Rate 23 ATF 4 n The 744T supports the most common production time code rates 23 976 used with Sony high definition video cameras 24 to sync audio to film where no transfer to NTSC video is expected 25 to sync sound to PAL video 29 97 to sync sound to NTSC video shot in non drop frame mode and Panasonic high defini tion cameras e 29 97DF to sync sound to NTSC video shot in drop frame mode 30 to sync sound to film where transfer to NTSC video is expected e 30DF to sync sound to film for transfer to NTSC video in drop frame mode 30 fps Time Code Mode The 744T has five time code modes off Free Run Record Run Continuous Jam and 24 Hour Run Off The time code generator is disabled The front panel time code display is blank Free Run The internal time code generator runs continuously without regard to the record mode Time code value defaults to 00 00 00 00 a user entered value or the value last in the internal generator The user can jam any start value into the generator from the jam menu Record Run The time code generator runs only when the 744T is recording Time code in this mode defaults to E firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Time Code 00 00 00 00 at power up When switching to record run from another mode the internal generator will stop at the last
34. a new file is generated Take numbers auto increment although the take number can be overridden and a new take number can be selected selected in the setup menu If the 744T detects a file with a duplicate name in the destination directory the letter suffix starting with A is added to the file name after the take number with poly files and after the track designator in mono files Note that take number handling can be selected to reset to 0001 if daily folder with take reset is applied in the setup menu see File Management and Copying on page 35 File Management and Copying The 744T like a computer writes its audio recordings to a file system That system is FAT32 The 744T formats its internal hard drive and Compact Flash medium as single volumes named 74 47 All files generated by the 744T are placed in the folder directory named S OUNDDEV The 744T does not write to the root of the volume If Daily Folders are selected the 744T will generate a new folder named by date each day upon power up Otherwise all recorded files will be stored directly in the SOUNDDEY directory A hierarchical view of files generated by the 744T is below Notice the volume name SOUNDDEV folder and daily folders along with files contained within the folders E 744T SOUNDDEV C Y04M06D01 S001T0001 BWF S001T0002 BWF 0017T0003 BWF Ly Y04M06D02 S001T0004 BWF S001T0005 BWF Ly Y04M06D02 002T0001 BWF 002T0002
35. ack combination are displayed in white text The four inputs are shown on the left the four record tracks are shown on the right To assign custom input routing 1 Press the input key untill nput Routing is displayed in the LCD display arrow indicates high lighted input is assigned to highlighted track select to exit menu and apply selected routing Je ae selet to move up and down menu INFUT 3 TRACE C am INPUT 4 TRACK D MIE eee cnment 2 Press the EDI T soft button GO and scroll to the appropriate input screen 3 Using either the Multi Function Controller or the up and down arrows navigate to desired input to track combinations 4 When a chosen pairing is highlighted press either the ASSI GN soft key or the Multi Function Controller to assign the combination Assigned tracks are noted on the screen by the addition of an arrow pointing to the record track The LED routing matrix will also show a flashing blue LED for the currently selected input to track combination 5 Oncea track is assigned move to the next input to track combination desired 6 Toremovean input to track combination assignment navigate that combination and press the UNASSI GN soft key 7 Exitand complete the assignment by pressing the check mark soft key The input routing menu will always exit to the main screen whether entered from the input key or the menu selection SOUND Q DEVICES 0m 744T User Guide and Technica
36. act Flash media Numbers show time in hours and minutes based on the presently se lected number of record tracks sample frequency bit rate and file type Internal Hard Drive Status space remaining record ready Bar graph indicates amount of record time remaining on the internal hard drive Numbers show time in hours and minutes based on the presently selected of number of record tracks sample fre quency bit rate and file type For all three media types an asterisk in front of the media descriptor indicates that the me dia is selected for record Highlighted media descriptor indicates media selected for record monitoring playback or file directory display 13 Input 1 2 Level When control knobs are adjusted indicates the gain level in dB for each analog input gain control Normal mic input gain range is from 26 dB to 70 dB low gain mic range is from 10 dB to 50 dB line input range is from 6 dB to 18 dB Locked will be displayed on the LCD when the pot is turned with digital inputs and with line inputs with menu control 14 Cue Marker Display In record mode indicates when cue markers are set Markers set by pressing the record key option must be selected in setup menu In playback mode dis plays cue points numerically as they are reached in a file 15 External Digital Clock Indicator The 744T is locked to a valid external digital or word clock source when the L is in the display E firmw
37. and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Storage Medium require specific electronics knowledge Sound Devices strongly recommends drive replacement be performed by a qualified technician using proper ESD precautions Drive replacement done by a qualified technician has no warranty implications 744T with bottom panel removed showing hard drive mounting location The internal hard drive is not intended as a swappable exchange medium Only qualified service techni cian using proper ESD precautions should perform drive replacement Storage Medium Compact Flash Compact Flash CF is a practical portable storage medium for audio recording Its speed reliability and price continue to evolve to the benefit of portable recorders The 744T can write to and read from CF as either its sole recording medium or simultaneously with the internal hard drive When to Use CF The key benefits of CF include wider temperature range capability than hard drives increased shock immunity versus hard drives convenient media insertion and removal established workflow and ubiquitous card readers and transfer tools Formatting Upon insertion of an unformatted or non FAT32 formatted CF medium the 744T will prompt the user to format the card If the card is formatted as a FAT32 volume the card will be ready to be se lected as a recording medium To reformat the CF medium follow t
38. any input can be routed to any track See Input to Track Routing page 18 Level Meter LEDs Four 19 segment track level meters in dicate level in dBFS Metering ballistics are selected in the setup menu Power Key Press and hold 150 ms to power up the 744T Press and hold 1 second to power down B firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation 11 Charge LED Indicates the status of the onboard battery charger Flashes when exter nal power is connected and battery is charging solid when battery is fully charged Power LED Indicates the 744T is powered and avail able for operation Flashes when the removable battery or external DC is ina low voltage state 12 13 Record Key Starts recording The 744T is a record priority box pressing this key activates recording and discontinues all other functions except file operations Press ing key while recording can set a cue marker or start a new file as selected in the setup menu 14 Stop Pause Key Press 150 ms to stop recording In playback mode a single press pauses playback play pause enabling audio scrubbing with the FF and REW keys Another press of the key enters play stop mode where the FF and REW keys select files for playback from the current directory One more press of the key exits playback mode In the setup menu the stop key is also used exit from
39. any menu returning to the main display LCD Backlight Toggles LCD and key backlighting Hold down and turn the Multi Function Con troller to vary the brightness of LEDs In menu mode functions as the cancel key 15 16 Fast Forward Key Performs fast forward FF scrubbing through the played file when pressed in playback and play pause mode Play pause indicated by flashing A time on LCD Fast forward rate increases the lon ger the key is held In play stop mode indicated by flashing filename on LCD selects the next file in the record folder either daily folder or main folder SOUND Q DEVICES Hardware Descriptions 17 Play Key 18 19 20 21 22 Plays back the file displayed on the LCD If pressed immediately after recording is stopped the most recently recorded file is played back Rewind Key Performs reverse REW scrubbing through the played file when pressed in playback and play pause mode Play pause indicated by flashing A time on LCD Reverse playback rate increases the longer the key is held In play stop mode indicated by flashing filename on LCD selects the previous file in the record folder either daily folder or main folder HDD Key Press to enter the directory listing of the selected storage medium either internal hard drive or CF Selected medium is shown in white type Press and hold to toggle between available mediums If
40. are v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Hardware Descriptions Left Panel Connectors and Controls AES EBU LINE OUT 34 un 3 y b LINE IN OO Q LINE I TAPE OUT 1 XLR Input 1 AES3 Input 1 amp 2 7 Headphone Volume Dual function input connection Input Adjusts the headphone volume NOTE type set with switch above Active bal the 744T is capable of producing ear anced analog microphone or line level damaging levels in headphones input for input 1 Transformer balanced two channel AES3 input 1 and 2 8 Tape Output Unbalanced tape 710 dBv nominal 2 XLR Input 2 AES3 Input 3 amp 4 output on 3 5 mm TRS stereo connector Dual function input connection Input Signal source is identical to the Master type set with switch above Active bal Output Bus Tip left ring right sleeve anced analog microphone or line level ground input for input 2 Transformer balanced two channel AES3 input 3 and 4 3 Mic Line AES3 Input Switch Selects the input level and mode of the associated XLR input connector 4 TA3 Channel 3 amp 4 Line Inputs Active balanced line level input connec tors Pin 1 ground pin 2 pin 3 5 TA3 Master L R Analog Outputs Active balanced line level analog L R outputs for the Master Output Bus Pro gram source and attenuation level are user selectable Pi
41. at a given sample rate is maxi mum analog frequency sampling frequency 2 Higher sampling frequencies allow for wider audio bandwidth Bit Depths The 744T records at bit depths of either 16 or 24 bit 24 bit recording provides greater dynamic range and addition headroom for signal peaks relative to 16 bit recordings 24 bit acquisition is a significant benefit for field production audio tracks Bit Depth Available Dynamic Range Bit depth defines the digital word length used to represent a given sample Bit depth correlates to the maximum dynamic range that can be represented by the digital signal Larger bit depths theo retically yield more dynamic range A quick estimate of maximum dynamic range capable of being represented by a given word length is dynamic range no of bits x 6 dB Bit depth is an exponen tial measure exponent of 2 so as bit depth increases the amount of data it represents increases exponentially The majority of field recording is done with 16 bit audio therefore each sample is rep resented by a digital word of 2 16 65 536 possible values 24 bit audio has a word length of 2 24 16 7 million possible values per sample The 744T has 24 bit analog to digital converters To obtain 16 bit recording the 744T can be set to dither 24 bit digital signals to 16 bit The 744T uses a proprietary pseudo random dither routine for accurate bit rate reduction Dither can be defeated in the user menu Without dither 24
42. at it would be asynchronous One real world example of a plesiochronous system might be two word clock generators that both are deriving their clock rate from a common black burst generator We usually would think of this as a synchronous system and it generally will work but depending upon how accurate the two generators really are it could fall into the plesiochronous category Similarly two word clock generators running on their own would tend to be an asynchronous system but could if accurate enough fall into the plesiochronous range track monitor post record audio signal sent to output buses or headphones Track monitor audio is program played from the hard drive after being written Because all audio signal is routed through RAM buffers before writing to hard drive and or Compact Flash there is a sub stantial delay when monitoring track audio during recording EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Warranty and Support Warranty and Technical Support Warranty Sound Devices LLC warrants the 744T Portable Audio Recorder against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE 1 year from date of original retail purchase This is a non trans ferable warranty that extends only to the original purchaser Sound Devices LLC will repair or replace the product at its discretion at no charge Warranty claims due to severe service conditions
43. ates orange when limiting is occurring on the microphone input If constantly lit the microphone input is being hit with too high of a signal Turn down the input sensitivity until limiting occurs infrequently 28 Input Signal Presence LEDs Indicates presence of analog or digital signal and its relative level on each of the four inputs 29 Input Peak Overload LED Indicates analog signal is approaching clipping 3 dBFS on each of the four inputs B firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation LCD Display Descriptions Hardware Descriptions Battery Level Indicator Shows voltage level of removable bat tery or external power sources External power overrides internal power when present Graphical bar for relative level and numeric indicator for precise volt age measurement File Name Display Shows file name actively being recorded or played back In playback stop mode flashing file name indicates that the fast forward and rewind keys are available for stepping through files in the current playback directory Absolute Time A time Display Shows the elapsed time of the file being recorded or played back Flashes in playback pause mode In this mode the FF REW keys will scrub through an open audio file Time amp Date Display Alternating display between the set date and time of the 744T This inform
44. ation The filename extension is user selectable between WAV or BWE There is no difference between the two file types except for the extension Users wishing to record standard wave files should select the WAV extension Time code will be stamped at the head of the file but software that does not recognize the broadcast wave data chunk will simply ignore this added information The BWF files created by the 744T contain production information in the Broadcast Audio Extension data chunk Among the values recorded are time code stamp time code frame rate date and time of the original recording bit depth sample rate originating machine serial number All of the information contained in this chunk is available for post production There are several PC and Mac utilities that will show the data from the BWE header MP3 MPEG Layer 3 For music and voice recording applications where compressed audio is acceptable the 744T can record to industry standard MPEG Layer 3 MP3 audio files These data compressed files are gener ated using a high quality MP3 codec Numerous data rates are available When recording MP3 files the time code generator will remain running internally but will not record time code to the file The only time reference available is the Absolute Time A Time of the file The 744T can play back MP3 files as well as record them This is very useful on set to play a person al MP3 audio library during downtime
45. ation is written as the creation date for gener ated audio files Bit Depth Indicator Shows the set record bit depth In play back shows the file bit depth Sample Rate Indicator Shows the set record sample rate In playback shows the file sample rate Time Code Rate Shows the set time code frame rate If a file has time code information embed ded the playback frame rate is indi cated If external time code is connected and the external rate differs from the rate set internally the time code rate will flash Headphone Source Display Indicates the source for headphone out put Sources and selection order are user selectable in the setup menus Time Code Display In stop and record shows the time code generated by the 744T In play mode the display shows the play file s time code information if available If non time code files are playing the display shows dashes SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information 10 External Media Space Status 11 12 space remaining record ready Not available on version 1 x firmware Bar graph indicates amount of record time remaining on the external FireWire vol ume Numbers show time in hours and minutes based on the presently selected number of record tracks sample fre quency bit rate and file type Compact Flash Status space remaining record ready Bar graph indicates amount of record time remaining on the Comp
46. bit audio is truncated to 16 bit meaning the least significant 8 bits are discarded SOUND Q DEVICES Ej 744T User Guide and Technical Information Once a file is recorded its sample rate and bit depth can not be changed in the recorder The 744T can not perform sample rate conversion or bit depth changes File conversion must be done in another environ ment such as an audio workstation Alternatively a real time analog transfer is often performed instead of sample rate conversion Time Code The 744T uses time code circuitry developed by Ambient Recording GmbH a leading developer of stable portable time code products visit Ambient on the web at www ambientaudio com Clock stability and continuity are critical aspects of the 744T time code implementation Its temperature controlled compensated crystal oscillator ensures rock solid TC stability and accuracy lt 0 2 ppm when tuned with an Ambient Mastercontroller The 744T holds accurate time code for up 8 hours between battery changes using its internal re chargeable AA NiMH time code cell This time code battery is charged from internal or external power whenever the 744T is powered up Non linear file based recordings place a single time code number in the data header of an AES31 BWEF file The 744T generates SMPTE time code from this number and extrapolates it based on the time code frame rate for playback Frame Rate Time code frame rate is selected in the
47. by the 744T but not via FireWire will have their flag bits cleared on the original file Folders Files generated by the 744T are placed in either the root S OUNDDEV folder or a daily sub folder within the S OUNDDEV folder Options are chosen in the setup menu from the following Single folder all files are placed in a SOUNDDEV folder This is appropriate for non sync files such as wild sounds effects etc Note that if many production days and many files are gener ated this filing action can become cumbersome to manage Daily folder a new folder is generated in the SOUNDDEV folder each calendar day All files recorded on that day are placed within it The daily folder is made based on the onboard clock and used the syntax of YxxMxxDxx where Y is year M is month and D is day Daily folder w take reset same as daily folder with the file take number reset when a new daily folder is generated at 12 00a File Time and Date Similar to a computer file system all files recorded by the 744T are stamped with the time and date of file generation To ensure that accurate time and file generation date are written with each file make certain that the system time and date are accurately set File time and date and time code are unrelated 1 Enter theTI ME DATE Set menu 2 Setthe current time and date using the navigation below a advances to the soft keys mer MENU CRECEN EDT next selection and decrement ti
48. can be played back This is useful when using the 744T as a high resolution playback device The 744T plays back the last recorded audio file unless another file is selected There are two ways to select another file for playback To select another file in the current record directory push either the FastForward or reverse key to put the 744T in to play stop mode The filename display will begin flashing and the FastForward and Reverse keys are used to step through files available in the current record directory To select a file in an alternate directory press the HDD key to enter the media direc tories Navigate to the appropriate directory Select the file that to play back with the Multi Function Controller and press play If the stop key is pressed while playing files from an alternate directory the 744T will revert to the current daily directory EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Storage Medium AutoPlay The 744T can be set to play back all valid audio files in a directory Files will play back in their order in the directory Autoplay can be set with the following options e Disabled auto playback is off e Play all all files in the directory will play then stop when all files have been played Repeat one the selected file will play back then continue until e Repeat all all files in the directory will play in succession the
49. card By entering the Get Save Setup Menu the user can save or retrieve parameters to a data file This binary file is named 744T SUP and is saved in the SOUNDDEV directory on the selected medium SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Setup Menu The setup menu controls a wide range of parameters for the 744T including all audio routing recording settings and time code options The setup menu is a single flat architecture with no sub menus easing navigation Each setup controls a specific parameter with several selections The chart below shows the setup number a description of the control and the menu options available Setup Name 1 Quick Setup Setup Description Allows the user to quickly apply default menu setups and save retrieve user setups to disk or CF Setup Parameters Load Factory Settings restores the factory default settings Load Film Settings applies typical setups for film production Load Music Settings applies typical setups for music recording Load User from INHDD applies settings saved by user to hard disk Load User from CF applies settings saved by user to CF Save User to INHDD saves present state to file on hard drive Save User to CF Saves present state to file on CF Sets the audio sampling frequency of the 2 Rec Sample Rate 32 kHz 96 kHz i 744T 44 1 kHz 96 096 kHz 48 kHz 174 4 k
50. cations are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Input Setup and Control pressing the HDD key If the inputs are in line level mode phantom power will not activate from the shortcut keys and must be activated from the menus Input Limiters mic level only Microphone inputs 1 and 2 each have a limiter circuit designed to prevent input overload In nor mal operation with proper gain settings the limiters should rarely engage When activated these limiters will prevent unusually high input signal levels from clipping the analog input stage of the preamp The front panel LIM LED 5 4M shows that the limiter is engaged Limiter activity is indicated by additional front panel LEDs one for each input channel OOuw The input limiters are active only with mic level inputs The limiters are engaged by factory default When limiters are engaged audio on channels 1 and 2 is limited to 6 dBFS Microphone Level Control Microphone gain is controlled by the front panel recessed knobs The gain control adjusts an analog gain stage and is identical to the input trim on a mixing console or stand alone microphone pream plifier Line Level Gain Control When in line level position the gain for inputs 1 and 2 is controlled by the front panel recessed knobs or by a menu sensitivity setting When set for front panel control the user menu selection for input 1 and 2 line input sensitivity are lined out an
51. ck Peak The 0 dBFS LED on each track can also function as a track peak indicator The user can select a signal threshold above which the 0 dB LED will flash Headphone Peak Like the channel peak LEDs the headphone circuit has an indicator for peak overload This LED is useful since headphones can often overload before the recorder overloads Monitoring without a visual indication of headphone clipping may mislead the operator into thinking that the output or return tracks are distorting Tone Oscillator The tone oscillator level and frequency are user selectable Reference level is adjustable over a range of 40 to 0 dBFS Reference tone frequency is adjustable from 100 to 10 000 Hz Standard tone levels vary according to the practices and needs of production and post production but are generally in the 20 to 12 dBFS range Select a range that is appropriate for your project one that will allow suf ficient headroom The tone oscillator is activated by pressing the front panel key Tone is sent to all active tracks while the key is depressed LCD Contrast amp Backlight LED Brightness LCD LCD contrast is setup menu controlled From the factory the contrast is set to 20 suitable for most viewing conditions Contrast can be increased or decreased The front panel key toggles the LCD and key backlight Backlighting is suitable for low and no light recording El firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Vi
52. clock out is rate that box is running There is no sample rate conversion util ity in the 744T AES3id Master Output Bus Unbalanced digital output two channel for the Master Output Bus Signal source is menu selected and is identical to the Analog Master Output Bus signal AES3id Output Bus 2 Unbalanced digital output two channel for Output Bus 2 Signal source is menu selected Multi Function Controller When in the setup menu the controller scrolls between menu selections push enters selection or enters data In record and playback modes selects headphone monitor source pus h action user select able E firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Hardware Descriptions Back Panel Descriptions 1 Security Slot Compatible with the Kensington Secu rity Slot specification Useful for secur ing the recorder to a fixed object witha compatible computer lock 2 Compact Flash Slot Insert Compact Flash medium with the label side up Compatible with Type I Type IL and MicroDrives 3 Battery Mount Accepts Sony InfoLithium L or M Series batteries Also accepts batteries conforming to this mount Numerous capacities from 1500 mAh to 5400 mAh can be accommodated SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Input Setup and Control The 744T has four in
53. corder has been powered or if it has been without a battery for an ex tended period the date and time may need to be set Charge the included Li ion battery for 6 hours prior to initial use Menu Navigation Basics The setup menu provides options for recording routing and control parameters The one layer menu structure allows for very quick navigation and selection of functions To enter the setup menu press the front panel key Once in the setup menu the following conventions are shared for navigating among selections and to select specific parameters enters setup menu gt i t e m lt highlighted menu item V selects highlighted item or parameter T moves up in menu and between menu parameters V moves down in menu and between menu parameters X exits the selected menu or menu altogether The CI stop key will exit from any menu and cancel any changes Use it to escape out of the setup menus The right panel Multi Function Controller labeled Select is a convenient control to quickly navi gate among menu items and item options Its push to select function duplicates the check mark in most menus Connecting Audio Sources 1 Connectaudio sources either analog or digital to the appropriate input connector 2 When using either input XLR 1 set the appropriate input level mic line or digital with the adjacent slide switch 3 If mic level inputs are used on XLR 1 or XLR 2 make certain that phan
54. ctivity 2 Make certain the 744T battery is fully charged or connect to external DC 3 Connect the 744T to the host computer with a FireWire cable 4 The 744T will enter FireWire transfer indicated by COMPUTER CONNECTI ON in the LCD display All functions of the 744T are stopped while the 744T is connected to a computer through FireWire 5 Navigate the drives on the computer and copy all needed audio files to the computer To avoid possible directory corruption on the 744T internal media do not interrupt the connection pro cess and always properly dismount the drives from the operating system On Mac OS platforms drag the drive icons to the trash On Windows platforms use the Disconnect External Media icon in the system tray SOUND Q DEVICES m 744T User Guide and Technical Information Front Panel Descriptions All settings of the 744T can be accessed and monitored through the front panel LCD and naviga tion keys This allows the unit to be placed in a production bag along with field mixers and wireless transmitters and receivers ec ERED BAF Og SER Sizes 00 00 00 00 17 2 Gap pe 15 35 11 23 EERE 24 o 1 Digital Input LEDs 5 LCD Display Indicates the presence of digital signal on the respective input When flashing indicates that digital input is selected but no valid digital clock signal is pres ent Input 1 Gain Controls the analog gain input trim
55. d not accessible Input Linking mic and line level Analog inputs 1 and 2 can be linked as a stereo pair When linked the channel 1 front panel potenti ometer controls the signal level of both inputs and the channel 2 pot controls the left to right balance of the pair When the inputs are linked their peak limiters are linked as well When set as an MS pair the inputs gain and balance for the pair work the same as stereo linking There is no stereo width control as an MS pair since gain is adjusted High Pass Filters microphone level only The high pass filters on the microphone inputs use a combination of analog and digital filters to re duce sensitivity to low frequency signals When the high pass is engaged on an input its front panel LED illuminates to indicate it is active ee The first pole of the high pass circuit is an analog filter at 40 Hz 6 dB per octave and is part of the microphone preamplifier circuit Additional poles of high pass filtering are done in DSP Several frequency and slope combinations are selectable including corner frequencies of 40 80 160 or 240 Hz and filter slopes of 12 dB 18 dB or 24 dB per octave The high pass is selected in the setup menu for each input independently Shortcut The filters can be toggled with a two key combination Press and hold the LCD back light key and press the menu key for channel 1 high pass Press and hold the LCD backlight key and press the HDD key to toggle c
56. der for each production day Daily folder with take clear reset to 1 39 File View Files Enters the file directory tree for the Highlight media descriptor to navigate the selected drive menu 40 Allows the user to select a file or a range Copy all In HDD gt CF 41 File Copy Flag Control File Copy File Select of files to be copied from one media to another Files will only be copied from their current directory to a directory of the same name on the other media If a file will not fit on the destination media user is given the option to skip that file and continue with the copy or abort the copy all together User is advised at the end of the copy process how many files were copied successfully Selects whether the flag bit is cleared or not on files copied from one media to another Copies all files and directories from the internal hard drive to the Compact Flash Last 24 hr CF Copies all files recorded in the last 24 hours from the hard drive to the Compact Flash Last 48 hr gt CF Copies all files recorded in the last 48 hours from the hard drive to the Compact Flash e Flagged In HDD CF Copies all files on the internal hard drive that have their flag bit set to Compact Flash All files when recorded automatically have their flag bit set to on e Copy All CF In HDD Copies all files and directories on the Com pact Flash to the hard drive e Last
57. e moni tor list Once the chosen source appears press the Multi Function Controller or the soft key ENTER tone key to move to the next slot Continue down the list to select the source for each slot in the list Once all sources have been chosen press done This will exit the headphone monitor mode setup You can exit the selection process by pressing the stop or cancel backlight key at any time If you press done in the first headphon slot the 744T will select a single option Tracks A B for head phone monitoring The 10 factory presets will be erased Multi Function Controller Behavior The action of the Multi Function Controller during recording and playback is set from among the four available options Disabled pushing the controller has no effect Selects Favorite Mode places the headphone source into the mode selected in the HP Favorite menu Headphones to C D meters shows the level of the headphone output on the C D track me ters Playback Monitor Drive Select pushing the controller toggles between the available media to select the drive available for playback and track monitor while recording Headphone Favorite Selection If Selects Favorite Mode above is selected a press of the Multi Function Controller selects the assigned Headphone Favorite audio source This feature is helpful to quickly return to a selected headphone monitoring source while recording or playing All possible headphone sourc
58. e time re jams the inter nal time code generator to the set time Setting the internal clock during a production day will require time code devices to be re jammed 54 LCD Contrast Sets the contrast level of the LCD display 0 100 In normal operation should only need to be set once 55 Meter Ballistics Selects among five different meter bal VU only Peak VU listics settings Peak only Peak hold VU e Peak hold only 56 Meter Peak Threshold User set level in dBFS where track peak 0to 20 dBFS 1 dB increments LED s illuminate 0 LED doubles as track peak indicator 57 Meter Stealth Mode Enables LEDs to toggle on and off with Off the LCD backlight key On 58 HP Encoder Switch Function Selects the functionality of the Multi Disabled Function Controller s button when in push makes no change to the headphone record and playback matrix Selects Favorite Mode in record and playback modes push will change the headphone source immediately to the favorite selected in HP Favorite Mode Headphones to C D momentarily shows headphone level on tracks C amp D LED meters Playback Monitor Drive Select Selects the media source for file playback and record monitoring 59 HP Monitor Modes Select the sequence of the modes that Up to 20 source selections can be entered in appear in the Headphone Source Display on the LCD any order See headphone monitor section in gu
59. en the destination medium is full the 744T will report the error and end the transfer File Transfer FireWire 000000 00000C T OUT C LINK IN SELECT AESISPDIF LR 1 ouT LRQ d FireWire cable 744T to computer Software revision 1 0 does not support drive mirroring to external FireWire volumes The 744T s FireWire IEEE 1394 port makes transfer of recorded files to a delivery medium quick and easy When connected via a 6 pin Firewire cable the internal media of the 744T will mount to the Mac or Windows platform as local drives Using Windows Explorer Mac Finder or any other file utility files can be copied from the 744T directly to an edit system or to a host system for transfer to a removeable delivery medium EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Powering CompactFlash media must be present in the 744T upon FireWire connection to be properly mounted by the host computer CF media may not be hot swapped after mounting directory corruption may occur If the CF slot is empty when the 744T is connected to the host system a drive letter will still be assigned but will not be accessible To connect the 744T for FireWire transfer 1 Stop all playback and recording activity 2 Interconnect the 744T to the host computer 3 The 744T will now show COMPUTER C
60. entary and ENG mixing engineers in mind the 744T is very small while still being fea ture rich No other recorder on the market matches its size and feature set In addition its learning curve is quite short powerful does not mean complicated While the 744T is a very capable recorder by itself it truly excels when used in conjunction with an outboard audio mixer such as Sound Devices own 442 or 302 Sound Devices took advantage of the best in professional and consumer electronics technologies to bring incredible feature depth with ease of use Its two recording media hard drive and Compact Flash are highly reliable industry standard and easily obtainable The removable rechargeable bat tery is a standard Sony compatible Li ion camcorder cell The 744T interconnects with Windows and Mac OS computers for convenient data transfer and backup Copyright Notice and Release All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise without the expressed written permission of SOUND DEVICES LLC SOUND DEVICES is not responsible for any use of this information SOUND DEVICES LLC shall not be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages losses costs or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of accident misuse or abuse of this product or unauthorized modi
61. es are avail able to choose as the Headphone Favorite The Headphone Favorite is selected in setup menu 60 Headphone Playback Mode The user may select a headphone source that will automatically be selected by the 744T upon play back All headphone source selections are available for Headphone Playback Mode as well as No Change which leaves the headphone source set to the currently selected mode Headphone Play back Mode is controlled in setup menu 61 Warning Tones The 744T can generate an audible beep or warning bell in the headphones when an error has oc curred The specific error will be reported on the LCD The output level of the warning bell is menu selectable from off to 0 dBFS in setup menu 62 22 firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Metering Metering The 744T features a 76 LED 4 x 19 output meter The DSP controlled output meter provides a selec tion of ballistics and lighting intensities In addition peak indicators on input channels show clip ping activity Output Meter 000000000000000000 0000000000000000000 0 dBFS track LEDs are programmable 00000000000000000 as peak LEDs i 0000000900000000000 0 dBFS to 20 dBFS The meter uses energy efficient LEDs which are viewable in full sunlight The 744T output meter is unaffected by shock or extremes in temperature and humidity Meter ballistics are setup men
62. fications repairs or alterations to this product or failure to strictly comply with SOUND DEVICES LLC s operating and installation instructions Microsoft Windows is registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners The sound waves logo is a registered trademark of Sound Devices LLC ES firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Quick Start Guide Quick Start Guide The 744T is an extremely powerful and flexible portable audio recorder Before recording familiarity with the product is essential Several settings should be verified or set based on individual recording needs Powering the Unit 1 Apply power to the unit by connecting the included removable rechargeable Li ion lithium ion bat tery to the back panel battery mount The metal tabs on the mount line up with the electrical contacts on the battery From the factory the battery may not have a charge so external DC may be needed for initial operation and charging Connect the included AC to DC power adapter to the DC input plug to power and charge the removable Li on battery 2 Press and hold the power key 150 ms to power up the unit To power down the unit the power button must be held for one second If this is the first time the re
63. ficied temperature rating There is also a risk from sudden temperature changes which can create condensation inside the drive This condensation can lead to the drive s read write heads adhering to the disk surfaces which will in turn stop the hard disk from rotating Condensation tends to occur when the tempera ture inside the drive suddenly falls for example just after the unit is moved to a new position or after operation is stopped in a cold environment Sudden changes in temperature or air pressure can cause disk surface material to evaporate which can also cause the head to adhere to the disk surface This can happen when a hard disk drive is left unused for a long period of time Drive Replacement The internal hard drive can be removed and replaced if the device fails or if a different capacity drive is needed The internal hard drive is not a swappable medium Its multi pin connector is not rated for repeated insertion and removal cycles and may be prone to breakage with repeated cycling In typical service conditions Sound Devices recommends hard drive replacement once every three years The hard drive is mounted to the bottom side of the recorder s chassis and is screwdriver acces sible The drive is suspended in the unit with a shock isolating membrane and is attached to the main circuit board via a flex board Since the unit s high density circuitry and tight construction E firmware v 1 04 Features
64. ge from physical shock One type of physical shock called operating shock occurs when the disk is in operation During opera tion the drive head is typically over the drive platters reading and writing data When a physical shock to the drive occurs during operation the head and the platters can come into contact causing both components to be damaged The second type of shock called non operating shock occurs when the head is in the unloaded position or not positioned over the platters When a physical shock occurs in the non operating state the head can contact the ramp it is positioned over and dam age the ability of the head to read and write data to the hard disk drive All devices with hard drives are subject to damage from operating and non operating shock The mechanical construction of the 744T is designed to minimize the transmission of shock to the hard drive The drive is isolated from the chassis using special shock reducing closed cell foam This material increases the amount of shock the hard drive can withstand Additional protection can be achieved by operating the unit in a carry case If the recorder is used in applications subject to extreme motion Sound Devices recommends recording to CF medium only The hard drive will park its write heads to reduce the chance of failure With all electrical devices the higher the ambient temperature the shorter the device s operational life Therefore take care observe the speci
65. grade Process Setup Menu Presets auauua 42 Built In Presets User Setups Setup Menu cioe xr rtm ERE RR nu 44 Specifications 5 2 2 eise rr en 51 Connector Pin Assignments 53 Recording Time Calculation 54 Uncompressed Recording Time in Track Hours MP3 Compressed Record Time in Hours Accessories 1 cc cece cece eee eee eee 56 Menu Navigation Shortcuts 57 Glossary of Terms 0c cs eee e eee e eee 58 Warranty and Technical Support 59 Software License 0ceseeeeeeeneees 60 NOIES 5i ose prp n aN 61 SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Welcome Thank you for purchasing the 744T The super compact 744T records and plays back audio to and from its internal hard drive or Compact Flash medium making field recording simple and fast It writes and reads uncompressed PCM audio at 16 or 24 bits with sample rates between 32 kHz and 192 kHz Compressed MP3 audio playback and recording are also supported The time code implementation makes the 744T ready for any recording job from over the shoulder to cart based production The 744T implements a no compromise audio path that includes Sound Devices next generation microphone preamplifiers Designed specifically for high bandwidth high bit rate digital recording these preamps set a new standard for frequency response linearity low distortion performance and low noise With docum
66. h medium Caution while various PC utili ties are able to recover files from re formatted drives once formatted old audio data is not accessible by the 744T Setup Parameters 73 CF Repair Runs a utility that will repair minor errors in the directory structure of the Compact Flash 74 Balance Cal Calibrates the center position of the input 2 pot when used as the balance control for MS recording Place balance control to center and press to select 75 Power Ext Low Batt Volt Sets the warning voltage of the low bat tery alert with an external power source Internal battery warning threshold is factory set 10 0 18 0 VDC 0 1 V steps 76 Info Version Shows the current hardware revision hardware serial number and firmware version 77 Update Software Upgrade tool used to apply new firmware as provided by Sound Devices Will search all available media for the firm ware program file and apply the update EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation S pecifrations Specifications System Sampling Frequency internal 32 44 1 48 48 048 88 2 96 96 096 176 4 192 kHz external 32 192 kHz via word clock input Internal Data Path and Processing 32 bit 192 dB dynamic range AID D A Converters 24 bit 192 kHz sample rate
67. hannel 2 high pass Gain Range microphone level only The microphone inputs operate in two gain ranges normal and low The normal range is from 25 dB to 70 dB of gain The low range is from 10 dB to 55 dB The low range is useful for high SPL record ing environments Analog Inputs 3 amp 4 Appearing on TA3 connectors inputs 3 and 4 accept balanced or unbalanced line level signals These inputs have few controls and are typically fed from the output of a mixer or preamplifier SOUND Q DEVICES 0 744T User Guide and Technical Information Gain sensitivity for inputs 3 amp 4 is controlled in the setup menu Gain resolution is in 0 1 dB incre ments Analog Line Input Sensitivity Input level sensitivity for the line level inputs is adjustable in 0 1 dB steps from 6 dBu to 18 dBu While adjusting the input sensitivity the meters will show the relative signal level present on each input on the meters While channel 1 and 2 levels can be controlled by either the menu settings or the front panel pots channels 3 and 4 are adjusted only in the setup menu Signal Presence and Peak Indicator 0000 The four signal presence and peak indicators show audio activity before input to track rout ing Input signal presence LED s illuminate when a 50 dBFS or greater signal is present Input signal peak LEDs illuminate when signal levels reach 3 dBFS or greater Digital Inputs AES3 The 744T accepts AES3 AES EBU bala
68. have a significant reduction in its data rate Compressed audio has enabled the practical distribution of audio over low speed data networks SOUND Q DEVICES m 744T User Guide and Technical Information Accessories Included Accessories The accessories below are included with the 744T worldwide 100 240 VAC to 12 VDC power supply Li ion rechargeable battery 1500 mAh e a nice man bag Optional Accessories The above accessories are just the start of building a flexible recording kit that can accommodate multiple types of connections Available optional accessories to complete your recording kit include XL WPH power adapter included with unit 100 240 VAC input 12 VDC output it s good to have a spare XL B removable rechargeable Li on battery 1500 mAh battery it s good to have several spare CS 7 PortaBrace bag with shoulder strap to hold 744T and RM accessories mounts onto CS 442 and CS 302 mixer bags XLR F to TA3 cables used for input connection to line inputs 3 and 4 TA3F to XLR M cables XL 2 used for output connection from the master analog output TA3F to TA3F cable XL 1 used to connect the direct outputs of the a Sound Devices 442 mixer to the channel 3 4 analog line level inputs 5 pin LEMO to 5 pin LEMO used to connect the 744T time code circuit to Ambient time code sync boxes slates and con trollers or to jam one 744T to another 744T additionally used to jam Aaton cameras from the 744T
69. he same procedure as formatting the hard drive substituting the CF menu selection for the hard drive Formatting the CF rebuilds the FAT file allocation table and erases any audio or other data files present on the medium While some PC utilities can recover files immediately after formatting the drive consider that the files have been permanently erased FAT32 volumes generated by the 744T may not be compatible with numerous consumer electronic devices including entry level digital cameras SOUND Q DEVICES E 744T User Guide and Technical Information After recording is stopped it can take several seconds for the 744T to finish housekeeping on CF When preparing to remove the CF always observe the amber activity LED for the CF medium If it is lit wait until it goes out before removing the CE If the CF is removed while the LED is lit at the very least the file will be corrupted and there is a possibility of EAT corruption as well Testing a PENNE i a CF cards varied widely in their write read throughput Later generation 24x and greater CF cards can reliably read and write multi track high sample rate audio The 744T includes a drive speed test to measure the throughput speed of CF medium Measured numbers greater than 3000 KB s can reliably write 24 96 x 4 channels Not all CF medium can sustain write speeds for reliable 192 kHz recording Use the speed test utility to make certain that installed
70. ide for adjustment as firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Setup Name Setup Description Setup Menu Setup Parameters 60 HP Favorite Mode Selects the audio source monitored when inputs 1 2 track C l the Multi Function Controller is pressed e inputs 3 4 e track D during recording or playback e tracks A B e monitor A e tracks C D monitor B monitor A B monitor C monitor C D monitor D input 1 inputs 1 2 MS input 2 inputs 3 4 MS input 3 tracks 1 2 MS input 4 tracks 3 4 MS track A monitor 1 2 MS track B monitor 3 4 MS 61 HP Playback Mode Selects the audio source sent to head no change track C phones upon playback inputs 1 2 track D inputs 3 4 monitor A e tracks A B e monitor B e tracks C D e monitor C e monitor A B e monitor D monitor C D inputs 1 2 MS input 1 inputs 3 4 MS input 2 tracks 1 2 MS input 3 tracks 3 4 MS input 4 monitor 1 2 MS track A monitor 3 4 MS track B 62 HP Warning Bell Level Set the output level of the multi function off 60 to 0 dBFS in 1 dB steps warning bell 63 Tone Level Set the output level of the reference tone 40 to 0 dBFS in 1 dB steps 64 Tone Frequency Allows the user to set the frequenc
71. l Information Outputs Analog and Digital The 744T has two discrete output buses the Master Output Bus and Output Bus 2 Each of these two channel buses are assigned their audio sources independently enabling the 744T to feed mul tiple sources with unique two channel program The chart below shows the audio sources available for the Master Output Bus and for Output Bus 2 The audio sources for each output bus are selected in the setup menu Master Output Bus and Output Description Bus 2 Sources Stereo input pairs Input 1 and 3 is assigned to left output input 2 and 4 is assigned to right Inputs 1 2 output Inputs 3 4 When inputs are selected as the source for the outputs the state of recording or playback activity has no effect on the output signal This allow uninterrupted audio at the outputs Tracks A B Stereo track pairs Track 1 and 3 are assigned to the left output track 2 and 4 is assigned to Tracks C D right output On playback will play as track monitor Stereo monitoring of playback post record track pairs Highlighted media is source of monitor Monitor A B program Track 1 and 3 is assigned to left output track 2 and 4 is assigned to right output When Monitor C D not playing or recording there is no output There is significant delay in the monitor signal while recording due to the record buffer topology Master Output Bus Audio signals routed to the Master Output Bus
72. lding the STOP key The Stop key must be held for at least 150 ms to end recording Although you can enter the setup menu during recording menu items that will affect recording are lined out in the menu list When using the recorded track monitor selection there is a sample rate dependent delay in the signal At 48 kHz sampling the delay is approximately 12 seconds This delay is due to the record buffering topol ogy Audio can not be monitored until it has left the record buffer and written to the recording media During recording subsequent presses of the record key can perform one of three setup menu se lected actions no action new cue cue markers are set within the file being written new file a new file is started with each press of the record key the take counter is increased by one When removing the CF from the 744T always observe the amber activity LED for the CF medium If it is lit wait until it goes out before removing the CF If you remove the CF while the LED is lit the file will be corrupted and there is a possibility of FAT corruption as well Playback Just like a tape recorder pressing play will begin file playback The 744T has high resolution play back circuitry and is appropriate for any reference audio application Any file recorded by the 744T can be played back including all uncompressed audio files and MP3 file playback In addition files copied to the storage mediums from a computer
73. lly electronically balanced RF ESD short and overload protected pin 2 hot pin 3 cold Gain Matching Line inputs 0 1 dB channel to channel Common Mode Rejection Ratio Mic 40 dB minimum at 80 Hz High Pass Filters 40 80 160 240 Hz 12 18 24 dB oct all menu selectable Mic Powering each XLR selectable 48 V phantom through 6 8k resistors 10 mA per mic available menu selected per channel in mic or line level positions Mic Input Limiters Output Analog Line Output Clipping Level analog pre A D converter dual stage optocoupler and FET 4 dBFS threshold 20 1 limiting ratio 5 mS attack time 200 mS release time 24 dBu minimum 10k ohm load Attenuation amp Resolution 0 40 dB 1 dB increments Output Topology Line fully electronically balanced RF ESD short and overload protected pin 2 driven hot pin 3 driven cold let pin 3 float for unbalanced connections SOUND Q DEVICES EI 744T User Guide and Technical Information Inputs Outputs Digital AES3 id Digital Storage Internal hard drive 75 ohm 0 5 V p p S PDIF compatible with RCA adapter ATA 5 interface 1 8 in or 2 5 in hard drive 4200 7200 RPM supported FAT32 formatted up to 2 TB addressable Compact Flash CF type Il and microdrive compatible FAT32 formatted up to 2 TB addressable File Types WAV or BWF AES 31 format mono or polyphonic at supported Fs 24 bit or 16 bi
74. maximum A D converters on socketed field upgradeable daughter board AID Dynamic Range 114 dB A weighted bandwidth 110 dB 20 Hz 22 kHz bandwidth D A Dynamic Range 112 dB A weighted bandwidth 108 dB 20 Hz 22 kHz bandwidth Metering Analog Input 76 segment 4 x 19 sunlight viewable selectable peak VU or peak with or without peak hold with VU ballistics variable brightness all measurements at Fs 96 kHz 24 bit unless noted Frequency Response Mic or Line 10 Hz 40 kHz 0 1 0 5 dB gain controls centered Equivalent Input Noise Mic 133 dBu max 7135 dBV 50 ohm source A weighted filter Mic 131 dBu max 133 dBV max 50 ohm source 20 Hz 20 kHz BW flat filter gain fully up Mic 130 dBu max 132 dBV 150 ohm source A weighted filter Mid 2128 dBu max 130 dBV 150 ohm source 20 Hz 20 kHz BW flat filter gain fully up THD Noise Mic 0 004 max 1 kHz 22 Hz 22 kHz BW gain control down 15 dBu input Line 0 004 max 1 kHz 22 Hz 22 kHz BW gain control down 16 dBu input Gain Mic normal gain mode 25 70 dB input dBu to 20 dBFS Mic low gain mode 10 55 dB Line 26 18 dB 0 1 dB increments Input Clipping Level Mic input 5 dBu minimum normal gain mode gain control fully down ic input 10 dBu minimum low gain mode gain control fully down Line input 26 dBu minimum gain control fully down Input Topology Mic and Line fu
75. me and date controller can ec MS rEg TA Fh turned as well 15764 t dona H pe returns to the previous setting Once set the time and date clock will be kept while the removable rechargeable battery is attached If itis removed the internal AA NiMH time code battery maintain the date for up to 5 days File Size Maximum The 744T data volumes internal hard drive and CF are formatted and write to FAT32 file structures This structure allows these drives to directly mount in a wide variety of computer platforms includ ing Windows and Mac OS Using the FireWire connection both internal drives internal hard drive and CF appear as external FAT32 volumes Windows XP has a limitation on EAT32 drive formatting XP can format a FAT32 volume to a maximum of 32 GB however it can read FAT32 volumes as large as 2 TB FAT32 has a maximum file size limitation of 4 GB While it is possible to have thousands of files on the 744T medium s the largest any single file may be is 4 GB The 744T automatically splits an audio file before the 4 GB size is reached and begins writing to a new file When joined in an edit ing program these files match seamlessly with no samples lost The 744T has menu selectable file SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information size maximums of 650 MB 1 GB 2 GB and 4 GB The 650 MB size allows the user to break an audio program into CD R sized files for backup to inexpensive CD R medium
76. menu in 1 dB incre ments by 40 dB EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Headphone Output Headphone Output The 744T headphone output is a flexible tool for monitoring audio in the field The 744T allows the user to monitor inputs tracks or post record tracks The headphone output is independent of the Master Output Bus and Output Bus 2 audio sources can be routed to headphones independent of routing assignments to output buses The 744T is capable of driving headphones to extremely high sound pressure levels Hearing experts advise against exposure to high sound pressure levels for extended periods Choosing Headphone Sources The headphone source display on the main LCD screen o AE N shows the audio sources sent to headphones The 744T comes from the factory with 10 preset headphone audio source selections available on the Multi Function Controller These selections include inputs tracks and track moni tors Turn the Multi Function Controller on the right panel when at the main LCD screen to select among the available headphone monitoring sources Track Monitor The 744T can monitor recorded audio from the internal hard drive or Compact Flash while record ing To monitor recorded tracks select one of the track modes with an m following the track designations Because of the record buffering of the 744T a delay of up to 12 seconds
77. n 1 ground pin 2 pin 3 6 Headphone Output 3 5 mm TRS stereo headphone connec tor Can drive headphones from 8 to 1000 ohm impedances to required levels Tip left ring right sleeve ground SOUND Q DEVICES n 744T User Guide and Technical Information Right Panel Connectors and Controls 2 DES by AMBIENT e MENU Time Code Multi Pin Time code input and output on 5 pin LEMO connector AES3id Inputs 1 2 and 3 4 Unbalanced digital inputs accept four channels of either AES3 or S PDIF on BNC connectors FireWire IEEE 1394 Port Connection to a computer for access the internal hard drive and Compact Flash volumes as mass storage devices Direct connection to Mac OS X only and Win dows XP and 2000 only computers C Link In Out RS 232 protocol interface on 6 pin modular RJ 12 connector for linking multiple 744T s together Word clock machine transport and time code are carried on C Link connector External DC In Accepts sources of 10 18 volts DC for unit powering and removable Li on battery charging The Hirose 4 pin con nector is wired pin 1 negative pin 4 positive Pin 2 and pin 3 are used to charge the removable Li on bat tery DC ground is at the same potential as chassis and signal ground Word Clock Input and Out Provides clock input and output for the 744T Word input accepts sample rates between 32 kHz and 192 kHz Word
78. n repeat until stopped by the user Storage Medium Internal Drive The 744T s internal hard disk drive is the 744T s primary storage medium The large capacity and fast data read write speeds of hard drives are a perfect choice when long form high data rate recording is performed This is a good balance of speed reliability noise performance and current draw Higher speed drives may be used with the 744T however they will not significantly improve performance They will slightly increase transfer throughput with the penalty of increased current draw and reduced battery run time Formatting The drive installed in the 744T is formatted at the factory as a single partition FAT32 volume If a drive with multiple partitions is installed the 744T will only see the primary partion The 744T can only address one partition As a matter of routine maintenance periodic re formatting of the 744T hard drive is recommended Formatting the hard drive rebuilds the FAT file allocation table and erases any audio or other data files present on the medium This reduces possibility of directory corruption Be certain that all files on the 744T drive have been backed up to another media before formatting Once formatted all data on the drive will be erased To format the 744T internal hard drive 1 Ensure that all data on the hard drive has been copied or is no longer needed 2 Press the Menu key 3 Use the Multi Function Controller t
79. nal present on the time code input and the bottom of the display shows the currently set time code value In addition the 744T displays the frame rate of the incoming time code and the current frame rate setting of the 744T If there is a mismatch between the incoming and 744T set time code frame rate the incoming frame rate value will flash The 744T time code generator can be set in three ways Jam RX TC To jam the internal generator to the external value press the enter key or the Multi Function Control ler button The screen will say JAMMING Once the 744T is jammed to the external time code the external and internal numbers will match and run in sync Identical to the Ambient Recording series of time code products the 744T time code generator is capable of cross jamming differing frame rates The 744T will cross jam time code at the top of the second giv ing phase accurate the 00 frames will match time code at the frame rate set in the 744T instead of the incoming frame rate Jam Zeros This menu selection resets the internal generator to zero SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Jam Value Press enter tone key or the controller button to jam the user entered time code start value into the internal generator Edit Value This menu allows the user to set any valid time code value 00 00 00 00 23 59 59 29 for entry with the jam value selection above The initial screen of this men
80. nced digital at the XLR connectors Digital inputs are in pairs AES3 signals on XLR 1 appear at inputs 1 and 2 AES3 signals input to XLR 2 appear at in puts 3 and 4 To use the AES3 inputs the input mode select switch must be set to AES EBU 123 4 0O0O0s The front panel digital input LEDs will illuminate when digital input is selected for the in dicated track s If the LED is flashing digital input is selected but a no valid digital clock is received Digital Inputs AES3id S PDIF The 744T accepts AES3id and S PDIF unbalanced digital signals at the BNC connectors The 744T will auto detect the type of digital signal and adjust accordingly Input signals are in pairs signals on BNC 1 appear at inputs 1 and 2 signals on BNC 2 appear at inputs 3 and 4 AES3id inputs override analog signals present at the XLR inputs To input analog audio while using the AES3id signal as a digital clock source you must select analog in the input source menu selection for the appropriate inputs When a digital signal is present the 744T will lock its sample rate to the source frequency This is indicated by a highlighted block on the main LCD display to the right of the bit depth and sample rate indicators Recording bit depth is not affected by the external digital source If you are locking the 744T to an external digital signal be certain the source is stable Loss of the digital signal will cause the 744T to revert to its internally set sample
81. nd updates itself to the external source when reconnected Record Run time code is set from the jam value item in the jam menu Time code generation starts and stops with the record key creating continuous time code from file to file 24 Hr Run time code is initialized from the system clock on startup and enters free run mode Time code is updated if the time of day clock is adjusted 44 Time Code User Bits Sets the time code user bits generated by the 744T Not Used user bits are not set or output yy mm dd tt user bits are set to a North American style date with take counter yy dd mm tt user bits are set to a Euro pean style date with take counter e uu uu tt tt user bits are set to 4 user defin able digits with 4 take digits e tt tt tt tt user bits are set to the take counter for all 8 digits 45 Time Code Jam Menu Allows the user to jam or edit the internal time code generator and user bits Also accessible by pressing HDD and Menu keys simultaneously Jam RX TC jams the internal generator to received external code Jam Zeros resets the internal generator to zero e Jam Value sets the internal generator to the value set in edit value Edit Value allows to user to enter a free form number to initialize the time code Edit U Bit allows the user to edit allowed user bit numbers 46 j Output 1 L R Source Selects
82. not divisible by 10 54 drops per hour x 2 frames 108 frames per hour To sync the 744T to a video camera first determine if the camera is in drop frame or non drop frame mode If you the DP or the producer are unsure about what setting to use check with post produc tion if possible As a rough guideline video for NTSC broadcast is drop frame you can use non drop frame for anything else as long as all recorders are recording in the same mode 1 Set the 744T to either 29 97DF or 29 97 respectively 2 Jam the camera using a LEMO 5 to BNC adapter cable connected to the time code input on the video camera 3 Switch the camera to free run time code The 744T time code should appear in the time code display on the camera 4 Disconnect the time code cable The camera and recorder time code should now be running in sync Check it after roughly 5 minutes to be certain synchronization is maintained Video cameras are notorious for time code instability when switched off If the video camera must be shut down re jam it when it is powered back up EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation File Formats Audio File Formats The 744T records audio to industry standard file formats Windows Wave WAV Broadcast Wave BWF monaural and polyphonic and MPEG Layer 3 MP3 WAV BWF The 744T adheres to the AES 31 BWF file specific
83. o scroll to n HDD Erase 4 Press the controller button to begin formatting 5 Press the controller once more to confirm the operation Formatting the 744T hard drive can take up to 30 seconds When the format is completed the 744T will create a fresh menu hierarchy including the daily folder if selected Once you exit back to the main screen the 744T is ready for recording Drive Repair Included in the software for the 744T is a basic drive repair utility The utility is similar to Windows Scandisk and will check for file system integrity recover lost cluster chains fix or recover dam aged file allocation tables FAT and repair corrupted WAV files This utility should be run after improper media removal or in the event of a write error during recording SOUND Q DEVICES EI 744T User Guide and Technical Information When selected from the setup menu the repair utility will scan the drive for problems report the number of errors and correct the errors Drive Type The 744T ships with a 2 5 inch ATA 5 interface 4200 RPM hard drive Sound Devices has chosen the specific mechanism for maximum vibration and shock resistance Most 2 5 inch drives conforming to the ATA specification can be substituted for the factory hard drive When choosing a substitute hard drive note that higher RPM hard drives draw more current reducing battery run time Drive Failure Hard disk drives are mechanical devices and are susceptible to dama
84. ovable batteries simultane ously Charging The 744T has a battery charger for the Li on battery The charger is active when 10 18 VDC is applied to pins 2 and 3 of the Hirose connector When power is applied the charging circuit evaluates the battery condition and supplies charging current if necessary When charging the amber charge LED will flash Once the battery is fully charged the charger will enter a trickle mode to maintain the battery The charge LED flashes to indicate the status of the charging circuit The chart below describes the different flashes and their meanings Charge LED Activity Description of Activity Off Charger disabled On Completed charge battery fully charged 1 blink Charger enabled battery is charging 2 blinks No Li ion battery attached 3 blinks High low internal temperature state 4 blinks Battery level error code gt 15 min in slow mode 5 blinks 8 hour time limit error code If the charge LED shows anything but a successful charge the Li on battery may require replacement Time Code Master Clock Battery The 744T has an internal NiMH LR6 AA cell providing power to the time code generator circuitry and time of day clock This battery is charged simultaneously with the Li on battery With a fully charged battery accurate time code will be held for to eight hours after power down Because of this battery the 744T can be powered down without worry of
85. protocol links carries the following data word clock time code information e 35 232 machine transport data a E H E ud L al bee al l TOR LIO RU Hl C LINK IN OUT C LINK master slave slave unit unit unit To link units 1 Connectmultiple units as shown in the illustration above 2 Setalllinked recorders to the same sample rate bit depth file format and time code frame rate if used This will ensure that all files generated are compatible 3 If time code is being used set slave units to continuous jam mode so that they will follow the master recorder s time code generator 4 Setscene and take numbers on all linked recorders to the same starting file name There is no file name synchronization with multiple unit linking When linked record start and stop on slave units will not affect units above it in the linked chain This makes it possible for units to get out of synchronization if a unit other WARNING than the master is set to record or stop Using the master unit will assure that all machines begin and end recording together The C Link jack is a proprietary RS 232 port Under no circumstances should analog or digital telephone lines be connected to either jack Serious damage could result
86. puts and four record tracks Inputs are selectable among analog or digital sourc es Analog inputs 1 and 2 use XLR connectors analog inputs 3 and 4 use TA3 connections Digital inputs can be either AES3 balanced XLR or AES3id BNC inputs One analog pair and one digital pair can be used simultaneously Input Source Selection Input sources are selected in pairs 1 2 and 3 4 Each input pair 1 2 and 3 4 accepts analog or digi tal audio The XLR input signal is selected with slide switch above the connector Inputs 3 and 4 are selected from the setup menu Manually selecting the audio source is used to force the inputs to analog while using an AES3 or AES3id input to lock the 744T to an external sample rate Digital sources connected to AES3id BNC inputs override analog signals on the correspond ing XLR input The BNC input signal type is set in the menu settings nput 1 2 Source and nput 3 4 Source For most situations the appropriate setting is auto select the 744T will choose the input type based on signal present The 744T is capable of off speed sample rates when clocked from either external digital inputs or the word clock input Input sources can be set to disabled power save This option shuts down all circuitry associated with an input pair to save power and prolong battery life When an input pair is disabled the digital input LEDs associated with the pair will slowly flash In playback only application
87. q frequency and slope combinations for 40 80 160 e 240 Hz 18 dB oct microphone inputs 40 80 160 e 240 Hz 24 dB oct 21 Mic Input 1 Gain Range Selects the sensitivity of the microphone Normal 22 Mic Input 2 Gain Range input Low sensitivity is used for very Low loud and or very hot microphones 23 Input 1 2 Source Forces the inputs to analog or digital Auto select 24 Input 3 4 Source mode Default is auto select Analog Digital S PDIF AES Disabled Power Save 25 Input 1 2 Linking MS Selects whether the input 1 amp 2 levels are Unlinked controlled independently or grouped as a Inputs 1 and 2 operate independently pair with or without mid side decoding e Linked 1 2 Inputs are linked channel 1 pot controls level channel 2 pot controls pan Linked 1 2 and MS Inputs are linked channel 1 pot controls level channel 2 pot controls pan and are l decoded for MS stereo 26 Line Input 1 2 Gain Control When inputs 1 and 2 are in LINE input e Use front panel knobs mode selects whether the gain setting is e Use sensitivity settings controlled by the front panel knobs or by the menu sensitivity settings below 27 Line Input 1 Gain Adjusts the input sensitivity in 0 1 dB Meters show a pre fader level of the input sig 28 Line Input 2 Gain steps 6 dB and 18 dB nal of all four inputs on their respective meters 29 Line Input 3 Gain to aid in the adjus
88. rate even while recording The portion of the file recorded after the loss of signal may not play back properly Once recording has begun unused digital inputs are muted digital signals that appear on them after the record key has been pressed will not be recorded or affect the sample rate of the 744T The 744T will clock itself to the first digital signal presented to it If the 744T detects a digital signal on the BNC inputs and locks to that signal a digital signal applied to the XLR input will be ignored until the first digital signal is removed Input Delay A digital delay is selectable on each channel of the 744T Delay time per input in one microsecond uS steps 1 000 microseconds equals 1 millisecond ms The Multi Function Controller and menu IB firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Word Clock arrows are accelerated The more you press or spin the faster the delay setting will increment or decrement Delay is not set until enter is pressed The amount of delay available is dependent on the sampling frequency in use Sample Frequency Maximum Amount of Delay Available per input 32 44 1 48 48 048 kHz 30 000 uS 88 2 96 96 096 kHz 15 000 uS 176 4 192 kHz 7 500 uS Input delay can be useful for time aligning input signals from differing sources For example digital wireless mics that have a processing delay in their outputs
89. re upgrade is complete restore settings from this file if necessary SOUND Q DEVICES a 744T User Guide and Technical Information Setup Menu Presets Presets are useful shortcuts to speed setting the numerous parameters available in the setup menu The 744T has four built in presets and unlimited user presets Built In Presets The 744T is shipped from the factory with the factory preset applied Its settings are listed below Three additional presets film reporter and music presets allow for quick setup of typical param eters for the defined application Presets are applied by entering the setup menu and selecting the preset All previous settings are lost when a preset is applied Factor Film Reporter Music Parameter Preset Preset Preset Preset Sample Rate 48 kHz 48 kHz 44 1 kHz 44 1 kHz Bit Depth 24 bit 24 bit 16 bit 16 bit Input 1 2 Gain Controls unlinked unlinked unlinked linked Record Dither off off on on Pre Record Buffer Time 0 2 2 2 Input 1 Delay 0 0 0 0 Input 2 Delay 0 0 0 0 Input 3 Delay 0 0 0 0 Input 4 Delay 0 0 0 0 LED Brightness 10 10 10 10 LCD Backlight Enable enabled enabled enabled enabled LCD Backlight Mode normal normal normal normal LCD Contrast 50 50 50 50 Meter Ballistics Peak VU Peak VU Peak VU Peak VU Input 3 Gain 20 dBu 20 dBu 20 dBu 20 dBu Input 4 Gain 20 dBu 20 dBu 20 dBu 20 dBu Input 3 4 Source auto auto auto auto Input 1 Low cut mode 0 0 80 Hz 18 dB oct 0 Input 2 Low cut mode
90. receiver with a digital output it may not have an external word clock input and will be the word clock master If digital audio is connected to the 744T from more than one digital device you must word clock the sources to the same clock otherwise variations between the sources will render their signals unus able If the 744T is slaved to external word clock be certain that the source is stable Loss of the word clock signal during recording can cause the 744T to revert back to its internally set sampling frequency If this occurs the portion of the file recorded after the loss of word clock may not play back at the proper speed For reliability we recommend you set the 744T to the same sample frequency as the word clock source Loss of the word clock signal in this case will most likely cause a glitch in the file but the file will still be usable SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information To avoid digital loops when using the word clock and digital input signals you must make the 744T the word clock follower of the digital source C Link Multi Unit Linking The proprietary C Link protocol control link allows multiple 744T s and 722 recorders to be con nected and word clocked together When linked the 744T units have a master slave relationship When the master recorder is put into record the slave unit will roll as well Multiple units can be daisy chained together to record many tracks The C Link
91. rminate this EULA if you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of this EULA In such event you must destroy all copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT and all of its component parts Limited Warranty No warranties Sound Devices LLC expressly disclaims any warranty for the SOFTWARE PRODUCT The SOFTWARE PRODUCT and any related documentation is provided as is without warranty or condition of any kind either express or implied including without limita tion the implied warranties and conditions of merchantability fitness for a particular purpose or non infringement The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT remains with you No liability for damages In no event shall Sound Devices LLC or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including without limitation damages for loss of business profits business interruption loss of business information or any other pecuniary loss arising out of the use of or inability to use this Sound Devices LLC product even if Sound Devices LLC has been advised of the possibility of such damages In any case Sound Devices LLC s entire liability under any provision of this evaluation license shall be limited to the greater of the amount actually paid by you for the SOFTWARE PRODUCT or U S 5 00 Because some states jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages the above limitation may not apply to you
92. s both input pairs can be shut down to maximize power efficiency and extend battery runtime Analog Inputs 1 and 2 Analog inputs 1 and 2 on XLR connectors are the primary connections into the recorder These inputs accept balanced or unbalanced mic or line level inputs Gain control for mic inputs 1 and 2 is adjusted solely by the front panel push knobs Gain for the line level inputs can be controlled by the front panel potentiometers or menu settings Line input gain is available in 0 1 dB steps A digital input present on the BNC inputs will override an analog signal present on the XLR inputs un less the input source is set to analog in the setup menu In the setup menu the following functions can be controlled for analog inputs 1 and 2 Phantom Power mic and line level inputs Phantom power 48 volts can be activated for inputs 1 and 2 When active phantom is indicated by front panel LEDs 9 Q4sv Phantom power is available for both mic and line level inputs Using line level inputs with microphones is useful in extreme SPL environments such as concert recording Make certain to deactivate phantom power when line level output devices are connected that are susceptible to damage from DC Shortcut To toggle phantom power without entering the menus press and hold the tone key then press the menu key for channel 1 Channel 2 phantom can be toggled by pressing the tone key then e firmware v 1 04 Features and specifi
93. sequent copies of the SOFTWARE regardless of the media or form on or in which the original copies may exist The license is not a sale of the original SOFTWARE Copyright All rights title and copyrights in and to the SOFTWARE PRODUCT including but not limited to any images photographs animations video audio music text and applets incorporated into the SOFTWARE PRODUCT and any copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT are owned by Sound Devices LLC or its suppliers The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and interna tional treaty provisions Therefore you must treat the SOFTWARE PRODUCT like any other copyrighted material except that you may make copies as only provided below You may not copy the printed materials accompanying the SOFTWARE PRODUCT Restrictions on use Licensee may not distribute copies of the SOFTWARE or accompanying materials to others Licensee may not modify adapt translate reverse engineer decompile disassemble or create derivative works based on the SOFTWARE or its accompa nying printed or written materials Transfer restrictions Licensee shall not assign rent lease sell sublicense or otherwise transfer the SOFTWARE to another party with out prior written consent of Sound Devices LLC Any party authorized by Sound Devices LLC to receive the SOFTWARE must agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement Termination Without prejudice to any other rights Sound Devices LLC may te
94. sit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Sample and Bit Rate LED brightness is continuously adjustable from low to high brightness Hold down the key and turn the Multi Function Controller to change brightness levels All LED s are adjusted In stealth mode setup menu selected the LEDs are toggled on and off with the brightness key Sample Rate and Bit Depth When recording to BWF and WAV files the 744T generates uncompressed PCM audio files at user selected sample rates and bit depths The 744T LCD indicates available recording time based on the sample rate bit depth and number of tracks set for recording See the Calculating Recording Time later in this guide to estimate record time Sample Rates Record SamPle Rate gt 176 4k 4 n iak When a sample rate is selected for recording all tracks are recorded at the selected sample rate Sample rates are selected among common rates from 32 kHz to 192 kHz Additionally non standard sample rates can be applied when the 744T is word clocked from an external source Sampling Frequency Available Audio Bandwidth The sampling frequency is expressed in samples per second in hertz and defines the number of times in a second that the analog audio signal has been measured Sampling frequency determines the audio bandwidth or frequency response that can be represented by the digital signal A quick estimate of the maximum bandwidth capable of being represented
95. t MP3 64 96 128 240 or 320 kb s stereo Utilities Format speed test and repair utility for internal HD and CF volumes Data Transfer Control FireWire peripheral mode IEEE 1394a compliant 6 pin FireWire Windows 2000 XP Mac OS X only C Link 6 wire modular input and output RS 232 machine control word clock time code transfer Time Code Modes Supported free run record run 24 hour run continuous jam Frame Rates 23 976 24 25 29 97DF 29 97ND 30DF 30ND Accuracy 0 2 ppm when tuned with Ambient Master Controller holds TC clock for 8 hours after main bat tery removal AA time code battery installed after 8 hours retains time of day Powering Internal Voltages x16 VDC regulated audio rails 5 VDC data 3 3 VDC data 1 5 VDC DSP core 48 VDC phantom power Power supply batteries operating cell removable 7 2 V nominal Sony M or L type Li on operational from 6 8 V time code battery 1 2 V AA nickel metal hydride Power supply external Environmental Operation and Storage Other LCD Display 10 18 V 1000 mA minimum via locking 4 pin Hirose connector use Hirose HR10 7P 4P DigiKeytt HR100 ND for locking mating DC connector pin 1 pin 2 pin 3 pin 4 See Powering section for additional details Ambient temperature 5 55 C Relative humidity non condensing lt 80 202 x 32 pixels extended temperature backlit display Tone Oscillator 100 Hz 1
96. time code jumps or inaccuracy When the NiMH battery is near exhaustion the time code generator will shut off and the time of day clock keep running for up to one month 744T will maintain accurate time code for 8 hours after power down as long as the NiMH battery is charged EJ firmware v 1 04 Features and specifications are subject to change Visit www sounddevices com for the latest documentation Firmware Firmware Upgrades The 744T uses upgradable EEPROM electrically erasable programmable read only memory to hold the unit s operating system software or firmware Firmware is the source code which controls all aspects of the device including menu options signal routing signal processing LED s controls and data ports Version Information During manufacturing the unit s hardware revision number and serial number are burned into a protected area of the EEPROM and are not changeable These numbers are viewed in the nf o Version selection of the setup menu nf o Versi on also shows the firmware version of the recorder The 744T firmware version and unit serial numbers are written to the data chunk of every WAV and BWE audio file generated by the 744T HE TI SUFTWARE WER 1 04 SERIAL 3 45B81B42H8BB4 Upgrade Process From time to time Sound Devices may issue revisions new versions of firmware for the 744T Firm ware is user upgradeable To upgrade firmware follow the steps below 1 2 Do
97. tment 30 LIne Input 4 Gain 31 Input 1 Delay Sets a digital delay for each input Can 0 usec to 30 000 usec up to 48 048 kHz Fs 32 Input 2 Delay be used to compensate for delay in vari 0 usec to 15 000 usec up to 96 096 kHz Fs 33 Input 3 Delay ous digital wireless microphone units or 0 usec to 7 500 usec up to 192 kHz Fs 34 Input 4 Delay digital processors SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information Setup Name Setup Description Setup Parameters 35 File Marker Mode Enables the user to set cue points on Markers disabled the fly while recording by pressing the No cue marks are set record key e New Cue Cue markers will be set within one contigu ous file New File A new file is started with each press of the record key the take counter is increased by one 36 File Marker Pre roll New files created by the marker mode Disabled can have the selected amount of pre roll e Enabled appended to the beginning of each file when enabled 37 File Max Size Selects the file size where the 744T will OFF 4 GiB 2 close then start a new file The 744T will 4 GB not record a file larger than the selected 2 GB Size 1GB The largest file permissible with the s SA0ME i 744T s FAT32 file system is 4 GiB 38 File Folder Options Selects whether files are placed in the Single folder main SOUNDDEV folder or a new Daily folder fol
98. tom power input limiters and high pass filters are activated as required 4 When using inputs 3 or 4 set gain levels in the setup menu SOUND Q DEVICES 5 744T User Guide and Technical Information Routing Inputs to Tracks Before recording inputs must be assigned to tracks Each of the 744T s four inputs 1 2 3 4 can be assigned to any of the four tracks A B C D These sixteen possible routing combinations are shown on the front panel with 16 blue LEDs Illuminated LEDs indicate input to track assignment 1 Pressthe input key to cycle through factory routing presets The 744T has six often used presets for quick setup of input to track routing combinations Note the routing combinations on the blue LEDs with each successive press 2 Ifnone of the preset routing combinations are suitable assign a custom routing Sequential presses of the input key will eventually cycle to the custom routing option see Input to Track Routing pg 18 3 PressExit to leave input routing mode The custom input routing menu allows any input to be assigned to any track Multiple inputs can be as signed to a single track Recording Parameter Setup For most productions the general recording parameters of sample rate bit depth media selection and file format are changed infrequently Enter the setup menu to verify recording settings Sample rate and bit depth are displayed on the LCD panel 1 Select the bit depth as needed
99. u select able among VU Peak Peak Hold VU Peak and VU PeakHold The meter uses a non linear metering scale which increases meter resolution in the most important part of the scale From 50 to 40 dBFS each LED segment equals approximately 10 dB From 40 to 12 dBFS each segment equals 2 dB From 12 to 0 dBFS each segment equals 4 dB Meter Ballistics Feak Unly n Peak Hold Only Peak WU X The output meter can be set to display any of five types of meter ballistics VU Peak Peak hold a combination of VU and Peak and a combination of VU with Peak hold The meter ballistics are selected in the setup menu VU Volume Units Ballistics correspond closely to how the human ear perceives loudness and provides a good visual indication of how loud a signal will be In VU mode the attack and decay of the meter signal is 300 mS While giving a very good visual indication of perceived loudness VU meters gives poor information on actual signal peaks and are virtually useless for tracking to the 744T In VU mode the front panel meter labeling is in volume units Peak Peak reading ballistics correspond to actual signal maximums but don t necessarily correspond to perceived signal loudness A peak meter has a near instantaneous attack to display maximum signal amplitude and a slow decay to allow the user to see them Peak metering is essential for digital re cording since signal overload can cause immediate distortion
100. u shows the currently set value as well as the current time code setting of the 744T Press the controller or the enter key tone key to enter into edit mode The user can set the time code numbers in pairs hours minutes seconds and frames Once DONE is selected the value is available to jam into the internal generator with the jam value selection The value is not jammed into the 744T time code generator until jam value is selected User Bits The 744T has six user selectable user bit modes Time code user bits are a portion of the time code data which can be allocated however the user chooses Commonly user bits carry information such as the date take sound roll or camera roll number User bits are edited from the Edit U Bi t selection in the jam menu Press enter tone key or the controller to enter user bit edit mode The screen will show the format and setting of the user bits Using the controller or the soft button up and down arrows user bit digits can be edited in pairs Once DONE is selected the user bits are set If editing is not available in the selected user bit mode No User Edits will appear in the screen NTSC Standard Def Video Production NTSC video uses a frame rate of 29 97 frames per second Unfortunately that leaves 108 frames per hour unaccounted To keep 29 97 time code in sync with clock time the concept of drop frame was devised Two frames are dropped at the top of each minute
101. utput Bus 2 Headphone Output cce cece eee eee 21 Choosing Headphone Sources Setting Headphone Source Options Multi Function Controller Behavior Headphone Favorite Selection Headphone Playback Mode Warning Tones Metering iieri 23 Output Meter Meter Ballistics Peak LEDs Tone Oscillator LCD Contrast amp Backlight LED Brightness Sample Rate and Bit Depth 25 Sample Rates Bit Depths Time Code iret nns 26 Frame Rate Time Code Mode Jam Menu User Bits NTSC Standard Def Video Production Audio File Formats 0cceeeeeeeeeeeee 29 WAV BWF MP3 MPEG Layer 3 Recording and Playback sss 29 Recording Playback AutoPlay Storage Medium Internal Drive 31 Formatting Drive Repair Drive Type Drive Life Span Drive Replacement Storage Medium Compact Flash 33 When to Use CF Formatting Testing Drive Repair Qualified CF Cards File Naming Numbering Lese 34 Scene Numbers Take Numbers File Management and Copying 35 File Finder Navigation File Directory Screen Setting Clearing Flag Bits Automatic Flag Clearing Folders File Time and Date File Size Maximum File Copying Between Internal Drives File Transfer FireWire POWGHING 2d kes sre exa ra Rn IR ERR 39 Lithium lon Rechargeable Battery External Powering Charging Time Code Master Clock Battery Firmware Upgrades esee 41 Version Information Up
102. wnload the firmware file from the Sound Devices web site or obtain it on disk Transfer the firmware file it will be named ver si on_number pr g to the 744T internal hard drive via FireWire or onto a CF card If there are multiple firmware files on the media the 744T will select the first firmware file available There is no provision to skip to the next file To prevent confusion ensure that there is only one firmware file available on any 744T media Enter the firmware upgrade menu You will be prompted to search for the firmware file If a valid firmware file is present on either the internal hard drive or CF the recorder will prompt if the path is the proper file to use Press the Multi Function Controller or the tone key to say yes The 744T will begin firmware upgrade and validation Progress is indicated with a bar graph for a Programming file When the upgrade and verify process is complete power cycle the 744T On power up the LCD will turn solid black and the green LED next to the FireWire port will blink 20 times When the update se quence is complete the 744T will reboot once again Verify the firmware version using the nf o Sof t ware menu Reset the time of day clock to the present time and date Reset the time code to an appropriate value Firmware upgrades are designed to preserve all user menu settings As a precaution we recommend sav ing the present state as a setup file on the hard drive or CF Once a firmwa
103. y of 100 10 000 Hz in 100 Hz steps the reference tone oscillator 65 Tone Mode Select the destination of the reference disabled tone or to disables it completely to record tracks only to outputs only to record tracks and outputs 66 In HDD Test Performs a write read speed test on the Caution Drive test will disable process internal hard drive Data transfer speed is ing and mute outputs for duration of test measured in KB s Outputs will not return until test is exited 67 In HDD Space Shows the drive file system total size and space remaining on the internal hard i drive 68 In HDD Erase Formats the internal hard drive Caution while various PC utilities are able to recover files from a re formatted drive once formatted old audio data is not accessible by the 744T 69 In HDD Repair Runs a utility to repair minor errors in the directory FAT of the drive 70 CF Test Performs a speed test on the Compact Caution Drive test will disable process Flash media installed Data transfer ing and mute outputs for duration of test Speed is measured in KB s Outputs will not return until test is exited 71 CF Space Shows the drive file system total size and space remaining on connected Compact Flash medium SOUND Q DEVICES 744T User Guide and Technical Information 72 Setup Name CF Erase Setup Description Formats installed Compact Flas
104. y the recorder each calendar day dither the process of adding noise to an audio signal to increase the accuracy of low level signals when bit reducing a digital bit stream In general dither should be engaged if reduction from 24 bit to 16 bit audio is needed LED l ight e mitting d iode The 744T uses ultra efficient GaN LEDs for all positions LED brightness is fully variable la the state of the transport The 744T is reading audio data from disk and sending to any output that has tracks selected play pause when the stop pause key is pressed while play is occurring the recorder goes into play pause mode This allow user to cue an audio file by holding down the ff and rew keys or to skip to the next or previous file by single pressing ff and rew play stop when the stop pause key is presses following play pause plesiochronous pronounced plee see AH krun us from the Greek plesos meaning close and chronos meaning time a term describing a condi tion where two or more signals are nearly synchronized For example a communication system of digital devices where the clocks between a transmitting and receiving device aren t locked directly to one another as in a master and slave relationship but are both highly accurate and are running at the same rate same meaning in literal terms nearly the same There are standards governing the rate of deviation allowed before a system can be considered plesiochronous Short of th
105. y the removable rechargeable battery the LCD display shows the battery voltage level The nominal operating voltage for the rechargeable battery is 7 2 V with operating voltages from 6 5 8 5 V When the battery drops to 6 5 V battery voltage display in the LCD and the power LED begins flashing warning that the battery is nearly exhausted When the voltage reaches 6 3 volts the 744T will power down any recordings in process will automatically stop External Powering The 744T can be powered from clean DC power sources within a range of 10 18 VDC 12 watts minimum Connection to the 744T is through the 4 pin Hirose connector Part HR10 7P4P Pin 1 of the connector is negative and pin 4 is positive Additionally pin 2 and pin 3 are used to supply current to the charging circuitry for the removable Li on cell Pin 1 and pin 2 of the external DC input are at the same ground potential as chassis ground and signal ground SOUND Q DEVICES a9 744T User Guide and Technical Information The voltage level of the source powering the unit is shows on the LCD Es TREL When the 744T senses a low voltage condition from an external DC source the power LED and battery voltage display flashes to alert the user When the external DC reaches 9 volts the 744T will automatically switch over to its removable battery If no battery is installed the unit will shut down The included AC to DC power supply can run the unit and charge rem

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