Some DP-24 manual questions

[thornev]

I have read thoroughly the Tascam manual and have watched all Phil's videos and read all the most recent forum posts. Though I've digested all that, I may have forgotten an answer to one of these questions so please be kind. My questions...

1. On page 54 of the manual under "Send effects" it says "The send effects can be used to send signals to Send Effect 1." What is "Send Effect 1"? Was that supposed to state something about mono versus stereo effects using 1 or 2 SEND busses?

2. On the block diagram page what do the "2/" symbols mean?

3. On the block diagram page to what does "Output Select" underneath the rectangular box at upper right refer?

4. Since a single track can contain 8 virtual tracks, does that mean I can record 8 different times on a single physical track, and after all 8 are recorded, I can listen to all 8, choose the one I like best and assign that virtual track to the physical track and that's what will play when I'm mixing the tracks?

5. And if #4 is correct, are all 8 virtual tracks saved when I power off so that I can later change my mind and assign a different virtual track? In other words, are virtual tracks saved to the SD card?

Thanks, Thorne

 

[Mark Richards]

What is "Send Effect 1"?

1. Look on the Mixer screen and you will see Send Effs 1 & 2. Look to the right of the Display Screen and you will see the Knobs to control the respective Send Eff Level. Send Eff 1 goes to the internal Effects displayed when you press the Effects button to the left of the display, and also goes to the Send Eff 1 line output on the back of the portastudio for simultaneous connection to outboard gear (if you so choose to use it that way - again , it's in the stickies).

page 54 of the manual under "Send effects" it says "The send effects can be used to send signals to Send Effect 1."...something about mono versus stereo effects using 1 or 2 SEND busses?

No. See #1.

record 8 different times on a single physical track, choose the one I like best and assign that virtual track to the physical track and that's what will play when I'm mixing the tracks?

4. Yes. There are Virtual Track posts in the stickies explaining how to make use of Virtual Tracks.

are virtual tracks saved to the SD card?

5. Yes.

2. & 3. I don't have the block diagram with me right now.

 

[thornev]

Thanks, Mark. Re #1... My question was more about why the manual states EFFECT screen effects are sent only to Send Effects 1 when both 1 and 2 are active for sending the effects on the MIXER screen. Are you saying that if I were to turn on SEND EFF 2 and raise its LEVEL on the MIXER screen, it will be ignored? For example, what if I choose a STEREO DELAY effect? Wouldn't Send Eff 1 be for the the left side and Send Eff 2 for the right side of a stereo pair of tracks?

EDIT: Maybe you're referring to the Send MASTER sends? I see that Send MASTER 1 can go back to the internal effects and/or the rear EFFECTS SEND 1 jack whereas Send MASTER 2 goes ONLY to the EFFECTS SEND 2 rear jack. So the rear jacks maybe receive either a mono signal to both jacks or a stereo signal to L & R (i.e. 1 & 2) jacks?

 

[Felonious Punk]

Hey thornev! It's true. The internal effects are only controlled by Send 1. Effects send 2 will only work if you physically connect an external effect unit via the EFFECTS SEND 2 jack AND then return that signal via one of the INPUTS A-H.


FP

 

[thornev]

Thanks, Punk. Is it true that SEND EFF 1 goes to both the internal and the rear EFFECT SEND 1? And SEND EFF 2 goes ONLY to EFFECT SEND 2? That's what the block diagram seems to indicate.

EDIT: OK, I get it. I watched again Phil's video #5 on Send Effects. It's all explained there.

 

[Mark Richards]

2. On the block diagram page what do the "2/" symbols mean?

3. On the block diagram page to what does "Output Select" underneath the rectangular box at upper right refer?

#2. Stereo

#3. The internal signal paths coming into the rectangular box in the Block Diagram are from the Stereo Fader (tracking and mixing), the Master module playback, and CD playback (for those that have the CD unit). All these internal signals go to the Stereo Bus Out Jacks on the rear of the portastudio. The internal circuitry selects which signal is active depending on what the user is doing, i.e., tracking/mixing; mastering; listening to CD (for those that have it.)
[underlines are clarifying edits]

 

[thornev]

Mark - "The signals coming into the box"? As far as I know the only signals coming into the DP-24 are the A-H inputs. There are no separate returns and the 3 pairs of rear stereo jacks are for output only: RCA unbalanced L&R, TRS Monitor out L&R and Effects Sends L&R. Oh, and the Headphone jack on the front. What am I missing that's an input? I was asking specifically about the label "Output Select" at the upper right. The arrows that point into it I assume are signal tracks, no? The STEREO FADER is obviously the slider under... I don't know.

 

[Mark Richards]

I clarified #3. Edits underlined.

 

[-mjk-]

Plugging a cable into the Send 1 output jack does not break the normal so you can use the internal Send FX and also have those same tracks going out the jack to an external device.

 

[thornev]

I don't know what "does not break the normal" means.

 

[Felonious Punk]

Hi thornev! Even if you plug an external effects unit into Send 1 the internal effects will also still work and be controlled by Send 1 effects knob. You will be able to control both the internal effects AND an external unit hooked to the EFFECTS SEND 1 jack. It will control both simultaneously.

If you have a few guitar pedals laying around you can try playing with them through the EFFECTS SEND jacks. You'll get the idea in no time.

FP

 

[thornev]

Hey Punk, you sound like you'd make a good teacher. I'm on your same wavelength. I grok. (you'll have to look that one up if you don't get it...or I can explain).

 

[Felonious Punk]

Thanks, thornev! I did have to look that up . I don't have the deep knowledge and experience of Phil, Mark and mjk but I am a newbie too so I get it from that perspective.

FP

 

[-mjk-]

I don't know what "does not break the normal" means.

With patchable connections, jacks, patchbays, etc., the "normal" connection is the one that is connected with nothing plugged into the jack. In the DP machines, we can say that Send 1 is "normalled" to the internal FX. With some connections, when you plug something in, it breaks the normal and replaces or takes over the output. When I first used the Send 1 jack, I was a bit surprised to find that it didn't break the internal, normal connection to the internal FX.

 

[-mjk-]

Hi thornev! Even if you plug an external effects unit into Send 1 the internal effects will also still work and be controlled by Send 1 effects knob. You will be able to control both the internal effects AND an external unit hooked to the EFFECTS SEND 1 jack. It will control both simultaneously.

If you have a few guitar pedals laying around you can try playing with them through the EFFECTS SEND jacks. You'll get the idea in no time.

FP

That's what I said in 1 sentence, lol.

 

[-mjk-]

@David Porter is also a DP expert.