ADAT HD24 FAQs

The Alesis ADAT File Streaming Technology, or ADAT/FST, records onto hard drives in a unique way designed from the ground up for multitrack audio. Many other hard disk recorders use the Microsoft-designed FAT32 or Apple's HFS+ file format. Since these were originally designed for the relatively small data files used in personal computers, not for real-time multitrack recording and playback, they break up audio into many small files scattered across the disk. Alesis ADAT/FST keeps all tracks of a song in large associated clusters on the hard disk, so the disk doesn't have to "hunt" all over during recording and playback. ^

2. What are the main advantages of ADAT/FST?

A. It allows the use of inexpensive IDE drives. This type of hard drive has become so affordable that you can leave the drives themselves on the shelf as the permanent storage medium- you don't have to backup to tape or optical media just so you can reuse the drive. ADAT/FST is so efficient that it can accept any IDE drive made today, including 5400RPM drives, and UMA 33/66 is not required. The drives required for competing systems cost more because they require exceptionally fast seek times to keep up with the demands of multitrack audio recording in real time on a FAT32 or HFS+ formatted hard disk.

B. Virtually instantaneous access time to any given point within a song, or between songs. Locate to the start, end, middle or wherever in the song that you like without hesitation. C. Longer drive life and less maintenance. ADAT/FST's audio-optimized recording scheme is less likely to trash your drive. Traditional recording systems have been known to wear out high performance hard drives in a matter of months. With ADAT/FST, your low-cost drives can last for years.

D. No defragmenting required. Data is written to the disk in such an audiooptimized, reliable manner, the ADAT/FST never requires your drive to be defragmented. Even after editing, a track appears as a whole piece, not dozens of fragments. ^

3. What is the sample rate and bit width?

HD24 records at 24bit and sample rates of 44.1k and 48k (88.1k and 96k when using the optical inputs and any third party A/D converters that support 96k sampling rates). With the EC-2 upgrade installed, the first 12 I/O TRS 1/4" inputs can be used to record at 88.1k and 96k as well. ^

4. This is a proprietary format. How can I get files into my computer?

You can transfer standard .AIFF or .WAV files from the ADAT HD24 to a computer or even to the Internet using its built in Ethernet port. In fact, as you'll learn later in this document, you can set up the HD24 to act as it's own FTP server and access files from your web browser. You can even make files available on the internet directly from the unit. For even faster transfer speeds, the Alesis Fireport 1394 is now available for both MAC and PC which allows for transfer speeds of up to 40MB/sec, and the ability to utilize .SD and .SD2 files on a MAC. ^

5. Are there any other manufacturers using this type of format?

Currently, ADAT/FST is used only by Alesis. However, like other Alesis standards (such as ADAT Optical and ADAT Sync), we anticipate other companies will support this advanced format. ^

6. Does the drive need to be de-fragmented?

No. The HD24's file system essentially defragments itself as it records. The "cluster size" of the Alesis file system is much larger than other disk file systems, so files are easier to find. In addition, all tracks for a given song are saved in adjacent sectors, not scattered in 24 different locations. The end result? No matter how many songs you load on a disk, or how many overdubs and edits you make, the drive never gets fragmented enough to affect performance. It's important to note that the ADAT HD24's file system is NOT the same as "tape mode" in some other hard disk recorders, which may erase songs following it on the drive. The ADAT/FST does not permanently assign a given length of time in a particular song to any sector of the drive. It is still random-access; it's just not as scattered as other disk formats. ^

7. What type of drives can be used?

More currently manufactured IDE drive (Note that all "IDE" drives are actually "EIDE" now) with a spindle rate of 5400 rpm of higher will work with the ADAT HD24. Higher-speed IDE drives are acceptable as well. The only requirement is that it be ATA-4 compatible. Almost all drives currently sold meet this requirement, and most exceed it by a significant margin. Costs are low: 20GB drives are available for under $100, which makes them as inexpensive per megabyte as tape. ^

8. Is there a size limit for hard drives in HD24?

The ADAT/FST file system can support drives up to 2TB (2000 GB). Having said that, consider that an 80GB drive (available today for about $150.) holds 6 hours of 24-track audio (that's 8,640 track minutes), the equivalent of 24 forty minute 8-track ADAT tapes (which are more expensive at about $350.). ^

9. How long does it take to format the hard drive?

The HD24 offers two format operations. A normal format called "Quick Format" which completes in less than 10 seconds. Another option for drive formatting is called "Long Format" which writes zeros to every location on the drive in order to ensure that data is erased. Long formatting of a 10GB drive will take approximately 15 minutes. ^

10. Is there any editing on board?

Yes, the HD24 comes fully equipped with built-in editing. The user can take advantage of the HD24's scrubbing feature to hear any or all tracks scrubbing at the same time. Scrub to your edit in and edit out points, and perform a cut, copy or paste to duplicate regions or whole tracks in a song. Tracks can be individually selected for editing on the front panel as well. See the editing section for more information. ^

11. What is the average seek time?

If you're talking about locate time, the response from when you hit "PLAY", is incredibly fast. Since the ADAT HD24 puts all tracks for a song in one place on the disk, you'll hear audio in less than 1/10th of a second. (Competing recorders may take over 2 seconds to locate the track on disk before you hear audio.) For advanced users looking for the "seek time" specifications for the hard drives the HD24 uses, this will vary on a drive to drive basis. Many hard drives have a seek time of about 9mS. Seek time variance of currently-available hard drives will not have an affect on HD24 performance. ^

12. Will Alesis offer empty caddies for additional drives?

Yes. Empty caddies will be sold through your local Alesis dealer and they will cost about $25 retail (US). It's quick and easy to install a raw drive into a caddyjust a few screws to attach it and two plugs to connect it. ^

13. How many removable dries can be installed simultaneously in HD24?

While other hard disk recorders only offer one or no removable drive, the HD24 has two! This allows for much more flexibility when it comes to managing your projects. ^

14. How can I backup my data?

First of all, unlike most HD recorders, you don't have to backup just to clear space on the drive for a new song. You can simply insert a new drive, same as tape. But, it's easy to make a backup safety copy in several ways:

A. Backup onto another hard drive in the other drive bay of the HD24. This method is fast, foolproof, inexpensive, and (unlike other HD backup methods) allows you to immediately remount the project in seconds without waiting for an upload. Unlike other recorders, 2 machines are not required to make a backup of your work.

B. Backup onto a computer using the Ethernet port or Alesis Fireport 1394 connecting the HD24 to a computer or computer network. Any computer software that has FTP (File Transfer Protocol) capability (such as Netscape Navigator or Windows Explorer) can "see" each Song on the HD24 as a file folder, and when you open the file folders you'll see the tracks of each song as individual files (both AIFF or WAV are available). Once there, you can drag then onto any storage media on your network (such as CD-R, DVD-RAM, Jaz drives, etc.) or onto the hard drive of the computer. You could even have a friend in another country download files from your HD24 over the Internet... after you give him/her your FTP address and a password, of course.

C. Backup onto any ADAT-compatible recorder. The HD24 has 3 sets of ADAT Optical jacks in addition to ADAT Sync in and out ports, so you can transfer 24 tracks at a time with sample accuracy to any ADAT tape system, computer interface, digital mixer, or other hard disk recorder in real time, with no degradation in sound quality (the ADAT system will automatically truncate to 20 bits from the HD24 recording). Also, theADAT/EDIT system will allow you to transfer back and forth in sample accurate sync to any Mac or PC with a PCI card slot. ^

15. Can I eject a drive while the other drive is playing/recording?

The hard drives in the HD24 are hot-swappable (unlike SCSI drives on many other systems), which means that you can insert or take out a drive without turning the HD24's power off first. A hard drive can be installed at any time. However, there is a procedure to follow before pulling a drive out. Each drive bay has a small light next to it showing the drive's status. As long as a drive's light is OFF, you can pull it out. However, if the light is Green (ready) or Red (active), a disk must be dismounted and spun down before pulling it out. Using the Drive 1/Drive 2 buttons, you may dismount and remove wither drive at any time except during recording. The system will not allow the user to dismount a drive from the front panel drive buttons while it is currently in record. If a drive is installed during recording, the system will wait until the unit is stopped before powering up the drive. ^

16. Can I record on both drives simultaneously (mirroring)?

No. If a backup of song data is required, then the user can copy the song from drive to drive after it is recorded, or use a second ADAT HD24 connected to the first with three ADAT Optical cables and a Sync cable to record a mirror copy in real time. ^

17. Does the HD24 record its 24 tracks across two hard drives?

No. Every single drive allows full 24 track recording. The second drive is simply for backup purposes and extra flexibility. ^

18. Is it possible to run the HD24 with SSDs? (former question was about DVD-RAM drive module)

Yes it is possible to run the HD-24 using SSDs, but it requires the firmware version 1.21.
Basically you only need a SATA-to-IDE adapter (sometimes called PATA-to-SATA). According to the web it is recommended to format the drive with FAT32 on a computer first. Then format it using the HD24's own format function.
As my SSDs came formated with FAT32 already I can't judge whether the pre-formatting is really required. ^

19. How long does it take to backup a 10GB drive?

From drive to drive of the HD24 will take about 20 minutes. To back up individual songs depends on the length of the song- a full-size 24-track recording 5 minutes long will take about 2.5 minutes to back up to the other hard drive. ^

20. How long will it take to transfer audio between the HD24 and a computer via the Ethernet port?

Transfer speed will vary depending on the speed of the computer and the software used. The HD24 transfer speed itself is over 4 times real-time so transferring a vocal track to a workstation for some more in depth tweaking will only take a few moments. However, moving a full 24-track song using Ethernet can take longer than real-time because the format does not transfer all 24 tracks at once. In any case, it will vary depending on the speed of the computer or network receiving the files, and upon the FTP software of the computer. Specialized FTP transfer software (like Transmit, available as shareware from Panic Software, or WSFTP (PC), or Fetch (Mac)) does the job in 1/6th of the time of some web browser software. Transferring a 24-track 4minute song takes about 16 minutes to a Mac using Transmit. Once in the Mac or PC, you can drop the tracks into any digital audio editor (such as Logic Audio by Emagic, the company who designed the ADAT/EDIT software) and perform waveform editing, mixing and DSP. ^

21. Are the caddies safe enough for shipping drives via mail?

Additional padded packaging is necessary for reliable transportation/shipping. Shock-resistant caddy carriers will be available which will help to protect the drives during handling.

II. Editing

22. What kind of editing does the HD24 have on board?

The HD24 comes fully equipped with built-in editing. The user can take advantage of the HD24 scrubbing to hear any or all channels scrubbing at the same time. Scrub to your edit in and edit out points, and perform cut, copy or paste to copy regions or whole tracks in a song. ^

23. Can I copy a stereo backing vocal part to different locations? Can I repeat an eight-bar section of a song across all 24 tracks?

Yes. Any portion of any song can be copied and then pasted to the new location. The 25 locate points for each song makes this surprisingly simple. ^

24. How can I insert 8 or 16 bars in the middle of a song, across all 24 tracks?

The HD24 allows the user to copy and past data into different songs of hard drives. Inserting material is possible by creating a new song and editing the sections together. Mark the point at which you wish to insert the new material. The start of the song to the "mark point" is the Start edit region. The "mark point" to the end of the song is the End edit region. Select the start edit region, paste it onto the new song. Second, select the 8 or 16 bars that should be added, and past at the end of the new song. Next, select the End edit region, and again paste at the end of the new song. ^

25. How many undo levels are there?

Depending on the size of the edits, the HD24 can support as many as 99 levels of UNDO. The HD24 uses a reserved space on the hard drive to perform editing operations. If editing operations are large, then the number of UNDO operations will be reduced. ^

26. Can I UNDO a recording or overdub?

No. UNDO applies only to editing functions. However, you can always save a Song as a different Song, or copy a track, before overdubbing onto it to preserve an original version. ^

27. Can I use locate points as reference for editing points?

Locate points 23 and 24 of each Song are predefined as Edit In/Edit Out points. ^

28. Can I use bars and beats instead of ABS time?

Not at this time, because the ADAT HD24 doesn't have a tempo map feature. Future releases of the firmware may support bars and beats. ^

29. Is there ABS and relative time?

ABS and relative times do exist on the HD24. ABS time is always 0 for the start of a song, but this is user definable (for example, to match a location on tapebased ADAT's in the same system). All locate, punch and edit points will be automatically recalculated from the ABS time to display the new relative time (i.e. the points stay in the same place relative to audio, just numbered differently). ^

30. How many locate points are there in memory?

Each song has 25 locate points associated with it (zero, plus 20 standard points, 2 punch points and 2 edit points). Seven of these may be accessed directly from the front panel. All of these are automatically stored and retrieved with the song. With 99 projects holding up to 99 Songs... that's a lot of locate points! ^

31. Can I set locate points on the fly?

Yes. Locate points may be set "on the fly" by pressing the Set Locate button. As on the BRC, the new locate point will automatically be written to the next locate point. ^

32. Can I assign names to locate points so I can find my way around?

Yes. This works just like the Alesis BRC: each locate point has an 8-character name that you can enter yourself, or simply choose from a list of preset names ("Verse 1", "Chorus 1", "Solo", etc.). By holding in the "Name" button and then scrolling through the different preset names using the "Cursor up" or "Cursor down" buttons. ^

33. Is there a scrub function to fine-tune locate points?

The HD24 can scrub all tracks of audio for a given song. When stopped, the user can press and hold the Stop button, followed by the FastFwd or Rewind keys to scrub any or all tracks. (Other remote scrubbing from wheels on a MIDI controller or the M20/CADI, is not supported.) Or, you can trim a point numerically on the display, second by second, frame by frame, until it sounds right. ^

34. Can I punch in/out across all 24 tracks?

Yes. The HD24 can support punching in/out on all 24 tracks simultaneously. ^

35. Can I punch in/out on the fly using the track arming buttons?

The HD24 does not currently allow the user to punch in/out using the track arming buttons. All tracks that the user desires to punch in on must be set prior to pressing Rec + Play. ^

36. How many different songs can exist on a drive at a time?

With the newest software installed, each drive can contain 99 projects with up to 99 songs per project. ^

37. Does ADAT HD24 have a screen option for displaying waveforms and doing advanced editing?

No. There is no VGA jack on the HD24's rear panel. But yes, you can see waveforms... by transferring the audio to any computer and using your favorite editing software. While some competing recorders feature built-in computers and VGA display options, you could buy a complete computer based editing system (including computer, monitor and software) and an HD24 for the same cost as these recorders. And you'll be working on industry standard editing systems, not learning a whole new version of editing developed specifically for one recorder. It just makes more sense to use an external computer for waveform editing, instead of forcing people to pay for a computer within a recorder. There are several different ways to transfer standard audio files from the ADAT HD24 to a PC or Mac, where you can use the many fine (and sometimes free) multitrack editing programs available from many different vendors such as Nuendo, Sound Forge, Sonar3, ProTools and many, many more!

III. Computer editing and the Ethernet port

38. Which options do I have to transfer audio to a computer and back?

The HD24 comes standard with an Ethernet port which can be used to moves files to and from your computer. Your HD24 files can be read as either AIFF or WAV files. In addition, you can stream audio to a computer via the ADAT Optical connecters: An ADAT/EDIT card in your PC or Mac transfers audio in sync, 8 tracks at a time. Many other computer interfaces with multiple ADAT Optical ports are available from other manufacturers- if it works with an existing ADAT, it will work with an ADAT HD24. For pros who need even faster speeds, the Alesis Fireport 1394 is now available for PC and Mac which will allow you to utilize your computers Firewire connection for transfers up to 40 MB/Sec. ^

39. How is the Ethernet port used? How do I connect the HD24 to an Ethernet network?

The Ethernet port is used by connecting your HD24 Ethernet jack to your computer either through a network hub, or directly to a single computer using a crossover type Ethernet network cable (NOT a standard pin-to-pin cable). Your PC must have a 10/100 Base-T network card installed; most Apple Mac computers provide this jack as standard equipment. If you don't have one, any local computer store will have one for about $20. ^

40. What kind of software do I need to transfer files to a PC/MAC?

Once a physical Ethernet connection is made, the user can access the HD24 using a Web Browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator), or any FTP client software. We've found that Web Browsers are much slower at transferring via FTP, so we recommend a stand-alone FTP client. Some free FTP client programs are WSFTP (PC) and Fetch (Mac) and there are dozens more shareware and freeware utilities available for FTP file transfer from services like Shareware.com. ^

41. What file formats does it support?

When using Ethernet to transfer files, songs on the HD24 will be available as AIFF or WAV files. ^

42. Can I share files/machines over the Internet?

The HD24 can be connected directly to the Internet. The networking setup pages in the utility menu allow the user to setup its IP address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway. If the HD24's Ethernet jack is attached directly to a cable modem/DSL line, its song files may be transferred over the Internet to any computer that has been given the correct IP address (and, if you wish, a password). Contact your Internet Service Provider to find out what IP address you should enter into the HD24's utility menu. Note: you can't record or playback while the HD24 is in FTP Server Mode. ^

43. How long does it take to transfer a track via Ethernet or the Internet?

Transfer speeds will depend on the speed of the connection, and the number of tracks (see question #20). Keep in mind: The result will be uncompressed, 24-bit linear digital audio, which is the "gold standard" of audio quality. ^

44. Transferring in WinXP isn't covered in the manual?

On your computer:

Click "Start"
Click on "Control Panel"
Open up "Network Connections"
Right click on "Local Area Connection" for the Ethernet port and choose"Properties"
Make sure that "Internet Protocol TCP/IP" is there and checked, if not, click the "Install" button, and install this protocol.
Double-click on "Internet Protocol TCP/IP"
Choose "Use the following IP address" Ensure your computers settings are: IP Address - 192.168.001.101 Subnet - 255.255.255.0 Gateway - 192.168.001.101 The only other thing is to ensure the user name and password are "anonymous" in your FTP program, unless you have previously changed them in the HD24.
Now, put the HD24 into FTP Server Mode. Then, open your FTP program, type in the HD24's IP address(192.168.1.100), ensure the user name and password are "anonymous", and you're connected!

IV. Inputs and Outputs

45. Do I have to purchase digital and analog input and output options in order to begin recording?

No. Unlike many high priced competitors, the HD24 comes complete with 24 channels of analog, 1/4" balanced TRS I/O as well as 24 channels of digital ADAT Optical (allowing for sampling rates up to 96k). Yes, we're selling the car complete with tires. ^

46. What type of converters does it use?

The HD24 uses 24-bit A/D and 24-bit D/A converters with 128X over-sampling developed by Alesis Semiconductor. The EC-2 upgrade utilizes AKM converters, among the very best available. ^

47. What's the dynamic range of the A/D and D/A converters?

The A/D and D/A converters have approximately 104dB total dynamic range. The EC-2 upgrade sports a dynamic range of 112dB. ^

48. Can I connect both balanced and unbalanced signals to the analog I/O?

The HD24 supports the use of both unbalanced or balanced inputs and outputs, via the forty-eight 1/4" TRS jacks on the back panel. No external hardware is required. Any analog mixer will work with it. ^

49. Does it have an ELCO connector?

No. Since it's a 24-track, it would require three ELCO connectors, and the cost of a typical cable set would be prohibitive. ^

50. How can I use the ADAT HD24 with an eight-bus console?

Like earlier versions of ADAT, the HD24 features input normalling, so you can set it up so Input 1 will automatically "patch through" to Track 9 and 17 if desired. There are input normalling features for both the analog and digital inputs. You could even use it with a four-bus console like the Alesis Studio 32.

V. High-resolution Recording

51. What formats/resolution does the ADAT Optical Interface on HD24 support?

Each of the six optical connectors used on the HD24 supports 8-channel, 24-bit, (up to) 48kHz data. In addition, each connector can support 4-channel, 24-bit (up to) 96 kHz data. The standard for implementing ADAT Optical at high sample rates has been established by Alesis, and third-party manufacturers are already building converters for this purpose (Panasonic, Swissonic, Agogee, Sonorus and Euphonix to name a few and many more are developing these devices). ^

52. How many tracks can I record in 88.2/96 kHz?

Up to 12 tracks may be recorded at sample rates of 88.2k and 96k. ^

53. Can I record in 24/96 from a digital source?

Right out of the box, the HD24 is capable of recording 12 tracks of 24-bit audio at the 96 kHz sample rate, if it receives 96 kHz digital signals at the ADAT Optical connectors on the rear panel. ^

54. Can I record in 24/96 from an analog source?

Analog recordings at 24-bit, 96 kHz, 12 channels are already possible using external converters from third-party manufacturers. With the EC-2 Upgrade, the first 12 I/O 1/4" TRS connections can be utilized for recording at 88.2k and 96k. ^

55. Can two or more HD24's be synchronized together to make a 48 or 72-track recorder?

Yes, you can connect up to FIVE HD24's, for a total of 120 tracks. Just like, ADAT, adding another machine to the chain requires only a single 9-pin cable connecting the SYNC OUT of the once machine to the SYNC IN of the next. Unlike some other units on the market, this synchronization of multiple ADAT's in a system is guaranteed to be sample-accurate every time. ^

56. What's this EC-2 upgrade? Will I still be able to use previous recordings?

In regards to the difference in the two DAC converters, the EC-2 upgrade replaces the existing A/D and D/A converters with AKM 5393 A/D and AKM 4393 D/A. This is across all 24 channels, so if you're recording at 44.1kHz or 48kHz, the recordings will have a: Signal to noise ratio: 112dB A-Weighted, Analog In to Analog Out THD: = 0.002%. Frequency Response: 22-44 kHz ±0.50 dB ...and you will notice the difference. In addition to that, with the EC-2 upgrade, the first 12 1/4" TRS I/O can be utilized to record the two highest resolutions (88.2-96kHz), where the HD24 will only utilize the ADAT Optical I/O for these resolutions. So, in short, yes you will get cleaner recordings with the EC-2 upgrade, and the only difference between an HD24 with an EC-2 upgrade, and an HD24XR is the little blue screen printed "XR" on the front. Any previously recorded material is completely safe. ^

57. If I upgrade to the XR machine will I be able to record on all 24 tracks at 96khz or will I still be loosing tracks?

No matter which model you get/have, at the two highest resolutions (88.2kHz and 96kHz) you are restricted to 12 tracks at one time. This is due to the rate at which an IDE hard drive can send/receive information. The only alternative would have been to devise a special drive made by Alesis, and then you wouldn't be able to go to any BestBuy or Kmart to buy a hard drive that will work in your HD24. So, if you stop and think about it, you're not losing anything !!!

VI. Synchronization

58. Can the HD24 sync to external work clock?

Yes, the HD24 comes standard with a 75-ohm terminated BNC connector for syncing to an external or house word clock at 44.1k and 48k. It will automatically sync to an incoming digital signal on its ADAT Optical connectors. ^

59. How can I sync my MIDI sequencer to the HD24?

Any sequencer that can read MIDI Time Code can receive it from the ADAT HD24s rear-panel MIDI OUT jack. Configure your sequencer to synchronize to MIDI Time Code (MTC). (MIDI Clock and Song Position Pointer are not currently supported.) Configure the HD24 to transmit MTC at the proper frame rate (via its MIDI pages), and you will be all set. Don't forget to disable MIDI echo on the sequencer! Typically, you would also connect MIDI OUT from the sequencer to the MIDI IN of the HD24, and configure the sequencer to transmit MIDI Machine Control (MMC) commands. ^

60. Can the HD24 be controlled via MIDI Machine Control?

The HD24 has complete support for MIDI Machine Control, so transport commands (such as Play, Stop, Record, Locate) may be sent to it via MIDI. ^

61. Can I slave the HD24 to SMPTE and/or video sync?

Yes. The HD24 can be synchronized to SMPTE or Video with the use of a BRC, an M20 or products from third-party manufacturers that feature ADAT Sync. ^

62. How does the HD24 work in an ADAT system with a BRC? How does a BRC "see" an HD24?

The HD24 can be used to expand and update any tape-based ADAT/BRC system. Using the Alesis Sync In/Sync Out connectors, the HD24 appears as three 8- channel ADAT's in your chain. Once a chain of machines are established, the HD24 will behave as an extremely fast tape-based ADAT's. ^

63. Can I connect a CADI to the Ethernet port?

While the HD24's Ethernet port and the Alesis CADI use the same connectors, the two devices are not compatible. ^

64. Which other synchronizers can be used with the HD24?

Some other devices that can emulate the Alesis BRC, such as the MOTU Midi Timepiece A/V, can be used to control the HD24. The Alesis M20's synchronization capabilities are unparalleled, and it adds another eight tracks plus tape backup to the system. ^

65. Is there a tempo track for MIDI sequencers?

The HD24 does not currently support a tempo track for Midi sequencers; MIDI Time Code is the way to synchronize a sequencer to the HD24.

VII. Remote Controls

66. Does the HD24 ship with a remote control?

The HD24 comes standard with a custom version of the LRC. As most ADAT owners know, the LRC is a wired remote control that connects directly to the rear of the HD24. Also, a PUNCH jack allows you to punch in and out using any standard momentary foot pedal. ^

67. What functions are on the LRC?

The function that it supports are: Stop, Play, Record, Fast Forward, Rewind, Rehearse, Set Locate, Locate 0, Locate Punch In, Locate Punch Out, Locate Loop Start, Locate Loop End and Auto Loop.

VIII. Updating Software

68. How can I update using MIDI and Alesis Freeloader software?

Ensure your MIDI cables are routed correctly... out-to-in, in-to-out. You'll need to put all files you want to transfer into the C:\FREELOAD folder.

Open up FreeLoader.
In the box on the lower left-hand corner, click on the [-c-] and then choose the correct file in the box on the lower-right hand corner. For the HD24, this is the HD24 ".SYX" file.
Click "Add"
Now, repeatedly press the MIDI button on the HD24 until you get to the "Software Load Code" page.
<Cursor up> to answer "Yes" twice, and the HD24s display will read "waiting to receive code"
Now, in Freeloader press <PLAY>.

You're updating ! ^

69. How can I update using Ethernet?

When you first connect to your HD24, you should see a System Exclusive file named "HD24_OS_115", the last three digits represent the currently installed OS. You simply need to replace this file with the newest OS available at WWW.ALESIS.COM ^

70. Is there any other way to update?

Yes, one HD24 can update the software in another HD24 with just one MIDI cable. The MIDI menus have a "Software Load Code" and a "Software Send Code" page.

IX. Additional Tips and Tricks

71. "Padlock" Icon

Found in the lower right-hand corner, this will prevent you from recording into a song that you deem as finished. Simply use the <CURSOR> buttons to place the cursor under the "Padlock" icon, and the <CURSOR> up and down to lock/unlock the song. ^

72. Utility Menu

By repeatedly pressing the <UTILITY> button, you can scroll through the various utility pages. You can also hold in the <UTILITY> button, and then <CURSOR> up/down through the various menus. This also works with the <MIDI> menus. ^

73. "Back to Default" trick

Any setting that you can "tweak" such as Pitch and Track Slip can be instantly returned to their default settings by pressing both <CURSOR UP> and <CURSOR DOWN> at the same time. ^

74. Input Map

This feature, found on "Utility" page 11, will allow you to split the inputs of the HD24 into pairs, and map each pair for either analog, or digital recording. ^

75. Punch In/Out

For those crucial Punch In/Out points, it is often helpful to remember each time you begin a recording, the "Punch In" locate point (Locate 21) is automatically updated. When you stop a recording, the Punch Out locate point (Locate 22) is automatically updated.

Alesis HD24 FAQ

ADAT HD24 FAQs

I. The New ADAT/FST Recording Format

II. Editing

III. Computer editing and the Ethernet port

IV. Inputs and Outputs

V. High-resolution Recording

VI. Synchronization

VII. Remote Controls

VIII. Updating Software

IX. Additional Tips and Tricks

Answers

I. The New ADAT/FST Recording Format

II. Editing

III. Computer editing and the Ethernet port

IV. Inputs and Outputs

V. High-resolution Recording

VI. Synchronization

VII. Remote Controls

VIII. Updating Software

IX. Additional Tips and Tricks