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Otari Displays DR-100 48-Track Digital Audio Disk Recorder
Press Release
2004-11-08

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From its early beginnings as a leading manufacturer of professional analog audio tape recorders, Otari has long since made the leap to becoming the foremost supplier of advanced digital audio products for the recording, broadcast, fixed installation and postproduction markets. That reputation is maintained and rightfully enhanced by the introduction of the Otari DR-100 48-track digital audio hard disk recorder at this AES show.

The DR-100 features 48-track recording at 24-bit, 44.1/48 kHz sampling, and 24-track at 24-bit, 88.2/96 kHz, direct to a super high-performance 15,000 rpm, 72 GB SCSI hot-swappable hard drive that enables seamless/gapless punch in/out throughout all 48 (or 24) tracks (48/24 channel crossfade). In addition, there are 208 virtual tracks that can be used for each project, with 5 editing layers totaling 256 tracks including 48 nominal tracks.

The DR-100 features industry-standard MADI digital audio interfacing, and a dedicated 48-track direct access remote control that closely models the look and feel of a traditional multitrack remote, yet allows instant access to the advanced features of the product and is connected to the audio recording engine via a standard 100Base/T Ethernet network and TCP/IP protocol. Any remote controller can choose and control any audio recording engine as long as they are on-line.

The DR-100 also features an advanced graphical interface for easy-to-use recording and editing with cut, copy, paste, move, delete and other features accessed at the touch of a button. The recording waveform can be displayed for 48 channels and display/edits are within a 1 sample accuracy.

A concern with many of the hard disk systems currently available is how to back up the enormous amounts of data from the hard drive, but in the case of the DR-100, this problem is solved simply by connecting the DR-100 to SCSI storage devices such as an HDD or a tape drive for full project backup/restore functionality.

Unlike many non-linear recording systems that rely on a conventional general-purpose desktop computer, the Otari DR-100 is based around a custom-designed rack-mount recording engine that was developed specially for the purpose. Again unlike many recording systems that rely on the notoriously error-prone Windows operating system, the DR-100 processor runs the Unix-like Linux operating system, offering superior reliability, efficiency and the proven ability to work around the clock under the pressures of a professional recording environment.

The DR-100’s advanced recording features include repeat recording, time advance recording and auto punch in/out recording, while play features include +/-12.5% vari-speed, repeat play and even reverse play. Further, the DR-100 implements timecode chase at all standard SMPTE and EBU/PAL frame rates for both linear and vertical interval timecode formats with less than +/-5 sampling accuracy. Furthermore, the highly precise recording engine latency is theoretically zero.

The intuitive CB-179 remote controller features 48-track Input/Repro(Disk)/Mute/Solo monitoring and arming control and a 2-line by 20-character LCD display for the system’s menu options. Dedicated edit function keys are provided along with 2 timer displays for cue location and editing, plus 999 locate points with 5 direct keys and 5 macro keys to help automate complex operations. An optional 48-track LED bargraph meter bridge is available.

The provided hard drive offers up to 170 minutes of 48-track recording time, and the system will sync to internal clock or to standard external word clock and video. RS-422 serial interface (D-sub 9-pin) and MIDI interfaces are provided along with 68-pin Ultra 160 SCSI and Ethernet LAN. The recording engine is standard 19-inch rack mount, 3U high.