Fostex A-2 - Feature Descriptions; Meter Panel; Control Panel

SECTION1 FEATURE DESCRIPTIONS
TRANSPORT
1. SUPPLY REEL TABLE AND REEL CLAMP
The reel table accomodates 7” diameter reels. Place a reel
on the table, and turn the clamp clockwise to secure the reel.
2. SUPPLY TENSION ARM AND TAPE GUIDE
This arm and guide maintain stable travel on the segment of
tape between the supply reel and the head assembly. When
a reel of tape is threaded, the arm must be placed under par-
tial tension, (caused to move upward from its fully extended
position) before the transport will function.
3. SUPPLY IDLER ROLLER
This roller establishes the proper angle for tape as it ap-
proaches the heads, ensuring correct wrap at the erase
head. The roller also serves as a mechanical filter (it
stabilizes the tape) to prevent flutter.
4. HEAD ASSEMBLY (HEAD STACK)
Beneath the cover are located three heads, (a) a 2 track
erase head, (b) a 2 track combination record/play head, and
(c) a playback head.
5. CUE LEVER
Pushing this lever toward the head permit monitoring of the
recording in either fast forward or rewind mode by retracting
the tape lifters and allowing tape to contact the playback
head.
CAUTION: To prevent possible damage to speakers
(caused by a loud, high pitched squeal), be sure that
monitor amplifier volume is reduced before actuating the
CUE lever. Avoid continuous use of CUE; prolonged fast
winding or rewinding with tape contacting the head can
cause undue wear.
6. HEAD SHIELD
A retractable gate is used to cover the playback head area,
and should be up during playback. This shields the sensitive
circuitry from stray hum and noise. This head shield can be
retracted manually (for threading tape and editing) by pushing
it down in the deck plate, where it locks in place. A second
short push will release the shield, which then returns up to
the extended position.
7. CAPSTAN AND PINCH ROLLER
The capstan motor (beneath the deck plate) rotates at a cons-
tant speed whenever the unit is in play, edit/play, or record
mode. The pinch roller holds the tape against the capstan, pull-
ing the tape past the head assembly at the set record/play
speed.
The record/play speed (capstan motor speed) is adjustable
+10% from the nominal 15 ips (38 cm/s) or 7-1/2 ips (19
cm/s) by means of the PITCH control [25].
8. TAKEUP IDLER ROLLER
This roller stabilizes the tape motion between the cap-
stan/pinch roller assembly and the takeup tension arm.
9. TAKEUP TENSION ARM AND GUIDE
This arm and guide maintain stable travel on the segment of
2
tape between the capstan and the takeup reel. When a reel of
tape is threaded, the arm must be placed under partial ten-
sion (caused to move upward from its fully extended position)
before the transport will function.
10. TAKEUP REEL TABLE AND REEL CLAMP
The reel table accomodates 7” (17 cm) diameter reels. Place
a reel on the table, and turn the clamp clockwise to secure
the reel.
METER PANEL
11. POWER SWITCH
Depressing this switch turns on the AC power, as indicated
by the VU meter lights turning on.
12. VU METERS
There are 2, illuminated VU meters, one for each track of the
tape. Each meter will display the level at the corresponding
channel line output; this level, in turn, is derived from either
the input to the track, tape playback from the record/play
head or the playback head. The actual output signal is deter-
mined by the position of the RECORD MODE and INPUT/
SYNC/REPRO buttons.
13. LED INDICATOR
In the left corner of each meter is an LED indicator. When the
LED is blinking, the corresponding track is in "record ready"
mode. When the LED is on continuously, the corresponding
track is in record mode.
If the LED is not illuminated, the track may or may not be in
safe mode; refer to Section 4 for details.
CONTROL PANEL
14. TAPE INDEX COUNTER AND RESET BUTTON
A 4 digit display indicates relative tape position (by means of
a photointerrupter circuit on the transport supply spindle).
Pressing the adjacent RESET button sets the display at 0000.
To take advantage of the ZERO RTN function [24], it is recom-
mended that the RESET button be pressed at the beginning
of a "take."
15. RECORD INDICATOR LED
This LED blinks to indicate the unit is "record ready," and
turns on continuously when either track (or both) is actually
recording.
16. RECORD MODE SELECTORS
These two pushbuttons determine whether recording can
commence on à given track. In the up position, that track will
be in SAFE mode and no recording will occur. In the down
position, that track will be in the record READY mode and the
LED, in the left corner of the meter scale, for that track will
blink. The specific function also depends on whether or not
tape is stopped or is advancing in record ready mode.
a) If tape is stopped, depressing a RECORD MODE button
places the corresponding track in record ready mode, and
the LED in the left corner of the meter scale will blink; the
record LED [15] adjacent to the tape counter will not blink.
If the RECORD and PLAY buttons are subsequently.
depressed, tape begins recording, the meter LED [13]
stops blinking and remains on, and the record LED [15]