Donna Quick Tascam 246 Question

[Prometheus]

A pal and I are trying to repair a Tascam 244, which is very similar to the 246, but the switches for the tape controls playa fast forward, rewind etc are all broken and we're having to short circuit them (we're using devices I've fashioned from uncoiled springs and banana jacks to operate the buttons for the tape recorder by shorting the circuits) to make them toggle on and off... Because of this and the lack of manual we are having difficulties figuring out the correct arming sequence to record.

We've figured out how the mixer section of the machine is routed and bussed, but could you tell me the button sequence you use to arm the 246 and make it record?

Edited January 3, 2006 by Prometheus

[Donna]

Oh dear - I'd better stop listening to The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in order to reply. Is this what you mean? If it isn't maybe someone else can use it sometime...and this is per the 246.

____________________

CHANNEL 1

ASSIGN

L/1 * (square button)

R/2 *

3 *

4 *

____________________

0 (Pan)

odd even

_______________________________________

OK, so that's channel 1, imagaine the vertical strip on the right of the assign box, etc; the strip ends after Pan with a channel fader. Channel strips 2-4 with the assign/pan/faders would be to the right of channel 1, in succession. There might be an extra strip or two (5 & 6) for effects. But to the right of THAT last channel strip is one last one called RECORD FUNCTION, like this:

RECORD FUNCTION

1 * (square button)

2 *

3 *

4 *

______________________

The parts highlighted in red are what you'd depress (or PRESS - or PAN for the panning) in order to record on track number one. At the very top of the machine, below the meters are a mic/line/off switch for each channel. Have it to mic/line to record. When recording even channels 2 and 4, the pan should be all the way right (even), opposite for odd channels.

Whichever jack your mic or insturment is plugged into, it shouldn't matter - you can be plugged into the jack for channel # 1 (cause that's a jack which hasn't worn out), and still depress and record onto assign switch #2 or whatever. (But whichever JACK you're using to record into, use THAT channel's fader which should be well into 7-8 area (I think this is what you call unity gain). Hope that makes sense. Also, the master faders, use L/ (at unity gain) for odd tracks, R/ for even - the other fader should be completely off.

OK, so after all prepping all this:

a)channel fader

2)master fader

3)pan

4) assign # pressed

5) corresponding record function # pressed

6) mic/line switch on for corresponding JACK in channel number used

then press play and record at same time.

[Prometheus]

Thank's Donna... xxx

We couldn't find an instruction manual and were having to work the switches by shorting them with pieces of wire, so we couldn't tell if we were operating them properly....

[Donna]

holy cow, the things we do when that manual is lost.