Getting Started

Introduction to 009

What is 009 ?

009 is a general purpose 9-pin remote control application, which offers specialist functionality including conversion of MMC (Midi machine control) to 9-pin instructions, and Audio LTC to MTC (Midi Timecode). This makes it an ideal companion to Audio editing software such as Digidesign's Pro Tools, adding 9-pin machine control, and also acting as a sync peripheral reading LTC from tape and converting it to MTC to synchronise Pro Tools.

How does it work ?

009 can be simply used as remote panel - to control a machine at the end of a serial cable from on screen controls which float above all other windows in applications running on your CPU. However, more typically it will be used as a machine control add-on to an audio editing system such as Digidesign's Pro Tools (LE, TDM, HD, Accel etc). In this mode, MMC (midi machine control) instructions are sent from the audio editor, and 009 converts them to Sony P2 (9-pin) protocol commands down a serial cable. This enables any software which sends MMC commands to control a 9-pin deck. Additionally it can real LTC (linear timecode, or SMPTE) through the Mac's sound input minijack, converting it to MTC (midi timecode) to feed back to your audio software to chase the 9-pin deck. Communications between your audio software and 009 is via Core Midi, either using the virtual Midi ports created by some software, or using Core Midi's IAC (inter application communication) ports found in OSX 10.3 and later.

Connecting your Deck.

Install and configure a serial port on your system. Refer to your serial port documentation for details on installation. Next attach your serial cable to the Mac serial port and your 'remote in' port on your 9-pin Deck. Suitable cables are available to order from Gallery's web store and many other sources. The cable for 009 is the same cable you would use with any video editing software to control a 9-pin deck. You may need to set your deck into 'remote' (rather than local) mode in order for it to be controlled by 009. Refer to the documentation for your deck for details on this.

Next, run 009, and go to the preferences dialog. Here you can select the serial port you have connected your deck to. 009 should show the timecode at which your deck is parked, in the field next to the transport keys
Having done this, you should now have control over the deck, using the transport keys.

If you are using 009 to convert LTC to MTC, make sure you have connected a cable from the LTC output of the deck into the left channel of the Mac sound minijack. Ensure that 'built in sound' is selected from the Sound Preferences panel. When you play the tape, you should see timecode running in the middle section of the 009 window in the LTC field.

Generally you will want to feed thie MTC to another application or out of the Mac, and you will probably want to feed MMC commands into 009 to be converted to 9-pin instructions for your deck. This is all setup in the 'Midi settings' window.
All available Midi inputs (including IAC virtual Midi ports) will be shown in the Midi In menu. Similarly all available output ports will be shown in the Midi Out menu. 009 creates its own Virtual midi destination port, and this will be show greyed out in the output menu, since you will not want to feed the MTC out of 009 back to itself. The 009 In virtual port is designed as a destination to select in other applications (see below). This virtual port is active as an input for MMC instructions regardless of the setting of the Midi in menu.

Connecting to Pro Tools

The most common setup will be to use 009 as a machine control option for Pro Tools LE. Instructions for setting up Pro Tools are shown below.
In Pro Tools -> Peripherals -> Machine Control, you should enable Midi Machine Control, and select the '009 In' Virtual midi port. This will only show up once 009 is running. You can optionally use the IAC ports for connection of MMC into 009.

In Pro Tools -> Peripherals -> Synchronization, you can select the port you have chosed in 009's MTC out menu, and this will receive the MTC converted by 009 from LTC on the deck. An IAC channel is recommended for this communication.

If you want the deck to follow when you click in the Pro Tools timeline, or scrub, then you should turn on the preference 'Machine Follows Edit Insertion/scrub' in Pro Tools' machine control preferences. See Pro Tools documentation for details on this and any other machine control preferences.
Now you are ready to start using 009 as a machine control option for Pro Tools. If it is setup correctly you will see the deck locate to the position you click in the Pro Tools timeline. Typically you will set up Pro Tools ' transport = protools' and with the Online button pressed in Pro Tools' transport window. Now, Pro Tools will issue the appropriate instructions to locate the machine and set it playing in order for Pro Tools to lock up and chase. See the next section which details how to use 009 for audio laybacks to Video tape.
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