User Manual
Scorpio Preliminary User Guide
31
Non-categorized
record bell
A tone generated in headphones to alert the listener that recording
has started. The bell is also produced when recording has ended with
the stop button, when the recording volume is full, or when power is in
a critical state.
test tone
See tone oscillator.
timecode
A numerical clock value expressed in hours:minutes:seconds:frames,
ii.e. 04:59:39:05, used to synchronize cameras, video decks, and
audio recorders. Timecode requires clocks on devices to be synchro-
nized, either through a wired or wireless connection between devices,
or through a process called “jam synch” where each device, which
requires a high-precision clock, runs independently after their clocks
are synchronized.
timecode mode
Sound Devices recorders offer multiple timecode modes. Different
modes correspond to different timecode workows. Common modes
available in Sound Devices recorders include:
record run - timecode advances only when recording is engaged
free run - timecode run continuously, typically with the start of pro-
duction being at 0 hour
24 hour - similar to free run except the start time corresponds to
time-of-day
ext TC - the recorder applies the value of an external timecode
source.
user bits
Static, numeric data that is available as part of a timecode signal.
User bits are often used to indicate the date of a le. User bits are
four sets of two-digit hexadecimal numbers from 00 to ff.
tone oscillator
A sound generator producing a sine wave tone at a given frequency at
a given output level. With its known output level tone oscillators are
helpful to set gain structure between audio equipment.
dBFS
A measurement of the signal level of a digital signal in dB increments,
dB relative to full scale signal. The maximum signal in dBFS is 0 dBFS,
with signals expressed with a negative sign. dBFS signal strength is
an internal measurement and does not correspond to analog signals
unless the relationship between analog signal and digital signal is
known.
bias voltage
Voltage typically applied to a lavalier microphone from a wireless
transmitter or XLR adapter to power condenser capsules and/or
impedance converters. Different from phantom power, bias voltage is
most commonly single-ended, being sent only on one connection.
frame rate
The rate at which video or motion picture images are recorded or
played back, measured in frames-per second (FPS). All audio and vid-
eo devices must be running at the same frame rate to keep audio and
video synchronized. Timecode frame rates are either an integer or
non-integer value. Integer values include 24, 25, and 30 FPS. Non-in-
teger frame rates include 23.976 and 29.97, and 29.97 drop FPS.
frequency
The period at which a wave oscillates, measured in hertz (Hz). Fre-
quencies audible to humans range from 20 Hz for very low frequency
signals to 20 kHz for very high frequency signals.