970

Rack Mount Production Audio Recorder

User Guide
Firmware rev. 2.33

E7556 State Rd. 23 and 33, Reedsburg, WI, USA www.sounddevices.com

+1 (608) 524-0625 • Toll-Free: (800) 505-0625 • fax: +1 (608) 524-0655 [email protected]
 970 User Guide

Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Manual Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Panel Descriptions 2
Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 PIX-CADDY 2 and PIX-CADDY CF (Optional). . . . . . . . . . 5
Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Menu and Navigation 6

Main View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 File List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
LCD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Metadata Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Audio Inputs 13
Analog Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Input Gain Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Digital Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Input Delay Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Choosing Audio Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Audio Peak Hold Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Audio Outputs 17


Analog Audio Outputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Headphone Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Digital Audio Outputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Ethernet 18
Dante Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Recording 21
Sound Devices File Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Track Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
File Splitting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 File Format (Polyphonic or Monophonic) . . . . . . . . . . . 22
False Take. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Bit Depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Playback 24
Cue Markers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Playback Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Pre-Roll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Play List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Synchronization and Timecode 27

Sync Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Internal Ambient® Lockit: Timecode Generator . . . . . 28
Timecode Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Timecode Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Powering 30

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External DC Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 PowerSafe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Network Grouping 31
Grouped Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Grouped Transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Pushing Settings to Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Synchronizing Audio Screen Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Group Auto-Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

External Control 33
RS422 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output). . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Web Interface - PIXNET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 USB Keyboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Triggering Recording from External Timecode. . . . . . . 39

Storage and File Management 41

Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 File Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Metadata 47

Setup Management and Firmware Upgrades 52

Saving and Loading Setup Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Factory Restore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Custom Defaults and Setup Menu Option Visibility. . . 52 Firmware Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Setup Menu Options 55



File Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Timecode/Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Quick Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Remote Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Button Shortcuts 61

Connector Pin Assignments 62

Specifications 65
Audio Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Analog Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Keyboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Digital Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
File Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Physical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Timecode and Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Software License 67

Technical Support 68

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 970 User Guide

Copyright Notice and Release

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the expressed written permission of SOUND DEVICES,
LLC. SOUND DEVICES is not responsible for any use of this information.
Microsoft Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh, OSX, and ProRes are registered trademarks of Apple,
Inc. DNxHD is a registered trademark of Avid, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their
respective owners.
970, and the sound waves logo are registered trademarks of Sound Devices, LLC.

Limitation of Liability
LIMITATION ON SOUND DEVICES’ LIABILITY. SOUND DEVICES, LLC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO THE PURCHASER OF THIS
PRODUCT OR THIRD PARTIES FOR DAMAGES, LOSSES, COSTS, OR EXPENSES INCURRED BY PURCHASER OR THIRD PAR-
TIES AS A RESULT OF: ACCIDENT, MISUSE, OR ABUSE OF THIS PRODUCT OR UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS, REPAIRS,
OR ALTERATIONS TO THIS PRODUCT, OR FAILURE TO STRICTLY COMPLY WITH SOUND DEVICES, LLC’S OPERATING AND
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SOUND DEVICES SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY
TO THE END USER OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR COSTS, EXPENSES, DIRECT DAMAGES, INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, PUNITIVE
DAMAGES, SPECIAL DAMAGES, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE PRODUCTS, THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OR THE PARTIES’ RELATIONSHIP,
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM OR RELATED TO THE DELETION OR OTHER LOSS OF AUDIO
OR VIDEO RECORDINGS OR DATA, REDUCED OR DIMINISHED AUDIO OR VIDEO QUALITY OR OTHER SIMILAR AUDIO OR
VIDEO DEFECTS ARISING FROM, RELATED TO OR OTHERewindISE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PRODUCTS OR THE END USER’S
USE OR OPERATION THEREOF, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARE CLAIMED UNDER CONTRACT, TORT OR
ANY OTHER THEORY. “CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES” FOR WHICH SOUND DEVICES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE SHALL INCLUDE,
WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS, PENALTIES, DELAY DAMAGES, LIQUIDATED DAMAGES AND OTHER DAMAGES AND
LIABILITIES WHICH END USER SHALL BE OBLIGATED TO PAY OR WHICH END USER OR ANY OTHER PARTY MAY INCUR RE-
LATED TO OR ARISING OUT OF ITS CONTRACTS WITH ITS CUSTOMERS OR OTHER THIRD PARTIES. NOTWITHSTANDING AND


WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL SOUND DEVICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY AMOUNT OF DAMAGES IN
EXCESS OF AMOUNTS PAID BY THE END USER FOR THE PRODUCTS AS TO WHICH ANY LIABILITY HAS BEEN DETERMINED
TO EXIST. SOUND DEVICES AND END USER EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT THE PRICE FOR THE PRODUCTS WAS DETERMINED
IN CONSIDERATION OF THE LIMITATION ON LIABILITY AND DAMAGES SET FORTH HEREIN AND SUCH LIMITATION HAS BEEN
SPECIFICALLY BARGAINED FOR AND CONSTITUTES AN AGREED ALLOCATION OF RISK WHICH SHALL SURVIVE THE DETER-
MINATION OF ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION THAT ANY REMEDY HEREIN FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

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 970 User Guide

Introduction
The Sound Devices 970 is rack-mountable, 64 track audio recorder. The 970 records up to 64 chan-
nels of monophonic or polyphonic, 24-bit WAV files from any of its 144 audio inputs. Connections
include 64 channels of Ethernet-based Dante, 64 channels of optical and coaxial MADI, eight chan-
nels of line-level analog, and eight channels of AES digital. Any input can be assigned to any track.
The recorder also supports 32-track recording at 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz.
Files are recorded simultaneously on (up to) 4 separate storage devices via two front panel PIX-
CADDY slots and two rear panel eSATAp connections. The PIX-CADDY slots can accept PIX-CAD-
DY 2 (For 2.5” SSD’s or spinning hard drives) or PIX-CADDY CF (For CompactFlash media) devices.
This redundancy in local, removable storage devices, coupled with standard, Ethernet-based file
transfer features further reduces steps in the production workflow. Gigabit Ethernet network ports
enable remote access to recorded files and the ability to transfer them quickly into a post-production
environment.
Full-featured precision timecode and sync reference I/O using Ambient Lockit core technology is
provided to allow tight synchronization with external equipment in complex multi-machine configu-
rations. The 970 supports various external control options: RS422, GPIO, Timecode triggering, and an
embedded web server for network-based remote control. Network Grouping functionality enables
linked recording and playback of multiple 970 units connected to a standard Ethernet network.
This User Guide details installation and operation of the 970 and corresponds to 970 firmware ver-
sion 2.33. User Guide revisions are released at the same time as firmware updates and available

Introduction
online:
http://www.sounddevices.com/products/970/downloads/

Manual Conventions
Several formatting features have been included to make navigating the guide easier.
• Physical buttons on the 970 are represented with capitalized titles (Record button, MENU But-
ton, etc). All physical button names are detailed in the Panel Descriptions section.
• Button combinations are represented with the plus (+) symbol. For example: “Press LCD Button
+ AUDIO Button” means to first hold down the LCD Button, then press the AUDIO Button, and
finally release both buttons.
• Setup Menu items are indicated with this text: [Menu Category - Parameter], where the menu
category is one of the items in the list displayed when the MENU Button is pushed, and the
parameter is an item in the list displayed when that category is selected (by pushing in on the
Control knob).
• Blue italicized text references sections of the user guide containing contextually relevant informa-
tion. When viewing this document on a computer, this text can be clicked to jump to the named
section.

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 970 User Guide

Panel Descriptions
Front Panel

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Panel Descriptions

15 14 13 12 11 10

1) Control knob 5) LCD Display

The Control knob can be both turned and 5-inch display; 800x480 resolution.
pressed. Use the Control knob to navi-
6) FILES Button
gate between menu settings and to select
Displays the File List View. Press FILES +
menu items. Pressing during playback or
Fast Forward (>>) during record or play-
stop will toggle to Shuttle mode. Turning
back to add a Cue Marker. Press FILES +
while playback is paused will jog forward
Rewind (<<) to delete a Cue Marker.
or backward by single frames.
7) MENU Button
2) AUDIO Button
Displays the Setup Menu.
When pressed from the Main View,
toggles expanded meters. (From the Main 8) Play button
View: Select audio input sources, Arm/ Plays the most recently recorded file
disarm tracks, Set audio input gain and when pressed. In the File List View, plays
delay,View audio input levels, and Edit the selected file from the File List. Pauses
audio track names.) When pressed from during playback. (See “Playback”, page
any other view, displays the Main View. 24)
3) LCD Button 9) Stop Button
When pressed from the Main View, Stops recording or playback. When
switches between banks of audio tracks. Stopped, hold the Stop Button to display
When pressed from any other view, dis- the next filename.
plays the Main View. Hold for 2 seconds
to toggle LCD on/off.
4) Handle
This handle is designed to provide a grip-
ping point for tilting down the LCD.

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 970 User Guide

10) Fast Forward button 13) Headphone Volume Knob

When Stopped, press to cue up the next Adjusts the overall volume of the head-
file for Playback. During Playback or phones. NOTE: the headphone output is
Pause, press once to jump to the next Cue capable of ear-damaging levels. Take care
Marker or next file, press and hold to in- when adjusting among signal sources.
crease playback speed. Continue to hold
14) Headphone Output 1/4”
for faster speeds.
TRS stereo headphone connector. Can
11) Record Button drive headphones from 8 to 100 ohms to
Begins recording. Optional: Splits the very high headphone levels.
recording and begins writing a new
15) USB Keyboard Input
file when pressed while recording
USB A female connector to connect a USB
([System - Rec button File Split])
keyboard. Keyboards can be used to navi-
12) Rewind Button gate, control, and enter metadata into the
When Stopped, press to cue up the previ- 970. Keyboards with integrated USB hubs
ous file for Playback. During Playback are not compatible.
and Pause, press once to jump to the
previous Cue Marker or beginning of the
file, press and hold to reverse playback
speed. Continue to hold for faster reverse
speeds.

Panel Descriptions
Rear Panel

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11

16 15 14 13 12

1) Secondary DC Power Input (XLR 4-pin) 3) MADI I/O (SC Optical)

Accepts 10–27 volts DC. XLR 4-pin con- Input (top) accepts up to 64 channels of
nector is wired pin-1 ground, pin-4 posi- MADI (AES10) digital audio. Output
tive (+). (bottom) provides MADI (AES10) digital
audio. MADI connections use multimode
2) Primary DC Power Input (XLR 4-pin)
fiber and networks.
Accepts 10–27 volts DC. XLR 4-pin con-
nector is wired pin-1 ground, pin-4 posi-
tive (+).

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4) MADI I/O (BNC) 11) Analog Audio Output (XLR)

Input (top) accepts MADI (AES10) digital 2 channels of balanced, line-level analog
audio. Output (bottom) provides MADI audio outputs.
(AES10) digital audio. 64 channels.
12) Ethernet (RJ-45)
5) Timecode I/O (BNC) Attaches to 1G or 100M Ethernet net-
Input (top) accepts SMPTE timecode. works. Provides Dante connectivity (See
Output (bottom) provides SMPTE time- “Dante Audio Inputs”, page 14), Network
code. Grouping (See “Network Grouping”, page
31), web access for remote control (See
6) SYNC I/O (BNC)
“Web Interface - PIXNET”, page 34), and
Wordclock input (top) and output (bot-
network file service. (See “Storage and File
tom).
Management”, page 41)
7) AES3 I/O (DB-25)
13) RS-422 Control (DB-9)
8 channels of AES digital audio input
Connects to RS-422 Controllers for exter-
and 8 channels of AES digital output. (See
nal control of the 970. (See “RS422”, page
“Connector Pin Assignments”, page 62)
33)
8) Analog Audio Output (DB-25)
14) External Drive Connections (eSATAp)
8 channels of balanced, line-level analog
Connector for approved external drives.
audio output. Configured with Setup
Sound Devices maintains a list of tested
Menu option [Audio - Line Output]. (See
and approved media. Visit www.soundde-
“Connector Pin Assignments”, page 62)
vices.com/approved for an up-to-date list of
Panel Descriptions

9) Analog Audio Input (DB-25) tested and approved media.

8 channels of balanced, line-level ana-
15) GPIO Remote (Phoenix 10-pin)
log audio input. If both XLR and DB-25
Logic contact points for remote control.
signals are connected, the signal will be
(See “GPIO (General Purpose Input / Out-
combined. (See “Connector Pin Assign-
put)”, page 40)
ments”, page 62)
16) USB Connection
10) Analog Audio Input (XLR)
Connect to a Windows computer to load
2 channels of balanced, line-level analog
firmware with PIX Loader software
audio inputs. Same signal as DB-25 Ana-
(Available on the Sound Devices website).
log Audio outputs channels 1 and 2.
(See “Setup Management and Firmware
Upgrades”, page 52)

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 970 User Guide

PIX-CADDY 2 and PIX-CADDY CF (Optional)

The PIX-CADDY 2 is an accessory to connect approved 2.5” drives to the front-panel drive bays. The
PIX-CADDY CF is an accessory to connect approved CompactFlash cards to the front-panel drive
bays (Supports poly WAV File Format only). When removed from a 970, the PIX-CADDY 2 operates
as a high-speed drive interface to Mac OS and Windows computers via the onboard FireWire800,
USB 3.0, or the optional PIX-DOCK Thunderbolt interface.

For reliable operation, it is imperative that the 2.5” drive be firmly screwed to the PIX-CADDY 2 with
the supplied screws. Some thinner drives may require the use of the PIX-SHIM accessory to ensure a
solid fit.

PIX-CADDY CF PIX-CADDY 2

5
2 3

Panel Descriptions
4
2
8
1

1) FireWire 800 5) Activity LED

FireWire 800 connector. Requires a pow- Illuminates when recording, playing,
ered FireWire 800 or 400 port. Backward reading, or writing to the media. Do not
compatible when using Firewire 800 to remove the caddy while the Activity LED
400 cable. is illuminated. LED does not illuminate
when connected to a computer’s eSATA port.
2) eSATAp
High-speed data transfer over 5V 6) Release Latches
eSATAp. Requires a 5V powered eSATAp Secures the PIX-CADDY 2 to the recorder.
port. Press both latches to remove the caddy
assembly.
3) USB 3.0
High-speed data transfer over USB 3.0 7) Screw Holes
(backward compatible with USB 2.0). For reliable operation, it is imperative that
the 2.5” drive be firmly screwed to the
4) 2.5” Drive Slot
PIX-CADDY 2 with the supplied screws.
Connector for approved 2.5-inch SATA
II and SATA III drives. Sound Devices 8) CF Slot
maintains a list of tested and approved Connector for approved CompactFlash
SSD’s or hard drives. Visit www.soundde- media. Sound Devices maintains a list of
vices.com/approved for an up-to-date list of tested and approved CF cards. Visit www.
tested and approved drives. sounddevices.com/approved for an up-to-
date list of tested and approved drives.

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Menu and Navigation

Main View
The Main View displays all audio input levels and provides configuration of Track Arming, Track
Naming, Input Source selection, Input Gain, and Input Delay. The Main View by default displays 16
tracks at a time. This can be changed to 8, 16, or 32 track displays in [Audio - Audio Screen Meters].
Press the LCD Button to quickly switch between banks of meters (8, 16, or 32 depending on the value
of [Audio - Audio Screen Meters]). Press F10 on the attached USB keyboard to toggle through audio
track count displays.
Text fields in the Main View will change color to indicate transport status (White = Stopped, Red =
Record, Green = Play/Pause, Blue = Rew/Fast Forward/Shuttle).

Sync Source/Sample Rate Absolute Time Transport Status

Headphone Source
Menu and Navigation

Track Arm Status

Track Name
Input Meter

Drive Statuses

Timecode Value

Timecode Frame Rate File Name

Input View
When viewing the Main View, press the AUDIO Button to display the Input View. This view short-
ens the audio input meters and displays Input Source, Gain, and Delay information for each audio
track. These input settings are adjusted from the Input View.

Adjusting Audio Input and Track Parameters

All parameters for individual audio tracks and inputs are made from the Main View or the Input
View. To make adjustments in these views:
1. Rotate the Control knob to move the blue highlighter to the desired track.
2. Press the Control knob to focus the highlighter on parameters for the track. The highlighter
will become orange.
3. Rotate the Control knob to move the orange highlighter to the desired parameter.

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 970 User Guide
4. Press the Control knob to edit the highlighted parameter.
5. Rotate the Control knob to adjust the value or setting. If editing Track Names, use the the on-
screen keyboard or attached USB keyboard.
6. Press the Control knob to save the new setting. The highlighter will become blue and once
again highlight the entire track.

LCD
From the Main View, press the LCD Button to quickly switch between banks of meters (8, 16, or 32
depending on the value of [Audio - Audio Screen Meters]). When the Main View is not displayed,
press the LCD Button to return to the Main View. Press and hold the LCD Button for two seconds to
turn off the LCD; press again to turn on.
Press LCD Button + Control knob to display the LCD Control Panel. The LCD Control Panel pro-
vides adjustments to the LCD backlight and button backlight. The parameter with the orange slider
bar is the selected parameter. To toggle through the parameters press the Control knob. To adjust the
setting, turn the Control knob. Press LCD again to exit the LCD Control Panel.

Menu and Navigation

Menu
Press the MENU Button (keyboard: F1) to enter the Setup Menu. Most settings of the 970 are ac-
cessed and changed from the Setup Menu. Navigate between menu items by turning the Control
knob. Select menu items by pressing the Control knob. When in a menu, press the MENU Button to
go back to the previous screen.

The Setup Menu is not accessible when in Record or Playback. If the Setup Menu is open when record or
playback is engaged, the Setup Menu will close and return to the Main View.

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 970 User Guide

File List
Press FILES (keyboard: F2) to display a list of all of the recorded takes (File List). Takes are arranged
chronologically and grouped by Reel. Turn the Control knob to highlight an item. Press the PLAY
Button to start playback of the highlighted take. Press the Control knob (Press and hold for multi-file
clips) to perform functions based on which item is highlighted.

4
5
Menu and Navigation

7 8 9 10

1) Next Take 5) Reel Group

Information for the next take. A group of clips organized by reel name.
Takes below are part of the indicated reel.
2) Current Take
Number in brackets indicates number of
Information for the current take. Item is
clips in the reel. Press Control knob to ex-
red while recording.
pand or collapse list of takes in this reels.
3) Mono Take (Expanded)
6) Poly Take
Mono WAV file takes are collapsed by
Represents a single poly take. Press Con-
default, so that each take is represented
trol knob to view Take Details Screen.
by a single item in the File List followed
by the number of tracks in brackets. Press 7) Name
Control knob to expand the take and The name or number of the take, file,
show individual track files. Press and or reel. Number in brackets indicates
hold Control knob to access Take Details amount of tracks in the mono take or
for the entire take. Scroll to individual amount of takes in the reel.
track files and press Play to play the indi-
8) Play List Indicator
vidual track. Editing Take Details on an
Files in the play list are marked by a
individual track will still affect all track
number indicating their position in the
files in the take.
play list.
4) Mono Take (Collapsed)
9) Date and Time
Mono WAV file takes are collapsed by
Date and time the take or reel was cre-
default, so that each take is represented
ated.
by a single item in the File List followed
by the number of tracks in brackets. Press 10) Size
Control knob to expand the take and Total size of the take, file, or reel.
show individual track files. Press and
hold Control knob to access Take Details
for the entire take.
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 970 User Guide

The selected drive is displayed on the top of the screen. To view the contents of other drives, scroll to
the top of the list. A box appears with a list of all available drives. Select the desired drive and press
the Control knob.

Menu and Navigation

While in the File List, press FILES to collapse all Reel folders and mono takes to ease file navigation.

It is recommended that files in the same Play List or reel be of the same sample rate.

Take Details Screen

From the File List, highlight a file and press the Control knob to view the Take Details Screen. To
view Multi-file Take details, highlight the menu item with file extension then press and hold the
Control knob. Take Details include:
• Start TC: Start Timecode value
• Duration: Duration of the recording in
minutes and seconds.
• Created: Time and date the file was cre-
ated.
• File Format: Poly or Mono Broadcast
WAV File
• Audio Fmt: Sample rate, Bit depth, and
Track count.
• Timecode fps: TFrame rate value of
stamped timecode.
• User bits: Userbit value.
• Media: The drive and reel folder where
the file is stored.
• File Size: The size of the file on the drive.

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File functions are also available in the Take Details Screen:

Menu and Navigation

• Delete: Deletes the take or file (Confirmation dialog). (See “Deleting a File”, page 44)
• Notes, Use Phrase, Scene, Take, Track Names, and Circled: Edit iXML / bEXT metadata of audio
takes. (See “Metadata”, page 47) (See “Phrase List”, page 12)
• Add to Play List: Adds the take to the Play List. (See “Play List”, page 26)
• Remove from Play List: Removes the take from the Play List. (See “Play List”, page 26)
• Empty Play List: Empties the entire Play List. (See “Play List”, page 26)

Metadata Screen
The Metadata screen gives you quick access to certain metadata for the previous, current, and next
WAV recordings, letting you change the data in an instant.
The metadata you can edit includes:

Scene Use any alphanumeric value to name the scene.

Take Use numeric values to name the take.
Circled Options include: Yes | No
Notes Type any brief notes maually or select from a pre-defined, customizable list of 20 most commonly used phrases.

All metadata edits ripple to grouped units for previous, current, and next takes including scene, take,
notes, track names, circle status, false takes and scene increments. This signifies the most comprehensive
and advanced sharing of metadata between a master recorder and its backup, making the backup recorder
a true mirror of the master.

To access the Metadata screen, do one of the following:

• Press AUDIO + MENU.
• From an attached keyboard, press Ctrl+M.

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 970 User Guide

If accessing the Metadata screen while recording, focus will be on the Scene field for the current take, so
that field will be highlighted. If accessing the Metadata screen while in standby (stopped) mode, the Scene
field for the next take will have the focus and appear highlighted.

Menu and Navigation

To navigate the Metadata screen, do any of the following:
• Turn the Control knob to scroll vertically.
• Press the REW or FF buttons to move horizontally.
• From an attached keyboard, use the Arrow keys to navigate vertically or horizontally.
• Press the Control knob to make a selection.

Scrolling down and beyond the Notes field will display a customizable, predefined phrase list, letting you
make quick notes with the most common wording. Scroll up to exit the list and return to the Metadata
screen.

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 970 User Guide

Phrase List
The phrase list is a feature that lets you predefine a list of up to twenty most commonly used phras-
es, which can be added to WAV files as part of the Notes metadata. This list, once defined, can be
used via the Metadata screen or the Take Details screen.
To define the phrase list:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Select File Storage > Phrase List Manager. The Phrase List appears.
3. Select Add New Phrase.
4. Enter the text for that phrase.

Take Details Screen

While detailed file information is available via the FILES button, the Metadata screen also provides
quick access to viewing take details for the previous, current, or next WAV recordings.
To access the Take Details View from the Metadata screen:
1. Use the Control knob to scroll up to the column header row: PREVIOUS CURRENT NEXT
2. Press the REW or FF buttons to move horizontally to select the previous, current or next take.
Menu and Navigation

3. Push in the Control knob to display the details for the chosen take.

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 970 User Guide

Audio Inputs
The 970 can record up to 64 tracks from a variety of input sources:

Input Type Count Connector(s) Gain Details

1-8: DB-25 (CH 1-8 LINE IN) Balanced, Line-level. Channels 1-2 on DB-25
Off, -25
Analog 8 connector are summed with respective XLR con-
1-2: XLR (LINE IN 1/2) to 20 dB nectors.

1-8: DB-25 (CH 1-8 AES IN/OUT) Off, -25

AES Digital 8 to 50 dB
Off, -25
Dante 64 1-64: Ethernet See Dante Audio Inputs for full details
to 20 dB
1-64: Optical SC (MADI IN) Off, -25
MADI 64 See MADI Audio Inputs for full details
1-64: BNC (MADI IN) to 50 dB

Analog Inputs
The 970 has eight, high-performance, line-level analog audio inputs.

XLR (1-2)
The XLR balanced inputs accept line-level signals. These inputs are shared with Channels 1 and 2 of
DB-25 Analog Audio Input connector. Channels 1 and 2 of this connector are summed with channels

Audio Inputs
1 and 2 of the DB-25 connector, respectively.

DB-25 (1-8)
Eight analog, line-level inputs are provided on the DB-25 Analog Audio Input connector. This con-
nector is wired in the Tascam fashion (See “Connector Pin Assignments”, page 62). Channels 1 and 2
of this connector are summed with channels 1 and 2 XLR Analog Audio Inputs, respectively.

Digital Inputs
The 970 accepts digital audio from AES3, MADI, and Dante sources. The sample rate is determined
by the [Audio - Sample Rate] when [Timecode/Sync - Sync Ref] is set to Internal. Otherwise, the
sample rate is determined by the selected synchronization reference. All digital inputs are sample
rate converted. This helps ensure synchronization of digital audio from multiple sources.

AES3
AES3 Inputs 1 to 8 are derived from the AES3 DB-25 connector on the rear panel. This connector also
carries 8 channels of AES3 Output (See “Connector Pin Assignments”, page 62). AES3 Input signal
with sampling rates from 32 kHz up to 192 kHz and bit depths up to 24-bits is accepted.

MADI (AES10)
MADI Inputs 1 to 64 are derived from the MADI Input BNC connector and the MADI Input SC
(optical) connector on the rear panel. The MADI connector used is configured with Setup Menu op-
tion [Audio - MADI Input]. When this option is set to Auto-Detect, signal for each channel will be
derived from whichever MADI Input connector has signal. If signal is present on the same channel
in both MADI Input connectors, the signal from the SC (optical) connector will be used.

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 970 User Guide

Dante Audio Inputs

Dante delivers an easy-to-setup, self-configuring, plug-and-play digital audio network that uses
standard Internet Protocols over 100Mb and/or Gigabit Ethernet. Dante reliably distributes mul-
tichannel digital audio with sub-millisecond latency and sample-accurate record and playback
synchronization over CAT 5 cabling. Up to 64 Dante audio channels can be selected in any combina-
tion from any Dante audio device on the same Dante network. Should they be necessary, sample rate
converters are automatically activated for all Dante audio inputs.
An input Source can be set to an available Dante channel from the 970 or from the Dante Controller
application (Available from Audinate’s website: http://www.audinate.com/) running on a computer at-
tached to the network. (See “Choosing Audio Sources”, page 15).
To route Dante channels with the Dante Controller application:
1. Open the Dante Controller application.
2. Select the Routing tab. This table displays Dante devices with available outputs (“Dante
Transmitters”) horizontally, and Dante devices with available inputs (“Dante Receiv-
ers”) vertically. 970 units will be represented by their 970 names per Setup Menu option
[Network - This 970’s Name].
3. Click the plus symbol (+) where the column of the desired Dante transmitting device in-
tersects with the row of the 970 you wish to set input sources on. This expands the table to
display a matrix of the transmitting device’s outputs to the 970’s inputs.
4. Click the slots in the matrix where you wish to route or un-route audio channels. A green
Audio Inputs

circle with a check mark will appear in slots that are routed.

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Dante Redundancy
When [Network - Dante Settings - Dante Redundancy Mode] is set to On, the 970’s Primary and
Secondary Ethernet ports both transmit Dante Audio data over separate networks, using two sepa-
rate IP addresses. This provides a fail safe of the Dante system if one of the networks should fail.

In Dante Redundancy Mode, two separate networks must be run and they CANNOT be connected to one
another. Connect any computer running Dante Controller to the 970’s PRI Ethernet network.

For more details on managing Dante settings, see Dante Settings. Also, see http://www.audinate.com/ for
further information on the Dante protocol.

Choosing Audio Sources

Audio Input Source is selected in the Input View in the Source column. To configure an input source:
1. Press the AUDIO Button to access the Main View. If the Source column is not visible, press
the AUDIO Button again to reveal it (Input View).
2. Rotate the Control Knob to select the desired track.
3. Press the Control Knob to focus the highlighter on the selected track’s parameters. The high-
lighter will become orange and focus on a single column in the track.

Audio Inputs
4. Rotate the Control Knob to highlight the Source column.
5. Press the Control Knob to open the Audio Source options window. Select the general type of
input to be used from Off, Line In, AES In, MADI In, or Dante and press the Control Knob
again to open up all options for that input type.
6. Press the Control Knob to make a selection and exit the Audio Input Source options window.

Dante sources must be connected in order to select them as audio input sources.

For quick general audio source configurations use [Audio - Audio Input Quick Setup]. (See “Setup
Menu Options”, page 55)

Input Gain Control

Audio Input Gain is set in the Audio Setup Screen in the Gain column. To adjust the gain of an audio
track:
1. Press the AUDIO Button to access the Main View. If the Gain column is not visible, press the
AUDIO Button again to reveal it (Input View).
2. Rotate the Control Knob to select the desired track.
3. Press the Control Knob to focus the highlighter on the selected track’s parameters. The high-
lighter will become orange and focus on a single column in the track.
4. Rotate the Control Knob to highlight the Gain column.
5. Press the Control Knob to edit the gain value. Turn the Control Knob to adjust the gain in 1
dB increments. Gain is adjusted in real time. The available gain range depends on the audio
input source. (See “Audio Inputs”, page 13)
6. Once the desired gain value is set, press the Control Knob to exit the gain window.

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 970 User Guide

The gain value of each analog input channel is common. Adjusting the input gain of a track with an
analog input source will adjust the gain of all inputs that have that analog channel assigned as the input
source.

Input Gain can be linked in [Audio - Input Gain Linking]. When linked, adjust any channel’s gain
value to adjust the gain of all channels. Gain offsets from channel to channel are maintained. If this is
not desired, unlink the gain and set all gain values to the same value, then re-link input gain.

Input Delay Control

Audio Input Delay is set in the Audio Setup Screen in the Delay column. Delay is adjustable from 0
to 400 mS.
To adjust the delay of an audio track:
1. Press the AUDIO Button to access the Main View. If the Delay column is not visible, press the
AUDIO Button again to reveal it (Input View).
2. Rotate the Control Knob to select the desired track.
3. Press the Control Knob to focus the highlighter on the selected track’s parameters. The high-
lighter will become orange and focus on a single column in the track.
4. Rotate the Control Knob to highlight the Delay column.
5. Press the Control Knob to edit the delay value. Turn the Control Knob to adjust the delay in 1
Audio Inputs

mS increments.
6. Once the desired delay value is set, press the Control Knob to exit the delay window.
Input Delay can be linked with Setup Menu option [Audio - Input Delay Linking]. When linked,
adjust any channel’s delay value to adjust the delay of all channels. Delay offsets from channel to
channel are maintained. If this is not desired, unlink the delay and set all delay values to the same
value, then re-link input delay.

Audio Peak Hold Time

The peak hold time of audio metering may be adjusted from zero (0) to five (5) seconds.
To set peak hold time:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Select AUDIO > Audio Peak Hold Time.
3. Adjust the setting by 1 second increments from zero, which equates to Off, up to as high as a
5-second hold time.

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 970 User Guide

Audio Outputs
The 970 features a total of 82 unique output channels. Any of the internal 64 tracks can be routed to
each of the 8 analog outputs, 8 AES3 outputs, and 64 MADI outputs. Internal tracks 1 through 64 are
permanently routed to Dante outputs 1 through 64 respectively.

Analog Audio Outputs

The eight analog outputs of the 970 are active-balanced, line-level outputs (+18dBu max). Analog
Line Output channels 1 and 2 are available on XLR connectors on the rear panel. Analog Line Output
channels 1 to 8 are available on a DB25 connector on the rear panel. At factory default, the source of
the Analog Line Outputs 1-8 is tracks 1 to 8, respectively. Any of the available 64 Tracks can be sent
to the Line Outputs. Line Output routing is set in [Audio - Line Output].

Digital Audio Outputs

AES3
Output channels 1 to 8 . At factory default, the source of the AES Outputs 1-8 is tracks 1 to 8, respec-
tively. Any of the available 64 Tracks can be sent to the AES Outputs. AES Output routing is set in
[Audio - AES Output].

Audio Outputs
Dante Audio Outputs
Tracks 1-64 are permanently routed to Dante Outputs 1-64 respectively. Up to four 970 units can be
daisy-chained using their built-in internal Ethernet switches. If using five or more 970 units, Sound
Devices recommends using an external Ethernet Switch in a star configuration.

MADI Audio Output

Both the SC Optical and BNC MADI outputs provide 64 channels of digital audio. At factory default,
the source of the MADI Audio Outputs 1-64 is tracks 1 to 64, respectively. Any of the available 64
Tracks can be sent to the MADI Output. MADI Output routing is set in: [Audio - MADI Output].

Headphone Output
The 970 is capable of driving headphones to extremely high sound pressure levels. Hearing experts advise
against exposure to high sound pressure levels for extended periods.

The 970’s headphone output is a flexible tool for monitoring audio. The headphone level is adjusted
using the Headphone Volume Knob. To quickly select a headphone source, press and hold the AU-
DIO Button while turning the Control knob. The Headphone Source can also be selected in the Setup
Menu option [Audio - HP Source].
Any input can be soloed in the Main View: Rotate the Control knob to highlight the input, then press
AUDIO + LCD. The input’s signal will be soloed in the headphone monitors and the input that is
soloed will be indicated on the top-right of the Main View (HP: Solo8 for example). Highlight the
soloed track, then press AUDIO + LCD again to un-solo the input and return to previous Headphone
Source.
Warning Bells are sent to the headphone monitor to alert the user of various states such as transport
changes, selected sync reference absent, and errors such as No Media Connected. The loudness of
these warning bells is adjustable from Off, -60 to -12 dBFS in [System - HP Warning Bell Level]. At
factory default, the warning bells are set to -40 dBFS.

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 970 User Guide

Ethernet
The PRI and SEC Ethernet ports on the rear panel of the 970 are used for a variety of functions and
features:

• Dante (64-Channel Audio I/O over network) (See “Dante Audio Inputs”, page 14)
• Network Grouping (See “Network Grouping”, page 31)
• File Transfer (Samba) (See “Transferring Files”, page 45)
• Web Browser Control (See “Web Interface - PIXNET”, page 34)
Up to four 970 units can be daisy-chained using their built-in Ethernet switches. If using five or more
970 units, Sound Devices recommends using an external Ethernet Switch in a star configuration.
The 970 can be allocated an IP address from a DHCP server (recommended) or over Link-local net-
working. Link-local networking is a protocol which automatically allocates a 169.254.x.x IP address
in the absence of any DHCP server. If a DHCP server is available, the 970 will automatically use it if
[Network - Auto IP Settings] is set to On.
Alternatively, the IP address can be configured manually. When Setup Menu option
[Network - Atuo IP Settings] is set to Off, Setup Menu options [Network - IP Address],
[Network - Subnet Mask], and [Network - Gateway] are enabled. When these settings are improper-
ly set, the 970 may be unreachable in the network or may cause conflicts resulting in other devices in
the network being unreachable. Consult with an IT technician to determine the appropriate settings
when connecting to a large network.
Ethernet

The 970 uses on-board Auto-MDIX (crossover detection) to allow for direct connection to a computer or
to a network.

Dante Settings
Dante uses a separate IP Address which is configured automatically when connected to other Dante
devices. This IP Address is displayed when connected to a computer running Dante Controller, a
free-of-charge application available from Audinate.

See http://www.audinate.com/ for further information on the Dante protocol.

Dante-related settings, such as Dante redundancy and primary and secondary IP settings, may be
adjusted from the Network menu.
To manage Dante settings:
1. Press MENU.
2. Select Network > Dante Settings. The Dante Settings screen appears.

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 970 User Guide

3. Select any setting to adjust accordingly.

Setting Description
Redundancy Mode In Dante Redundancy Mode, two separate IP Addresses are used by Dante.

Ethernet
Options include On and Off.
When On, the recorder’s primary and secondary Ethernet ports both transmit and
receive Dante audio over separate networks.

(See “Dante Redundancy”, page 15)

Primary Auto IP Settings Options include On and Off. When On, the IP settings will be provided automatical-
ly by a DHCP (recommended), or Link-local when no DHCP is present. When Off,
the IP settings for primary IP, subnet mask, and gateway must be entered manually.
Primary IP Use to manually set primary IP address for Dante.
Primary Subnet Mask Use to manually set primary subnet mask.
Primary Gateway Use to manually set the primary gateway IP address.
Note: When Primary Auto IP Settings is set to On, the Primary IP, Primary Subnet
Mask, and Primary Gateway display the values obtained automatically.
Secondary Auto IP Settings Options include On and Off. When On, the IP settings will be provided automati-
cally by a DHCP (recommended), or Link-local when no DHCP is present. When
Off, the IP settings for secondary IP, subnet mask, and gateway must be entered
manually.
Secondary IP Use to manually set secondary IP address for Dante.
Secondary Subnet Mask Use to manually set secondary subnet mask.
Secondary Gateway Use to manually set the secondary gateway IP address.
Note: When Secondary Auto IP Settings is set to On, the Secondary IP, Secondary
Subnet Mask, and Secondary Gateway display the values obtained automatically.

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 970 User Guide

4. After making any changes to a Dante setting, Dante Reboot appears at the bottom. Select it to
save your modified settings and reboot with the new configuration.
Ethernet

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 970 User Guide

Recording
The 970 records industry standard Broadcast WAV Files (BWF) on up to 4 storage devices. Each drive
can be configured independently to be available for recording, available for playback (read-only),
shared on the network via Samba, or switched to network sharing after becoming full (Setup Menu
option [File Storage - Drive Record/Network Mode]). (See “Storage and File Management”, page 41)
Pressing the Record Button will start recording provided there is at least one audio track armed. Re-
cording will continue until the Stop () button is pressed or until all available drives are full. While
recording:

• The Record Button will illuminate red.

• The Main View text and drives actively recording turn red.
• The Setup Menu is not accessible.
If the 970 is not ready to record when a record command is given, the unit will enter a Record
Pending state. In this state the Record Button will flash red, and the system will automatically enter
record when it becomes ready. A Record Pending state is usually caused by file storage mounting or
response time or Play/Pause.
Record and Stop can also be triggered by other devices (See “Network Grouping”, page 31), via a web
browser (See “Web Interface - PIXNET”, page 34), RS-422 , GPIO, and Timecode. External control of
RS-422 , GPIO, and Timecode is configured in Remote Control. (See “External Control”, page 33)

Recording
Sound Devices File Format
During recording the 970 writes to a temporary file format. Files are written with the extension
.SDA. When recording is stopped, the file is “finalized” to a standard Broadcast Wave format (.WAV
extension). The Sound Devices file format allows for reliable recovery of content in situations where
power was lost or a drive was removed during recording. Upon powering up, the 970 will search for
any .SDA files on all drives and finalize them to Broadcast Wave Files with a .WAV extension.

.SDA files can also be recovered to .WAV files with the FileSafe utility for Windows.

File Splitting
Recorded files are split when the file size of Setup Menu option
[File Storage - Wave File Split Every] is reached (2GB or 4GB). A new file will be created and
grouped with the other files from the clip in the File View. (See “Storage and File Management”, page
41) When the Setup Menu option [System - Record Button File Split] is set to On, pushing the
Record Button during recording will begin a new file.

False Take
To discard the last take and delete the file (False take), press Stop () button + Rewind (<<) button. A
dialog box will appear warning that the last take will be deleted and indicate the file name. Use the
Control knob to highlight OK and push the Control knob to confirm.

A take may also be designated as a False take via PIXNET.

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 970 User Guide
Track Arming
Up to 64 Tracks of audio can be recorded. Tracks must be armed in the Main View in order for them
to be recorded. Armed audio tracks will have a red background in the Arm column. Unarmed audio
tracks will have a black background in the Arm column. To arm or disarm Tracks for recording:
1. Press the AUDIO button to access the Main View.
2. Rotate the Control knob to select the desired track.
3. Press the Control knob to focus the highlighter on the selected track’s parameters. The high-
lighter will become orange and focus on a single column in the track.
4. Rotate the Control knob to highlight the Arm column (The Arm column is the left-most col-
umn and displays the track number).
5. Press the Control knob to access the Arm Menu. Turn the Control knob to select On, Off,
All On, or All Off. (All On and All Off will change the arming status of all tracks, regardless
of which track is selected).

Changing a track’s Input Source to Off will disarm the track.

When the sampling rate is 88.2kHz or 96kHz, tracks 33 to 64 are disabled. This is achieved by setting
the sources for tracks 33 to 64 to Off. While the sample rate is set to 88.2kHz or 96kHz, the source for
tracks 33 to 64 cannot be set to anything other than Off.

When [Audio - Sample Rate] is set to a sample rate other than 88.2kHz or 96kHz, the track sources for
Recording

tracks 33 to 64 will remain Off. They must be manually set to new sources.

File Format (Polyphonic or Monophonic)

Mono (Wave) File Format writes a file for each armed track to each target drive per take. Mono files
will be named according to [File Storage - File Name Format] with the addition of an underscore
(“_”) character followed by the track number at the end of the file name.
If File Name Format is set to Reel-Scene-Take_Track Name, a WAV mono file will be given names in
the following format: <Reel>-<Scene>-<Take>_<Track #Track Name>.
For example, if Reel=141001, Scene=101A, Take=001, Track=01, and the Track 1 Name is Boom, then
the file’s name would be 14001-101A-001_01Boom.WAV

Mono Wave files can be written to a maximum of 2 SSD’s. Recording Mono Wave files to a mechanical
(spinning) hard drive is not supported.

Poly (Wave) File Format writes a single file to each target drive per take. All armed audio tracks are
interleaved into a single file.

If File Name Format is set to Reel-Scene-Take_Track Name, but WAV poly files are being recorded, the
alternative format of Reel-Scene-Take will be used.

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 970 User Guide

Sample Rate
The 970 supports the following sampling rates:
• 44.1 kHz • 48.048 kHz
• 47.952 kHz • 48.048 kHz “F” (files stamped 48 kHz)
• 47.952 kHz “F” (files stamped 48 kHz) • 88.2 kHz
• 48 kHz • 96 kHz
When Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Sync Ref] is set to Internal, the sampling rate is set
from Setup Menu option [Audio - Sample Rate]. The current Sample Rate is displayed on the top-
middle Main Screen. All digital input signal is sample rate converted to the 970’s sampling rate.

External Synchronization
When Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Sync Ref] is not set to Internal, the sample rate is
derived from an outside source and the setting of [Audio - Sample Rate] is not used and will not
affect the operating sample rate of the 970. The options for sync reference sources are the Internal,
Wordclock (Sync In), AES 1-2, or MADI. The 970 will only lock to supported sample rates. When an
unsupported sample rate is present at the sync reference source, the Main View label will flash and
the text will be red to indicate there is no synchronization occurring.

F Sampling Rate Modes

48.048k and 48.048kF
The 48.048kF mode (F can stand for “fake”, “faux”, or “Fostex”) is a specific compatibility mode for
use with the Fostex DV40 software (1.74 and previous), Avid, Final Cut Pro, and other post-produc-
tion environments that do not recognize audio files written at 48.048 kHz. In this mode WAV files are

Recording
recorded at a 48.048 kHz sampling rate but are stamped at 48 kHz. When played, they will play back
0.1% slower than real time.
One use for the 48.048kF mode is to force a 0.1% speed reduction (pull down) of audio to match
MOS-telecined film (24 fps-to-NTSC) in non-linear edit systems, such as Avid or Final Cut Pro. Since
the file is stamped as a 48 kHz file, the edit system will play it back at 48 kHz and not at 48.048 kHz.
This “audio pull down” will match the transferred picture without the need for an intermediate step
through other software to create the pull down.
The timecode frame rate (actual recording rate) is forced to 30 ND in 48.048kF mode. The audio file,
however, is stamped with a 29.97 ND frame rate, along the 48 kHz sampling rate. It will appear as if
the file was originally recorded at a 48 kHz sampling rate at a TC rate of 29.97 ND.

Fostex DV40
When using files recorded in the 48.048kF mode in with a DV40 with early software, set the DV40
timecode frame rate to 29.97ND. Timecode stamps will properly match the original timecode start
times.

47.952k and 47.952kF

Both 47.952 and 47.952kF settings use a record sampling rate of 47.952 kHz, 0.1% lower than 48 kHz.
The 47.952kF mode, however, identifies the file as being recorded at 48 kHz. Additionally there are
two frame rate options in 47.952kF mode. The timecode frame rate can be set to 23.97 while the file is
identified as 24ND or it can be set to 29.97ND while the file is identified as 30ND. By default, when
47.952kF mode is selected the frame rate is changed to 29.97ND and identified as 30ND unless the
Frame Rate was already set to 23.97 in which case it will remain at 23.97.

Bit Depth
The 970 records either 16 or 24 bit WAV files. The bit depth for is set from the Setup Menu option
[Audio - Bit Depth].
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 970 User Guide

Bit depth defines the digital “word length” used to represent a given sample and correlates to the
maximum dynamic range that is represented by the digital signal. Larger bit depths accommodate
more dynamic range. Sound Devices recommends 24-bit recording for all critical production.

Pre-Roll
To prevent missing record cues or up-cutting takes, the 970 has pre-roll buffering available. When
active, pre-roll begins recording at a set number of seconds preceding the record command. The Pre-
Roll time can be adjusted from 0 to 10 seconds the Setup Menu option [Audio - Pre-Roll Time].

Changing the armed status of any track, changing the value of Setup Menu option
[Audio - Sample Rate], or changing the current audio synch reference will reset the pre-roll buffer.

Playback
The current take is indicated on the bottom of the Main View in large text. Press the Play () button
to play the current take (This operation will work from the Setup Menu as well). During playback,
the Play () button and Main View text are green. Pause playback by pressing the Play () button
during playback. The Play button flashes green to indicate playback is paused. Press the Stop ()
button any time to stop playback. From Stopped Mode in the Main View, press the Fast Forward (>>)
Button once to skip to the next file on the current Playback drive. Press the Rewind (<<) Button once
to skip to the previous file on the current Playback drive.
Playback

The current Playback drive is indicated by the green Drive Status Main View field. To browse files on
the Playback drive, press FILES. This will display the File List of the current Playback drive. Pressing
Play () in the File List will play the currently highlighted file.
To browse files on another drive, scroll beyond the top of the File List to access the drive selection
list. When a file is played, the drive it is played from will become the current Playback drive. When
a new take is recorded, the lowest numbered drive it is written to will become the current Playback
drive.
Playback audio is routed to audio outputs as determined by output routing options in the [Audio]
Setup Menu section. (See “Audio Outputs”, page 17)
Files will always be played back at the sample rate of the 970, whether synced to external sources
or to internal sampling rates. The sample rate that the file was originally recorded at (and that is
stamped in the file’s header) will be ignored by 970 during playback, and the 970 will play the file at
the current sample rate, as determined by Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Sync Ref].

Fast Forward and Rewind

Hold down the Fast Forward (>>) or Rewind (<<) button during playback to scrub forward or back-
ward. As the Fast Forward (>>) or Rewind (<<) button is held down, playback speed in that direction
will increase (up to 50x), as indicated in the top-right of the Main View. Release the button to resume
playback in real time.

Cue Markers
Cue Markers are defined timing points in a file that can be used for playback navigation on both the
970 and some 3rd party software applications.

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 970 User Guide

Setting Cue Markers

During Record, Playback, or Pause mode, press FILES + Fast Forward (>>) to set a Cue
Marker. To delete a Cue Marker, press FILES + Rewind (<<). A dialog box appears asking
Delete Cue Marker? Cue (number), select OK to delete and Cancel to ignore. Cue Markers added
or deleted during record mode are applied to all actively recording drives. Cue Markers added or
deleted during playback mode are only applied to the current playback drive.

Navigating Cue Markers

During Playback or Pause, press Fast Forward (>>) to jump to the next Cue Marker. Press Rewind
(<<) once to jump to the previous Cue Marker. Immediately press Rewind (<<) again to skip to the
previous file’s last Cue Marker. When skipping between Cue Markers, the beginning and end of a
file are treated as Cue Markers. (However they are not actually Cue Markers in the file’s metadata.)
The previous Cue Marker is displayed in the upper right-hand corner of the Main View next to the
absolute time and designated with the letter “Q” followed by the cue number (Q3 for example).

If the last file played was a sibling file of a mono WAV take, skipping will occur between that take’s sib-
ling files rather than the default behavior of skipping between takes. When the first or final sibling file is
navigated away from, file skipping will again occur between takes.

Playback Mode
By default, when a file is selected for playback, the 970 will play the file immediately and stop play-

Playback
back when the end of the file is reached. The Setup Menu options [System - Playback Start mode]
and [System - Playback mode] alter this behavior. When [System - Playback Start mode] is set to
Pause on First Frame, a file will begin playback in a paused state. This is useful for “loading” a clip
so that playback can be manually triggered without any start up delay.
The Setup Menu option [System - Playback mode] affects how playback will continue after the end
of a file is reached:

Playback mode Behavior

Play Once Playback stops when the end of the file is reached.
Play Once - Pause Playback pauses at the beginning of the file when the end of the file is reached.
Play All Playback continues with the next file in the File List. This process is repeated until all files in
the File List have been played at which point playback stops.
Play All - Pause Playback pauses at the beginning of the next file. This process is repeated until all files in
the File List have been played or Stop is pressed.
Play All - Loop Playback continues with the next file in the File List. This process is repeated until all files
in the File List have been played at which point playback begins at the beginning of the File
List.
Play List Playback continues with the next file in the Play List. This process is repeated until all files in
the Play List have been played at which point playback stops.
Play List - Pause Playback pauses at the beginning of the next file in the Play List. This process is repeated
until all files in the Play List have been played or Stopped is pressed.
Play List - Loop Playback continues with the next file in the Play List. This process is repeated until all files
in the Play List have been played at which point playback begins at the beginning of the Play
List.

25
 970 User Guide

Play List
Files can be added to a Play List to be played back in a specific order. Play List functions are accessed
from the File Detail view of any file. By default, the 970 will play files in the order that they are ar-
ranged in the File List. To play back files in the order of the Play List, [System - Playback Mode]
must be set to one of the Play List modes. To add a file to the Play List:
1. Press FILES to view the File List.
2. Highlight the desired file, then press the Control knob to enter the Take Details view. (Press
and hold the Control knob if the take is am multi-file, mono take.)
Playback

Add to Play List will add the file to the end of the Play List. Remove from Play List will remove the
file from the Play List and decrease the position of all files above in the Play List. Empty Play List
will clear the Play List completely (note that this function affects the entire Play List).
Files in a Play List are indicated with a number in the File List:

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 970 User Guide

Synchronization and Timecode

In a production environment (during recording), offset and drift are both terms to describe a timing
problem between the timecode signal from two or more audio or video recorders. In a post-produc-
tion environment (a non-linear editor application), offset and drift are both terms to describe a tim-
ing problem between two or more audio or video files.
Offset (matching the beginning or “head” of a take) occurs because the beginning of takes are not
aligned due to the absence or misuse of timecode. Drift (matching the end or “tail” of a take) occurs
because different recorders (audio or camera) run at different rates - the beginning of files from each
may have zero offset, but by the end they drift apart. The 970 was designed with these problems in
mind and includes the most comprehensive and powerful synchronization features available in a
production recorder. These features can be used to alleviate or eliminate offset and drift problems in
both production and post-production. While the 970’s design makes setting the parameters as easy
as possible, a good understanding of synchronization is still necessary to properly operate the 970
and ensure a trouble-free workflow.
The 970 audio circuitry can be clocked off of incoming signal on either MADI or AES channels 1 and

Synchronization and Timecode

2. In other words, the 970 references this clock and synchronizes its own clock to it. The 970 writes
files based on this clock as well - each audio sample written out to the file is synchronized to the
incoming signal. This way, the 970 is always completely in sync with the connected source - there can
never be any drift between the source and the 970. (See “Sync Reference”, page 28)
Drift problems in a workflow can arise when more than one recording device is used on a shoot,
as each device is driven off of its own internal master clock. Since internal master clock speed will
always vary from device to device (and vary based on temperature and time), each device used will
run at a slightly different audio sample rate and timecode rate (and shutter speed in the case of cam-
eras). Particularly problematic are long takes where there may be significant drift between the many
devices from the beginning to end of the take’s file. Even if the heads match, the tails of a take may
not.
These drift problems can be mitigated during recording by using a Wordclock input on an audio re-
corder which takes over the recorder’s internal master clock. Wiring several audio recorders’ Word-
clock inputs together forces all of the recorders to run at the exact same sample rate with no drift.
Wordclock inputs are available on higher-end audio recorders.
Offset problems are easier to overcome than drift problems. By feeding each recording device with
the same timecode signal, the files from different recording devices can all be in sync and there will
be no offset in post-production.
The 970 can address the synchronization issues of both offset and drift (heads and tails) via its built-
in Ambient® Lockit and Wordclock I/O. The 970’s Ambient® Lockit features an internal clock which
has an accuracy of +/-0.2ppm (½ frame per 24 hours). Numerous 970 recorders can be used to main-
tain extremely tight synchronization.

27
 970 User Guide

Sync Reference
The following table lists the available sources for sync reference.

Signal Connection Main View

Wordclock SYNC IN WCK
AES channels 1-2 Digital Audio I/O (DB-25) AES1-2
MADI MADI IN (BNC or Optical) MADI
Internal None Int

By default, the currently referenced synchronization source is always displayed on the top-middle
of the Main View directly in front of the sample rate. When valid signal is present at the selected
source, the Main View label will be displayed in white text. When no valid signal is present at the
selected source, the Main View label will flash. Additionally, when a source is selected that has no
valid signal, or when the signal at a selected source is lost, a warning dialog will appear on the LCD.

Timecode Reader
Synchronization and Timecode

The 970 includes a timecode reader which can accept incoming SMPTE linear timecode. The time-
code reader is enabled whenever the Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode] is set
to any Ext TC mode which indicates that it will read external timecode.
In situations where a consistent offset is observed between 970 files and other produc-
tion recordings, the 970 can offset the timecode stamp on each file. The Setup Menu option
[Timecode/Sync - File Start TC Offset] allows for adjustment of the frame offset from -10 to +10 in
increments of 1 frame. This setting does not affect timecode on the 970’s outputs.
For shoots involving more than one camera or another audio recorder, using the 970’s Timecode
Generator can be more beneficial than using the Timecode Reader to achieve good heads and tails
sync between all recordings.

Internal Ambient® Lockit: Timecode Generator

The 970 includes an internal Ambient® ACL-203 Lockit which can be used as a timecode source for
cameras or audio recorders. The Lockit is an ultra-high accuracy sync/timecode generator with < 0.2
ppm (½ frame per 24 hours) accuracy that is suitable as a master clock in all levels of productions.
With its internal, rechargeable battery, accurate timecode is maintained for up to 4 hours after the 970
is powered down. After 4 hours, the timecode value is reset. The battery is recharged automatically.

Timecode Modes

Freerun Timecode Mode

Generator mode. Timecode runs continuously. The value can be set by “jamming value” in the Setup
Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Jam Received TC] or by manually setting a value from the Setup
Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Set Generator TC].

Freerun Auto Mute

Functions the same as Freerun mode except timecode signal is muted from the timecode output
when the 970 is in Stopped mode. This allows rec-run functionality when Rec Run mode is not suit-
able (e.g. Multi-camera shoots).

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v. 2.33 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.
 970 User Guide

Record Run Timecode Mode

Generator mode. The 970 sends running timecode while recording and stationary timecode while
not recording. Timecode in this mode defaults to the last stationary value at power-up. When switch-
ing to Record Run from another mode, the internal generator will stop at the last number gener-
ated. A user-defined value can be jammed into the internal generator from the Setup Menu option
[Timecode/Sync - Set Generator TC].

24 Hour Run Timecode Mode

Generator mode. Timecode runs continuously. When this Timecode Mode is selected or when the
time/date is altered, the timecode value is jammed to the value of the time-of-day clock. The value
can be set by “jamming value” in the Setup Menu options [TIMECODE/SYNC - Jam Received TC] or
[TIMECODE/SYNC - Jam Time Of Day]. The value can also be set manually from Setup Menu option
[TIMECODE/SYNC - Set Generator TC].

24h Run Auto Mute

Functions the same as 24h Run mode except timecode signal is muted from the timeocde output
when the 970 is in Stopped mode. This allows rec-run functionality when Rec Run mode is not suit-

Synchronization and Timecode

able (e.g. Multi-camera shoots).

External Timecode Mode

Reader mode. The 970’s internal timecode generator follows an external timecode signal appearing
at the BNC Timecode Input. If the external timecode is removed, the internal generator continues to
run to preserve continuous timecode.

External Timecode Halt Mode

Reader mode. Identical to normal External Timecode mode, except that when external timecode
is removed (signal is lost), the internal timecode does not continue. When Setup Menu option
[Remote Control - Rec Start/Stop] is set to Timecode, this mode will cause the 970 to stop record-
ing when timecode signal is disconnected or invalid (In addition to stopping when stationary time-
code is received).

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 970 User Guide

Powering
The 970 features an advanced powering system with 2 redundant DC Inputs (on rear XLR4M con-
nections) and PowerSafe technology. Two power sources can be attached simultaneously. When mul-
tiple power sources are connected, the 970 uses only one source at a time. The order of precedence
for power sources is:
1. DC Input 1 (Primary power source)
2. DC Input 2 (Secondary power source)
3. PowerSafe circuitry (Shutdown)
By default, the 970 operates from the Primary power source. When the Primary power source is
removed (or its voltage drops below 9V), the 970 switches to the Secondary power source without
interruption, if available. When operating from the Secondary power source, if the Primary power
source voltage rises above 10.5V, the 970 switches to the Primary power source without interruption.

External DC Status
Since the 970 has two inputs for external DC power, it displays two input voltage levels separated by
a slash, such as 11.9V/12.2V as shown in the following image; the values are centered along the top
of the screen.
Powering

This status information may be hidden. To show or hide display of external DC status:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Select ON-SCREEN DISPLAY > Ext DC Status.
3. Do one of the following:
• Select On to display voltage levels.
• Select Off to hide the status information.

PowerSafe
When power is removed or voltage drops below the threshold and no Secondary power source is
available, PowerSafe circuitry activates. The 970 displays a warning, stops any active recordings, fin-
ishes writing files, and shuts the 970 down. The PowerSafe Battery powers the 970 during this time.
This feature ensures that files are protected even in the event of an unexpected power loss.

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 970 User Guide

Network Grouping
When multiple rack-mounted PIX video recorders (PIX 250i, PIX 270i, or PIX 260i) or the 970 Audio
Recorder are in use on an Ethernet network, they can be grouped together for transport control and
linking of most setup options. Setup Menu option [Network - Network Group] assigns the 970 to
one of four available groups.

In this section, the term “unit” refers to PIX 250i, PIX 270i, or PIX 260i Video Recorders, or the 970
Audio Recorder, unless otherwise specified.

There is no “master” / “slave” relationship in Network Groups. All units in a group are “master”.
Transport commands and settings changes made on any unit a group will ripple to all other units
in the group. If a transport command or settings change has to be made to only one unit in a group,
the unit must be temporarily removed from the group before making the change. To quickly toggle
between No Group and the current group setting, press MENU Button + Control knob.
Requirements and considerations when setting up Network Groups:

• The maximum number of units supported in a single group is currently 10. Increasing the amount
of units in a group increases the time of response for grouped transport commands and auto-con-

Network Grouping
figuration.
• It is recommended that timecode be distributed individually to each unit in a group rather than
“daisy-chained” through units in a group.
• Allow all units in a group to auto-configure before proceeding with grouped operations. See the
following section for details. (See “Group Auto-Configuration”, page 32)
• Some settings are not linked even when units are in the same group. (See “Grouped Settings”, page
31)

Grouped Settings
A settings change of any unit in the group will be rippled through to all other units in the group,
with some exceptions. The following settings and functions will always apply only to the unit that
they are made on, and not ripple through to other units in the group (or be pushed when Setup
Menu option [Network - Grouping - Push Settings to Group] is used):
• All [Network] options. • [Timecode/Sync - Set Generator TC]
• All [Quick Setup] options. • [Timecode/Sync - Set Generator UBits]
• [File Storage - Erase/Re-format] • [System - Set Date/Time]
• [Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode] • [System - Update Software]
• [Timecode/Sync - Jam Received TC] • Headphone Solo
• [Timecode/Sync - Jam Time of Day]

Pushing Settings to Group

When a unit is assigned to a group, none of its settings are immediately changed. Subse-
quent settings changes to any unit in the group will be applied to all units in the group. To
copy all settings from one unit to the rest of the units in the group, access Setup Menu option
[Network - Grouping - Push settings to group]. This will copy all grouped settings to all other units
in the group.

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 970 User Guide

Group Auto-Configuration
When changes are made to a Network Group, all units in the group must auto-configure. It is im-
portant to allow all units in the group to complete auto-configuration before proceeding with any
grouped operations (Transport control, settings changes, etc). While configuring, units will display
a dialog message: Configuring Network: Please Wait... Wait 10 seconds after this dialog has cleared
before proceeding with grouped operations.
Common tasks that will cause a group to auto-reconfigure:

• A unit on the LAN is powered on or off.

• A unit is connected or disconnected from the LAN.
• A unit is added or removed from a group via [Network - Network Group].

Grouped Transport
Transport control (Record, Play, Pause, Stop, Fast Forward, and Rewind) of grouped units is linked.
Recording is frame-synchronized among all units in a group. When a file is selected for playback,
all units in the group will play the file of that same name if it exists. If no file of that name exists,
grouped units will play the most recently played or recorded file.
Adding and removing cue markers, jumping to cue markers, and looped playback is not supported
Network Grouping

in grouped units. These features can be effectively used in a grouped unit setup; However, manual
setup on each unit in the group is required. Following are step-by-step instructions to using these
features with grouped units. Failure to comply with these recommendations can result in undesired
behavior if any one of these features is in use while units are grouped. This could include:

• Out-of-sync playback between grouped units

• Some units in the group dropping out of playback prematurely
• Some units playing back the wrong file
• Sluggish transport control response time
To effectively use Cue Markers with grouped units:
1. Playback a file.
2. Find the spot in the file in which a cue marker is to be placed.
3. Pause Playback.
4. Press FILES + Fast Forward to lay a cue marker.
5. Repeat step 4 for all units in the group. Now when jumping to a cue marker on one unit all
units in the group will also jump to the cue point and remain in sync.

Synchronizing Audio Screen Settings

When Sync Audio Screen settings is set to On, any changes to parameters on the Audio screen will be
automatically distributed through to grouped units. This includes arming, track names, source, gain,
and delay. This feature is particularly useful when running a grouped unit as a backup unit.
To synchronize Audio Screen settings between grouped units:
1. Press MENU.
2. Select Network > Sync Audio Screen Settings.
3. Select On.

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 970 User Guide

External Control
RS422
The 970 conforms to the Sony P2 (9-pin) machine control standard over RS422. The 970 acts as a slave
only, not as a master. To enable RS422, set [Remote Control - RS422] to On.

Beginning with version 2.33, the 970 implemented RS-422 Servo Lock Status Bit to support transport
control from more DAWs and NLEs.

The following table lists commands supported by the 970 as well as how those commands are sup-
ported on three popular RS422 controllers.

Command DNF ST300 JLC-ES450 SONY PDW-HR1

(Player Mode)
RECORD Yes Yes n/a
Stop RECORDING Yes Yes n/a
Play Yes Yes Yes
PAUSE Yes Yes Yes

External Control
Stop Playback Yes No (Pause only) Yes
Fast Forward Yes Yes * Yes
Rewind Yes Yes Yes
JOG Yes Yes Yes
SHUTTLE Yes Yes Yes
T-BAR Yes n/a n/a
REC and Play TIMECODE Yes Yes Yes
GOTO (LOCATE to TIMECODE) Yes Yes n/a
VAR n/a n/a Yes
PREV n/a Yes Yes
NEXT n/a Yes Yes
IN ENTRY n/a Yes Yes
OUT ENTRY n/a Yes Yes
IN ENTRY TRIM n/a Yes Yes
OUT ENTRY TRIM n/a Yes Yes
IN ENTRY GOTO n/a Yes Yes
OUT ENTRY GOTO Yes Yes Yes
IN/OUT ENTRY DELETE Yes Yes Yes
IN/OUT ENTRY RECALL Yes Yes Yes

* To access Fast ForwardV mode on the ES450, press SHIFT + F.FWD. Then use the F.FWD or Rewind
keys for NEXT /PREV file selection.

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 970 User Guide

Web Interface - PIXNET

When either the primary (PRI) or secondary (SEC) Ethernet ports on the 970 rear panel are connected
to an Ethernet network (via switch or router), or direct to a computer (ad-hoc), the 970 can be con-
trolled remotely via PIXNET. PIXNET is a built-in web server with an intuitive GUI and is accessed
with an HTTP connection using a web browser. The interface is designed for use with current ver-
sions of Chrome and Safari.

PIXNET only supports a single client (browser) connection to a 970 at one time. Accessing PIXNET
on a single 970 from multiple clients simultaneously is not supported. Control access to 970 units with
Setup Menu option [Network - Authentication].

The 970’s web IP address must be determined before accessing PIXNET:

1. Make sure that the 970 is powered on and connected to a network or directly to a computer
via one of the rear panel Ethernet connectors.
2. The 970 must have a unique name when controlling multiple 970 units via PIXNET. Verify
that the 970 has a unique name in [Network - This 970’s Name].
3. The 970 can automatically find a unique IP Address when
[Network - Auto IP Settings] is set to On. This is the recommended method for set-
ting up IP connections on the 970. If needed, the IP settings can be manually entered. To
External Control

manually enter IP settings, set [Network - Auto IP Settings] to Off. Then manually en-
ter [Network - IP Address - Subnet Mask -Gateway] values.
4. PIXNET supports connection to a single client. Control access to the 970 by configuring a user
name and password from Setup Menu option [Network - Authentication].
5. Open the web browser and enter the IP address displayed on the 970 Main View or listed in
[Network - IP Address] into the web browser’s address bar. Enter the credentials supplied in
step 4 when prompted.

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 970 User Guide

PIXNET All Units Page

When PIXNET is launched the first page displayed is the All Units Page. This is a quick overview of
all units connected to the network. Information available is PIX Name, IP Address, File, Video Input
details, Format details, and assigned Group number. From this page, a unit can be allotted to a par-
ticular group (See “Network Grouping”, page 31). Click on the Name to open the Unit Page for that
particular unit in a separate tab of the browser.

1 2

External Control
3 4 5 6 7 8

1) Address Bar 6) Video Input Details

Type in 970 IP Address to connect to Displays the resolution, frame rate, and
PIXNET. source (SDI or HDMI) of incoming video
signal.
2) Unit Page Tabs
Each Unit Page can be opened in a sepa- 7) Format Details
rate browser tab. When unit is in Video Mode: Displays
details of the video codec the unit is set to
3) Unit Name
record. When unit is in Audio Mode: Dis-
Lists all units connected to the network.
plays sample rate, but depth, and armed
Click on a Name to open the Unit Page
track count.
for a particular unit.
8) Group
4) IP Address
Displays Group settings for all units cur-
Displays the IP Address for all units cur-
rently on the network. Group settings can
rently on the network.
be edited using the drop-down menu for
5) Take Details each unit.
When unit is in Video Mode: Displays
the resolution and frame rate that the
unit is configured to record. When unit
is in Audio Mode: Displays WAV Poly or
WAV Mono.

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 970 User Guide

PIXNET Unit Page

The Unit page allows for near full remote control of the 970 via the web browser.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1
10

11

22
21 12
20
19 13
14

18
15
17 16

1) False Take button 12) Drive Status 1-4

Click to move take to False Takes folder. Displays the drive status of all drives
External Control

(D1-D4).
2) Previous
During playback, jumps to the begin- 13) Absolute Time
ning of the file or previous cue marker. In Time elapsed since beginning of current
Stopped mode, loads previous file. recording or currently playing file.
3) Rewind 14) Metadata Bar
Acts as Rewind Button. When selected Click the word “Metadata” or the Arrow
the clip will reverse at 2x speeds. to expand or contract the Metadata View
for previous, current, and next takes.
4) Play
Functions as Play button. 15) Timecode
Displays the current timecode value.
5) Stop
Functions as Stop Button. 16) Frame Rate
Displays the current timecode frame rate.
6) Unit Name and IP Address
Displays the name and IP Address of the 17) File Name
current unit. Displays the current file name.
7) Fast Forward 18) Menu Tabs
Acts as Fast Forward button. When se- Click on each tab to display the respective
lected the clip advances at 2x speeds. menu.
8) Next 19) Armed Channel Count
Jumps to the next file. Displays the current amount of armed
audio channels. This is the amount of
9) Record
tracks that will be contained in the next
Functions as Record Button.
take recorded.
10) Group
20) Bit Depth
Displays current Group setting, quickly
Displays the current audio bit depth.
change designated group or remove from
group using the drop-down menu. 21) Sample Rate
Displays the current audio sample rate.
11) File Format
Displays current file format (poly or 22) Headphone Source
36 mono WAV files). Click to change format. Audio source for headphone output.
v. 2.33 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.
 970 User Guide

PIXNET Unit Page Metadata View

To show the Metadata View, click the Arrow button located on far end of the Metadata bar, which
acts as a toggle that expands or contracts the view for the previous, current, and next takes.

While metadata is visible, you can still scroll down to see the tabs—Clips, File Storage, Video, etc. They
slide down the screen below the expanded view of the metadata.

From this expanded view, you may edit the metadata—Scene, Take, Circled, and Notes—for the pre-
vious, current, and next takes. Changes made to the Notes field for the next take, however, will only
apply to the very next recording. It is not retained for subsequent recordings after that one.

PIXNET Unit Page Menus

The Unit Page can display many different menus. The menus are accessed by clicking on the tabs of

External Control
the Unit Page.

Not all 970 menu items or features are available from PIXNET.

Clips Menu
The Clips Menu is the PIXNET version of the 970 File List. From the Clips Menu, select a drive. The
currently selected drive contents are displayed. Reel, File name and location, creation date, and file
size are all displayed. Click on the Play icon next to a file name to playback the file. Click the Gear
icon to edit the next take’s scene, take, and notes metadata. Click the Pencil icon to edit the current or
previous take’s scene, take, notes, and circled status.

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 970 User Guide

File Storage Menu

File Storage Menu settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser. In this
menu the Ethernet File Transfer option can be remotely activated. This allows for remote transfer of
files from the unit. File Storage also provides access to managing phrase lists.

Audio Menu
The Audio Menu provides quick access to the various 970 audio settings and windows. These are
separated by the views Audio Settings, Tracks, and Output Routing. When Audio Settings is select-
ed, the 970 Audio menu options are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser.

Audio Tracks
The Audio Tracks screen allows all the same adjustments as the Main View on the 970 itself:

1 2 3 4

6
External Control

1) Track Name 5) Armed Track (On)

Click to edit. Track is armed with an active input
source and will be written during record-
2) Track Source
ing. Click to unarm.
Hover cursor (or touch) to access menu of
available audio input sources. 6) Unarmed Track
Track is not armed. Click to arm.
3) Gain Controls
Slider and drop-down menu controls 7) Armed Track (Off)
input gain level. Track is armed with input source set to
Off and will be not be recorded. Click to
4) Input Delay
unarm.
Set delay of input signal in milliseconds.

Audio Output Routing

When the Outputs tab is selected, track-to-output controls appear. From this view route any track to
any output.

TC Menu
Timecode/Sync Menu settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser.

Remote Menu
The Remote Menu provides quick access via the web browser to the 970 Remote Control menu op-
tions. Menu settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser.

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 970 User Guide

Network Menu
The Network Menu provides quick access via the web browser to the 970 Network menu options.
Menu settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser.

System Menu
The System Menu provides quick access via the web browser to the 970 System menu options. Menu
settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser.

Create Sound Reports

PIXNET enables generation and downloading of sound reports.
To create sound reports from PIXNET:
1. From the Clips tab, do either of the following:
• Click the Create Sound Reports button. This creates a sound report for the active reel
folder for all applicable drives.
• Click the Generate Sound Report icon (located between the Name and Date columns). This
creates a sound report from a specific drive and reel folder.
2. When the Sound Report Created message appears, click OK. The message will appear slight-
ly different, as shown below, depending on whether the report was created across multiple
drives or in a single directory.

External Control
3. Click Download CSV from the message dialog box to download the file immediately to the
computer.

Triggering Recording from External Timecode

The 970 can be configured to start recordings when incoming timecode begins rolling and stop when
it becomes stationary. This is generally referred to as “Record Run” timecode. The master timecode
device should be setup in this manner. To configure the 970 to follow Record Run commands:
1. Set Setup Menu option [Remote Control - Rec Start/Stop] to Timecode.
2. Make sure that the device that is sending timecode is configured to send station-
ary timecode while stopped and running timecode while recording. To cause the 970
to stop recording when linear timecode signal is absent (disconnected), set Setup Menu option
[Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode] to Ext TC (LTC Halt).

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 970 User Guide

3. Some cameras do not send the correct timecode in the first few seconds of a recording, or
they send short bursts of timecode causing the 970 to record short unintentional files or incor-
rect timecode values. The [Timecode/Sync - Auto Record Hold Off] feature is designed to
eliminate these issues. When a hold off value is applied, the 970 will begin capturing the mo-
ment timecode begins rolling but will only go into record if a valid timecode signal is present
after the hold off time has elapsed.
The 970 (and many other Sound Devices products, including the rack-mount PIX video recorders)
have Freerun Auto Mute and 24h Run Auto Mute timecode modes. These modes mute timecode
output when the unit in Stopped mode (i.e. not recording or playing back). This allows the unit to
trigger other units with timecode as if they are in a Rec Run timecode mode, while maintaining run-
ning timecode value. (See “Timecode Modes”, page 28)

Triggering from external timecode will not cause the 970 to automatically stamp exter-
nal timecode to recorded files. The timecode stamped to files is determined by the setting
[Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode]

GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output)

The 10-pin Phoenix connector provides six GPIO logic points. These can be used as simple-closure
inputs, and to drive LEDs or relays. The following table lists the pin assignments of the GPIO con-
nector.
External Control

Pin Function
- (-) Ground. Provides access to ground for triggering logic-low connections.
1 REC Input. Triggers 970 record.
2 Play Input. Triggers 970 play.
3 Stop Input. Triggers 970 stop.
4 (unused)
5 (unused)
6 REC Output. Activates upon 970 record.
7 Play Output. Activates upon 970 play.
8 Stop Output. Activates upon 970 stop.
+5V +5V DC Output. Constant source of +5V for triggering logic high connections.

GPIO inputs (pins 1, 2, and 3) and GPIO outputs (pins 6, 7, and 8) can be set to “logic high” or “logic
low”. Logic high connections will trigger to the presence of +5V (GPIO input) or output +5V when
the function is active (GPIO output). Logic low connections will trigger when connected to ground
(GPIO input) or become connected to ground when the function is active (GPIO output).
To configure GPIO connections as logic high or logic low, access Setup Menu option
[Remote Control - GPIO Inputs] or [Remote Control - GPIO Outputs].
The GPIO Outputs can be used to drive LEDs with a proper series resistor. Resistor values will vary
from LED to LED, 470 ohms is a good starting point.

USB Keyboard
The 970 supports standard USB keyboards connected to the USB A connector on the front panel. The
keyboard can be used to navigate menus, enter text, and control 970 Transport functions. The follow-
ing table shows common functions for an attached keyboard:

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 970 User Guide

Keyboards with integrated USB hubs are not supported.

Key Function
F1 Functions the same as MENU button.
F2 Functions the same as FILES button.
F3 Functions the same as AUDIO button.
F4 Functions the same as LCD button.
Menu Key Functions the same as MENU button.
Ctrl + R Functions the same as the REC button.
Ctrl + S Functions the same as the Stop button.
Space Bar Functions the same as the Play button.
Arrow Keys Up/Down function the same as Control knob turn.
Left/Right function as Escape and Enter keys respectively in Setup Menu.
Left/Right function the same as Rewind and Fast Forward keys during playback.
Return/Enter Functions the same as pressing the Control knob.
Ctrl + Q Add Cue Marker

Storage and File Management

Shift + Ctrl + Q Delete Cue Marker
Ctrl + Alt + F10 Enters Menu Customization. (In Setup Menu only)
Escape Exits / cancels current dialog.
Page Up Moves the highlight to the top or bottom of displayed list elements.
Page Down
End Moves the highlight to the end of a list.
Home Moves the highlight to the beginning of a list.

F1, F2, F3, and F4 keys can be pushed in combinations to activate button shortcuts, just like their respec-
tive buttons on the 970. See Shortcuts.

Storage and File Management

Storage
The 970 records on up to four separate storage devices simultaneously. There are two PIX-CADDY
slots on the front panel that are accessed by pulling the LCD Handle forward and tilting the LCD
down. Additionally, there are two eSATAp connections on the rear panel. The four drive connections
are numbered 1 to 4. Functions on the 970 will refer to the drives using these numbers.

PIX-CADDY 2 and PIX-CADDY CF

Drives 1 and 2 are PIX-CADDY slots behind the LCD on the Front panel.
The PIX-CADDY 2 allows for simple, quick, and solid connection and removal of drives for file stor-
age and exchange. When connected to a 970, whether powered on or off, the caddy’s USB 3.0 and
FireWire 800 connections are disabled. When the PIX-CADDY 2 is removed from a 970, it operates as
a high-speed data interface for transferring files from the drive to a computer. Only one data connec-

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 970 User Guide

tion can be used at a time. See PIX-CADDY 2 documentation for details on attaching a 2.5” drive to
the PIX-CADDY 2.
The PIX-CADDY CF supports CF cards instead of 2.5” drives. It functions the same as the PIX-CAD-
DY except that it does not support the Mono File Format.

See PIX-CADDY and PIX-CADDY CF documentation for full details.

eSATA
Drives 3 and 4 are eSATAp connections on the Rear panel. These connections can be used to power
an external drive via 5V eSATAp, or they can be used with powered external enclosures using an
eSATA (non-powered) cable. It is important to use an approved drive and external enclosure to en-
sure proper performance. An up-to-date list of supported storage devices can be found online:
http://www.sounddevices.com/approved

Supported Storage Devices

Sound Devices maintains a list of storage devices that are approved for use with the 970. An up-to-
Storage and File Management

date list of supported storage devices can be found online: http://www.sounddevices.com/approved

Mechanical (spinning) hard drives are supported with some limitations. Only poly WAV files are
supported when recording to mechanical drives. The 970 will display a warning when attempting to
record mono files to a spinning drive and recording will not begin.

Approved mechanical drives are recommended for use only in stationary applications. Excessive vibration
or motion may cause data corruption when using mechanical drives.

The 970 formats and writes to an exFAT filesystem. The exFAT filesystem is readable and writable
by Mac OS X, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Storage devices to be used with the 970
must be formatted by the 970.

Windows XP is not compatible with exFAT volumes by default. The Microsoft update KB955704
(http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=19364) will allow Windows XP to read and
write to exFAT volumes.

Mac OSX 10.6.4 and below does not support exFAT volumes.

Formatting
To format a drive:
1. Make sure the drive to be formatted is connected to the recorder and note which drive num-
ber it is.
2. Open Setup Menu option [File Storage - Erase/Re-format].
3. Choose the Erase/Re-format: Drive Number for the drive to be formatted or
Erase/Re-format: All Drives option.
4. A confirmation dialog will appear: “All data will be erased. Continue?”. Use the Control knob
to select OK.

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5. Use the displayed on-screen keyboard (or an external USB keyboard, if attached) to enter a
volume label for the drive, and then use the Control knob to select OK to initiate the format.
When formatting all drives at once, the volume label is applied to all drives but each drive
will be suffixed with a dash character and drive number to distinguish between drives.

Drive formatting can alternatively be initiated from PIXNET under the File Storage menu.

Drive Modes
Each of the four drive slots can be set to Read Only, Record,
Ethernet File Transfer, or Switch to Network upon Full from the Setup Menu option
[File Storage - Drive Record/Network Mode].
• Read Only: Drives in this mode will not be written to during recording. Any compatible files on
the drive will still be available for playback and the drive can still be formatted.
• Record: Drives in this mode will be written to for recording. This is the default mode.
• Ethernet File Transfer: Drives in this mode will be shared to the network as a standard Samba

Storage and File Management

share (see Ethernet File Transfer) and cannot be recorded to, formatted, or accessed for playback
from the unit.
• Switch to Network upon Full: Drives in this mode will be in Record mode until they are filled.
Once filled, they will be put into Ethernet File Transfer mode.

File Management
The 970 provides several tools for file management and metadata entry. File management of files to
be recorded is managed in File Storage. File management for files previously recorded is handled in
the File List. See File List and Take Details for navigation and basic overview.

File Size Limit

The Broadcast Wave File specification calls for a 4GB maximum file size. The 970 will automatically
begin writing a new file after the file size limit has been reached. The beginning of this new file will
be seamless to the ending of the previous file. The default file size is 4GB. This can be reduced to 2
GB in [File Storage - Wave File Split every].

File Naming
Files are named according to the file name format as set with Setup Menu option
[File Storage - File Name Format]. The options for file name format include various combinations of
Drive Name, CamID, Reel, Clip, Scene/Shot, and Take metadata fields. The file name format can also
be prefixed with the Network Name as defined in [Network - This 970's Name]. To prefix the file
name with the Network Name, set [File Storage - File Name Prefix] to 970 Name.

Folder Structure
All files generated by the 970 are placed into a Reel folder. The Reel Folder name is defined by a set-
ting in [File Storage - Reel Format], and the number is defined by the Reel metadata, which is set in
[File Storage - Reel].
For the folder name, the default is Custom, which lets you set your own alphanumeric value for Reel
folder names. The alternative option is Daily, which if chosen, automatically generates folder names
based on the system’s date in the YYMMDD format, where Y is a two-digit numerical value for year,
M for month, and D for the day.

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Deleting a File
Any file that appears in the File List can be deleted directly from the 970. To delete a file:
1. Press FILES to enter the File List.
2. Note the current drive as displayed on the top of the File List. If the file to be deleted resides
on this drive, continue to step 3, otherwise scroll to the top of the File List with the Control
knob, then choose the desired drive from the pop up menu.
3. Scroll with the Control knob to highlight and select the file to be deleted. Once highlighted,
press the Control knob to enter the Take Details view.
4. Highlight and select the Delete option. A dialog will appear to confirm the deletion. Turn the
Control knob to highlight and select “OK”.

Deleting a file removes it from the current drive only. If the same take was written to other drives, the file
will remain on those drives unless manually deleted.

Copying from Drive to Drive

Storage and File Management

Files may be copied from one drive to another without the need for a computer. This process may be
initiated at the 970 or via the PIXNET web interface.
To copy from one drive to another at the 970:
1. Press FILES to enter the File List.
2. Turn the Control knob to scroll to the top of the screen and select the drive from which you
want to copy.
3. Navigate to the file or folder you want to copy and do one of the following:
• Press in the Control knob to select a file to copy.
• Press and hold in the Control knob to select a folder to copy.
4. From the Details screen, scroll down the menu list and select Copy to.
5. When the Copy dialog appears, select a drive to which you want to copy the file or folder.

A status bar will appear while copying is underway. You can cancel the copy at any time.
Copy times will vary based on file or folder sizes. When copying is completed, a dialog simi-
lar to the following image will appear.
To initiate drive-to-drive copy from PIXNET:
1. From the CLIPS tab, select the drive from which you want to copy.
2. Click the Copy icon corresponding to the file or folder you want to copy.
3. When the Copy dialog appears, select the drive to which you want to copy and click OK. A
status dialog will appear while copying is in progress. You can cancel at any time.

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Transferring Files
USB, Firewire, Thunderbolt
Files on 970-formatted storage volumes can be copied to a computer by removing the storage device
from the 970 and connecting it to a computer. Storage devices formatted with the 970 recorder use
the exFAT filesystem. See File Storage
The Firewire 800 and USB 3.0 connectors on the PIX-CADDY are disabled when the PIX-CADDY is
attached to the 970. When attaching the PIX-CADDY to a computer, either the Firewire 800 or the
USB 3.0 connection must be used; not both.
Sound Devices recommends first copying files from the drive to the computer and then editing the
files. It is not recommended to edit files directly off of the drive.

Do not copy unsupported files from a computer (or any other host device) to a drive that is intended to be
used by the 970. If this occurs, it is advisable to format the drive with the 970 before making new record-
ings. See Appendix A for currently supported files

Storage and File Management

Ethernet File Transfer (Samba)
Samba is an industry standard networking protocol that enables files to be transferred between the
970 and any device with access to the network (A computer running Mac OSX, Windows, or Linux
for example). Ethernet File Transfer can be initiated remotely via PIXNET (web browser interface).
Ethernet supports data rates up to a theoretical maximum of 1Gbps. In reality, data transfer speeds
over Ethernet are dependent on network traffic and many other factors.
To transfer files between the 970 and another network device:
1. Attach an Ethernet cable from either 970 Ethernet port to a computer or a LAN (Local Area
Network) connection.
2. Enter Setup Menu [File Storage - Drive Record/Network Mode] to access the Record/Net-
work mode menu for all drives.
3. Select the drive to be mounted and set its mode to Ethernet File Transfer. This drive is now
attached to the Network and unavailable to the 970 for read or write actions. The Drive Status
field on the Main View will read “Network” in this mode.
4. Now the drive is ready to be accessed via the network. The IP address to use
for network access to the 970 is shown on the Main View and in Setup Menu
[Network - IP Address]. The user name and password are configured from Setup Menu op-
tion [Network - Authentication].
• Mac OSX: From the Finder, select Go > Connect to Server. Enter the 970 address as “smb://
[IP Address]” then click Connect. Enter the user name and password.

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• Windows: Click the Start button (or press the Windows key on the keyboard). In the
search box, enter the 970 address as “\\[IP Address]”. Enter the user name and password.

5. Drives that are in Ethernet File Transfer mode will appear as folders in the mounted volume
on the computer. When no drives are set to Ethernet File Transfer mode, a folder titled “No_
Drives_Attached” will appear instead.
6. Set the drive’s mode to Record to remove it from the network and make it available for
recording and playback on the 970. Allow time for the drives to remount before Recording or
Playing back files. The Drive Status Main View field will return to white when the drives are
ready.
Storage and File Management

FileSafe Utility and the Sound Devices File Format

During recording, the 970 will store data in a temporary file format with the extension .sda. When
the recording is completed, the file is converted to its standard .wav format. In the event of unintend-
ed drive removal or power loss during recording, these files can be recovered by the 970 recorder
itself or with the FileSafe software utility. Upon powering up, the 970 will search all connected drives
for .sda files and convert them to .wav format.
The FileSafe utility (currently available for Windows OS) can be used to recover .sda files in the ab-
sence of a 970 recorder. Download the FileSafe utility from the Sound Devices website:
http://www.sounddevices.com/support/downloads/filesafe-download/

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 970 User Guide

Metadata
970 Broadcast Wave Files include iXML (revision 1.5) data and bEXT chunk data. For bEXT and iX-
ML-aware software applications this data is available. For applications that don’t recognize bEXT or
iXML, this information is ignored. The following chart details the supported metadata parameters.

• iXML: Metadata stored in the Broadcast Wave iXML chunk

• bEXT: Metadata stored in the Broadcast Wave bEXT chunk
• FMT: Metadata stored in the Broadcast Wave Format chunk
4 = supported

Notes
Metadata Type U = Entered by User Read Write
M = Automatically Entered by the Machine
Reel (Tape) iXML, bEXT U: [File Storage - Reel] 4 4
Scene iXML, bEXT U: [File Storage - Scene] or via editing next take 4 4
metadata.
Take iXML, bEXT M: Automatic
U: [File Storage - Take] or via editing next take 4 4
metadata.
Notes iXML, bEXT U: via take metadata editing. 4 4
Circle Take iXML U: via take metadata editing. 4 4

Metadata
File UID iXML M: Unique File Identifier 4
File Sample Rate iXML, FMT U: [Audio - Sample Rate] 4 4
Digitizer Sample Rate iXML U: Actual sample rate of AD converter 4
Bit Depth iXML, FMT U: [Audio - Bit Depth] 4 4
Channels iXML, FMT U: Total amount of armed tracks when take was recorded. 4 4
Frame Rate iXML, bEXT U: [Timecode/Sync - Frame Rate] 4 4
TC Flag (ND or NDF) iXML, bEXT U: [Timecode/Sync - Frame Rate] 4
Start Timecode iXML, bEXT M: Stored as a sample count since midnight 4 4
Duration M 4 4
U-Bits iXML, bEXT U: [Timecode/Sync - Set Generator UBits] 4 4
Timecode Sample Rate iXML M 4
Track Information
Channel Index iXML M: Track Number 4
Interleave Index iXML M: Order of armed tracks. 4
Track Name iXML, bEXT U: via Track Names on Audio Setup Screen 4 4
Speed Information
Master Speed iXML M 4
Current Speed iXML M 4
Speed Note iXML M 4
Originator Information
Originator bEXT M 4
Creation Date bEXT M 4 4
Creation Time bEXT M 4 4

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Originator Reference bEXT M 4

Software Version bEXT M 4
File Set Information
Family UID iXML M: shared by files belonging to the same take 4
Total Files iXML M; number of files representing a take 4
File Set Index iXML M 4
File History
Original File Name iXML M 4

CamID
The CamID field consists of a single alpha character. It is intended to indicate which physical camera
shot the content for the take.

Reel
The reel can be considered a container for all assets generated during a recording session or day’s
work. It is intended to indicate what reel the recording is part of. The 970 will create a folder at the
root level for each Reel. Recorded files are placed inside the current Reel folder. This value is alpha-
numeric.

Clip
The Clip field consists of a numeric value between 1 and 999. It is intended to indicate what clip
number the recording is. This field can be set manually and will increment each time a new file is
Metadata

recorded. The Clip number will reset to 1 when the Scene or Reel is changed.

Scene/Shot
The Scene/Shot field consists of an alpha-numeric value. Use this field to indicate a descriptive name
for the current scene or shot.
To quickly increment the Scene/Shot value, press Stop + Fast Forward from the
Main View. How the Scene/Shot value increments depends on the current setting of
[File Storage - Scene Increment Mode]:
Numeric: (Default) If the current Scene/Shot value does not have a number on the end, the number 1
will be appended. Otherwise, the last number will be incremented by 1.
Character: If the current Scene/Shot value does not have an alpha character on the end, the let-
ter “A” will be appended. Otherwise, the last letter will be incremented alphabetically. If the final
character is “Z” it will be changed to “A” and - if an alpha character precedes it - that character will
be incremented alphabetically; Otherwise a preceding “A” will be added so that the resulting Scene/
Shot value ends in “AA”.
Off: Scene Increment shortcut will have no effect.

Take
The Take field consists of a numeric value between 1 and 999. It is intended to indicate what take
number the clip is, relative to the scene. This field can be set manually and will increment each time
a new file is recorded. The Take number will reset to 1 when the Scene name is changed.

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 970 User Guide

Editing Metadata
Metadata can be edited from the 970 before, during, or after recording. Metadata edits to a take will
ripple to that same take on all drives. Metadata can be edited from the Take Details screen or from
the Metadata Screen.

Editing Metadata from Take Details

To edit metadata:
1. Press FILES to access the File List.
2. Rotate the Control knob to highlight a recorded take, the currently recording take (indicated
with red text), or the next take (always at the top of the list with a date label of “Next Take”):

Next Take

Current (recording)Take

Previous (recorded) Takes

Metadata
3. Press the Control knob to access the Take Details screen. (For multi-file entries, hold the Con-
trol knob)
4. Rotate the Control knob to select the desired field for editing.
5. Press the Control knob and use the on-screen keyboard or attached USB keyboard to enter
text.
6. When finished, Select OK on the on-screen keyboard or press Enter on an attached USB key-
board. Changes made to the currently recording take and to previously recorded takes will
be written immediately.
The special list item “Next Take”, represents the file name and metadata for the take that will
be written the next time record is engaged. This entry does not represent a file on the drive. The
Scene and Take fields of the next take can be edited. Values entered into Scene and Take fields
of the next take will also be entered into Setup Menu options [File Storage - Scene/Shot] and
[File Storage - Take] respectively.
To enter notes for the Next Take:
1. Press FILES.
2. Select the Next Take file.
3. Select the Notes option.

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4. Enter text for the note. Data entered in the Notes field for the Next Take will only apply to the
very next recording. It is not retained for subsequent recordings after that one.
The Use Phrase option is also available when viewing take details from the File List, and it may be
used to add common phrases into notes for the Previous, Current, or Next Takes.
To use the phrase list:
1. Press FILES.
2. Select a file.
3. Select the Use Phrase option.
4. Select the phrase you want to use from the predefined list.

Editing Metadata from Metadata Screen

(See “Metadata Screen”, page 10)

Editing Track Names

Audio Track Names are stored in the metadata of the Broadcast Wave File. Audio Track Names are
set in the Main View in the Name column.
To edit the name of an audio track:
1. Press AUDIO to access the Main View.
2. Rotate the Control knob to select the desired track.
Metadata

3. Press the Control knob to focus the highlighter on the selected track’s parameters. The high-
lighter will become orange and focus on a single column in the track.
4. Rotate the Control knob to highlight the Track Name column.
5. Press the Control knob to open the Track Name editor. Use the displayed on-screen keyboard
(or an external USB keyboard, if attached) to enter a new track name,.
6. Use the Control knob to select OK (or press Enter on the attached USB keyboard) to save and
exit back to the Main View.

Managing Phrase Lists

The Phrase List Manager in PIXNET makes it possible to compile a “phrase list” that are common
words or phrases that may be used often as metadata notes.
To manage phrase lists from PIXNET:
1. Click File Storage on the Unit Page.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the Phrase List Manager button.
3. Enter a phrase and click Add Phrase to create a list of phrases.

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4. (Optional) From an existing list, click the Trashcan icon next to the phrase you want to delete.

Metadata
5. Click Done when finished.
Phrases from the list will be available to add to the Notes field for each take when using the Meta-
data Edit screen on the 970.

Sound Reports
Sound reports are comma-delineated CSV files based on WAV file metadata. The headers for these
reports are customizable. You can create sound reports in a specific folder to a single drive only or in
a current folder for all applicable drives.

Sound reports (CSV files) do not appear in the File list.

To manage sound report headers:

1. Press MENU.

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2. Select File Storage > Sound Report Info.

3. Modify each option as needed.
To create a sound report in the current folder, do either of the following:
• Press the AUDIO + FILES buttons simultaneously.
• From an attached keyboard, press Ctrl+P.

Sound reports created in current folders are saved for all applicable drives.

To create a sound report on a specific Reel folder:

1. Press FILES.
2. Select the Reel folder in which you want to create the sound report.
Setup Management and Firmware Upgrades

3. Either press and hold the Control knob to enter the Folder Options menu, or from an at-
tached keyboard, press the Right Arrow key.
4. Select Create Sound Report. The CSV file is created in the specified folder only on that drive.
To view a sound report (CSV file):
1. Eject the drive from the unit and attach it to a computer.
2. Navigate to the Current or Reel folder in which the report was created.
3. Open the report in any application supporting CSV format, such as Excel for spreadsheets.
Sound reports may also be generated from PIXNET. (See “Create Sound Reports”, page 39).

Setup Management and Firmware Upgrades

Saving and Loading Setup Files
To save all of the current settings to a setup file, select the Setup Menu option
[Quick Setup - Save Settings to Drive 1]. Use the on-screen keyboard (or attached USB key-
board) to enter a name for the setup file. This will save all of the current settings to an XML
file at root of Drive 1. To load a previously saved setup file, select the Setup Menu option
[Quick Setup - Load Settings from Drive 1]. The setup XML file will have to be copied to the root of
Drive 1 prior to attempting to load it.
For a complete list of available Setup Menu options, see Setup Menu Options.

Formatting a storage device will also remove any setup files that are on the drive. Setup files can be stored
on a computer and copied back to the root of a 970 drive to be loaded on the 970.

Custom Defaults and Setup Menu Option Visibility

The Setup Menu option [Quick Setup - Load Factory Settings] loads a setup that is saved internally
to the 970 when it leaves the factory. It is possible to alter this “factory” setup, so that the Setup
Menu option [Quick Setup - Load Factory Settings] will load a custom default.
It is also possible to hide specific Setup Menu parameters and options. This is useful for Setup Menu
options that are not commonly used in a particular workflow, or to simplify use when lending the
unit to another user.

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 970 User Guide

To customize defaults and Setup Menu option visibility:

1. Attach a USB keyboard to the 970’s USB keyboard port.
2. Press the MENU Button to enter the Setup Menu.
3. Press Ctrl + Alt + F10 on the keyboard. If this is the first time this action has been performed
since powering the 970 up, a password dialog will appear. Enter the password (the default
password is “default”).
4. After the correct password has been entered, the Settings Customization Menu will appear.
Select Edit Menu & Default Values.
5. The Setup Menu will be shown with a colored background. There will be check boxes next to
each menu item. Navigate the menu with the Control knob or keyboard arrows, as usual.

Setup Management and Firmware Upgrades

6. To change the visibility of an item in the Setup Menu, press the spacebar on the keyboard
while the item is highlighted. Checked items will be displayed in the Setup Menu and un-
checked items will not be displayed.

Crossed out items will be hidden

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7. Settings changed at this point will become the default settings.

8. When finished, press Esc or F1 on the keyboard. This will show the Settings Customization
Menu again. Select any of the save options.

Keep a record of the password if it is changed. A lost password could result in undesirable limitations.

The Settings Customization Menu option Reset to Factory Settings will make all Setup Menu items
visible and revert default settings to factory defaults.

Factory Restore
To fully restore the unit to its factory firmware state, hold Fast Forward and Stop while booting the
970 up, until the Main View appears. This will load factory default settings and restore some settings
Setup Management and Firmware Upgrades

that are normally not affected by performing [Quick Setup - Load Factory Settings], such as restor-
ing the network user name and password to “guest”.

Firmware Upgrades
At times, Sound Devices makes firmware updates available for 970. These updates are easy to apply:
1. Download the new .prg file from the Sound Devices website.
2. Copy this file to an approved drive, and connect to the 970.
3. Ensure that the power source for the 970 is reliable. Power loss during a firmware upgrade
process can produce unexpected results.
4. From the System menu in the Setup Menu, select Update Software. The 970 will search for
the .prg file and give the option to install the first file that it finds (cancelling this dialog will
cause the 970 to search for another .prg on any attached storage devices). When the correct
.prg file has been located, highlight the OK button and press the Control knob to begin the
firmware update.
5. The 970 will verify that the file is not corrupted, then it will update the firmware. When done
the unit will need to be powered down and then back up.

Firmware updates can take several minutes to complete. Never pull power during a firmware update.

Various functions and ports may become inactive while firmware is updating.

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 970 User Guide

Setup Menu Options

The Setup Menu controls a wide range of parameters for the 970. The parameters are organized into
categories, making the Setup Menu easy to navigate. The following tables show the parameter name,
a description, options available, and the factory default setting where applicable.

Default settings can be altered. (See “Setup Management and Firmware Upgrades”, page 52)

File Storage

# Parameter Name Description Options

A sub-menu with 4 items representing each drive slot.
Options presented here are available for each of the 4
drive slots. Read Only: Drive is not used for record-
ing, but is available for playback. Record: Drive will • Read Only
be written to during recording and is unavailable for »» Record
1 Drive Record/Network Mode network file transfer. Ethernet File Transfer: Drive is
available for network access via Samba and unavail- • Ethernet File Transfer
able for recording and playback. Switch to Network • Switch to Network upon Full
upon Full: Drive is effectively in Record mode until it

Setup Menu Options

becomes full, at which point it is effectively in Ethernet
File Transfer mode.
Choose the file size limit of .wav files. When the limit
Wave File Split Every is reached, the 970 will create a new .wav file (labeled • 2 GB
2 sequentially with an alpha character) and continue »» 4 GB
recording.
»» Drive-Reel-Clip
• Reel-Clip
The format for file names as they are written to the • CamID-Reel-Clip
3 File Name Format
drive. • Reel-Scene-Take
• Scene-Take
• Reel-Scene-Take_Track Name
Text to be placed before all other charac- • Off
4 File Name Prefix ters in each file name. 970 Name is set in
[Network - This 970's Name] »» 970 Name

»» A
5 CamID An identifying character for a camera
(single alpha to “Z”).
Customize format for naming Reel folders with any
alphanumeric value or set this parameter to Daily for »» Custom
6 Reel Format
automatically generated names with a value derived • Daily
from the system’s date, using the format YYMMDD.
Current Reel number. When the Reel number is • 1
7 Reel
altered, the Clip number is reset to 1 (multi alphanumeric)
Current Clip number. When the Reel or Scene is »» 1
8 Clip
altered, the Clip number is reset to 1 (numeric)
Current Scene name. When the Scene name is »» “Scene 1”
9 Scene/Shot
altered, the Take number is reset to 1. (multi alphanumeric)
Current take number. When the Scene name is »» 1
10 Take
altered, the Take and Clip number is reset to 1. (numeric)
• Disabled
Scene Increment Mode The method used to increment the Scene/Shot value
when Stop+Fast Forward is pressed on the Main View. »» Numeric
11
• Character

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 970 User Guide

# Parameter Name Description Options

Enter up to 20 commonly used phrases to create a • Add New Phrase
12 Phrase List Manager
“quick” list for adding notes metadata to files. • Exit
Options listed here are only those
Create sound reports in a specific folder to a single with pre-defined defaults:
drive only or in a current folder for all applicable • Date - System Date
drives. Sound reports are comma-delineated CSV files • Roll - Reel
13 Sound Report Info based on WAV file metadata, but with this parameter, • File Type - Current Selection
you can customize the headers for such reports.
• Sample Rate - Current Selection
• Frame Rate - Current Selection
CSV files do not appear in the File List. • Bit Depth - Current Selection
• Tone Level - Current Selection
• Erase/Re-format: Drive 1
Format any or all attached drives. When all is se- • Erase/Re-format: Drive 2
Erase/Re-format lected, all drives will share the same volume label but
14 • Erase/Re-format: Drive 3
each drive name will be suffixed with a unique drive
number. • Erase/Re-format: Drive 4
• Erase/Re-format: All drives

Audio

# Parameter Name Description Options

Setup Menu Options

»» Poly
1 File Format Set recording to be mono or poly WAV files.
• Mono
• 44.1 kHz
• 47.952k
• 47.952kF
»» 48k
2 Sample Rate The sample rate of recorded .wav files
• 48.048k
• 48.048kF
• 88.2k
• 96k
• 16-bits
3 Bit Depth The bit depth of recorded .wav files
»» 24-bits
The amount of pre-record buffer. 0-10 seconds in 1 »» 2 secs
4 Pre-Roll Time
second increments. (0-10 seconds)
When Input Gain is linked, adjusting an Input’s gain »» Off
5 Input Gain Linking adjusts all Input Gains by the same amount. Any
offsets at the time of linking are maintained. • On

When Input Delay is linked, adjusting an Input’s delay »» Off

6 Input Delay Linking adjusts all Input delays by the same amount. Any
offsets at the time of linking are maintained. • On

Select MADI input source (optical or BNC). Auto- »» Auto-Detect

MADI Input Detect will detect which source is connected and • BNC
7 automatically choose that port. When there is signal
on both sources, the Optical source is used. • Optical
Select this option to turn off the MADI equalizer in »» On
8 MADI Equalizer cases where MADI is not functioning correctly with an
external MADI device, such as long cable runs. • Off

• Odd / Even channel pairs (1,2 to

Choose the source for Headphone output and the 2 63,64)
9 HP Source
channel meters on the Main View. • All tracks summed - mono
»» All tracks summed - stereo
Sub-menu. Choose output source for each line output • Track 1 - Track 64 (per output)
10 Line Ouput
(1-8) »» Track 1-8 (per output)

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 970 User Guide

# Parameter Name Description Options

Sub-menu. Choose output source for AES outputs • Track 1 - Track 64 (per output)
11 AES Output
(1-8) »» Track 1-8 (per output)
Sub-menu. Choose output source for MADI output • Track 1 - Track 64 (per output)
12 MADI Output
(1-64) »» Track 1-64 (per output)
Enable audio test tone to all outputs and meters. Tone »» Off
13 Signal Generator
is not recorded. • On
»» -20 dBFS
14 Tone Level Level of audio test tone (dBFS)
(numeric -40 to 0)
• 8
Audio Screen Meters Amount of audio tracks displayed at a time in the Main »» 16
15 View. (All 64 tracks are accessible by scrolling)
• 32
16 Audio Peak Hold Time Set peak hold time for audio metering. • 0 - 5 sec (1 sec increments)
• 1-8: Off
• 9-16: Off
• 17-24: Off
• 25-32: Off
• 33-40: Off
• 41-48: Off
• 49-56: Off
• 57-64: Off

Setup Menu Options

• 1-32: Off
• 33-64: Off
• 1-64: Off
• 1-8: Line In 1-8
• 9-16: Line In 1-8
• 17-24: LineIn 1-8
• 25-32: Line In 1-8
Choose from preset audio input source schemes. • 33-40: Line In 1-8
Audio Input Quick Setup These options are not settings, but actions. When an
17 • 41-48: Line In 1-8
item is selected, the indicated input sources will be
changed. • 49-56: Line In 1-8
• 57-64: Line In 1-8
• 1-8: AES In 1-8
• 9-16: AES In 1-8
• 17-24: AES In 1-8
• 25-32: AES In 1-8
• 33-40: AES In 1-8
• 41-48: AES In 1-8
• 49-56: AES In 1-8
• 57-64: AES In 1-8
• 17-32: MADI In 17-32
• 33-48: MADI In 33-48
• 49-64: MADI In 19-64
• 1-32: MADI In 1-32
• 33-64: MADI In 33-64
• 1-64: MADI In 1-64

Timecode/Sync

# Parameter Name Description Options

»» Internal
The reference for synchronization of recording and • Wordclock
1 Sync Ref playback clocks. Set this parameter to Dante to use • AES1-2
Dante Sync. • Dante
• MADI

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 970 User Guide

# Parameter Name Description Options

• Off
»» Freerun
• Freerun Auto Mute
Sets the running mode for the internal timecode • Record Run
2 Timecode Mode generator and/or the method which the 970 receives
SMPTE timecode. • 24h Run
• 24h Run Auto Mute
• Ext TC (LTC)
• Ext TC (LTC Halt)
• 23.976
• 24
• 25
3 Frame Rate The frame rate of timecode stamped to .wav files. »» 29.97
• 29.97 DF
• 30
• 30 DF
Sets the duration that a valid timecode signal has to
be recognized by the 970 before generating a new »» 0 sec
4 Auto-Record Hold Off take when using external timecode to trigger record-
ing (When [Remote Control - Rec Start/Stop] (numeric 0-8)
is set to Timecode).
Opens a dialog that displays incoming timecode • Push Control knob to jam inter-
value in realtime (RxTC), incoming userbits (UB), nal timecode to incoming (RxTC)
Setup Menu Options

5 Jam Received TC timecode.

transmitting/internal (Ambient® Lockit) timecode value
(GENTC), and transmitting/internal userbits (UB). • Push MENU Button to back out.

Jam Time Of Day Sets the internal timecode clock to the current time
6 of day.
Sets the Ambient® Lockit timecode generator value in »» 00:00:00.00
7 Set Generator TC
HH:MM:SS.FF format. (Timecode value)
Sets the four-field format for the UBits Generator to
the default, which is user definable fields, or so that
the first three fields are automatically populated with
numerical values based on the system date. »» UU:UU:UU:UU
8 UBits Format When set to MM:DD:YY:UU or DD:MM:YY:UU, the • MM:DD:YY:UU
system will populate the first three fields, so those • DD:MM:YY:UU
fields will appear grayed out in the Set Generator
UBits menu option, leaving only the last field (UU) to
be customized daily by the user.
Sets userbits of the Ambient® Lockit timecode »» 00 00 00 00
9 Set Generator UBits
generator. (Hex: 00-FF for each slot)
Sets the offset of the beginning timecode stamp of
recorded files. Useful when there is a constant offset »» 0
10 File Start TC Offset
between camera and 970 recorded files. The applied (numeric -10 to +10)
offset does not affect timecode output of the 970.

Remote Control

# Parameter Name Description Options

• On
1 RS422 Enable or disable RS422 capability
»» Off
Set the DeviceID communicated to attached RS422 »» Sony BVW75
2 RS422 Interface Device ID
controllers. • Sound Devices
Enable or disable automatic recording with the pres- »» Off
3 Rec Start/Stop
ence of running timecode at the timecode input. • Timecode

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 970 User Guide

# Parameter Name Description Options

Set GPIO inputs (pins 1, 2, and 3 on GPIO connector)
to active high or active low. Active high: Connecting »» Active low
4 GPIO Inputs
the pin to +5V will activate the function. Active low: • Active high
Connecting the pin to ground will activate the function.
Set GPIO outputs (pins 6, 7, and 8 on GPIO connec-
GPIO Outputs tor) to active high or active low. Active high: When the • Active low
5 function is true, +5V will appear on the pin. Active low: »» Active high
When the function is true, the pin will be grounded.

Network

# Parameter Name Description Options

This 970’s Name Sets name of 970. This must be unique within a »» 970
1 network.
2 Grouping Sub-menu for network grouping settings.
»» No Group
• Group 1
Network Group Groups with other PIX 250i, PIX 260i, PIX 270i, and • Group 2
2.1 970 units on the network.
• Group 3
• Group 4
Copies this unit’s settings to all other units in the

Setup Menu Options

2.2 Push Settings to Group group. All grouped settings will be pushed. (See
“Grouped Settings”, page 31)
When set to On, changes made to audio settings on
the “master” unit are automatically distributed and re- »» Off
2.3 Sync Audio Screen settings
flected on the screens of the other units in the group. • On
By default, this parameter is set to Off.
Displays Dante Settings screen, from which various
Primary and Secondary settings may be configured, • Redundancy Mode (Off / On)
including enabling Redundancy mode, which is Off by • Primary Auto IP Settings
default. • Primary IP
When Redundancy is On, the 970’s Primary and • Primary Subnet Mask
Dante Settings Secondary Ethernet ports both transmit Dante Audio
3 • Primary Gateway
over separate networks. This provides a fail safe of the
Dante system if one of the networks should fail. • Secondary Auto IP Settings
• Secondary IP
In Dante Redundancy Mode, two separate networks
must be run and they CANNOT be connected to one • Secondary Subnet Mask
another. Connect any computer running Dante Con- • Secondary Gateway
troller to the 970’s PRI Ethernet network.
When On, the IP settings will automatically be pro-
Auto IP Settings vided by a DHCP (recommended), or Link-local when • Off
4 no DHCP is present. When Off the IP Address, Subnet »» On
Mask, and Gateway will have to be entered manually.

IP Address Displays IP Address, can be edited when Auto IP

5 Settings is OFF.

Subnet Mask Displays Subnet Mask, can be edited when Auto IP

6 Settings is OFF.

Gateway Displays Gateway, can be edited when Auto IP Set-

7 tings is OFF.

Authentication Set the user name and password to be used for »» guest / guest
8 PIXNET and Samba drive access.

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 970 User Guide

System

# Parameter Name Description Options

Determines power on and off method. When set to
Always on, the 970 will turn on and off when external • Always On
1 Power DC is applied. When Use Power Switch is selected the
970 is powered on and off using a key combination of »» Use Power Switch
AUDIO Button + Control knob press.
»» -40dBFS
2 HP Warning Bell Level Adjusts the level of the heaphone warning bell sound
(Off, -60 to -12dBFS)
»» (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US)
3 Time Zone Selects the international time zone
(All GMT zones)
Toggles daylight saving on or off for the time-of-day »» Off
4 Daylight Saving
clock • On
Selects between 12 or 24 hour format for the time-of- »» 12h
5 Time Format
day clock • 24h
Selects between MM/DD/YY and DD/MM/YY date »» MM/DD/YY
6 Date Format
format • DD/MM/YY
7 Set Date/Time Set the time and date
Whether or not a new file will be created when the • On
8 Rec button File Split
Record Button is pushed during recording. »» Off
Setup Menu Options

»» Play immediately
9 Playback Start Mode Choose what to do when file playback is initiated.
• Pause on First Frame
»» Play Once
• Play Once - Pause
• Play All
• Play All - Pause
10 Playback Mode Determines Playback Mode.
• Play All - Loop
• Play List
• Play List - Pause
• Play List - Loop
Sets whether the ABS Time clock will display cumula- • Cumulative Time
11 Playback ABS Display tive time (by counting up from zero) or remaining time
(by counting down from a clip’s duration. • Remaining Time

Shortcuts Displays a dialog that shows all shortcut button combi-

12 nations. This is not a setting, but a helpful reference.
Displays a dialog indicating firmware version and
13 Version Info serial number. This is not a setting, but a helpful refer-
ence.

Update Software Searches attached drives for a .prg firmware file and
14 begins the firmware update process.

Quick Setup

# Parameter Name Description Options

1 Load Factory Settings Loads default setup

Load Settings From Drive 1 Loads selected setup from setup files saved on Drive
2 1.

Save Settings to Drive 1 Opens dialog to name and save current setup to Drive
3 1.

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 970 User Guide

Button Shortcuts
Button Combination Effect
AUDIO + Control knob rotate Change HP source.
FToggles on and off HP: Solo mode, which allows for soloing of each channel by highlighting
AUDIO + LCD the various tracks in the Audio screen. Repeat the shortcut to return to previous HP source..
AUDIO + MENU Accesses the Metadata screen.
AUDIO + FILES Create sound report in current folder for all applicable drives.
LCD + Control knob press Adjust LCD and button brightness.
Stop + Rew False take. Deletes last take and decrements Take Number.
Scene increment. Changes the scene name by increasing it numerically or by alpha charac-
Stop + Fast Forward ters.
MENU + FILES Button lock options: Unlock Buttons, Lock Non-Transport Buttons, or Lock All Buttons.
Toggle network grouping. If the unit is grouped, this shortcut will remove it from the group. IF
MENU + Control knob Press the unit is not grouped, this shortcut will put it back into the group it was previously in.
Hold LCD Turns off LCD display.
LCD + Encoder Press LCD brightness menu.
FILES + Fast Forward When in Record or Playback, sets a cue marker
FILES + Rew When in Record or Playback, deletes last cue marker

Button Shortcuts
FILES + Control knob Arms/disarms tracks in the Audio screen.

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 970 User Guide

Connector Pin Assignments

Connector Pin Assignments Notes

XLR4M (2) 1–ground Pins 2 and 3 unused. When using

(Primary and Second- 2–float a single power source, use Primary
ary DC Input) 3–float connector (top). (See “Powering”, page
4–DC+ 30)

1–ground Mates with XLR-Male connector

XLR-F (2)
(Analog Audio inputs) 2–signal (+) 20k ohm input impedance, line level,
3–signal (-) active-balanced
Connector Pin Assignments

1–ground Mates with XLR-Female connector

XLR-M (2)
(Analog Audio outputs) 2–signal (+) 20k ohm input impedance, line level,
3–signal (-) active-balanced

TRS Tip–signal L
(Headphone output) Ring–signal R Mates with TRS jack
Sleeve–signal ground

SC optical Mates with SC optical plug. For use with

(MADI input & output) Optical (multimode) multimode optical fiber..

BNC (2) Mates with BNC male connector

(Timecode input &
output) Unbalanced, coaxial connection

BNC (2) Mates with BNC male connector

(Wordclock input & Center pin–signal Unbalanced, coaxial connection, 75
output) Sleeve–ground ohm connectors recommended
BNC (2) Mates with BNC male connector
(MADI input and Unbalanced, coaxial connection, 75
output) ohm connectors recommended

eSATAp Female (2) Standard eSATAp Mates with eSATAp male connector

USB-A (1)
Standard USB-A receptacle For use with USB Keyboards only. Data
Keyboard Input transfer is not supported

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 970 User Guide

1–Input 8 signal (+)

2–Input 8 Ground
3–Input 7 signal (-)
4–Input 6 signal (+)
5–Input 6 Ground
6–Input 5 signal (-)
7–Input 4 signal (+)
8–Input 4 Ground
9–Input 3 signal (-)
10–Input 2 signal (+)
11–Input 2 Ground
DB-25 (1) 12–Input 1 signal (-) Mates with DB-25 Male Connectors
(CH 1-8 LINE IN) 13–unused wired in Tascam fashion
14–Input 8 signal (-)
15–Input 7 signal (+)
16–Input 7 Ground
17–Input 6 signal (-)
18–Input 5 signal (+)
19–Input 5 Ground
20–Input 4 signal (-)
21–Input 3 signal (+)
22–Input 3 Ground
23–Input 2 signal (-)
24–Input 1 signal (+)
25–Input 1 Ground

Connector Pin Assignments

1–Output 8 signal (+)
2–Output 8 Ground
3–Output 7 signal (-)
4–Output 6 signal (+)
5–Output 6 Ground
6–Output 5 signal (-)
7–Output 4 signal (+)
8–Output 4 Ground
9–Output 3 signal (-)
10–Output 2 signal (+)
11–Output 2 Ground
DB-25 (1) 12–Output 1 signal (-) Mates with DB-25 Male Connectors
(CH 1-8 LINE OUT) 13–unused wired in Tascam fashion
14–Output 8 signal (-)
15–Output 7 signal (+)
16–Output 7 Ground
17–Output 6 signal (-)
18–Output 5 signal (+)
19–Output 5 Ground
20–Output 4 signal (-)
21–Output 3 signal (+)
22–Output 3 Ground
23–Output 2 signal (-)
24–Output 1 signal (+)
25–Output 1 Ground

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 970 User Guide

1–Digital Out 4 signal (+)

2–Digital Out 4 Ground
3–Digital Out 3 signal (-)
4–Digital Out 2 signal (+)
5–Digital Out 2 Ground
6–Digital Out 1 signal (-)
7–Digital In 4 signal (+)
8–Digital In 4 Ground
9–Digital In 3 signal (-)
10–Digital In 2 signal (+)
11–Digital In 2 Ground
DB-25 (1) 12–Digital In 1 signal (-) Mates with DB-25 Male Connectors
(CH 1-8 AES IN/OUT) 13–unused wired in Tascam fashion
14–Digital Out 4 signal (-)
15–Digital Out 3 signal (+)
16–Digital Out 3 Ground
17–Digital Out 2 signal (-)
18–Digital Out 1 signal (+)
19–Digital Out 1 Ground
20–Digital In 4 signal (-)
21–Digital In 3 signal (+)
22–Digital In 3 Ground
23–Digital In 2 signal (-)
24–Digital In 1 signal (+)
25–Digital In 1 Ground
Connector Pin Assignments

1–Ground
2–Record Input
3–Playback Input
4–Stop Input
Phoenix 10-pin (1) 5–unused
(GPIO) Logic points can be set to high or low.
6–unused
7–Record Output
8–Playback Output
9–Stop Output
10–+5V DC Output
1–Ground
2–Transmit A
3–Receive B
DB-9 (1) 4–Receive Common Sony P2 (9-pin) machine control
(RS422) 5–Spare standard
6–Transmit Common
7–Transmit B
8–Receive A
9–Ground

8P6C-F (2) For Ethernet Network connection,

(Ethernet) Standard 8P8C Ethernet file transfer, Dante, and 970
grouping. Mates with Cat-5

USB-B (1)
Standard USB-B receptacle For Factory use only. Mates with USB
(Factory) Standard-B plug.

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 970 User Guide

Specifications
Audio Recording
Record/Playback • 64 channels record/playback (32 Channels at 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz sample rates)
• Simultaneous Analog, AES/EBU, Dante, or MADI. Selectable per channel

Analog Audio
Inputs • 8 Balanced, line-level inputs on DB-25.
• Ch1,2 also on XLR
Outputs • 8 Balanced, line-level outputs on DB-25.
• Ch1,2 also on XLR
Frequency Response 10Hz-20kHz, +/- 0.5dB re 1kHz
THD + Noise 0.004% max (1kHz, 22Hz-22kHz)
Input and Output Topology Fully electronically balanced, RF, ESD, short, and overload protected;
pin-2 hot, pin-3 cold
Line Output Clipping Level +18dBu
Front Panel Headphone 1/4” with gain control

Specifications
Line Input Clipping Level +26dBu
Input Impedance 10k

Digital Audio
Sample Rate / Bit Depth • 44.1 kHz, 47.0952 kHz, 48 kHz, 48.048 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz
• 24-bit
AES3 • 8 channels in and out via DB-25, 110 ohm, 2 V p-p.
• Accepts 32k, 44.1k, 48k, 96k, 192k sample rates with SRC at input.
Dante • 64 channels
• 48kHz input and output
MADI • 64 channels (32 channels with 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz sampling rates)

File Storage
Disk Format exFAT
PIX-CADDY 2 / PIX-CADDY CF- Two, front-mounted Sound Devices approved 2.5-inch drives (PIX-CADDY 2) or CF cards
mounted drives (PIX-CADDY CF)
eSATAp conected drives Two, rear panel eSATAp ports for drives meeting Sound Devices specifications, supplies 5V
@ 2A

See Sound Devices’ website for a list of approved media: www.sounddevices.com/approved

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Timecode and Sync

Modes Supported Freerun, Frerun Auto Mute, 24 Hour run, 24 Hour run Auto Mute, Record run, External
timecode, External timecode Halt
Frame Rates 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97DF, 29.97ND, 30DF, 30ND
Accuracy • +/- 0.2ppm (½ frame per 24hrs) accuracy
• Holds accurate timecode for 4 hours after power is removed
Timecode Inputs / Outputs • Timecode Input BNC
• Timecode Output BNC
Sync Input / Output • Wordclock
• Square wave
• 44.1 kHz, 47.952 kHz, 48 kHz, 48.048 kHz, and 96 kHz sampling rates
• 3.3vp-p
• 75 ohm

Control
RS422 Machine Control
Ethernet Web-based control of settings and transport.
GPIO GPIO on 8 pins, Phoenix connector
Specifications

Keyboard
USB Keyboard Front-panel USB host. Keyboards without hubs acceptable

Power
External • 2 Connections (Primary and Secondary)
• Locking 4-pin XLR connectors (pin-1 = ground, pin-4 = +)
• 10–27V, 60W max
• Internal PowerSafe battery for safe shutdown when main power is lost.

Physical
Size (H x W x D) 3.3” x 8.6” x 10.3” (8.4 cm x 21.8 cm x 26.2 cm)
Weight 6 lbs. 2 oz. (6.0125 lbs.)
Operating Temperature -10° C to +40° C

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 970 User Guide

Software License
End-user license agreement for Sound Devices 970 Embedded Software / Firmware
Important Read carefully: This Sound Devices, LLC end-user license agreement (“EULA”) is a legal agreement between you (either
an individual or a single entity) and Sound Devices, LLC for the Sound Devices, LLC software product identified above, which includes
computer software, embedded software, and may include associated media, printed materials, and “online” or electronic documentation
(“SOFTWARE PRODUCT”). By using, installing, or copying the SOFTWARE PRODUCT, you agree to be bound by the terms of this
EULA. If you do not agree to the terms of this EULA, do not use or install the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
Software Product License
The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws
and treaties. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is licensed, not sold.
Grant of license. This EULA grants you the following limited, non-exclusive rights: In consideration of payment of the licensee fee, Sound
Devices, LLC, as licensor, grants to you, the licensee, a non-exclusive right to use this copy of a Sound Devices, LLC software program
(hereinafter the “SOFTWARE”) on a single product and/or computer. All rights not expressly granted to licensee are reserved to Sound
Devices, LLC.
Software ownership. As the licensee, you own the hardware on which the SOFTWARE is recorded or fixed. Sound Devices, LLC shall
retain full and complete title to the SOFTWARE and all subsequent copies of the SOFTWARE, regardless of the media or form on or in
which the original copies may exist. The license is not a sale of the original SOFTWARE.
Copyright. All rights, title, and copyrights in and to the SOFTWARE PRODUCT (including, but not limited to, any images, photographs,
animations, video, audio, music, text, and “applets” incorporated into the SOFTWARE PRODUCT) and any copies of the SOFTWARE

Software License
PRODUCT are owned by Sound Devices, LLC or its suppliers. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and interna-
tional treaty provisions. Therefore, you must treat the SOFTWARE PRODUCT like any other copyrighted material, except that you may
make copies as only provided below. You may not copy the printed materials accompanying the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
Restrictions on use. Licensee may not distribute copies of the SOFTWARE or accompanying materials to others. Licensee may not
modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the SOFTWARE or its accompa-
nying printed or written materials.
Transfer restrictions. Licensee shall not assign, rent, lease, sell, sublicense, or otherwise transfer the SOFTWARE to another party with-
out prior written consent of Sound Devices, LLC. Any party authorized by Sound Devices, LLC to receive the SOFTWARE must agree to
be bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement.
Termination. Without prejudice to any other rights, Sound Devices, LLC may terminate this EULA if you fail to comply with the terms and
conditions of this EULA. In such event, you must destroy all copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT and all of its component parts.
Limited Warranty
No warranties. Sound Devices, LLC expressly disclaims any warranty for the SOFTWARE PRODUCT. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT and
any related documentation is provided “as is” without warranty or condition of any kind, either express or implied, including, without limita-
tion, the implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. The entire risk arising
out of use or performance of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT remains with you.
No liability for damages. In no event shall Sound Devices, LLC or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without
limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising
out of the use of or inability to use this Sound Devices, LLC product, even if Sound Devices, LLC has been advised of the possibility of
such damages. In any case, Sound Devices, LLC’s entire liability under any provision of this evaluation license shall be limited to the
greater of the amount actually paid by you for the SOFTWARE PRODUCT or U.S. $5.00. Because some states/jurisdictions do not allow
the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.
Governing Law
This agreement and limited warranty are governed by the laws of the state of Wisconsin.

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 970 User Guide

Technical Support
Technical Support / Bug Reports
For technical support and bug reporting on all Sound Devices products contact:
Sound Devices, LLC
E-mail: [email protected]
web: www.sounddevices.com/support/
Telephone: +1 (608) 524-0625 / Toll-Free in the U.S.A.: (800) 505-0625
Fax: +1 (608) 524-0655
Sound Devices cannot guarantee that a given computer, software, or operating system configuration
can be used satisfactorily with the 970 Audio Recorder based exclusively on the fact that it meets our
minimum system requirements.
For all service, including warranty repair, please contact Sound Devices for an RMA (return mer-
chandise authorization) before sending your unit in for repair. Product returned without an RMA
number may experience delays in repair. When sending a unit for repair, please do not include ac-
cessories, including SSD/HDD, CF cards, batteries, power supplies, carry cases, cables, or adapters
unless instructed by Sound Devices.
Technical Support

Sound Devices, LLC

Service Repair RMA #XXXXX
E7556 State Road 23 and 33
Reedsburg, WI 53959 USA
telephone: (608) 524-0625

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v. 2.33 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.
970, v 2.33 - Printed in U.S.A.