Hooking up the vs-840ex

Due to mr doveski here, I am about to get my hands on my first multitrack recorder either tomorrow or thursday, but no manual for the VS.
My only concern is hooking up the 2000xl, and the 840ex.
If anyone here have any knowledge putting them two together please help a brother out. This is my first recording device, and I am anxious to finally put my beatz onto a CD. Help me cut out the guess work so I can get rolling.

Happy beat making.

BKnyc wrote:Due to mr doveski here, I am about to get my hands on my first multitrack recorder either tomorrow or thursday, but no manual for the VS.
My only concern is hooking up the 2000xl, and the 840ex.
If anyone here have any knowledge putting them two together please help a brother out. This is my first recording device, and I am anxious to finally put my beatz onto a CD. Help me cut out the guess work so I can get rolling.

Happy beat making.

I've got one myself, and it is a nice digital mixer for the MPC. Only thing is, the EX only has four inputs. But, you can still use 1/4" cables and a pair of MIDI cables to put them both in perfect sync with each other. They definitely work well together. Plus, the 840EX has effects. Sometimes, I run the tracks through my analog mixer and into one input in the 840 also. I still have it MIDI'd up, though.

So which is the slave, and which is the master? and how do I setup/connect for it to work properly?

You'd want the MPC to be slaved to the 840. I may have to double-check, but I believe the connections are: MIDI Out of the MPC to MIDI In on the 840 and MIDI Out of the 840 to MIDI In on the MPC. I just left things that way so long that I'll have to double-check, so sorry if I may be wrong. But, this way, I'm ALWAYS ready record whatever I make...I can either track it out on my mixer or just drop it in stereo, and make any adjustments I want at any given time. It's pretty nice, lol.

Thanks for trying to help me out mr funk dockta. LOL
Without a manual is very confusing because I don't know what is what.
As of right now I have my sound mod, and the mpc linked up together to my analog mixer.

My setup currently goes like this...
midi out from my midi controller to midi in onto my mpc. midi out from my mpc to midi in onto my sound mod.
stereo out from my sound mod to channel 1 and 2 in my analog mixer, and stereo out from my mpc onto channel 3 and 4 in my analog mixer.
Finally... main out from my analog mixer to my monitors.

So now where does the 840ex fit in?

Anyone here willing to give it a shot?

you should go to yahoo! groups & join a group called RolandVSDocs. in the files section you'll find a file called vs840 sync that will help you midi the mpc & the vs together. you'll still want to use the mpc manual too but at least that document gives you the keystrokes to set up midi (since you dont have the manual)

as far as the wiring for sound... i dont have a mixer so i dont know how that fits into the equation. i sort of use the vs as my mixer.

If the 840 has 4 inputs, you can just use it in place of your mixer. If it only has stereo inputs, just use the stereo outs from your mixer then when you record, just record one track at a time using the channel mute buttons on your mixer.

BKnyc,

Hello there ! I found something that may be of interest to you. I have no idea of what setup you have but, you can print this out and see if it applies and helps you get to tracking: If you have a Pro Tools setup, here's your answer. Hope it helps !.................................K

This setup will work for any of the Roland hard disk recorders (ie. VS-880, VS-840, VS-1680, VS-2480). In theory this setup could work for other brands of Hard Disk recorders as well.

Recording from a ROLAND VS-880 Digital recorder to Pro Tools

VS-880 (master)
Pro T ools (slave)

CONNECTIONS
- MIDI OUT of Roland VS-880 > MIDI IN of Digi 001 or Digi 002.
- The VS-880 supports Optical S/PDIF. (Two channels)
Optical OUT of VS-880 > Optical IN (no Red light) of Digi 001 PCI card or on the Digi 002 itself.
- Or use the S/PDIF output of the Roland VS-880 > S/PDIF inputs on the Digi 001 or Digi 002.
Both setups are listed below.

PRO TOOLS CONFIGURATION
1) Launch a Pro Tools session. Make sure that bit depth and sample rate match between Pro Tools and the VS-880.
2) For Digi 001 & Digi 002: Setup Menu > Hardware Setup. Set the Clock to S/PDIF if using the S/PDIF RCA input on the Digi 001. If using the Optical connection on the Digi 001 PCI card or the Optical connection on the Digi 002, set the Clock to ADAT.
3) Windows Menu > Show Session Setup. Make sure that the Start Time and Incoming Time Code are the same, or that Start Time is a little ahead of Incoming Time. This time code is provided to Pro Tools by sending MIDI Time Code from out of the Roland VS-880. (information below)

If using the S/PDIF Connections of the VS-880
- For Digi 001: Setups Menu > Hardware Setup > Set Optical Format to ADAT > OK.
- For Digi 002: Setups Menu > Hardware Setup > Set Digital Input to RCA = S/PDIF, Optical = ADAT. OK.
- Setups Menu > I/O Setups > Click on Input Tab > Click on Default button to Reset I/O's > OK.
- Set Inputs for the record tracks (S/PDIF connection): S/PDIF L and/or S/PDIF R.

If using the Optical connection from the VS-880
- For Digi 001: Setups Menu > Hardware Setup > Set Optical Format to S/PDIF> OK.
- For Digi 002: Setups Menu > Hardware Setup > Set Digital Input to Optical = S/PDIF, RCA = OFF. OK.
- Setups Menu > I/O Setups > Click on Input Tab > Click on Default button to Reset I/O's > OK.
5) Inputs for the record tracks (S/PDIF - Optical connection): S/PDIF L (Opt) and/or S/PDIF R (Opt).

AMS Setup
6) Setups > Edit MIDI Studio Setup: create VS-880 device (send/receive MTC) branching off the Digi 001 or Digi 002 MIDI Interface. For help on AMS setup consult Getting Started With Digi 001 or Digi 002 Guides.

Pro Tools Setup Continued
7) Setups Menu > Peripherals > Synchronization: device = Generic MTC reader. Port = VS-880 (or, if this doesn’t work try 001 or Digi 002)
Operations Menu > Set to ONLINE or select the clock on the left side of the Pro Tools Transport. (Transport = Pro Tools). Press Record button. Both Online and Record button will flash until sync begins. Sync will begin when you press play on the Roland VS-880.
9) Setups > Preferences> Operation: Record Online at Insertion/Selection.
10) Record enable all audio tracks.
11) Press play on the VS-880 and Pro Tools will sync and go into record.

VS-880
1) Set to Master
2) Sync Mode = Internal
3) select MTC for MIDI OUT connector
4) MTC Type = 30 (fps).

Kscott52, thanks man. Even tho I don't use pro tools.. I still found that info very usuful. I got everything synchronized, and audios hooked up, and everything working perfect.
Good looking out peoples.