MTR 90

053-039
TR-90
MASTER TAPE RECORDER
OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL
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OTARI MTR- 9 0 MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE SECTION TOPIC
I INTRODUCTION
1- 1 1.1 OTARI MTR- 90 Master Tape Machine
1- 2 1.2 Using this Manual
II INSTALLATION
2- 1 2.1 Preliminary
2- 1 2.2 Inspection
2- 9 2.3 Assembly of Remote Contro l Box to its Stand
2 - 11 2.4 Assembly of Remote Control Box and Auto Locator
to Common Stand
2-14 2.5 Connections
III BASIC OPERATION AND FUNCTIONAL CHECKOUT

3- 1 3.1 Transport Functional Checkout
3- 7 3.2 Remote Control Box (Remote Box) and Audio
Electronics Functional Checkout
IV AUDIO ALIGNMENT
4-1 4.1 General Description
4- 1 4.2 Demagnetizing the Heads and Tape Guidance Path
4- 2 4.3 Cleaning the Tape Path
4- 3 4.4 Repro Amp Alignment
4- 5 4.5 Sync Amp Alignment
4- 6 4.6 Bias Alignment
4- 7 4.7 Record Alignment
4- 8 4. 8 Phase Compensation
4- 9 4.9 Gain Structure
v TRANSPORT ALIGNMENT
5- 1 5.1 General Description
5- 1 5.2 Head Geometry
5- 2 5. 3 Transport Cover Plate Removal and Replacement
5- 5 5.4 Swing Arm Travel
5- 6 5.5 Tape Arming Solenoids
5- 7 5.6 Fast Forward/Rewind Damping Solenoids
5- 7 5. 7 Swing Arm Tension
5-8 5.8 Tape Lifter Mechanism
5 - 10 5.9 Brakes
5 - 12 5.10 Reel Turntable Height
5- 13 5 . 11 Reel Tension Servo
5-18 5 . 12 Capstan Servo
5 - 22 5.13 Adjustment of Transport PCB Assembly
5- 22 5 . 14 Adjustment of Master CPU PCB Assembly
5- 22 5.15 Adjustment of I/O PCB Assembly
5- 24 5 . 16 Ad j ustment of Bias Control PCB Assembly
VI OPERATION
6- 1 6.1 General
6- 3 6.2 Recording Initial Tracks
6- 4 6. 3 Playback of Initial Tracks
v
•
OTARI MTR- 90 MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
PAGE SECTION TOPIC
6 -4 6.4 Sel - Rep Recording (Overdubbing)

6- 5 6. 5 Sel - Rep Recording (Punch- Ins)
6- 6 6.6 Rehearsal of Overdubs and Punch- Ins
6- 7 6.7 Mix down
6- 7 6.8 Use of the Cue Button and knob
6- 7 6.9 Stop Erase
6- 8 6 . 10 Use of the Variable Speed Mode
6- 8 6 . 11 Use of an External Speed Reference
6 - 10 6 . 12 Voltage Conversion
6- 10 6 . 13 Frequency Conversion
6- 10 6 . 14 Bed Out
6 - 11 6 . 15 Serial I/O
VII AUTO LOCATOR

7- 1 7.1 General
7- 3 7.2 Tape Time
7- 3 7.3 Locate Time
7- 3 7.4 Stop Watch
7- 4 7. 5 Keyboard Numerals
7- 4 7.6 Shift Left and Shift Right
7- 4 7.7 Load
7- 4 7. 8 Memory Store
7-5 7. 9 Memory Recall
7- 5 7 . 10 +/ - Key
7- 5 7 . 11 Direct Store , Direct Search and All Clear
7- 6 7 . 12 Zero Set
7- 6 7 . 13 Search Zero
7- 7 7 . 14 Search
7- 8 7 . 15 Shuttle
7-9 7.16 Auto Rewind
7- 9 7 . 17 Transport Controls
7- 9 7 . 18 Examples of Auto Locator Operation
VIII 16/24 TRACK CONVERSIONS

8- 1 8.1 General
8- 1 8.2 16 to 24 Track , or 24 to 16 Track Converston
Procedure
IX CIRCUIT DESCRIPTIONS
9- 1 9.1 P l ayback Head and Preamp
9- 1 9.2 Speed Selection and High Frequency Playback EQ
9- 1 9.3 Low Frequency Playback Equalization
9- 2 9.4 Sync Playback
9-2 9.5 Output Stage
9- 2 9.6 Input Circuitry
9- 3 9.7 Audio/Bias Mixing Circuitry
9- 4 9.8 Erase Head Driver
9- 4 9.9 Reel Control Board
•
Vl

•
OTAR! MTR-90 MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
PAGE SECTION TOPIC

x MAINTENANCE
10-1 10.l General
1 0- 2 10 . 2 Removing and Reinserting Printed Circuit Boards
1 0-2 10 . 3 Reel Motor Replacement
10 - 3 10 . 4 Brake Pad Replacement
10- 3 10 . 5 Meter or Meter Lamp Replacement
10-4 10.6 Capstan and Tacho Roller Replacement
10-4 10 . 7 Head Shield Position Adjustment
10-5 10 . 8 Cleaning and Lubrication
XI SPECIFICATIONS
11-1 11 . 1 Tape Transport
11-2 11 . 2 Electronics
11 - 3 11 . 3 Physical
11 - 3 11 .4 Accessories
XII PARTS LISTS AND DRAWINGS

12 - 1 12 . 1 General
12-2 12 . 2 Parts Lists
XIII PARTS LISTS AND P.C . B . ASSEMBLIES

1 3 -1 13 . 1 General
1 3- 2 13.2 Parts Lists
• •
Vl.l.

•
SECTION I . INTRODUCTION
1 . 1 OTARI MTR-90 MASTER TAPE MACHINE

8 , 16 or 24 Track Recorder/Reproduce r
The Otari MTR- 90 records and reproduces 8- track , 16 - track , or

24 - track , l " or 2 " master tapes (as determined by the head as -
sembly and the quantity of audio circui t b oards inserted in the
machine ' s card cage) . Tape handling i s gentle , yet positive and
fast , thanks to a symmetrical , constant- tension tape path.
Tension is distributed uniformly across the tape surface by a pair
of wide diameter pinch- rol l erless s pindles , the capstan and the
tachometer . This design eliminates conta ct between the tape d r ive
and the oxide , allowing virtuall y un l imited safe passes of your
valuable master tapes . Mechanical integrity and long- term sta-
bility are ensured by a massive , precision· top plate and a uni -
tized , welded steel chassis . Ultra - high torque DC servo reel
motors provide fast winding , even with 1 4" reels , and ensure rapid
start-ups to full stable record/pl ay speed . The entire machine is
modular in construction , including the computerized transport con -
trol logic, for high reliability and serviceability .
The MTR-90 is loaded with features , such as selection for

external speed reference , vari - speed , or 2 crystal- locked speeds
(15 or 30 ips - 38 cm/s or 76 cm/s) . The reels can be gently rocked
back and forth for editing with the easy- to - use Cue control
knob , or by hand turning the capstan . Pushbuttons also provide
for tension release and retraction of the motor- driven head
shields to expedite editing . A practical splicing block as well
as a spot erase function for erasure of unwanted tracks , are also
provided in front of the head assembly .
Included as standard equipment is the Model CB - 113 Remote

Control Box . . rt duplicates the transport control buttons , and
provides individual function selections for each channel (Repro/
Sel - Rep/Input), master function selections for All Inputs , All Sel/
Rep and All Repro at once , and a master "All Safe " function . Also
located on the remote control box are a speed reference (VARI , FIX ,
EXT) selector switch , a pitch control knob , and a digital readout
indicating speed by % or IPS .
The optional CB - 115 Memory Locator attaches to the same stand

as the CB-113 , and provides independent readouts and controls for
the elapsed tape time , locate time , and has a built- in stop-watch .
The locator also features 10 keyboard assignable memories , (key -
board or direct tape time memori es) and their direct recall , a
shuttle function for repeating any desired segment of the tape ,
zero cue , and other time saving functions . ·
The electronics are highly refined . A single- card approach

has been used for the record/play audio and bias circuits for each
channel , simplifying setup and service . Active mixing of audio
and bias in the record circuitry , proper utilization of high slew
rate IC op - ·amps, and discrete components at critical stages, al l
ensure the cleanest and quietest of recordings . There are, of
1 -1
course , individual channel calibrations for BIAS , as well as low
and high speed EQ and GAIN , also a low & high speed record PHASE
COMP trinuner is provided for improving complex wave - form charac-
teristics . In addition , a 3- position Master Bias selector (with
3 corresponding trinuners) enables the entire machine, once aligned ,
to be rapidly switched to accommodate the bias requirements of
different tapes . For further convenience, a single test input
jack applies your test/alignment signal to all inputs . There is
automatic switching between sync reproduce and input monitor when
the unit is switched between play and stop , fast winding modes and
of course rec/ready to record enable . Although dip - switches on
the transport control circuit card permit these logic functions to
be changed to suit the preference of the user .
Stable ACTIVE BALANCE Circuitry is adopted in the input cir-
cuit . In the output circuit , the balance to unbalance selection
can be obtained by a switch . (Optionally, either transformer out-
put or input can also be ordered.) In addition, a SERIAL I/O
CONNECTOR conforming to the RS-232C standard is provided for
direct conversation with a computer.
CAUTION: The DC reel motors develop substantial torque .

Never place a hand , clothing or other objects inside, atop
or ne a r a reel or swing arm whe n actuating the tape motion
controls. When using the Remote Session Controller or Auto
Locator, always make sure anyone near the transport is aware
of the potential hazard posed by the high torque motors,
which are capable of increasing tape tension with sufficient
speed and severity to damage the swing arms.
1.2 USING THIS MANUAL
The various sections of the manual are divided by major

topics (i.e. , SECTION II . INSTALLATION) , and by sub-topics (i.e .,
SECTION 2.2 INSPECTION) . Within a sub-section, the steps or
topics are numbered (1, 2, ... etc.), and within these steps or
topics, the details may be further divided alphabetically (A , B ,
... etc . ) .
Normal parentheses ( ) are used for examples, and paren-

thetic comments . Square brackets [ ] are used for references to
callouts in certain illustrations . The square brackets in a given
sub - section are either all referenced to a particular illustration ,
as noted in that sub - section , or are individually referenced
(i . e ., Fig . 1-3 , [B] , meaning callout " B" in Figure 1-3).
Generally , we have used all upper case type to describe a

particular switch or control when that item is similarly labeled
on the actual equipment (i.e ., the PLAY button) . Where a switch
or function is not labeled , or the reference is less clear , we
capitalize only the first letter of the item (i.e. , the Cue con-
trol knob near the head assembly) . Machine status or operating
modes are usually described with an upper case first letter (i.e. ,
1-2
•
you press the PLAY button to place the machine in Play mode) .
The functional checkouts in Section III should be carefully

performed when the MTR-90 is first installed. You will probably
learn a good deal about how the machine operates while following
this procedure, but i t is not intended as a guide for recording
and editing; that information is presented in a more useful format
in Section VI.
Although this manual is intended for l" SCH, 2" 16CH and 2"
24CH operations, the following description deals only with 2"
24CH operation. Please note that all explanations apply to l" SCH
and 2" 16CH as well, even if remarks to that effect cannot be
found.
We encourage you to read this manual carefully now, and to

again review i t after you have had a while to become familiar with
the MTR-90 . The more you know about your machine, the more you
can benefit from its many versatile features.
Figure 1 -1. MTR-90 Master Tape Recorder .
1- 3
.
Figure 1 - 2 . Tape Transport Controls.
Figure 1 - 3. Cue Button and Cue Control Knob.
1-4

•
Figure 1-4. VU Meter Panel (24-track or 16/24 track version).
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Figure 1 - 5 . MTR- 90 Upper and Lower Circuit Card Cages.
1-5
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Figure 1-6. Removal of PCB from Upper Card Cage

(24 - track cards illustrated).
--------
1 a • 1 • 1 • •
Figure 1-7. MTR- 90 Power Switch, Circuit Breakers,

and Pilot Lamps.
CAUTION: NEVER ATTEMPT TO OPERATE THE MTR- 90 IF

ANY OF THESE PILOT LAMPS DOES NOT LIGHT WHEN POWER
IS SWITCHED ON. CHECK THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS, AND
RESET IF POSSIBLE .
1-6
•
Figure 1 - 8 . Audio Input and Output , Remote Control , Auto Locator

and Power Connections on the MTR- 90 Rear Panel •
•
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Figure 1 - 9. Auto Locator (CB-115 , Optional) - top , and

Remote Control Box (CB-113, Standard) - bottom
NOTE: Roll-around stand shown.
1- 7
SECTION I I. INSTALLATION
2. 1 PRELIMINARY
NOTE : Most MTR-90 ' s are uncrated and pre- tested by local
OTARI dealers , making the following unpacking and chekout
procedures unnecessary .
The MTR- 90 Recorder , CB- 113 Remote Control Box , logic and
power cables , brackets and other related items are shipped par-
tially assembled . Open crates careful ly , and save packing
materials at least until proper operation has been verified .
After unpacking all components and assembling them as per instruc-
tions , you will be ready to connect the power and test the system .
NOTE : The MTR- 90 weighs approximately 400 pounds (200 kg) .

At least two strong people should work together during
unpacking and the initial setup to avoid physical strain
and to ensure gentle handling of the equipment .
2.2 INSPECTION
Before you make any electrical connections , the equipment

should be inspected visually . If there is any evidence of damage
due to rough handling in shipping , it is your responsibility to
notify the carrier and submit a claim. Do not connect or attempt
to use the MTR- 90 and accessories until you have made this
inspection .
1. Inspect the equipment for any parts which may have become
loosened or damaged during shipping .
2. Check the plug- in printed circuit cards in the card cages:
A. Grasp the top of each door in t he front of the MTR-90 ,

and pull toward you to open them .
B. The upper card cage should contain the proper quantity

of Audio boards (i.e. , 8, 16 or 24) . 8 & 16 track ver -
sions of the MTR- 90 will have no cards in slots 9 - 2 4 or
17 - 24 , respectively .
C. The lower card cage should contain the Power Supply and
Boards 1 - 7 installed in t h e correspondingly numbered
card slots .
#1 Reel Control #5 I/O Control

#2 Capstan Control #6 Tape Counter
#3 Transport Control #7 Bias
#4 Master CPU
D. Remove the #3 board and examine the 4 - position DIP switch
(SW- 1 on Figure 2-1) .
2 -1
SW1 -i~
C90
Figure 2- 1 . DIP logic selector switch on transport

control circuit card (card #3) .
The #1 , #2 and #3 switches should be on . These switches

are for selecting STAND- BY mode and INHIBIT mode , and
select a function which changes the Output Monitor to INPUT
automatically pursuant to the following transport condi -
tions : when SAFE-READY switch is set to the READY position
and when ALL REPRO or ALL SEL- REP mode of the Remote Con -
trol Box has been selected .
Switch No . Transport Function
SW- 1 - 2 cancels the function

SW-1- 1. HAND SPOOL at ON position, when TAPE is •
CAPSTAN moved by hand with the cap-

stan in STOP mode.
•
SW- 1-2 STOP Switches to INPUT Monitor in
STOP mode.
•
SW- 1-3 FAST WIND Switches to INPUT Monitor in
FAST WIND mode.
ON/OFF switch for muting is

SW-1-4 PLAY START provided until the transport
stabilizes at PLAY speed .
Switches for selecting the functions of the Head shield

have been mounted on this Control PCB Assembly for later
models (from machines with serial number containing " B"
suffix, on) . The functions of these switches are as
follows.
2-2
0 1
.
SW- 1 Shield doesn ' t move Shield retracts in
•
in fast wind mode . fast wind mode .
•
s~~ - 2 Independed button Shield retracts in
control over shields Unload mode.
•
in unload .
SW- 1 and SW- 2 have been set to 0 and 1 , respective l y ,

when shipped from the factory .
E. Remove the #7 card and examine the DIP swi tches (SW3 ,
SW5, SW6) (Figure 2-2) . Make sure that the correct
selection has been made in accordance with the specifica-
tions of the machine . These slide switches set the
Reproduce EQ for either NAB or IEC standard at 15 ips ,
or AES or IEC at 30 ips; see Figure 2-2, and the chart
on next page .
IC 18
~o
IC 17
IC1
._____.Q
0
D
Figure 2- 2. DIP Repro EQ selector switches on

the bias control card (card #7) .
2- 3
Reproduce EQ Selection : Settings of SW3, SW5, SW6 on
Circuit Card #7
TAPE SPEED EQ CURVE TIME CONSTANT SWITCH POSITION

•
30 ips AES 17.5 ).1 s + infinity SW6 ON
•
30 ips IEC 35.0 ).1 s + infinity SW6 OFF
SW5 OFF
•
15 ips NAB 50.0 ).1 s + 3180 µ S
SW3 OFF
SW5 ON
•
15 ips IEC 35.0 ).1 s + infinity
SW3 ON
Cue Level Attenuation Selection: SW4 on Card #7

TAPE SPEED CUE LEVEL AT FAST WIND/REWIND SWITCH POSITION
•
15/30 ips Attenuated SW4 ON
•
15/30 ips Not Changed SW4 OFF
F. All cards should be firmly seated in their mating con-

nectors , and in the correct locations.
G. Close the doors to the card cages.
3. From the front of the machine, check the connectors and com-
ponents beneath the MTR- 90 transport, as follows :
A. Remove the 3 allen head cap screws along the slot in the
front of the unit , just above the VU meter panel . The
meter panel is hinged along its lower edge, and is now
held closed by friction from rubber gaskets.
B. Grasp the rail just below the screw holes, and gently
pull toward you, don't drop it suddenly, pivoting the
meter panel open until its safety latches hold it in a
horizontal p osition.
c. Check the various connectors to be sure they are firmly

mated. (Refer to Figure 2- 3.) Check:
l. · The connector on the bracket for each takeup reel

motor ass ' y.
2 . The 3 connectors located on the head shield retraction

mechanism (beneath the head assembly) .
3. The connector on the sensor beneath each swing arm

assembly.
4 . The connector on the tachometer (beneath the tacho-

meter roller on the supply reel side of the transport) .
2- 4
Figure 2-3. Connectors to be checked from front of machine.
5. The 3 connectors near the tape lifter solenoid (below

the head assembly on the supply reel side) .
6. The connector's on the capstan motor circuit boards,

and the connector which is located below the head
assembly near the capstan motor.
7. The 3 connectors on the VU meter P.C.B. ass ' y and

various small connectors for the READY-REC LED
P.C.B.'s.
D. Check for any obviously loose or damaged components, and

any cut or broken wires. Then close the meter panel and
reinstall the 3 screws.
4. From the rear of the machine, check the connectors and com-
ponents behind the upper card cage, as follows:
A. Remove the 6 phillips head screws, dress washers, and

nylon washers that secure the edges of the middle panel
on the back of the machine (the one with the XLR connec-
tors). The panel is hinged along its lower edge, and by
gently pulling the top toward you, it will pivot open
until its safety latches hold it in a horizontal
position.
B. Remove the 4 phillips head screws, dress washers, and
2- 5
nylon washers that secure the edges of the top panel on
the back of the machine (the one with the fan) . This
panel is also hinged along its lower edge.
C. Check the various connectors to be sure they are firmly

mated. (Refer to Figure 2-4A &B.) Check:
1. The many connectors located on the back of the upper

card cage mother board.
2. On the top panel there are three motor drive tran-

sistor assemblies. Each assembly has two large
connectors and three small connectors. Check these
connectors.
Figure 2-4A Connectors to be checked behind the upper

back panel o f the machine.
2-6
•
Figure 2-4B Connectors to be checked behind the middle

back panel of the machine .
D. The SMPTE-CUE slide switch on left side of the upper card

cage mother board should be set to '' Off'' position. This
switch is only used when you are externally linking the
MTR-90 to a suitable SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and
Television Engineers) time code synchronizer . (Refer to
Section 6 . 10 . )
E. Check for any obviously loose or damaged components , and

any cut or broken wires . Then close the middle and top
panels, and reinstall the phillips screws , dress washers
and nylon washers.
CAUTION : When closing this back panel, use care to en-

sure that no wires are pinched between the panel and the
MTR-90 chassis .
5. From the rear of the machine , check the connectors and com-
ponents behind the lower card cage, as follows :
2- 7
A. Remove the 4 phillips head screws, dress washers , and
nylon washers that secure the edges of the bottom panel
on the back of the machine (the one with the AC power and
logic connectors) . Lift the bottom of the panel away
from the machine , slide down an inch so its upper f l ange
clears the hinge screws of the panel above , then set the
bottom panel aside . (The electrical connectors are
mounted to sub- plates that remain attached to the MTR- 90
chassis . )
CAUTION : Be sure the AC power cable is not connected to

the MTR-90 at this time.
B. Check the various connectors and components to be sure

they are firmly seated . (Refer to Figure 2- 5 . ) Check:
1 . The many connectors located on the back of the lower

card cage mother board.
2. The 2 relays on the back of the lower card cage mother

board (they should be plugged in and secured with metal
retaining clips).
Figure 2- 5 . Connectors and components to be checked

behind the lower back panel of the
machine . (DS - lZ shown at rear right)
2- 8
C. Check for any obviously loose or damaged components, and
any cut or broken wires. Then replace the panel, insert-
ing the upper flange first so i t clears the hinge screws
of the panel above, and secure i t with the 4 screws,
dress washers and nylon washers.
D. Remove the 5 phillips head screws, dress washers and

nylon washers that secure the cover panel on the left
side of the chassis. Check the several conn~ctors
mounted on the DS-lZ Power Supply Assembly for proper
engagement.
6. If minor faults or discrepancies are noted during the forego-

ing inspection procedures, make the necessary corrections
and/or adjustments, and proceed with installation.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If serious problems are apparently caused by

shipping damage, whether concealed or obvious, you must file
a claim with the delivering airline, freight line or other
carrier. You also must notify OTAR! or the nearest Otari
representative. Retain all packing materials for evidence in
damage claims. Failure to do so may weaken your claim! To
replace any parts under warranty, obtain from OTAR! or its
representative a return authorization form. DO NOT ATTEMPT
TO APPLY POWER OR OPERATE THE MACHINE UNTIL PROPER REPAIRS
HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
2.3 ASSEMBLY OF REMOTE CONTROL BOX TO ITS STAND

Refer to Figures 2-6A & B, and 2-7.
* Installation of Remote Control Box

The Remote Control Box is provided with a stand for desk top
use. The Remote Control Box can be tilted with the angle
adjusting knob for use at any convenient position.
* The Remote Control Box can be used with or without a roll-

around stand.
(1) Remove the two sections of the stand.
(2) Assemble the ZA-52J Stand Assembly in accordance with the

following figure.
(3) Put the Remote Control Box gently on the fitting arm and
attach the Box to the arm with four screws.
(4) Loosen the knob to adjust the angle. Find the desired
angle. Then retighten the knob to hold the Control Box
at this angle.
2-9
NOTE: CARRIER BLOCK TH ICK EDGE
FACES REMOTE BOX, FLAT SI DE OF
BLOCK FACES DOWN .
Figure 2-6A Assembling mounting flanges and carrier blocks

to the Remote Box
NOTE : CARRIER BLOCK THICK EDGE

FACES REMOTE BOX, FLAT SIDE OF
BLOCK FACES UP . .
Figure 2-6B Assembly of the roll around stand to

the Remote Box
2-10
I
- - -
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Figure 2-7 Auto Locator and

Remote Control Box
2. 4 ASSEMBLY OF REMOTE CONTROL BOX AND AUTO LOCATOR

TO COMMON STAND
1. Remove four pieces on the side of the Remote Box .
2. Place the CB- 113 Remote Control Box (Remote Box) panel-
forward and upright on a flat work surface . Connectors
should be facing away from you .
3. Locate the two large aluminum V-brackets. Using 3 allen head

cap screws per bracket, attach one V-bracket to each side of
the Remote Box .
NOTE : While the brackets are nearly identical, a different

side of each one has a matte finish . The shiny side of each
bracket should rest against the Remote Box, and the leg of
the bracket with 2 large holes (not 3) should be attached to
the Remote Box . Refer to Figure 2-8 .
2-11
AUTO LOCATOR
vv 2
NOTE: CARRIER BLOCK THIN EDGE •

FACES REMOTE BOX, FLAT SI DE OF
BLOCK FACES JUNCTION OF THE
FRONT PANELS OF THE TWO BOXES.
(SAME BLOCK POSITI ON FOR BOTH REMOTE BOX
DESK TOP AND ROLL AROUND STAND.)
Figure 2- 8 . Assembling the Auto Locator and

Remote Box together.
4. Locate the 4 brass flanges. Attach the 2 larger mounting

flanges to the middle of the two V-brackets (on the matte
side) using 3 flat head phillips screws per flange . Refer
to Figure 2-8.
5. Set the CB - 115 Auto Locator directly on top of the Remote Box ,
between the V- brackets to which i t will be secured. Lift the
Auto Locator up slightly so that the middle screw hole in the
remaining leg of each V- bracket aligns with the corresponding
hole in the Auto Locator. Insert one allen head cap screw
into each of these holes and partially tighten.
6. Pivot the Auto Locator so that the remaining two screw holes
in each bracket align with the holes in the Auto Locator, and
insert 2 more allen head cap screws per bracket . Then
tighten all the allen head screws that secure the Auto
Locator to the bracket .
7. Examine the 2 identical square black carrier blocks. Notice

that one side of the part is labeled " A" near the center , and
the other " B" . Press the blocks onto the mounting flanges of
the V-brackets so the '' A'' side of each block is adjacent to
the V-bracket .
8. Insert the remaining brass bearing flanges in each of the

carrier blocks.
2 -12
9. Insert the threaded screw of each knurled knob through the
bearing flange and carrier block, and screw it into the
mounting flange , but do not tighten .
10 . Notice that the carrier blocks are flat on one edge . The
carrier blocks should be rotated so that the flat edge faces
forward , mid-way between the front pane ls of the Remote Box
and Auto Locator . (Refer to Figure 2-9A or 2- 9B . ) Tighten
the knurled knobs .
Figure 2-9A Assembly

of desk top stand to
Remote Box and Auto
Locator .
Figure 2-9B Assembly of

roll- around stand to Remote
Box and Auto Locator .
NOTE: In both illustrations above, the carrier block

orie ntation is the same . The flat side is up , and
the thinner flange faces the V- bracket .
2-13
11. Attach the carrier block to either (a) the mounting rails for
desk - top use, or (b) the optional roll-around stand .
A. Use 4 flat-head phillips screws to attach each of the two

rails to the block as shown in Figure 2-9A.
B. First fasten the U- bracket to the upright member of the

roll - around stand using 3 oval head phillips screws .
Then use 2 cap- head allen screws to attach each carrier
block to the U-bracket as shown in Figure 2-9A . The
combined Remote Box/Auto Locator/U-bracket/upright as-
sembly can now be inserted in the roll - around base.
12. The Remote Box/Auto Locator assembly can be tilted to any

working angle by loosening the knurled knobs , and then lock-
ing in place by tightening the knobs.
2.5 CONNECTIONS
1. Referring to Figure 2-11, locate and install the 3 cables

supplied with the MTR-90 (4 if Auto Locator is installed), as
described below. All chassis connectors are clearly labeled
with the corresponding functions. BE SURE ALL CONNECTORS ARE
POSITIVELY MATED, or the tape machine may behave erratically .
NOTE: Before connecting cables to the MTR-90, we recommend

that the 2 rubber bumpers supplied be screwed into two of the
4 corners of the chassis on the rear of the machine (the
corners chosen depend on the specific installation) . Bumpers
help guard cable connectors from inadvertent damage.
A. REMOTE CABLE FOR TRANSPORT LOGIC:

(37 - pin Cannon D connectors). The female end of the
cable plugs into the rear of the MTR-90, and the male end
into the Remote Box. THEY SHOULD THEN BE SECURED WITH
THE TWO SCREWS SUPPLIED.
B. TWO REMOTE CABLES FOR MODE SWITCHING, ONE FOR CHANNELS

1-12, THE OTHER FOR CHANNELS 13- 24:
(SO-position AMP connectors) . These two cables are
identical, and have male connectors on both ends . Carry
out correct connections taking care not to make mistakes.
A clip-lock is attached to the female side (Panel side) .
Spread the clip fully open, insert the cable, then snap
the lock forward to lock the cable in place.
CAUTION : Be sure you follow each cable through from MTR- 90

to Remote Box; if a single cable is inadvertently looped be-
tween adjacent connectors on the MTR-90 or Remote Box , cir-
cuit damage could result. Such damage is not covered by the
OTARI Warranty.
2 - 14
C. LOGIC CABLE FOR OPTIONAL AUTO LOCATOR :*
(50 - pin Cannon D connectors) . Insert the male end of
this cable into the MTR- 90 , and the female end into the
Auto Locator . Then they shoul d be secured with the t wo
screws supplied.
* This cable is supplied with the optional CB - 115 Auto
Locator .
D. AC POWER CORD:
(3 - pin mains plug plus threaded 3- pin female connector).
Orient the special connector on the cable so its key
matches the MTR- 90 chassis connector , and insert . Then
screw the connector coupling securely to lock the cord
in place. The wiring to the AC power line plug should
be refered to the following drawing .
Figure 2-10. AC power cord wiring .
- -
. ~
-
NR REMOTE AMP REMOTE AMP REMOTE
13-24CH 1-12CH
BUZZER
TO DECK I I L.~ w L - i.-1
a L'._j
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TO AMP r~h
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POWER
TO AMP
1 -12CH
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,
-' " ".:
D D'-
L..
'-
• '
L..
Figure 2-11. Logic and power connections for the MTR- 90 .
2 - 15
CAUTION: Do not plug the other end of the power cable
into the AC mains until you first verify that the actual
mains voltage meets the specified requirements for the
MTR-9 0, as labeled on its rear panel. Also, do not plug
in the power cord until you check to make sure the MTR-90
power switch is turned Off. This circuit breaker is
located on the power supply front panel, behind the left
door on the front of the machine, and is Off when the
lever is pressed downward.
Refer to Section 3.1 for powering up the unit.
2. Connect the buss outputs from your console to the MTR-9 0 In-
put connectors (10 kohms load impedance, floating), and
connect the MTR- 90 Outputs (5 ohms source impedance, float-
ing) to the line inputs of your console. To avoid hum-
inducing ground loops, be sure to follow a se n sible grounding
scheme, such as telescoping shields , i.e., s i n g le common
ground point (connect shields at the conso l e, not at the tape
machine or vise versa, then connect a 12 AWG g r ound wire from
the MTR-90 frame to the console mother board or patch bay
ground. A 600 ohm termination of the MTR-90 is not n e cessary.
NOTE : Audio conne ctions are made vi a 2-conductor shielded

cables terminated in XLR- type conne cto rs. These cables are
not p rov ide d wi th the MTR-90, b u t are commonly available
(stand ard profe ssional mi c r o p hone c a bles) or may be wired as
shown in F i g ure 2-12.
MTR-90 INPUT XLR·3·31

MTR-90 OUTPUT XLR· 3 · 32
1 2 /"'
3 o-+----+
1
--+----- PIN 2 AUDIO SIGNAL LOW
O-+----~_,_ _ _ _ _ PIN 3 AUDIO SIGNAL HIGH
- - - - - - - P I N 1 SH I ELD GROUND
Figure 2- 12. XLR cable wiring for audio connections.
3. If you are using noise reduction equipment, it can be auto-

matically and remotely switched by means of a 50-pin Amp.
connector on the MTR-90 (mates with AMPHENOL 57 series 50p
plug or equivalent) . See Figure 2 - 13 for pin assignment of
this logic connector. Relay contacts only are provided. No
positive, negative or ground logic conditions are connected
to these relay contacts. One pair of relay contacts per
channel is provided, and they close (make contact) when the
channel is in Input mode . The contacts are rated at 24 volts
DC , 50 milliamperes.
2 -1 6
•
CHANNEL PIN NUMBERS CHANNEL PIN NUMBERS
1 1 & 26 13 13 & 38
2 2 & 27 14 14 & 39
3 3 & 28 15 15 & 40
4 4 & 29 16 16 & 41
5 5 & 30 17 17 & 42
6 6 & 31 18 18 & 43
7 7 & 32 19 19 & 44
8 8 & 33 20 20 & 45
9 9 & 34 21 21 & 46
10 10 & 35 22 22 & 47
11 11 & 36 23 23 & 48
12 12 & 37 24 24 & 49
NC 25 & 50
Figure 2- 1 3 . NR Remote connector pin assignment.
4. When the MTR-90 SPEED MODE switch is set to EXT position, the
capstan motor speedl..s capable of being controlled by an ex-
ternal reference signal. The signal is applied via the
External Clock connector on the rear of the machine. Specifi-
cally, the external clock reference frequency is 9,600 Hz
(nominal value for the set 15 ips or 30 ips speed selected) .
The reference signal should be at TTL level with a 50% duty
cycle (i.e., a square wave that is 0 volt when off, +5 volts
when on) .
Refer to Section 6.10 for further details.
2-17
SECTION III. BASIC OPERATION AND FUNCTIONAL CHECKOUT
3.1 TRANSPORT FUNCTIONAL CHECKOUT
After the MTR-90 has been checked for shipping damage , all
logic cables have been connected as indicated in Section II , and
the mains voltage has been checked to see that it corresponds with
the rated voltage of your MTR- 90 , the system is ready for initial
powering up and a check out of the transpor t functions.
NOTE : If any function seems to be ·abnormal , first check the

cables and recheck your procedures . Then contact your
nearest OTARI representative or the OTARI customer service
department for assistance .
CAUTION : If any logic or control cable is disconnected and

then reconnected while power is on , or if certain circuit
boards are unplugged and then plugged back in , the MTR- 90 may
not function properly . To clear the condition , turn off
power and wait 1 minute for the power supply capacitors to
discharge sufficiently for circui t s to reset. Then turn
power on and normal operation should be restored .
1. REEL INSTALLATION
A. In order to unlock the reel tables so they wil l accommo-

date a reel hub, lift up the clamp levers on their top
surface.
B. Install a full reel of tape on the supply side and an

empty reel on the takeup side . DO NOT THREAD THE TAPE
YET.
NOTE: Th.e re is a locating pin near the bottom of each reel

table. In order for the reel to seat firmly against the reel
table, be sure one of the slots in the reel hub is aligned
with the locating pin to lock reel to hub push down on clamp
lever until it is seated. Failure to observe this precaution
wil l cause the reel to "float, " and may damage the reel and/
or the tape.
CAUTION: If, during the following procedures, there are any

unusual sounds, mechanical malfunctions, strange odors, or if
anything seems to be abnorma l, immediately shut off the POWER
switch , unplug the AC cord , and inspect the machine to de -
termine the cause. If in doubt as to the cause or severity
of a problem after consu l ting the appropriate section of this
manual, contact OTARI or the nearest OTARI dealer.
2. POWERING UP
Locate the POWER switch (behind t he front door of the MTR- 90
at the left side and near the bottom), turn it On and observe
carefully to ensure the following conditions are present :
A. The adjacent 8 pilot lights (Light Emitting Diodes -
3-1
LED 's ) should light up , indicating the different sections
of the power supply are operating.
CAUTION : Do not proceed if any section of the power

supply is not operating , as the MTR-9 0 could be seriously
damaged .
B. With the swing arms in the resting position (fully for -

ward) , the 2 amber pilot lights (LEDs) on the Reel
Control circuit card (#1 in the lower card cage) should
glow. If they do not , see Section 5.10.
C. The meter lamps should turn On .

.
D. The lamps in the illuminated transport switch buttons
should glow dimly , except the TAPE UNLOAD button , which
should be more brightly illuminated than the others .
E. The Tape Time Counter top of the head assembly should

indicate " 0 . 00 . 0 " in large red numerals . This indication
appears several seconds after the Power is turned ON.
F. The cooling fans should be running and barely audible,

but no other motors should be running .
G. The reels should be stationary .

.
3. THREAD TAPE .
Thread tape exactly as shown in Figure 3- 1 , and also as im-
printed on the MTR-90 deck panel near the tape motion push-
buttons . BEFORE THREADING, BE SURE TO PULL ADEQUATE TAPE OFF
THE SUPPLY REEL TO REACH PAST THE HEADS AND WIND AROUND THE
TAKEUP REEL AT LEAST TWO FULL TURNS . Do not fold ·the end of
the tape, as the bump thus created will disrupt the constant
servo tension .
NOTE : During these initial checkout procedures, you should

use a test reel of tape rather than a virgin reel or master
program , since i t will be subject to erasure due to record
mode testing.
4. INITIALIZE THE SERVOS .

'I'urn both reels in the direction shown by the arrows in
Figure 3- 1 (i.e. , to tighten the tape) . This will cause the
swing arms to retract fully and "click" into place. Both
green LEDs on the Reel Control circuit board (board #1 in the
lower card cage) should now be illuminated; if not , see Sec-
tion 5 . 10 . The UNLOAD button should still be more brightly
illuminated than all the other tape motion pushbuttons . At
this point , neither the PLAY , REWIND nor FAST FORWARD buttons
have any effect .
• •
CAUTION: 1) The MTR- 90 should never remain in this ready/
3- 2
servo condition, unless the transport is to be servo engaged .
2) Perform this operation only as indicated . The reel motors
are capable of delivering substantial torque, a benefit for
fast and accurate tape handling, but a potential danger to
swing arms and tape . For this reason, do not press the swing
arms directly . As an added precaution , hold the reels by the
edge of the flange so that should the reel motors be actu-
ated , you can quickly release the reel without risk to your
fingers or hands.
Figure 3 -1. Tape threading path.
6. LOAD THE SERVOS.

Before loading servos be sure tape is threaded completely,
properly and has no slack in it to take - up .
Press the STOP button . Now it will be more brightl y illumi -
nated than all the other tape motion pushbuttons , and both
swing arms should move to approximately mid- position
(centered) . The reel servos are now energized , keeping the
tape under constant tension . The reels should be stationary:
even slight movement indicates the servos require a l ignment
(Refer to Section 5 . 10) . The PLAY , REWIND and FAST FORWARD
buttons are now ready to be actuated .
NOTE: Once the transport is in this condition , with a tape

threaded and the reels under tension, NEVER MOVE THE TENSION
ARMS OR THE REELS BY HAND . If it is necessary to feed the
tape slightly, do so by manually turning the top of the
capstan motor. (See Figure 3 - 2.)
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3-4
7. SELECT THE TAPE SPEED.
Set the SPEED MODE knob on the CB - 113 REMOTE to the
FIX position. Then . use the TAPE SPEED lever s witch , on the
left side of the head assembly , to select the desired tape
speed (confirmed by the adjacent TAPE SPEED LEDs) • High
speed is 30 ips (76 cm/s) , and Low speed is 15 ips (38 cm/s) .
NOTE: We recommend operating the TAPE SPEED switch only when

the tape is stopped , i . e ., in the STOP or UNLOAD mode .
8. CHECK PLAY MODE .

Press the PLAY (>) button . The head shields should move up
to guard the record and reproduce heads, and the tape should
wind smoothly onto the takeup reel at the selected speed .
NOTE: We have intentionally skipped checkout of the RECORD

mode for now.
9. CHECK FAST WINDING MODES .
A. Press the FAST FORWARD (>>) button. The tape should wind
rapidly onto the takeup reel. After a minute, press STOP .
B. Press the REWIND (<<) button . Tape should wind rapidly

onto the supply reel.
C. The transport can be switched between PLAY , REWIND , and

FAST FORWARD modes without using the STOP button .
D. In the REWIND mode , allow the tape to spill of the takeup

reel. The brake should stop the supply reel , and the
TAPE UNLOAD button should light up .
E. Rethread the tape, take up the slack to engage the ten-

sion arms, and press the STOP button to energize the reel
tension servos .
10. NORMAL CUE MODE .

Press the Cue button , which should then light up brightly .
A. Turn the Cue control knob clockwise. The tape should

begin to move slowly in the forward direction . At this
time , a triangular indicator near the knob will indicate
the . direction of the tape movement . Further turning of
the knob will increase the tape speed .
B. Turn the Cue control knob counterclockwise . This time ,

the tape should begin to move in the reverse direction .
Now , another indicator will light up which indicates the
direction of the tape movement .
C. Return the Cue control knob to its original position to

stop the tape movement . In order to release the Cue
3- 5
mode , press the STOP , PLAY , F. FWD or RWD button .
11 . FAST CUE MODE
CAUTION : Be sure the monitor amps are turned off or the

volume is down . Otherwise any program that is recorded on
the tape , a high pitched squeal would occur that could damage
your loudspeakers . If needed , switch on SW- 4 on the bias
control card (#7) . For detail , please refer to page 2 - 3.
This mode permits auditioning of the tape during FAST FORWARD

or REWIND modes by retracting the tape lifters and padding
the audio all tracks by approximate l y 10 dB .
Press FAST FORWARD, and while the tape is moving, press the
CUE button. The· tape lifters should be retracted for as long
as you hold down the CUE button .
12 . HEAD SHIELDS
When a tape is loaded on the transport, and the PLAY button
is pressed , the head shields will automatically be raised
into place . They will remain up until one of the following
occurs: If head shields mode switch is selected , i t works
differently. Refer to page 2-1.
A. You press the SHIELD button (once to lower the shields ,

again to raise them) .
B. You press the TAPE UNLOAD button .
c. The tape runs off of either the supply or takeup reel .
13. TAPE UNLOAD ·

This button may only be activated when the transport is in
the STOP mode . It shuts off the reel servos so that the
reels can be turned by hand. With the transport in STOP mode ,
if you attempt to turn the supply or takeup reel; you will
feel considerable resistance ~ DO NOT FORCE IT TO MAKE IT
TURN, AND DO NOT TOUCH THE SWING ARMS . Now press TAPE UNLOAD .
The head shields will retract , and you should be able to turn
•
the reels much easier .
14. SPOT ERAS E

Use this button to erase unwanted tracks . Refer to Chapter
6, in which the erasing method is described in detail.
15. RESET SWITCH

Pressing this lever switch will reset the tape timer readout
to 11 0 . 00 . 0 11 • (This reset does not reset the Tape Time read-
out on the optional Auto Locator.)
16 . TAPE SPEED SWITCH

This is the switch for selecting tape speed . When the switch
is flipped toward the upper position the transport is set
3 -6
for HI , while LOW is obtained when the switch is flipped
toward the lower position . Confirm the tape speed by check-
ing the speed indicator LED .
3. 2 REMOTE CONTROL BOX (CB-113) AND AUDIO ELECTRONICS

FUNCTIONAL CHECKOUT
Once the MTR- 90 transport operation has been verified , the

Remote Box and audio electronics can be checked . For thi s pro-
cedure , we recormnend applying a test signal or program t o the
input(s) you will be checking , and also to provide for audio
monitoring of the correspondingly numbered output chann el(s) .
While you may wish to check only one channel at a time , b e sure
to check all of them .
NOTE : In this subsection of the manual , bracketed numbers
such as [5] refer to the numerical callouts in Figure 3- 3 ,
unless otherwise noted .
1. REMOTE TRANSPORT CONTROLS

The CB - 113 Remote Control Box has duplicates of the transport
tape motion controls .
A. Check the PLAY [15] , STOP [16] , REWIND [17] , and FAST
FORWARD [18] buttons to ensure they operate exactly like
their counterparts on the transport .
NOTE: We have temporarily skipped checkout of the RECORD

MODE [14] , until step 4 .
B. Check the CUE button [13] to ensure it operates during

fast winding (fast cue mode) like its counterpart on the
transport (i . e ., i t retracts the tape lifters so long as
the button is depressed) . There is no Cue con t rol knob
on the Remote Bo x, so the remote CUE button [13] has no
effect when the transport is in Stop mode .
2. SPEED MODE SELECTION

The SPEED MODE switch [8] gives you a choice of three refer -
ences for tape speed control :
A. FIX mode . The capstan speed is fixed , by reference to an

internal crystal oscillator, at either 15 ips (38 cm/s)
or 30 ips (76 cm/s) , depending on the position of the
TAPE SPEED selector lever on top of the head assembly .
B. VARI mode . The capstan speed can be varied through a

range of just over ±20% , or almost four musical steps ,
as set by the adjacent PITCH CONTROL [12] knob . The
speed variation is indicated on the digital readout in
percent or ips . The speed display button must be pushed
to view this variation . The speed is varied from 15 or
30 ips speed set with the TAPE SPEED selector lever .
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C. EXT mode. The capstan speed can be varied by reference
to an external reference oscillator .
3. SPEED DISPLAY AND COORDINATE SWI TCHES

A four - digit speed readout is provided [10] . This readout
appears and disappears when pressing the SPEED DISPLAY switch
[9] . This display [10] also contains the LEDs showing the
speed. Make sure that the LED for HI or LOW illuminates when
the Speed Selector switch of the MTR-9 0 is operated. [11) is
a selector switch for expressing the speed as ips or %. When
this switch is pressed , an LED [10] goes on and off alter -
nately to indicate ips or %.
4. READY/SAFE SWITCHES
24 2-posi tion red lever switches [l] are provided for setting
each channel to READY or SAFE status . In addition, there is
a master ALL SAFE lever switch [2].
A. Select the ALL SAFE position [2]. The adjacent red LED
should be illuminated , but all the LEDs above the indi -
vidual channel READY/SAFE switches [ l] should be Off .
B. Disengage the ALL SAFE switch [2]. Its LED should turn
Off.
C. Move each of the individual channels ' READY/SAFE switches

[l] up , to Ready position . As soon as you do so, the red
LEDs above each switch should begin to flash On and Off ,
warn ing that the channels are ready to record when the
tape machine is placed in Record mode .
5. RECORD BUTTON
The red RECORD button [14) places the machine in Record mode
if i t is pressed simultaneously with the PLAY button [15) , or
if i t is pressed at any time while the tape is in Play mode .
Indi vidua·1 channels will not actually record , however, unless
they have been preset to Ready mode .
NOTE: The functions are identical whether you use the RECORD
and PLAY buttons on the Transport or the Remote Box.
A. With at least one channel set to Ready mode (its red LED
blinking) , press the PLAY button [15) . The tape should
roll , but there should be no change in the blinking
LED(s) .
B. Press the RECORD button [14) . It should become more

brightly illuminated, and the blinking Ready/Sa f e LED(s)
should remain On steadily, indicating that the channel is
recording (or several channels , if more than one READY/
SAFE switch is up) .
C. To exit Record mode on a single channel, move its READY/
3-9
SAFE switch [l] to Safe position. The Ready/Safe LED
above that switch should turn off .
D. To exit Record mode on all channels , while keeping tape

playing , press the PLAY button [15). (We recommend this
method rather than pressing ALL SAFE [ 2], although that
would work , too . ) The RECORD button [ 14) illumination
will dim, and the Ready/Safe LED(s) will again ·begin
flashing .
E. To exit Record mode and stop the tape , press STOP [16].
6. INDIVIDUAL CHANNEL OUTPUT DRIVE SELECTION
NOTE: There is a functional interaction of the READY/SAFE

switches [ l ] and the following output select switches , as
will be explained . The output status and LED indicators also
change in some cases , as noted below , when the machine is
switched between Stop and Play modes.
When the INDIVIDUAL button [fr] is engaged , 24 lever-type 3-

posi tion· selector switches [7] independently determine the
signal source which drives each of t h e MTR- 90 ' s channel out-
put amplifiers , VU meters , and output jacks unless the
channel is in Ready mode. A column of 3 LEDs above each
switch indicates the selected status . (The individual
channel switches can be overridden by the master " ALL" push-
buttons described in paragraph 6 , which fol l ows . ) Move each
of these switches , and observe the LEDs above them to verify
proper operation , as described below.
NOTE: Initially, leave ALL SAFE [2] disengaged (LED Off) ,

place all channel ' s READY/SAFE switches [l] in Ready mode
(LEDs flashing) , and press the STOP button [16].
A. INPUT. mode
With the channel selector switch(es) [7] set to INPUT
position (lever up) , the output should be monitoring the
input electronics, not the tape , whether the machine is
in Stop , Play or Record mode. The channel ' s amber LED
(top row) should be illuminated.
B. SEL- REP mode
(1) Press the STOP button [16), and set the channel
selector switch(es) [7] to SEL- REP position (lever
centered) . The channel ' s output should still be
monitoring the input electronics .
(2) Press the PLAY button [15) . The channel output now
should consist of the tape playback , picked up with
the record head and amplified via the channel ' s sync
amp . The channel ' s green LED (middle row) should be
illuminated.
3 - 10
(3) Press the RECORD button [14] , which should place the
machine in Record mode . The channel output signal
should now automatical l y switch so i t is derived from
the input electronics (top amber LED illuminated).
(4) Switch the channel ' s READY/SAFE lever [l] down to

Safe mode , causing that channel to drop out of
recording . Observe that the channel output signal
is again switched so i t comes from the record head
and sync amp, as indicated by the green LED .
C. REPRO (PLAY) mode
(1) With the channel still in Safe mode, press the STOP
button [16] , and set the channel selector switch [7]
to REPRO position (lever down) . The channel ' s output
signal should now be playback driv en from the repro-
duce head and repro electronics . The corresponding
amber LED (bottom row) should be illuminated.
(2) With the tape still stopped , switch the channel from
Safe to Ready mode [l]. Note that the output signal
now should be automatically switched so i t is derived
from the input electronics , as indicated by the top
row amber LED .
( 3) Press the PLAY button (15] . The channel output

should a g ain be derived from the reproduce elec-
tronics, as indicated by the bot tom row amber LED .
(4) Press the RECORD button [14] , placing the machine in

Record mode . There should be no change in the chan-
nel ' s output status; i . e ., it should still be derived
f rom the reproduce electronics .
( 5) Press the STOP button (16] . The channel ' s output

should again be switched so i t is derived from the
input signal.
7. MASTER OUTPUT DRIVE SELECTION

When you wish to switch the entire machine '• s output to one of
the three possible modes , instead of actuating 24 separate
levers , you can use the master ALL INPUT [3] , ALL SEL- REP [4]
or ALL REPRO [5] pushbuttons . They override the individual
output drive selectors [7] .
A. Press the ALL INPUT button [3] . The amber LED to the
left should turn on, as should all 24 amber LEDs to the
right of this button .
B. Press the ALL SEL- REP button [4] . The green to the left
should turn on. The green LEDs to the right (middle row)
may turn on , or the amber LEDs (top row) may turn on ,
3- 11
depending on whether the machine is in Stop, Play or
Record mode, and depending on the Ready/Safe status of
the individual channels. (The same logic applies when
the INDIVIDUAL button [6] is engaged and the individual
channels are placed in Sel-Rep mode.)
C. Press the ALL REPRO button [5]. The amber LED to the
left should turn on. The amber LEDs to the right (bottom
row) may turn on, or the amber LEDs (top row) may turn on.
(Again, the same logic applies when the INDIVIDUAL button
[6] is engaged and the individual channels are placed in
Repro mode.)
3-12
SECTION IV . AUDIO ALIGNMENT
4.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Each audio circuit board has 4 groups of front panel controls :

repro , sync , record , and bias . In addition to these adjustments
for each channel , this section of the manual also deals with
adjustments on the bias card (#7 in the l ower card cage).
1. To make these adjustments , you will need the following i tems :
A. A suitable test tape , preferably 320 nanoWebers per meter

(nWb/m) reference level . The tape should be compensated
for the head format (i . e. , 8 , 16 or 24 track) .
B. A test oscillator capable of generating the following

frequencies: 125 Hz , 700 Hz or 1 kHz , 10 kHz , and 15 kHz
at + 4 dBm or whatever standard operating level you have
chosen for your studio . In addition, the 10 kHz output
should be available at - 30 dBm .
C. A reel of l " or 2" recording tape of the type you intend

to use for the session (i . e . , Scotch #226 or equivalent) .
D. A non - metallic alignment screwdriver whose blade is small

enough to be inserted in the trimmers of the multi - turn
potentiometers on the audio cards.
E. A head demagnetizer (degausser) .
F. Pure isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs for head cleaning.
CAUTION : DO NOT USE RUBBING ALCOHOL , as this can leave

water and oil residues , and DO NOT USE OTHER SOLVENTS ,
as they may delarninate the heads.
2. When you are performing these procedures for the first sever-
al times, proceed slowly and carefully . Soon you will be
fully familiar with them , but initially it is truly ''better
safe than sorry ," as the saying goes .
4.2 DEMAGNETIZING THE HEADS AND TAPE GUIDANCE PATH
Demagnetizing (sometimes called degaussing , although that

term more often refers to bulk tape erasure) is a necessary pro -
cedure , and should be performed prior to every alignment and
recording session . It should always be done with extreme care .
DEMAGNETIZING CAUTION : To avoid damage to the MTR- 90 , always

make sure the POWER switch is off before proceeding . Also ,
remove all recording tape , especially alignment tapes, from
the vicinity of the MTR- 90 . The AC field created by the de -
magnetizer is extremely powerful and could seriously damage
electronics if they are powered up .
4- 1
DEMAGNETIZING CAUTION: Never turn on or turn off the power
to the demagnetizer unless i t is at least 3 feet (1 meter)
away from the MTR-90. This would create an especially
strong moving magnetic field which could possibly place a
permanent magnetic charge on parts of the tape machine .
The demagnetizer would not be powerful enough to remove
such charges under normal operating conditions , and the
parts might therefore have to be discarded. USE ONLY A
PROFESSIONAL DEMAGNETIZER OF HIGH FLUX DENSITY; INEXPENSIVE
" HI - FI" TYPE DEMAGNETIZERS CAN LEAVE RESIDUAL FIELDS THAT
WILL CAUSE MORE HARM THAN BENEFIT .
1. Turn OFF the MTR-90 POWER switch.
2. With the demagnetizer at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from the

MTR- 90, plug the demagnetizer into the power mains and turn
i t on.
3. Slowly move the demagnetizer toward the supply swing arm

•
roller (on the left side of the transport) until the tip is
about 1/8 inch ( 3 mm) away .
4. Slowly move the demagnetizer tip up and down along the

roller, while simultaneously turning the roller with your
other hand so that the entire roller surface is directly ex-
posed to the demagnetizing field. DO NOT TOUCH ANY MTR-9 0
PARTS with the demagnetizer.
5. Slowly move the demagnetizer at least 3 f eet (1 meter) away

from the MTR- 90 ..
6. Working from · left to right , repeat steps 3, 4 , and 5 for e ach

addition a l metallic part in the tape path:
A. Tachometer idler G. Tape lifter (right)

B. Gu ide roller H. Reproduce head
C. Tape lifter (left) I . Guide roller
D. Erase head J. Capstan idler
E. Record head K. Takeup swing arm roller
F. Scrape flutter filter roller
7. When all the above parts have been demagnetized , draw the
demagnetizer at least 3 feet (1 meter) away, turn i t OFF and/
or unplug i t .
4.3 CLEANING THE TAPE PATH
It is important to regularly clean the route along which the-

tape travels . Oxide and dirt will shed from the tape and accumu-
late on these parts , causing a build- up that can create slippage ,
degrade frequency response , and accelerate tape wear .
4-2
CAUTION : Never use any metallic item or abrasive to clean
the heads or other tape guidance parts . Never use MEK ,
spirits , lacquer thinner , acetone , or other solvents on the
tape heads . Rubbing alcohol should be avoided since it con-
tains oil that will leave a residue .
1. Moisten a cotton swab with pure isopropyl alcohol , and wipe

the entire surface of the supply swing arm roller. Also
clean the upper and lower flanges of the swing arm to keep
oxide out of the roller ' s bearings . Allow the roller to dry
by evaporation .
2. Moisten additional swabs , and c l ean the following parts:
A. Guide roller F. Tape lifter (right)

B. Tape lifter (left) G. Reproduce head
c. Erase head H. Guide roller
D. Record head I . Takeup swing arm roller
E. Scrape flutter filter roller
CAUTION : DO NOT USE ALCOHOL- MOISTENED SWABS TO CLEAN THE

TACHOMETER OR CAPSTAN ROLLERS . In order to avoid fibers and
dust particles embedding themselves in the surface of these
rollers, a lint- free cloth should be moistened with alcohol
and used to gently wipe the rollers .
This should be done as often as humanly possible, i.e., be -

tween sessions or approx . every 2 - 4 reels of tape .
NOTE : Additional maintenance information is in Section 10.
4.4 REPRO AMP ALIGNMENT
1. Check to make sure the LOW FREQ COMP switch on the bias
circuit board (board #7 in the lower card cage) is in the OFF
position .
2. Check the Remote Box to make sure the ALL SAFE and ALL REPRO
buttons are engaged .
3. Thread the test tape on the transport , and press the STOP
button to initialize the servos .
4. Set the TAPE SPEED switch to the desired speed, HI or LOW .
5. Set the SPEED MODE switch to the FIX position .
6. Press the PLAY button , and locate the 700 Hz or 1 kHz refer-
ence tone.
4-3
•
7. Observe the VU meters, which should indicate 0 vu. If any

do not, adjust the REPRO GAIN control on the correspondingly
numbered audio boards as required. (Refer to Figure 4-1.)
-
-
RE PRO
GAIN
117».
~
-
Figure 4-1. Repro section ~6SPD~

of audio circuit card
(typical for channels fa'YSPD@
1-24)
LOW lf7X,.
FREQ~
SYNC
GAIN @l
8. Locate the 10 kHz reference tone.
9. On each channel's audio card, adjust the REPRO HI SPEED EQ

or REPRO LOW SPEED EQ as required (in accordance with the
tape speed selected) to obtain a 0 VU indication for that
channel.
10. Locate the 15 kHz reference tone. The VU meters should be

within 1 dB of 0 VU.
NOTE: As a convenience, the MTR-90 is provided with a fixed

low frequency equalization characteristic that suits most
applications. If, however, your needs require a different
characteristic (i.e., a tape supplied from another studio),
the MTR-90 can be realigned with a custom-tailored low
frequency EQ. This is done by moving the bias circuit card's
LOW FREQ COMP switch to the ON position (the switch is
located on card #7 in the lower card cage), and then adjust-
ing the LOW FREQ controls on each audio circuit card.
11. If a test tape is being used for initial audio alignment the
LOW FREQ COMP adjustments should be placed in the "OFF" mode.
(They are to be ADJ. in only Record/Reproduce mode.) Other-
wise turn "ON" the COMP switch if aligning to project tones.
4-4
4.5 SYNC AMP ALIGNMENT
1. Engage the ALL SEL-REP button on the Remote Box. ALL SAFE
should still be engaged.
2. Rewind the test tape, press the PLAY button, and locate the
1 kHz reference tone.
3. Observe the VU meters, which should indicate 0 VU. If any

do not, adjust the SYNC GAIN control on the correspondingly
numbered audio cards as required. (Refer to Figure 4-2.)
RE PRO
GAIN @-
~6SPD~
ig:sPO@
~~~a@-
svNc
GAIN ~-
Figure 4-2. Sync section ~bSPD~

of audio circuit cards
(typical for channels ~r:SPD~
1-24)
LOW
FREQ ~-
REC
GAIN
~l
4. Locate the 10 kHz reference tone.
5. On each channel's audio card, adjust the SYNC HI SPEED EQ

or SYNC LOW SPEED EQ as required (in accordance with the
tape speed selected) to obtain a 0 VU indication for that
channel.
6. If a test tape is being used for initial audio alignment the

LOW FREQ COMP adjustments should be placed in the "OFF"
mode. (They are to be adjusted in sync playback of a record-
ed 100 Hz tone on the MTR-90.) Otherwise, turn "ON" the
COMP. switch if aligning to project tones.
4-5
4. 6 BIAS ALIGNMENT
Bias need not be adjusted separatel y for both tape speeds ;

adjustment at low speed (15 ips = 38 cm/s) is recommended , and will
also provide the desired results at high speed . Three master bias
controls are switch- selectable so that once the individual chan-
nels have been brought into proper bias balance, a single control
can reset the bias level to accommodate different tape
formulations .
1. Thread a reel of blank tape on the machine .
2. Plug a test oscillator into the TEST SIGNAL input jack on

the bias circuit card (#7 on the lower card cage). This
jack accepts a tip - sleeve 1/4 " (6 mm) phone plug .
3. Set the oscillator for +4 dBm output at 10 kHz .
4. Place the BIAS SELECT switch below the TEST SIGNAL jack in
position #1 .
5. On the Remote Box , engage the ALL INPUT switch so you can
•
monitor the test input signal to check that it lS actually
present .
6. Now switch the Remote Box to ALL REPRO mode , disengage the
ALL SAFE button , and set every READY/SAFE switch to Ready
mode .
7. Press the RECORD and PLAY buttons to initiate recording of

the 10 kHz test tone .
NOTE : Perform the following 3 steps for all 8 , 16 or 24

channels, one channel at a time . Refer to Figure 4 - 3 , next
page .
8. Turn the BIAS control on the audio circuit board counter-

clockwise until the indicated VU meter level begins to drop .
If the control is already fully counterclockwise , go on to
step 9 .
9. Turn the BIAS control clockwise until the VU meter peaks;

then continue clockwise rotation until the meter indication
is 3 dB below whatever peak reading was obtained .
10 . Turn down oscillator output if the peak indication is over

" O" VU .
11 . . Repeat steps 8 and 9 to re - check the channel ' s bias align -

ment before proceeding to the next channel .
12 . When all channels have been aligned for proper bias level,
unplug the test oscillator from the TEST SIGNAL jack.
4- 6
NOTE : For subsequent bias alignments where the only change
is to a different tape formulation , you need not follow this
entire procedure . Merely apply a 10 kHz signal to the TEST
SIGNAL input on any one channel , choose the #2 or #3 BIAS
SELECT switch position, and adjust the corresponding BIAS
LEVEL control below the switch while the tape is recording .
In this way , all channels are properly biased even though
only a single bias adjustment is necessary.
PHASE~
~s~
PHASE~
BIAS
~
Figure 4 - 3. Bias section AUDIO
(typical of channels
1-24)
-
4.7 RECORD ALIGNMENT
1. A reel of blank tape should be threaded on the machine .
2. Plug a test oscillator into the tape machine ' s XL Input

jacks , either directly or via the mixing console bus outputs.
3. Set the oscillator or console for +4 dBm output (or your

chosen zero VU level) at 700 Hz or 1 kHz.
4. Set the TAPE SPEED switch for the desired position (HI or
LOW) I and place the machine in FIX SPEED MODE.
5. The Remote Box should be switched to ALL REPRO mode , the ALL
SAFE button should be disengaged , and all the READY/SAFE
switches should be in Ready mode .
6. Press the RECORD and PLAY buttons to initiate recording of

the 1 kHz test tone.
7. Observe the VU meters , which should indicate 0 VU . If any

do not, adjust the RECORD GAIN control on the correspondingly
numbered audio cards as required . (Refer to Figure 4- 4.)
8. Switch the test oscillator to apply a 10 kHz + 4 dBm (or other

zero VU level) tone to the inputs .
4- 7
9. Observe the VU meters , which should indicate 0 VU . On each
channel ' s audio card, adjust the RECORD HI SPEED EQ or
RECORD LOW SPEED EQ as required (in accordance with the tape
speed selected) to obtain a 0 VU indication for that channel .
10. Switch the oscillator to 15 kHz at +4 dBm (or your chosen

zero VU reference level) . The VU meters should be within
1 dB of 0 VU.
11. Press the STOP button and engage the Remote Box ALL INPUT
pushbutton.
12. On each channel ' s audio card, adjust the MONI (monitor) con-
trol as required to obtain a 0 VU meter indication. This
matches the input sensitivity and monitor level of the tape
machine to the output level from the mixing console.
LOW
FREQ
®_J
REC
GAIN ®-
MONI
®
~6SPD~
PHASE~
~$~
PHASE~
BIAS
~
Figure 4 - 4 . Record section AUDIO

(typical of channels
1-24)
4.8 PHASE COMPENSATION
1. After completion of all adjustments , adjust the PHASE COMP

for improving the rectangular wave transmission character-
istics .
2. Apply a rectangular wave of 1 kHz 0 VU for 15 ips or 10 kHz

0 VU for 30 ips to the input.
4-8
3. Place the machine into record mode . Adjust the PHASE con -
trol for the operating speed so that such waveforms, as
given in the following figures, may be obtained by observing
the regenerative reproducing outputs with an oscilloscope.
15ips/1 kHz TONE 30ips/10kHz TONE
REC
MUST BE FLAT GAIN

~
GOOD
MONI
~
~~SPD~
PHASE~ 30ips
~s~
WRONG
(UNDER COMP.)
PHASE~ 15ips
BIAS
~
AUDIO
WRONG
(OVER COMP.)
Figure 4-5 Phase compensation adjustment(s)
4.9 GAIN STRUCTURE
Figure 4-6 on the next page is a block diagram of the audio

signal path for one channel of the 24 -t rack MTR-90 (8 and 16
channel versions may differ slightly). On it are indicated the
nominal signal levels in dBm (ref . 0 dB= 0.775 V RMS), given a
1 kHz signal with NAB EQ at 30 ips .
4 -9
y
CUE ATT
-
);
.. . .
~
1:::
._ ~ -
•
'
Ea Amplifier . .
\
- Bias Trap
;;/
Reproduce . -10dBs
~
' r
,:Jf -50dBs Low Comp.

.. -10dBsf . ; I- ~
'
Reproduce Head t • •
. ...
~
- - Repro
--, r-,'
' ~
-
;;V J"V>
put (Active Bal.)
dBm Output
.,__ (
Ea +
~~
- ' I-'
•
T )
Low Comp .
' ..,,.
g - I l
7 .-
~
ON / OFF •
. .
. >
Cl)
-5. Drive
...... -c
- Ea
0
.,
~
0.
r
I "' )
~
cc
-~ ..
Low Comp.
.. - 10dBs ....
v /
.
. • • ••
-".
:~I ~ ..r - Sync.

Record Reproduce Amplifier
Mode Control Curcuit
Amplifier C rol Command
(from · pe Deck&)
~
-50dBs
i
Amp!' Remote
Ea Amplifier
Sync. Rep. +
,),
ea Tape Speed HI/LOW
"""I
I-'
AES/NAB/ IE
--7,'
Line. Moni.
~
s::
0
-I
?-
.2' ~
0
- -e
-v
J: _J 0
Test Signal fir ~ c
-
)
il
I- Cl)
1l
~
c
0
u
8
..
81 A
~ ..~
0
. .!! ~
~eed
~ • w
.
'• ,,.-
-v
~
~ al •
• al Rec. Output ~
.... . . ....- I 1 l~ -
-v~ -
-20dBs
~
!:.
Une/ Test ~,
.. -~ L;; y - '
Record Head
•
R~ ea
-7
~
I I
• • I ' ~
J ~
; · Phase Comp. ~
- -I,
~
'--
/
'J !. •
. .
• I •
.. 0-_ ---
-v
I 1.1 mA Signal
- Y• • - Low Speed( I ) 17mA Bias
y; I
L;; V' - B/'I
..... ~ 9
~
Line Input .T
+4dBm - .
Rec Ea I ., ~
~
0 1
v '+>-
) Phase Comp .
ion.Jr
;;-~
Active Bal.
- Bias Level I •
~
'!/ -~Output 0 {:
t
Input ~
Bias Sig. 257KHz
~ Erase
f Level I. •
85.7KHz
Erase Sig. J.
Figure 4- 6 . MTR-90 block diagram showing audio levels , 24-channel model .

(Based on 1 kHz signal, NAB EQ, 30 ip.s speed.)

SECTION V. TRANSPORT ALIGNMENT
5.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This section of the manual covers electronic and mechanical

adjustments which affect MTR- 9 0 performance . Many adjustments are
seldom , if ever , necessary, such as those for the brakes , tape
lifters , and servos . Other adjustments , such as head azimuth ,
will be necessary when playing tapes made on other machines .
Whether or not maintenance seems to be needed , it is a good prac -
tice to check a l l adjustments periodically . The schedule will
depend on the amount and type of use to which the MTR-90 is sub-
jected , but we would recommend a minimum of once every 6 months or
1 , 000 hours of operation , whichever comes first .
5.2 HEAD GEOMETRY
The MTR- 90 record and repro heads are mounted to the head
assembly block via an ingenious system that permits a simple 2 -
screw adjustment for azimuth (left- right tilt) , without affecting
the zenith (forward - back tilt) , wrap (penetration of the head into
the tape path) or head height . This system makes it possible for
OTARI to factory preset the zenith , wrap and height so that no
further field adjustments are required . The only adjustment
recommended is for azimuth, which maintains maximum phase coheren-
cy across the various tracks of the heads , and ensures optimum
high frequency response between the record and repro heads .
Refer to Figure 5 - 1 for the location of the azimuth adjust -

ment screws. Repro head azimuth must be checked and adjusted, as
required, before record head azimuth can be checked .
REPRO HEAD AZIMUTH
1. Place a test tape on the transport and connect a dual - trace

oscilloscope to the MTR- 90 ' s channel #2 and #23 outputs (or
channels #2 and #15 on the 16 track head assembly, #2 and #7
on the 8 track head assembly) •
2. Set the Remote box to All Repro mode .
3. Play the segment of the test tape containing a n 8 kHz tone ,

which is used for the coarse adjustment .
4. Using an allen wrench, adjust the repro head for maximum

phase coherence of the two traces . The head may be tilted by
loosening the left- hand azimuth adjustment screw and tight~n
ing the right- hand azimuth adjustment screw an equivalent
•
amount , or vice-versa .
5. For a fine adjustment, play the segment of the test tape con-
taining a 16 kHz tone , and again carefully adjust tilt of
the head as require d for maximum phase coherence of the two
traces .
5- 1
RECORD HEAD AZIMUTH
1. Thread a test tape on the transport ; a dual - trace oscillo-

scope should be connected to the MTR- 90 ' s channels#2 and #23
outputs {channel s #2 and #15 on 16-track head assembly , #2
and #7 on 8-track head assembly} .
2. The Remote Box should be set to All Sync mode .
3. Repeat Section 5 . 2 , steps 3 through 5 , but instead adjust the

record head .
LEFT TILT PROPER AZI MUTH R IGHT T I LT
-
I
•
I
TILT EXAGGERATED FOR ILLUSTRATING THE EFFECT
Figure 5 - 1 . MTR- 90 record and repro head azimuth adjustment.
5.3 TRANSPORT COVER PLATE REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT
The alignment/servicing procedures described in the following

sub - sections of this manual require removal of the transport cover
plate for access to various components .
REMOVAL :
1. Turn off the MTR- 90 power switch .
2. Loosen the four cap head allen screws that secure the head
assembly top cover , lift and set it aside .
assembly base cover , l ift the cover up and forward so the
cutout clears the head cables , and set it aside .
5-2
4. Loosen the two allen head cap screws and remove the splicing
block and dress plate .
5. Loosen the 2 cap head allen screws that secure each of the
swing arm guards , pushing the swing arms back to get clear
access , lift the guards and set them aside .
6. Remove both reel turntable guard rings (not the turntables).

This is done by removing the three cap head allen acres in
each guard ring , and lifting the ring straight up.
7. Remove the two oval head phillips screws , dress washers , and
nylon flat washers from the rear flange of the transport
cover plate , lift the plate straight up and set it aside .
Be careful not to scratch the tension arm rollers while re -
moving this plate.
TRANSPORT DECK FLIP - UP:
The transport deck of the MTR-90 can be tilted up about 30°

for very easy access to the inside of the transport . Remove
the five screws (round head screws , flat washers) on each of
the side panels . Remove the three screws on each side of
the deck plate which are located underneath. The transport
deck can now be tilted about 30° upward. Lift the transport
deck until it is fully locked into position . It is dangerous
to stop lifting on the way , because the deck will drop to
its original position .
CAUTION : Do not lift transport deck while meter panel is

folded up . This will cause damage to the shield assembly
motor .
REPLACEMENT:
The transport cover plate should be reinstalled in the re -

verse order of its removal , with the following precautions :
1. Be sure that no loose parts , too l s , wires, etc. have been

left on the deck plate .
2. When putting back the head assembly base, be sure not to

scrape the tacho-roller and capstan roller with the edges of
the base .
3. To avoid stripped threads , do not overtighten the screws that

secure the swing arm guards .
•
5- 3
HOLD SWING ARM UP TO
REMOVE THE GUARD.
Figure 5 -2. Transport cover plate removal.
5-4
5.4 SWING ARM TRAVEL (Ref . to Fig. 5 - 3)
Two fingers on the linkage of each swing arm restrict swing

arm travel when they contact a rubber-padded post screwed to the
deck plate. Two phillips screws secure each of two fingers to the
linkage; the extremes of swing arm travel may be adjusted by
loosening these screws and sliding the finger . Check the supply
and takeup swing arms , and adjust as required .
-
8
SWING ARM IS AT
0 TOP OF TRAVEL
-
0
0
Q
-
- 0
,_,
0
0
SWING ARM IS AT
CENTER OF TRAVEL
0
0 9
0
Q
0
0
SWING ARM IS AT
BOTTOM OF TRAVEL
Figure 5 - 3. Swing arm travel limit adjustment
1. Make sure the power is off .
2. Adjust the L-bracket so that the distance from the outside

of the swing arm roller guide shaft to the outside of the
deck plate rib is approximately 65 mm (2 - 1/2 inches) when the
swing arm is at the bottom of its travel (normal resting
position with power o f f) . Be sure to take-up some of the
possible linkage play.
5 -5
3. Loosen the tape arming solenoid (Fig . 5 - 4) . So the next
adjustment can be made properly .
4. Adjust the L- bracket so that the distance from the outs ide of
the swing arm roller guide pin bushing and the outside of the
deck plate rib is approximately 100 mm (4 inches) when the
swing arm is at the top of its travel (pushed fully toward
the rear of the deck plate) . Recheck step ' l ' above to en-
sure that the bottom travel 65 mm dimension has not been
changed .
5.5 TAPE ARMING SOLENOIDS (Ref . to Fig . 5 - 4)
NOTE : Before continuing , you should first have performed

the procedures outlined in Section 5 . 4 .
The tape arming solenoid is the smaller one (the solenoi d

nearest the front of the deck plate) of the pair associated with
each swing arm . It can be moved back and forth after loosening
the two phillips screws that secure i t to the deck plate . Repeat
the procedure below for the supply and takeup sides of the
transport .
NOTE: SCREWS FOR FF/RWD DAMPING

SOLENOID ARE ACCESS I BLE BENEATH
THE DECK PLATE.
3mm
(approx.I
COIL
·- •••
SPRING
"" ••••
.,
••••
••
--
•
•-·•
FF/ RWD
DAMPING
SOLENOI D 0
©
TAPE
ADJUST/LOCK ARM ING
SOLENOID
NOTE : FOR TENSION MEASUREMENT,

/!!:::===. . .
NOTE: PLUNGER IN TAPE ARM ING SOLENOI D
ATTACH WIRE LOOP AND PULL IN THE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF ITS TRAVEL (WASHER
DIRECTION INDICATED BY THE ARROW. FLUSH AGAINST SOLENOID BODY).
t @
0 @ CENTER OF
TRAVEL
0
0
Figure 5-4 . Tape arming and fast forward/rewind

solenoid adjustments
2. Confirm the tape arming solenoid screws have been loosened
5- 6
from Section 5.4 , step 3.
3. Hold the swing arm at the top of its travel (nearest the back
of the deck plate) .
4. Slide the solenoid body toward the center of the deck plate .
The E- retaining ring and rubber washer on the solenoid shaft
should now be separated from the solenoid body .
5. Now slide the solenoid body in the opposite direction until

it just contacts the retaining ring and washer . Tighten the
screws to secure the solenoid, be sure to take-up some of the
possible linkage play.
5.6 FAST FORWARD/REWIND DAMPING SOLENOIDS (Ref . to Figs. 5 - 3 &

5 - 4)
The fast forward/rewind damping solenoid is the larger one
(the solenoid nearest the rear of the deck plate) of the pair
associated with each swing arm . It can be moved back and forth
after loosening six philli ps screws beneath the deck plate .
Repeat the procedure below for the supply and takeup sides of the
transport .
2. Hold the swing arm at the middle of its range of travel (e . g. ,

so the roller guide pin bushing is in line with the punch
mark on the deck plate, per Figure 5 - 3).
3. Inspect the plunger in the damping solenoid. The plunger

will protrude from the solenoid body toward the linkage .
About 3 mm of the plunger should be visible between the body
and the point where the plunger diameter is reduced for mat -
ing with the linkage (Refer to Figure 5-4). If necessary ,
loosen the solenoid mounting screws and adjust its position .
Be sure to average this measurement , due to possible linkage
play .
5. 7 SWING ARM TENSION (Ref . to Fig. 5- 4)
When the power is on and the swing arm solenoids have been
armed , the swing arm tension is solenoid controlled (only in F . FWD
and RWD modes) . The tension of the coil spring on each swing arm
assembly should be checked periodically , and adjusted as required
to maintain accurate functioning . Repeat the procedure below for
the supply and takeup sides of the transport.
1. Make sure the power is off.
2. Attach a spring scale to the swing arm post , using a loop of

wire , as shown in Figure 5 - 4 .
5- 7
3. Pull the scale toward the rear of the deck plate until the
swing arm is in the middle position . Then , the mark on the
swing arm and that on the deck plate are horizontal (in-line)
and of course parallel to the front of the machine . The
scale should indicate between 410 and 450 (280 "' 320 for l"
tapes) grams ; if not , go to step 4.
4. Loosen the double nut by holding the portion closest to the

support bracket stationary , and unscrewing the other half .
Then adjust the nut as required to obtain 410 "' 450 (or 280 "'
320 for l" tapes) grams tension . It is a good practice to
obtain the same measurement for both the take-up and supply
swing arms , for smoother operation (approx. :10 grams) .
5. Retighten the double nut to lock it in place .
6. After completion of this adjustment, make sure that the

spring is under some tension even with the swing arm in its
lower position .
NOTE : When this adjustment is correct , the actual tape ten -

sion between the reel and swing arm should be from 200 to
240 grams , as measured with a Tentelometer or equivalent
gauge .
5.8 TAPE LIFTER MECHANISM (Ref . to Fig . 5-5)
The two tape lifters are linked together , and are thus
adjusted at the same time . There are three different tape lifter
adjustments , all of which require tape to be threaded on the
transport . It makes no difference whether the deck cover plate is
removed for these adjustments . Access to the lifter mechani sm is
obtained by opening the VU meter panel .
1. Thread a reel of tape on the transport , arm the solenoids,

and place the transport in Stop mode . There s hould be be-
tween 2 mm and 3 mm clearance between the tape and the
lifters . (If the clearance is correct , go on to Step 3 . )
2. Locate the lifter solenoid beneath the deck plate . The rest-
ing position of the tape lifters can be reset by loosening
the 2 phillips head screws that secure the L-bracket to the
flat metal linkage , and sliding the L-bracket forward or back
along this linkage .
CAUTION : You may be tempted to save time by making the fol -

lowing adjustments while the power is on . We urge you to
use great care to avoid electrical shock . Also , avoid touch-
ing swing arm- related components which , if disturbed , could
imbalance the servo system and cause tape spillage. It is
faster to check a measurement with tape moving , then turn
power off , make an adjustment , and recheck with power on .
5- 8
LIFTER
SOLENOI D
I I
Ml A I R POT
ADJUSTMENT SCREWS
FOR "L" BRACKET ON LINKAGE TO OTHER TAPE LIFTER ASSEMBLY
LINKAGE (LIFTER REST- (THIS PROCEDURE ADJUSTS BOTH LIFTERS
ING POSITION) AT THE SAME TIME.)
@ \.------1-/_ __ ____,
@\ ~
I
\~~~~~~~~~~J
0 :o·"'
• LIFTER PIN
NOTE: Compone nts shown are an "x-ray" view,

as though seen looking down on the top of the
deck plate. In fact, only the airpot adjustment
screw is accessible from the top (with deck
cover plate removed) , while all parts are
accessible below the deck plate.
Figure 5-5. Tape lifter adjustment(s)
5 -9
3. Place the transport in Fast Forward or Rewind mode . The
lifters should push the tape about 2 - 3 mm away from the repro
head . (If the clearance is correct, go on to Step 5 . )
4. The L - shaped bracket securing the solenoid is screwed to the

deck plate. The securing hole of this L- shaped bracket is
elliptical , so the solenoid can move back and forth when the
screw is loosened . There f ore, tighten the screws after
moving the solenoid with the bracket back and forth once the
correct outer clearance is obtained from the tape to repro .
head .
5. Place the transport in Fast Forward mode and allow the tape
to reach full winding speed . Then press the PLAY button and
observe the tape lifters . The tape should be lowered gently
onto the heads; if not , turn the damping adjustment screw
clockwise to increase dampening (accessible beneath the deck
plate) . If when leaving fast wind and coming to a stop mode ,
the tape lifters require greater than 1 . 5 -2 seconds , turn
the damp adjustment screws counterclockwise to relieve the
excessive lifter delay .
5.9 BRAKES (Ref . to Fig . 5- 6)
Braking is accomplished primarily through the servo control

of the reel motors . However, additional braking , and a safety
backup in the event of a loss of power, is provided by mechanical
brakes on the reel motors . A padded felt band is spring loaded
to close against a cylindrical disc attached to the motor shaft,
and a solenoi·d holds ·the shoe away from t .he disc during Play ,
Record , Fast Forward , Rewind , Cue , and Stop modes . Only in Unload
mode or when the power is off do the brakes engage . The mechanism
is designed so that the holdback tension on each ree l is greater
than the feed tension (i . e ., for the supply reel motor , counter-
clockwise tension is greater than clockwise, and vice-versa f or
the takeup motor) . Repeat the procedure below for both the supply
and takeup reel brakes .
1. Turn power off.
2. Seat an empty 10 " reel on the reel turntable.
3. Attach a string of approximately 2 feet (70 cm) in length to

a spring scale (spring gauge) .
4. Holdback tension should be between 1 . 2 killograms and 1 . 5

kilograms ; check i t by looping the free end of the string
from the spring scale around the reel hub and winding the
string onto the hub ,
a) turning the supply reel clockwise or ,
b) turning the takeup reel counterclockwise. Then
c) pull on the spring scale to " unwind " the reel , thus
measuring the holdback tension (Figure 5- 6 , a) .
5 - 10
A B A
0 0,
D 01
A: FEED TENSION
B: HOLDBACK TENSION
SPRING GAUGE
SEE TEXT FOR PROPER

TENSION MEASUREMENTS
a) Measuring brake tension
,,,,_-TENSION ADJUST NUT
BRAKE
SOLENOI D
BRAKE
BAND 0
BRAKE DRUM
b) Brake tension adjustment nut
Figure 5-6. Brake tension adjustment.
5 - 11

5. Feed tension should be between 600 grams and 750 grams; check
i t by windin·g the free end of the string from the spring
scale onto the reel hub in the opposite direction of that
used to check holdback tension .
NOTE : The tension adjustment is done with a single hex head

screw on each brake spring slide bracket (Figure 5 - 6 , b) .
These adjustment screws are accessible either by opening the
meter ,panel , or by removing the two side cover panels from
the MTR- 90 .
5 .10 REEL TURNTABL.E HEIGHT (Ref . to Fig . 5-7)
CAUTION : Each r eel mot or shaft has two flats ground in i t ,

at 90° angles to one another. Two allen - head set- screws in
the reel turntable seat a gainst these flats . Whenever
adjusting or replacing a reel turntable , IT MUST BE CAREFULLY
ALIGNED SO THAT BOTH SET- SCREWS ARE DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH THE
CORRESPONDING FLATS ON THE MOTOR SHAFT . If a set - screw is
improperly tightened against the rounded portion of the shaft ,
the turntable will be unbalanced and a burr can form that
will make i t extremely difficult to subsequently remove the
turntable and correct the situation . Costly damage to the
motor shaft and turntable could result .
The following procedures should be performed for both the

supply and takeup reel turntables . While nominal heights are
indicated , some fine height adjustment may be necessary to avoid
rubbing on reel or flanges swing arm guide rollers : both turn -
tables should be within 0 . 5 mm ( . 0 2 " ) of the same height .
.
1. Turn power off so t hat t h ere is less chance the reel motor
shaft will rotate inadvertently during turntable adjus t ment .
2. Measure the height from outside the rubber gasket on top of

the reel turntable flange to the top of the turntable guard
ring (as shown below) . The height should be 2 . 5 mm (O . l " )
to the turntable guard ring .
DO NOT LOOSEN the pro -

REEL TURNTABLE I 2.Smm
truding cap head phillips
screw that engages the key
slot in the reel hub .
GUARD
R. \IG
L.-...-~---
Figure 5 - 7 . Reel turntable height adjustment
5 - 12

3. For adjustment, loosen both allen set- screws at least two
full turns , and gently lift (or press down) the reel turn -
table as required . IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT AS TO WHETHER THE
SET- SCREWS ARE STILL ALIGNED WITH THE FLATS ON THE MOTOR
SHAFT , DO NOT TIGHTEN THE SCREWS; LIFT THE TURNTABLE COM-
PLETELY OFF THE SHAFT AND VISUALLY INSPECT THE ALIGNMENT .
4. When the correct turntable height is achieved , tigh ten both

set- screws moderately and recheck the height. Then firmly
tighten the screws .
5.11 REEL TENSION SERVO
The following adjustments are made with the deck plate in-
stalled, but without tape . Refer to Figure 5 - 8. steps 1 and 2
are only necessary if either both swing assembly have been
disassembled.
UPPER AND LOWER LIMIT ADJUSTMENT

1. Turn the power off , and remove the REEL CONTROL circuit card
#1 from the lower card. cage . Reinstall the reel card using
the extender P.C . B . Turn the power on monitor TP - 3 and TP - 4
take - up and supply respectively with a DVM or VOM (DC volt -
meter) with reference to a ground test point on the same card .
.
2. Mechanically adjust the swing arm potentiometer b y loosening
the 2 screws that secure the pot to its bracket. Adjust for
"O" volt while securing the arms at their center positions
(marks on dress base) . When completed turn of f power and re -
install t~e reel control card into its prop e r slot in the
card cage.
3. Turn the power on.

•
4. Hold the takeup swing arm all the way to its uppermost posi -
ti on (e.g ., toward the rear of the deck plate).
5. Use a small screwdriver to adjust the T . UP UPPE R trimmer

(third from the top of board #1) until the green LED beneath)
i t just turns on . This should place the swi ng arm about 1/4 ''
from the uppermost position when the green LED turns off .
6. Allow the swing arm to return to its bottom-most position;

make sure the guard ring does not interfere with the arm
moving all - the way down (toward the front of the deck plate)· .
7. Adjust the T . UP LOWER trimmer (fourth from the top of board

#1) until the yell~w LED beneath i t just turns on . This
should place the swing arm about 1/8 rv 1/ 4" from the lower-
most position when the yello~ LED turns of f .
5 - 13
8. Repeat Steps 5 through 8 for the supply swing arm , adjusting
the SUP UPPER and SUP LOWER trimmers (next to bottom and on
bottom on the circuit board) . It is a good practice to
adjust the upper green LEDs as ballanced as possible between
take - up and supply arms .
PRELIMINARY CENTER POSITION AND GAIN ADJUSTMENTS
1. Place a small piece of polystyrene

foam ·in the bottom of each swing arm
slot (at the guard ring) to prevent
the arms from dropping into the
disarm position .
-
2. Turn the power on, arm the solenoids -
by pushing both swing arms to their
uppermost position, and press the
STOP button. B6th swing arms should T.UP
drop against the foam , and the reel
POS ~-
motors should spin .
~AIN ~
3. Hold the takeup swing arm at the
center position (marks on dress base) ,
and adjust the T.UP POS (position) 0
trimmer (top on circuit card #1) so UPPER
the takeup reel motor stops spinning ~

and just begins to reverse direction .
0
4. Repeat the procedure for the supply LOWER~
swing arm, adjusting the SUP POS ~-

SUP -
trimmer on circuit card #1.
.
POS @
5. Hold the takeup swing arm all the
way down to its lowermost position GAIN ~
(toward the front of the deck plate),
and adjust the T.UP GAIN trimmer . 0
(second from the top on circuit card UPPER~
#1) clockwise until maximum speed is
obtained. Then turn counterclockwise
to the point at which 1/2 of speed 0
is obtained .
LOWER~
6. Repeat Step 5 for the supply swing REEL
CONTROL
arm, adjusting the SUP GAIN trimmer.
This frequency can be heard by hold-
ing business card to the corrugated
rubber edges on the reel hubs. -
-
7. The same adjustment can be made
much more accurately if a digital
voltmeter is available. Turn off Figure 5 - 8 . Reel control
the machine and extend the reel circuit card (card #1)
control card. Turn power "ON" front panel adjust -
monitor TP - ~ and TP - 6 takeup and ments .
5- 14
supply respectively with reference to a ground test point on
this card. By moving the supply then takeup arms fully up -
ward and downward , adjust the corresponding gain adjustments
for a total deviation of 8 volts .
8. Now by continuing to monitor the same test points , secure the

swing arms at their center positions , once again , and re -
adjust the position adjustments for '' O'' volt (loading tape
on the machine is not necessary for these last two
adjustments) .
TAPE TENSION CHECK
1. Load a 10 inch reel of Scotch 226 (or equivalent) tape onto

the transport, with the tape evenly distributed between the
supply and takeup reels .
2. As a visual check , the tension swing arms should be approx .

2 mm at their dress cover markings in Stop mode.
3. Use a Tentelometer or other tension gauge to check the ten-

sion on the portion of tape between each swing arm and its
adjacent reel . The tension should be between 200 grams and
240 grams.
4. If the deviation from the above specific.ation is less than

± 20 grams, you can use the POS (position) trimmer (s) to cor -
rect the tension .
5. If the tension is more than 20 grams out of spec , DO NOT

RESET THE POSITION TRIMMERS . Instead , the swing arm spring
(under the transport deck cover) must be readjusted (Refer
to Section 5 - 7) .
•
REEL MO.TOR TRACKING OF CAPSTAN
The potentiometers for adjusting the motor torque is located

on the transport control circuit card #3.
1. Turn the power off, remove the circuit card #3 and insert the
extender card in ·its place. Then, mount the transport con -
trol circuit card #3 into the front of extender card .
2. Turn the power on and thread a reel of tape to an equal

(balanced) tape pack betwe.eh the . two reels . Disconnect the
capstan motor (unplug the UNI~ERSAL MATE - N- LOCK connector to ·
the left of the ~apstan motor beneath the deck plate) .
3. Place the machine into Rewind mode .

Using your hand . Spin the capstan roller counterclockwise .
Adjust the potentiometer VRl on the transport control PCB
assembly so that the tape moves very slowly onto the supply
5-1 5
reel (about 5 ips or 1 capstan rotation in 2 seconds) .
(Refer to Figure 5 - 9 . )
4. Place the machine in Fast Forward mode , spin the capstan

clockwise, and adjust the potentiometer VR2 on the transport
control PCB assembly so that tape moves slowly onto the take -
up reel . It is important to adjust the two positions as
equal as possible. Do not adjust either adjustment for
longer than 15 seconds at one time . This will cause invalid
results .
5. Press the STOP button , turn the Power Off and reconnect the
capstan motor , and reinstall transport card properly into
card cage .
FINE ADJUSTMENT OF POSITION AND GAIN
1. Place the machine in Rewind mode . Capstan and tacho rollers

should need no replacement for extensive periods of time if
they are properly maintained. If there is any slippage of
the tape on the capstan roller , temporarily adjust the SUP
POS trimmer on circuit card #1 , turning it slowly clockwise
until the slippage is eliminated (Refer to Figure 5 - 8) . Wind
time for a 10 inch reel of 1 . 5 mil tape should be approx . 120
seconds .
2. Place the machine in Fast Forward mode . If there is any

slippage of the tape on the capstan roller, adjust the T . UP
POS trimmer on circuit board #1, turning it slowly counter-
clockwise until the slippage is eliminated .
3. If any swing arm instability or jitter is noted at this time ,

slightly reduce that swing arm ' s GAIN trimmer (e . g ., SUP GAIN
or T . UP GAIN on circuit card #1) to eliminate the problem .
If this problem persists, it is possible that the capstan
roller may need replacement . (Contact OTARI or your local
OTARI dealer for this part and technical assistance for
proper installation . )
5-16
Figure 5 - 9 . Transport control card (card slot #3) component
side shown. VR- 1 and VR-2 for rewind and fast
forward respectively .
5 - 17
REEL SIZE DETECTOR ADJUSTMENT
1. Reel size detector PCB Assembly (PB-45D PB9A371A) is one of

the two small PCB Assemblies beneath the transport assembly .
(The other is an Hour Meter PCB Assembly PB-45R . )
2. Make adjustments of VRl (for T . UP) and VR3 (for SUP) so that
the LEDs on this PCB Assembly turn on . The LEDs should light
up only with 14 " reels , while they should go out with anything
smaller .
3. If the decorative cover is reinstalled , confirm its correct

operation (sensitivity) .
5 . 12 CAPSTAN SERVO
NOTE : In this Section of the manual , refer to the following

illustrations :
Figure 5-10 for capstan tachometer adjustment ,
Figure 5 - 11 for capstan control circuit card adjustments ,
Figure 5-13 for miscellaneous capstan waveform references .
1. Turn the power off .
2. Unplug the Capstan Control card (#2) , and replace it with

the service extender board (plug the board into slot #2 in
the lowe'r card cage) . Now plug the Capstan Control card
onto the extender board .
3. Turn the power on .
4. To check the output of the capstan photocell tach assembly,

connect a dual-trace oscilloscope to pins TPlOl and TP201 of
the Tacho Sensor Amp. PCB mounted under capstan motor .
(Refer to Figure 5 - 10,a.) The signal at pin TPlOl should
lead that at pin TP201 by 90° when the tape is moving forward .
If it does, go on to Step 6.
5. If necessary , the position of the capstan tach assembly can

be adjusted to meet the above specification . (Refer to
Figure 5- 10 , b . ) The tach assembly is accessible by opening
the meter panel and removing the capstan motor , on the takeup
side of the head assembly . (Do not confuse this small cir-
cuit board attached to the front of the capstan motor with
the tachometer rol ler and related circuitry located on the
supply side of the head assembly . )
6. Observe TP102 and TP202 on the top of TACHO SENSOR AMP PCB
assembly . Adjust VRlOl and VR201 so that the waveform of
tachopulse has a 50% duty cycle (Fig . 5 - 10 , a) . Next, observe
the check points TPl and TP3 of CAPSTAN PCB assembly (TPll or
TP12 for GROUND) to see that a similar waveform is obtained .
5 - 18
90° I g(f I
I I I I I
I I I I '--50% .,. 50%..-t
I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I Approx.
I I I I
I 5Vp-p
•
I I
Approx . I l
3Vp-p -. TP-102
I
I
I
.
TP-202
a) Output waveform
b) Location of the capstan tachometer PC board
Figure 5-10 . Capstan tachometer adjustment .
5-19
ADJUSTMENT OF CAPSTAN CONTROL PCB ASSEMBLY (PB- 45V , PR9A459)
1. Observe TPl and TP3 of PB - 45V (the ground termina l in TP l l or

12) with a DUAL scope . (The servo circuit may be in
operation . )
2. Make sure that a waveform observed at TP3 with the capstan

motor roller being turned forward by hand has a 50% cycle and
there should be a 90° phase shifted waveform at TPl.
3. Operate the servo circuit so the following observation can be

made .
4. Adjust VR6 so that D . C . voltage at TPlO is 0 V in Stop mode

(for B suffix se rial numbered machines only) .
Adjustment of PLAY GAIN (VRl) (Front panel)
1. Press the PLAY button. Turn VRl either cw or ccw for an

observed waveform with a smaller duty cycle . After a certain
point , there will be little change in the duty cycle . Stop
the adjustment at the point . (The duty cycle will be about
60% at this time . )
•
2. It is when the PLL circuit o perates that a square wave is
correctly observed at TP9 . Make sure that the LED on PB - 45V
lights up.
Adjustment of PLAY DBMP (VR2) (Front panel)
1. Turn VR2 in PLAY mode , observing TP9.
2. At a certain point , an observed waveform (a square wave)

once breaks . Keep on turning VR2 till a square wave can be
observed again . Stop adjustment after making two revolutions
from this point.
3. Repeat PLAY-STOP and make sure that the capstan motor oper-
ates smoothly.
Adjustment of FAS T GAIN and DAMP (VR3 and VR4) (Front panel)
1. Set VR3 and VR4 at the middle of their movable range .
2. Load the capstan shaft in the fast wind mode to make sure
that there is no big change in the duty for the waveform
observed at TP9 .
Adjustment of VR5
1. Connect the frequency counter to TP102 or TP202 on the Tach

Sensor Amp . PCB Assembly (mounted under capstan motor) .
5-20
AV1 PLAY GAIN
AV2 PLAY DAMP
AV3 FAST GAIN
AV4 FAST DAMP
AV5--
TP9 - -
-AV6
-TP3
-TP1
- G(TP11, TP12)
TP10
Figure 5 - 11 . Capstan control circuit board, adjustments

and check points .
5 -21
2. Adjust VR5 both in F . FWD and RWD modes so that at top speed
the frequency counter stabilizes near 42 kHz and the differ-
ence between the readouts in both modes is within± 0 . 5kHz .
3. Make this adjustment after VRl and VR3 of I/O PCB Assembly
have been adjusted.
5 . 13 ADJUSTMENT OF TRANSPORT PCB ASSEMBLY (PB - 45W; PB 9A460)
As for the adjustment of VRl and VR2 on the transport card,

refer to Page 5 - 15 .
5 . 14 ADJUSTMENT OF MASTER CPU PCB ASSEMBLY (PB - 45X ; PB 9A461)
1. Remove the CPU card and install the extender card in its
place, then reinstall the extender.
2. Make sure that the LED on the front panel turns green about
3 seconds after turning the power on .
3. Adjust VRl so that the output frequency at check terminal

TP5 on PB -45X is 9606 Hz with the Remote Control Box (CB - 113)
disconnected.
4. After connecting the Remote Control Box (CB-113), put the

remote box into Vari mode and select speed indication read-
out in percentage Reading mode.
5. Adjust VRl on the CPU card for equal pitch adjustment ± 23 ~

24 %.
5.15 ADJUSTMENT OF I/O PCB ASSEMBLY (PB-45Y; PB 9A463)
Adjustment of Cue Tone Filter
A Suffix Serial Numbered Machines
1. Observe the output waveform of TP6 with a scope.

•
2. Apply +4 dB, 800 Hz sine wave signal to Test Signal jack
of Bias Control PCB Assembly (PB- 15L; PB9A465) from the
signal generator .
3. Adjust VR5 so that an output waveform shown in Figure 5 -

12, a) can be observed.
4. Next , make slight readjustments of VR5 so that a waveform

shown in Figure 5 - 12,c) can be obtained when the frequen -
cy is changed to 1200 Hz . Then make sure that both wave -
forms shown in Figures 5 - 12 , a) &c) can be obtained when
signal frequency is set to 800 Hz and 1200 Hz alternately .
5. Adjust VR6 so that Dl4 turns ON when the input frequency
5 -22
is 800 Hz and adjust VR7 so that Dl4 turns ON when the
input frequency is 1200 Hz .
6. Make sure that Dl4 is turned ON at 800 Hz and turned OFF

at 1200 Hz by adjusting the input frequency from 700 Hz
through 1300 Hz .
a)
" .. .. .. .. ..
b)
c)
Figure 5 - 12 . Output wave form at the test point.
B Suffix Serial Numbered Machines and Later
1. Obser.ve TP2 .
2. Adjust VR5 by changing the input signal frequency so that

the output waveforms as are shown in Figure 5 - 12 , b) can be
obtained at 79 5 Hz and 1205 Hz , respectively.
3. Adjust VR6 so that Dl4 turns ON whe n the input signal

frequency is 800 Hz and adjust VR7 so that Dl4 turns ON
when the input signal frequency is 1200 Hz.
4. Make sure t h at Dl4 is turned ON at 800 Hz and turned OFF

at 1200 Hz by adjusting the input signal frequency con-
tinuously from 700 Hz through 1300 Hz .
Adjustment of Fast Wind Speed
1. Read the output of a TP - 102 or 202 (any terminal will do)

on Tacho Sensor Amp PCB Assembly mounted under capstan
motor by using the frequency counter .
2. Set front panel adjustment VRl of PB-4 5Y on I/O PCB

Assembly to maximum .
5 - 23
3. Put machine int o fast wind and adjust VR3 so that the
frequency counter reads 52 kHz .
4. Adjust VRl so that the f requency in fast wind mode

reaches approximately 42 kHz .
NOTE : If the speed in F . FWD mode is not the same as that in

RWD mode , readjust the speed by VR5 on Capstan Control PCB
Assembly .
Adjustment of Cue Speed
1. Measure the output of TP102 or 202 on Tacho Sensor Amp

PCB Assembly by means of a frequency counter .
2. Adjust VR2 on PB - 45Y so that the counter reads 550 - 640H z

when the tape is moving slowly in Cue mode at the b e gin -
ning of a reel (take - reel almost empty) . The capstan
motor at very slow speed may groan or whine . If so
adjust VR2 up to a higher frequency till this noise i s
gone .
3. After adjusting VR2 and reinserting back into its proper

position , recheck the frequency obtained in Step "2 ".
This may have changed when removing the extender board .
5 . 16 ADJUSTMENT OF BIAS CONTROL PCB ASSEMBLY (PB-15L ; PB 9A465)
Adjustment of Bias Output
Measure TPl output by means of a scope . Make adjustments so

that the following output level can be obtained at each
volume .
Front panel
potenti o - TPl output Output
Bias switch
meter level frequency
1 VRl 4 . 5 Vp- p * 257 kHz

2 VR2 5 Vp- p * Sine wave
3 VR3 4 Vp - p *
Adjustment of Erase Output
1. Adjust VR4 so that TP2 output is 5 Vp - p .
2. Make sure t hat the frequency is a sine wave o f 8 5 . 7 kHz .
5 - 24
Adjustment of Test Signal Level
1. Apply a signal of 1 kHz, + 4 dBm from the Test jack .
2. Adjust VR5 so t h at the output of IC6 pin No . 1 is - 3 dBm .
* TPl output test point of record bias is an approx. adjust -

ment with the assumption that all audio channels are set
properly .
Although it is a good practice to set the adjustments per

these voltages and to re - calibrated the indivisual audio
channels for the proper bias settings only if there is any
confusion as to where the master setting is .
5 - 25
SECTION VI. OPERAT I ON
6.1 GENERAL
The following procedures are based on the assumption that the

MTR- 90 has been installed and checked for proper functions , as per
Sections II and III , and that it has b e en properly aligned as per .
Sections IV and V of this manual . It i s further assumed that a
suitable ~ixing console , monitoring system , and any other auxili -
ary equipment are ready for recording and playback , and that the
MTR- 90 power is on .
We recommend situating the Remote Box (and the optional Auto
Locator) in a convenient l ocation near the mixing console . If you
wish to review control functions and locations , refer to Figures
6-1 and 6- 2 .
CAUTION : The reel motors are capable of delivering substan-

tial torque , and could present a danger if hands or clothing
become entangled in the reels or tape path . It is imperative
that you not press the swing arms directly when the tape is
threaded . To shuttle the tape back and forth slowly , do not
attempt to move the reels by hand . Instead, place the trans -
port in STOP mode and turn the top of the capstan by hand , or
press the MTR- 90 CUE button and move the adjacent Cue knob .
NOTE: If your MTR- 90 is set up with a 16 - track head assembly

or 8- track head assembly, disregard all Remote Box switches
for channels 17 - 24 or 9 - 24 respectively •
.
0 ALL -~ - o-o- o-o- o--o-o--o-o--o-0--0--0- 0-o-o- o-o- o- o -o- o -o-o
SAFE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AEAOI'-
~
SAFE
0 ALL D
INPUT - o-o--o-o-0-0-0--0-o-o-o-o--o-o- o-o-o-o-o-o-o- o
ALL EP 0
0 SEL-R - o- o-o-o-o-o-o-o- o -o- o- o- o- o- o- o- o- o- o- o -o- o -o
0 R ELLPRO D
A - o -o- o- o-o-o-o-o-o--0-0--0-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- o- o -o- o
INDIVIDUALD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
INPUT - -
SEL-REP--
REPRO - EBB BBBBBB BBB BBBBBBBBBBBB
'--
~ PITCH CONTROL CUE RECORD Pt.AV STOP RWD F.FWD .

SPEED
:~EDo'i:~ ':io@ G D I .. I - I I .. I <.... >
£1lllillce-11s REMOTECONTROL UNIT
Figure 6 - 1. Remote Box features
6- 1
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B ~0~ 0 I<·>I ~ D 1... 1-1--1~1

6.2 RECORDING INITIAL TRACKS
1. Thread a blank 2" (or l") tape on the transport .
2. To take up all slack and pull up the swing arms together to

their "click " stops , hand rotate the supply reel clockwise
and the takeup reel counterclockwise .
3. Press the STOP button to initialize the servos , place the

tape under constant tension, and ready the machine for other
functions .
•
4. Select the desired TAPE SPEED , HI or LOW. Unless there l.S
some special application , you will probably choose the
FIX(ed) SPEED MODE .
5. Zero the Tape Time Counter (or do this after step 10 below) .
6. Apply a signal to those inputs of the MTR-90 corresponding

to the tracks you wish to record .
7. On the Remote Box , press the ALL INPUT button.
8. On the Remote Box , disengage the ALL SAFE switch (adjacent

LED off) , and move the READY/SAFE levers up for those tracks
you wish to record. The LEDs above these levers will flash.
9. Adjust the mixing console buss levels so the MTR- 90 meters

are peaking no higher than between - 3 to 0 VU .
NOTE : If a linear compander noise reduction system is in

use (i . e., dbx or dolby) the meter deflection on the MTR- 90
should be less than that on the console due to the noise re -
duction encoding .
10 . Before recording a program , it is a good practice to record

a series of reference test tones at the head of the tape for
playback alignment . Use 700 or 1 kHz , 100 Hz and 10 kHz
tones at the 0 VU reference level . Even if a noise reduction
system is being used, record the test tones (the test tones
should not be noise reduction encoded) .
NOTE : You should be monitoring the output of the tape ma-

chine (which will be the same as the input to the machine),
rather than the buss output of the mixing console.
11. When you are ready to record , press the PLAY and RECORD but ~
tons on the MTR- 90 or the Remote Box. The Ready/Safe LEDs
will stop flashing and instead remain on, indicating the
selected tracks are recording .
12. To cease recording on all tracks , press the STOP button , the
PLAY buttons , or the ALL SAFE switch . To cease recording on
6- 3
only certain tracks and continue recording on others , move
the corresponding READY/SAFE levers down to Safe position .
6.3 PLAYBACK OF INITIAL TRACKS
1. Rewind the tape .
2. On the Remote Box , engage the ALL SAFE switch to prevent any
possibility of i nadvertent erasure should the RECORD button
be accidentally pressed .
3. On the Remote Box , engage the ALL REPRO switch . This saves
time , but if you wish you can engage the INDIVIDUAL button
and switch each individual track to Repro mode.
4. Press the PLAY button to roll tape . You should now be moni -
toring the previously recorded tracks.
5. Press the STOP button .
6. Assuming you wish to record additional tracks , rewind the

tape .
6. 4 SEL- REP RECORDING (OVERDUBBING)
The intent of Sel - Rep recording is to monitor previously

recorded tracks while simultaneously recording one or more addi -
tional tracks . To avoid the time delay between the record head
and the reproduce head, the previously recorded tracks must be
played back from the record head.
A variation of this technique involves an insert (punch- in)

o f new recording to replace or add onto a previously recorded
track . This method is discussed in Section 6.5 , SEL-REP RECORDING
(PUNCH- INS) .
NOTE : For rehearsal of an overdub , see Section 6 . 6.
1. Press the ALL SEL- REP button .
2. Disengage the ALL SAFE switch (adjacent red LED off) .
3. On those tracks you wish to add new material , to set the

RE~DY/SAFE switches to Ready mode (red LED above flashes) .
4. On all other tracks (those you wish to protect from erasure),

set the READY/SAFE switches to Safe mode (red LED above is
off) .
NOTE: When the tape is stopped , you will be monitoring the

input of any tracks set to Ready mode. This is true unless
6- 4

the optional STOP STAND BY switch on the transport control
card, #3 , is off. (See Section 2 . 2, 2D . )
5. Press the PLAY and RECORD buttons to begin the overdub . You
will now be monitoring the input on those tracks being
recorded , and the tape from the record head and sync amps on
those tracks not being recorded .
6. To end the overdub, press the STOP button . As a further

precaution , engage the ALL SAFE switch , preventing any acci -
dental erasure of those individual tracks set to Ready mode .
6.5 SEL-REP RECORDING (PUNCH - INS)
This technique permits you to monitor the various tracks ,

including the track or tracks upon which you will be recording .
At the instant you enter recording (punch- in) , the monitoring of
the tracks being recorded will switch from the record head to the
input electronics .
NOTE : For rehearsal of a punch - in , see Section 6.6 .
1. Press the ALL SEL- REP button.
2. Disengage the ALL SAFE switch (adjacent red LED off).
3. On those tracks you wish to do the punch - in (make an insert),

on set the READY/SAFE switches to Ready mode (red LED above
flashes) .
4. On all other tracks (those you wish to protect from erasure),

set the READY/SAFE switches to Safe mode (red LED above is
off) .
NOTE: When the tape is stopped , you will be monitoring the

input of any tracks set to Ready mode . This is true unless
the optional STOP STAND BY switch on the transport control
card, #3 , is o ff . (See Section 2- 2, 2D . )
5. Press the PLAY button and monitor the tape. You will now be
listening to all tracks via the record head and sync amps .
6. At the instant you wish to make the punch-in , press the

RECORD button . BEST RESULTS ARE OBTAINED BY PUNCHING- IN IN
A PAUSE ON THE TRACKS YOU ARE RECORDING (on the off- beat) .
You will now be monitoring the input on those tracks being
recorded, and the tape from the record head and sync amps on
those tracks not being recorded .
NOTE : There is a very short delay from the instant you press
the RECORD button to the initiation of recording , due to the
gapless punch-in feature .
6-5
7. To end the punch- in :
A. If you wish to end the insert , but continue monitoring

the tape for a second punch in , press the PLAY button .
B. If you are done with all punch- ins for now , press the
STOP button . As a further precaution , engage the ALL
SAFE switch.
6. 6 REHEARSAL OF OVERDUBS AND PUNCH-INS
In the overdub and punch- in procedures discussed in Sections

6 . 5 and 6.6 , there was no way to monitor the new input signal un -
less and until the machine was actually recording . It may be
desirable to do " dry runs." That is , rehearse the overdub or
punch-in by playing previously recorded tracks through the record
head and sync amps , and by monitoring the input of the tracks on
which you will be recording . The method is explained below.
1. Press the INDIVIDUAL button so the individual track function

selectors can be operated .
2. Engage the ALL SAFE switch (adjacent red LED On) . The posi -
tion of the individual READY/SAFE switches is not significant
in this step (although they may be preset in accordance with
the intended overdub or punch-in , if so desired).
3. For those channels on which you wish to monitor the input ,

move the INPUT/SEL- REP/REPRO selector switch to the Input
position .
4. For all other channels , set the selector switch to the Sel-
Rep position .
5. To rehearse an overdub , press the PLAY button . You will now

be monitoring the input of all rehearsal tracks , and playback
from the record head and sync amp on all other tracks. To
end the overdub rehearsal , press the STOP button .
6. To rehearse a punch- in, press the PLAY button and the ALL
SEL- REP button . You will now be monitoring playback of all
tracks via the record head and sync amp. At the instant the
punch- in would be initiated , press the INDIVIDUAL button , and
the rehearsal tracks will switch to input .
To end the punch- in rehearsal :
A. If you wish to end the "insert," but continue monitoring

the tape for a second punch-in rehearsal , press the PLAY
button .
B. If you are done with all punch - in rehearsals for now ,

press the STOP button .
6- 6
6.7 MIXDOWN
The procedure for mixdown is the same as for playback of

initial tracks (Section 6 . 3) . Be sure to use the reproduce head
(Repro mode), rather than the record head (Sel - Rep mode) for ut -
most quality .
6. 8 USE OF THE CUE BUTTON AND KNOB
1. The CUE button performs several functions :
A. When the machine is in Stop mode., pressing the CUE button

on the MTR-90 (not on the Remote Box) activates the
adjacent rotating Cue knob. The knob can then be rotated
CW and CCW to shuttle the tape between the supply and
takeup reels for locating cue points , matching edit
points, and so forth. The actual tape speed is propor -
tional to the degree of rotation.
To exit this mode, press STOP .
NOTE : If the head shields are up, and you wish to see
the tape as it passes over the heads , press the SHIELD
button on the MTR- 90 Transport.
B. The above mode can be used for very fast or slow playback
of a tape, beyond the ±20 % allowed by the Pitch control,
as described in Section 6 -1 0.
C. When the machine is in FAST FORWARD or REWIND mode,

pressing CUE on either the MTR- 90 or the Remote Box re -
tracts the tape lifters . It is then possible to audibly
detect the beginning or end of a tape.
6.9 SPOT ERASE
The SPOT ERASE function is available for erasure of unwanted

tracks on a tape .
1. First , search for the portion of tape which you want to erase
by operating the Cue function or by rotating the top of the
capstan motor by hand.
2. Mark with a grease pen the beginning and the end of the por-:-
tion of the tape which you want to erase .
3. Place the machine i ·n STOP mode for the spot erase operation .
4. Set the track , to be erased with the REC/READY switch to the

REC position .
6-7
5. Press the SPOT ERASE button . (Lamps of SPOT ERASE and STOP
will blink . )
6. Move tape slowly by ro t ating the top of the capstan motor by

hand .
7. Press the CUE button just before the beginning of the portion
to be erased reaches the erase head . (Keep pressing both the
SPOT ERASE and CUE buttons . Both lamps will light up . )
8. Keep the tape moving until the end of the portion to be

erased comes in front of the erase head , then you must re -
lease the buttons . (Continue moving the tape slowly for an
instant . )
9. The erase current slowly dimin i shes, thus leaving no erase

noise on the tape .
6.10 USE OF THE VARIABLE SPEED MODE
1. The SPEED MODE s witch may be set in the VARIABLE position for
either recording or playback , and the actual tape speed can
then be adjusted with the PITCH CONTROL over a range of at
least ± 20 % ( ± 2 tones , approximately) . The actual tape
speed can be calculated by multiplying the 15 ips or 30 ips
(LOW or HIGH) base speed selected by the percentage of varia-
tion indicated on the PITCH CONTROL digital readout , and add -
ing or subtracting that value from the base speed , or you can
read i t directly by using IPS DISPLAY when SPEED DISPLAY
switch is set to IPS indication .
2. Variable speed can be used to "tune up" new or old tracks

during overdubs , to change tempos , to bring a song into a
vocalist ' s range , to squeeze or stretch a program to fit a
particular time slot , etc .
6. 11 USE OF AN EXTERNAL SPEED REFERENCE
An external clock (reference oscillator) can be used to con -

trol the speed of the MTR- 90 capstan motor. When the SPEED MODE
switch is set to ~XT position , a suitable input signal must be
connected to the EXT CLOCK input connector (9 pin D connector on
the MTR- 90 rear panel) . The reference frequency is 9 , 600 Hz , and
should be at TTL l evel (0 V low , +5 V high) , approximately a 50%
duty cycle ; a sine wave source may be used , at a level of about
10 Vp- p .
When the external reference is in use , the MTR- 90 HIGH/LOW

SPEED SELECT s witch still operates , although the two speeds
selected will vary from 15 and 30 ips in proportion to deviations
of the clock input from the reference frequency .
6- 8
When· using SMPTE time code synchronizers , the SMPTE- CUE slide
switch (on the back of the upper card cage mother board near the
#24 card connector) should be turned on . If the MTR- 90 is being
used for 16 track operation , a jumper cable will have to be in-
stalled to join the 3- pin Molex connector adjacent to this switch
to a similar connector on the same circuit board , located between
the #16 and #17 card connectors . If the MTR- 90 is being used for
8 track operation , the jumper cable connector will be located
b e twe en #8 and #9 .
Detailed information on the use of time code synchronizers

with the MTR- 9 0 wi ll b e available from the manufacturer of t h at
equipment , or y ou can contact OTAR! .
ABOUT SMPTE LOCATION CONTROL AND SYNCHRONIZATION
SMPTE is an acronym for the Society of Motion Picture and

Television Engineers. The SMPTE time code is a standard
digital coding technique for identifying the location of an
audio or video tape; coding is done in hours, minutes , sec-
onds and frames (24 frames/sec for
film or 30 frames/sec for video) .
A time code generator is used to
EXT CLOCK
record the code onto one track of
the tape . A time code controller T 1
REC
c a n then read the code from two or T 2
PLAY
more tape machines , and, by also T 3
STOP
servo controlling the reel motors T 4
FF
o f those machines , bring them to T 5
RWD
specific cue points . A time code
LIFTER DEFEAT 6
synchronizer further controls the
SIMPTE CUE 7
capstan motors to keep both of the
SPD REF. VOLT. 8
machines running synchronously .
SPD COM. 9
These techniques can be used to ob -
tain more tracks of r ecording , to
mix audio in sync with video or film
REC c 10
PLAY c 11
images , to make complex edits per
user - selected programs , etc .
STOP c 12
FF c 13
RWD c 14
TACHOOUT 15
P in assignment for 9.6K REF. 16
EXT . CLOCK GND 17
EXT CLOCK 18
CAPSTAN TACHO OUT 19
+ 5V 20
FWD / REV 21
N.C 22
Contact OTAR! or local N.C 23
OTAR! dealers for the N.C 24
connector CN225221 N.C 25
(OTARI ' s part no . )
necessary for the con- T-TALLY (REPLY)
nection . C- COMMAND
6-9
Synchronizers now available for the connection to the MTR- 90
are as follows. For further details on newly developed
synchronizers and interfaces, you can contact the manufac -
turer, OTARI or local OTARI dealers.
Manufacturers Type of Synchronizer
ADAMS-SMITH WIDE BAND

AUDIO KINETICS TACH
CONVERGENCE TACH
EECO WIDE BAND
BTX TACH
LEXICON 1200 TACH
6.12 VOLTAGE CONVERSION
1. When the machine is used at a different voltage, a connection

plug for the power supply needs to be rewind.
2. Remove bottom section of the back panel.

•
3. When the panel lS removed, a maintain lock connector will be
found attached to the "L" shaped bracket fixed atop the right
chassis frame .
4. Change the wiring of the connector in accordance with the

power supply . circuit diagram, or insert a new connector for
new voltage.
6.13 FREQUENCY CONVERSION
1. When the machine is used at a different AC line frequency,

the voltage supplied to the cooling fan must be changed.
2. This is because the efficiency of a cooling fan is determined

by frequency. A switch provides this conversion.
3. Remove the left side panel of the machine, and this switch
will be found on the side of the power supply box located at
the top right.
4. Set the switch adjusting to the line frequency to be used.
6 . 14 BCD OUT
The external output of the MTR-90 has an output terminal for
6-10

BCD signals of the tape time readout . Use this output terminal
when another external tape timer readout is to be used . The con-
nector should be connected as follows .
The necessary connector is DC-37P -

"' 1 20 •
--
--
1H A 2 21 1H B
(TRW CINCH) or its equivalent . - 1H c 3 22 1H 0
-
--
10MIN A 4 23 10MIN B
- 10MIN c 5 24 10MIN 0
- 1MIN A 6 25 1 MIN B
-
-
lMIN
10SEC
c
A
7 26
8 27
l MIN
lOSEC
0
B
--
- 10SEC c 9 28 lOSEC 0 -
- 1SEC A 10 29 1SEC B -
- 1SEC c 11 30 1 SEC 0 -
- 0.1 sec A 12 31 0 .1 SEC B -
- 0.1 sec c 13 32 0. 1SEC 0
- GNO 14 33 GNO :J
GNO 15 34 GNO
N. C. 16 35 N . C.
N. C. 17 36 N, C.
N. C. 18 37 N. C.
N, C. 19
CNl
6 . 15 SERIAL I/O
1. The MTR- 90 is provided with an interface function which

enables the direct conversation with a computer . This func-
tion (SERIAL I/O) has the following three capabilities.
(1) RS-232C
(2) CURRENT LOOP
(3) TTL LEVEL
2. The baud rate can be selected by the DIP SWITCH (D - SWI)

located on the I/O PCB Assembly as per the table given below .
D-SWI ON/OFF BAUD RATE
No . 1 ON 110 baud
No . 2 ON 1200 baud
No . 3 ON 2400 baud
No . 4 ON 4800 baud
* Make sure other switches have been set to OFF .

Only SW No . 4 is set ON, when shipped .
6-11
3. A connector for SERIAL I/O SE RIA L 1/0
should be connected as per the - FM GND 1 14 GND ,...._.
table shown in right side . - TRANSMIT DATA 2 15 RDCNT >--
This applies to later model
machines (from C Lot on) . As
-
-
RECEIV E DATA
RTS
3
4
16
17
RD COM
TTY OUT
--
to machines other than the - CTS 5 18 TTY IN >--
- DSR 6 19 TTY COM ,__
above (Lots A and B) , refer
to the circuit diagrams sent
-
-
(sig)GND
GND
7
8
20
21
DTR
N. C.
-
wi th the machine or con tact - RDR STA 9 22 N. C.
OTARI or local OTARI dealers. - TX D 10 23 N. C.
- RXD 11 24 N. C.
- DATA SUSY 12 25 N. C.
- DCD 13
CN2
4. For technical information about ASCII COMMAND CHARACTERS LIST

and others , you can also contact OTARI or local OTARI dealers.
The necessary connector is DC- 25P (TRW CINCH) or its
equivalent.
6 -1 2
SECTION VII. AUTO LOCATOR
7.1 GENERAL
The OTARI CB-115 Auto Locator is designed specifically for

the MTR- 90 . It uses a microcomputer for sophisticated , preci-
sion control of tape motion without overshoot . A tape time memory
stores up to 10 cue points (11 cues if zero search is also con-
sidered) , which can be directly memorized by pressing only one
button (STORE button) , instead of being keyed in; and can be
directly recalled instantly by pressing another button (SEARCH
button) . And there is an independent digital stopwatch built in .
Each memory and readout can accommodate times of up to 9 hours 59
minutes , 59 seconds . In addition to special Auto Locator func -
tions such as Search , Zero Search , Zero Set , Shuttle and Auto
Rewind (described in subsequent paragraphs) , there is a duplicate
set of tape motion pushbuttons like those on the Remote Box and
transport .
NOTE : The CB- 115 Auto Locator should be installed as de-

tailed in Sections 2 . 4 and 2 . 5 . Bracketed numbers in this
section (e . g ., TAPE TIME [l] refer to the callouts in Figure
7-1, unless otherwise stated .
All function buttons [19 through 24) have 2-level illumina-

tion : dim normally , bright when selected . The 10 numeric buttons
(0-9) and the adjacent buttons are not illuminated; when describ-
ing these features , we use the terms " key" and "button" inter-
changeably .
Sub-sections 7 . 2through 7 . 17 are brief descriptions of the

front panel features of the Auto Locator , intended to accompany
Figure 7- 1 . Following this , some of th·e more common functions are
discussed in greater detail , with examples .
7- 1
@
-....J
I
tv
Figure 7 - 1. Auto Locator front panel features .

(Features are described on the following pages . )

7.2 TAPE TIME
The Tape Time readout [l] displays the elapsed time of the
tape relative to the same zero point shown on t h e MTR- 90 readout ,
or any other point on the tape , such as the beginning of a '' take .''
1. To Zero the Tape Time at the location of the tape currently

in front of the heads , press the adjacent RESET button [2] .
2. To offset the Auto Locator Tape Time readout from the MTR- 90
readout , select a Locate Time [3] and press the Shift Left
button [10] .
3. To correlate the Tape Time with the MTR- 90 readout , press the
keyboard ' s LOAD button [11) , or the SEARCH ZERO button [16) .
4. This Tape Time readout is provided with a minus sign at the

head of the digital readouts when the elapsed time diminishes
from 0 . 00 . 00 , that is , a second before 0 . 00.00 , - 0 . 00 . 00 is
displayed . The same applies to LOCATE TIME .
7. 3 LOCATE TIME
The Locate Time readout [3] displays the location you wish to
reach on the tape when you press the SEARCH [21) , SHUTTLE [22) or
AUTO REWIND [23) buttons .
1. Locate Time can be entered directly from the keyboard numer-

als [9] , or • • •
•
2. Locate Time can be recalled from previously stored cues using
the RCL button [14) and any of the 10 numeric addresses [ 9] '
or . ..
3. Locate Time can be " Copied " from the Tape Time readout by
pressing the Shift Right key [12).
4 The adjacent RESET button [4] zeroes the Locate Time .
7. 4 STOP WATCH
The Stop Watch is independent , and has no interaction with

any other Auto Locator function or MTR- 90 function . Its readout
[5] displays up to 99 minutes , 5 9 seconds.
1. To start the watch from Stop mode , press START/LAP [6] .
2. To take a "lap " time , press START/LAP again , freezing that

interim time on the readout while the watch still counts
internally . To return to the elapsed time count , press
START/LAP once more .
7- 3
3. To stop the counting and display the final time , press STOP
[7] . If STOP is pressed while a lap time is displayed , the
readout will change and display the final time .
4. To zero the watch , press RESET [8] ; if pressed while the

watch is counting , this also stops the count .
7.5 KEYBOARD NUMERALS
The keyboard buttons [9] numbered 0 through 9 have two func -

tions : they can be used to enter a Locate Time or they can address
the 10 memory registers . The keyboard is temporarily disabled
while the machine is performing a Search , Zero Search , Shuttle or
Au to Rewi·nd function .
NOTE : It is impossible to enter a Locate Time with a numeral

of 6 or higher in the second digit from the right of the
readout , since this would indicate 60 or more seconds and
should be entered in minutes .
7.6 SHIFT LEFT AND SHIFT RIGHT
The Shift Left button [10) copies whatever time is shown on

the Locate Time readout and displays i t in the Tape Time readout .
Conversely , the Shift Right button [12] transfers the Tape Time to
the Locate Time .
7.7 LOAD
The LOAD button [11] changes the Tape Time readout to display
the same tape time shown on the MTR-90 readout . In other words,
i t resets the Auto Locator Tape Time to correspond to the actual
time shown on the transport .
7.8 MEMORY STORE
The STO button [13] is used to memorize the time displayed in

the Locate Time readout . Up to ten different times can be memo-
rized at once . Memory is volatile , meaning i t is not saved after
the power is turned off .
1. To store a given cue , display the time in the Locate Time

readout , either by direct entry with the numeric keys [9] or
by using the SHIFT RIGHT button [12] to move the Tape Time to
the Locate Time readout .
2. Press the STO button [13) , and then press any one of the 10
numeric keys [9] . The number pressed , 0 through 9, becomes
the " address " where the Locate Time is stored .
7- 4

3. To store a second cue , repeat Steps 1 and 2 using a different
numeric address . If the same address is re - used , the previ-
ously stored time will be replaced by the new entry .
NOTE: Tape Time can be " captured " " on the fly, " while the
tape is playing or recording , by pressing SHIFT RIGHT at the
exact instant you want to capture, then pressing STO followed
by a numeric address.
7. 9 MEMORY RECALL
The RCL button [14] is used to retrieve a time which was

previously stored , and display i t in the Locate Time readout.
When the machine is first turned on , all addresses are initialized
so they contain 00 . 00 .
1. To recall a given cue , press the RCL button [14] , and then
press the numeric key (0 through 9) which identifies the
" address" where the time was stored . The time will display
on the Locate Time readout , and will also remain in memory .
2. To recall another cue, repeat Step l; i t is not necessary to

first reset the readout since the recalled time will replace
any previously displayed Locate Time .
7 .10 +/- KEY
A minus( - ) sign can be used to display a locate time readout .

For example , in order to display the Locate Time 2 minutes before
0 . 00 . 00, display the Locate Time 0 .0 2 . 00 on the readout. Then ,
press the+/- KEY [15] once and a minus( - ) sign will appear at the
head of the digital readout . (Another pressing provides a p lus(+)
sign . )
7 . 11 DIRECT STORE , DIRECT SEARCH AND ALL CLEAR
The tape time can be directly stored in MEMORY without using

the ten keys. Up to ten memories can be stored just by pressing
the buttons [16] under the LEDs which are not illuminated. When
the LEDs are illuminated , the memories have already been stored,
thus making this DIRECT STORE method unavailable. In this case,
the memories have to be cancelled or they could be stored by
using the ten keys .
When you want to move the tape direct to the memorized loca -
tion , press SEARCH button [17] of the memory in which the location
has been memorized . The tape moves automatically to the position .
7- 5

HOW TO CANCEL MEMORIES
Several methods are available for the cancellation of

•
memories .
1. Use of ten keys [9]

Memory time in resistor 1 is cancelled by the sequence of
inserting 0 . 00 . 00 into locate time and pressing STORE 1 .
(Actually , 0 . 00 . 00 is memorized . )
2. Press STORE button [16] for any memory twice within a second .
Then, this memory is cancelled .
3. Similarly , press the ALL CLEAR button [18] twice within a

second . Then , all memories are cancelled .
7.12 ZERO SET
The ZERO SET button [19] is used to automatically zero both

the MTR- 9 0 and the Auto Locator Tape Time readouts at a specific
point on the tape.
1. To mark the point (or points) on the tape where you wish to
have the Tape Time zero , record one or two seconds of a 1 kHz
tone at 0 VU level on track 1 (Fixed speed at 15 ips or 30
ips) .
2. Make sure channel 1 of the Remote Box is set to the Repro

mode.
3. Press the ZERO SET button [15]; the transport will enter Play
mode (or will continue if already in Play mode) . Then , as
soon as the Auto Locator detects the 1 kHz tone on track 1 ,
the transport will stop , and both the Tape Time readouts on
the MTR- 90 and Auto Locator will both be zeroed.
7 .13 SEARCH ZERO
Pressing the SEARCH ZERO button [20] causes the MTR- 90 to re-
turn at fast winding (or rewinding) speed to the 0 . 0000 actual
Tape Time shown on the transport readout . There are three varia -
tions of Zero Search mode .
NOTE : If the Auto Locator Tape Time readout has been changed
to a zero different from the MTR- 90 , i t will be reset to
match the MTR- 90 the moment SEARCH ZERO is pressed . Search
Zero always looks for the zero of the MTR- 90 Transport
display .
1. Pressing SEARCH ZERO [20] will rewind the tape to zero Tape
Time and then stop the transport .
7 -6

2. Pressing SEARCH ZERO and then PLAY [24) causes the PLAY but-
ton to flash bright and dim , then the tape will rewind to the
zero point of Tape Time and then to enter Play mode .
3. Pressing SEARCH ZERO [20) and then PLAY and RECORD [24)
causes the PLAY and RECORD buttons to flash bright and dim;
the tape to rewind to zero Tape Time and will enter the
Record mode .
NOTE : Search Zero/Play or Search Zero/Record modes only work

when the Auto Locator ' s PLAY (or PLAY and RECORD) button is
pressed . Pressing these buttons on the Remote Box or the
MTR-90 ends the search and immediately causes the machine to
enter the Play mode .
4. To end ("abort " ) a Search Zero , press STOP , REWIND , or FAST

FORWARD on the Auto Locator [24] , or their counterparts; the
PLAY button on the Remote Box; or the MTR-90 Transport .
7 . 14 SEARCH
Pressing the SEARCH button [21] causes the MTR- 90 to fast

wind (or rewind) the tape until the Auto Locator Tape Time matches
that shown on the Locate Time readout [3] . There are three varia-
tions of SEARCH mode :
1. Pressing SEARCH [21) will move the tape to the Locate Time
and then stop the transport .
2. Pressing SEARCH [21] and then PLAY [24) causes the PLAY
button to flash bright and dim ; the tape will fas t wind to
the Locate Time and then will enter the Play mode .
3. Pressing SEARCH [21) and then PLAY and RECORD [24) causes the
PLAY and RECORD buttons to flash bright and dim ; the tape
will fast wind to the Locate Time and then will enter the
Record mode .
NOTE : The Search/Play or Search/Record modes only work when

the Auto Locator ' s PLAY (or PLAY and RECORD) button is
pressed . Pressing these buttons on the Remote Box or the
MTR- 90 ends the search and immediately causes the machine to
enter the Play mode.
4. To end ("abort") a Search, press STOP , REWIND , or FAST FOR-

WARD on the Auto Locator [24], or their counterparts; PLAY ·
button on the Remote Box ; or the MTR- 90 Transport .
7- 7
7 . 15 SHUTTLE
Pressing the SHUTTLE button (22) causes the MTR-90 to " re-
member " the current Tape Time displayed on the readout , and to
enter (or continue in) the Play mode until the Locate Time is
reached . Then the tape automatically rewinds to the point where
SHUTTLE was first pressed , and again plays . This cycle continues
until you exit Shuttle mode , as explained below . Shuttle is help-
ful for replaying a section of an alignment tape , for rehearsing
particular segments of a tune , and so forth .
NOTE : The above and following description assumes the

Locate Time is greater than the displayed Tape Time . If not ,
the SHUTTLE will perform a reverse shuttle function , thus
stopping the tape whe n the button is pushed and winding the
tape back to the number displayed in the Locate Time window ,
then going into Play mode and repeating this function until
cancelled . Make the machine shuttle ahead to a Locate Time
that is actually behind the current Tape Time .
1. Enter the Locate Time (ahead in time) at which you want the
shuttle to stop and rewind the tape .
2. Move the tape to the point where you want the shuttle opera-
tion to begin; the transport can be in Stop, Play or Record
mode at this point .
3. Press SHUTTLE (22) .
4. If you wish to enter Record mode at any time while the tape
is playing in Shuttle mode , press the RECORD button on the
Auto Locator .. The machine will continue recording for the
duration of this " pass , " but will return to Play mode after
it rewinds to the beginning of the shuttle segment .
NOTE :
A. Unlike Search or Search Zero modes , you cannot " preset "
the machine to begin recording by pressing RECORD while
the tape is rewinding in Shuttle mode .
B. Shuttle/Record mode only works when the Auto Locator ' s

RECORD button is pressed . Pressing the RECORD button on
the Remote Box or MTR- 90 ends the search and immediately
causes the machine to enter normal Record mode .
5. To end ("abort" ) a Shuttle, press STOP , REWIND , or FAST

FORWARD on the Auto Locator (24) , or their counterparts on
the Remote Box or MTR- 90 Transport, or the PLAY buttons on
the Remote Box or the MTR- 90 Transport.
7- 8
7 . 16 AUTO REWIND
AUTO REWIND [23] is similar to Shuttle , except the tape will

play to the Locate Time , rewind , and stop at the point you firs t
pressed AUTO REWIND rather than continue the play/rewind cycle .
7 . 17 TRANSPORT CONTROLS
The Auto Locator ' s RECORD , PLAY , STOP , REWIND and FAST FOR-
WARD buttons [24] essentially duplicate t he functions of their
counterparts on the MTR- 90 Transport and the Remote Box . The only
difference is that when using Search , Search Zero , Shuttle , and
Auto Rewind modes , you can press the Auto Locator PLAY and/or
RECORD buttons without affecting the selected Auto Locator mode ;
pressing the RECORD or PLAY buttons on t he MTR- 90 or Remote Box
will override the Auto Locator function .
7 . 18 EXAMPLES OF AUTO LOCATOR OPERAT I ON
These examples are intended to help familiarize yo~ with Auto

Locator functions; they are by no means comprehensive . As you use
the Auto Locator for actual recording and mixdown functions , you
will undoubtedly devise useful techniques to accomplish your
unique goals. Initially , it is assumed that the power is on , a
reel of tape is threaded , and the transport is in St o p mode .
1. MANUALLY ZERO THE TRANSPORT AND AUTO LOCATOR AT THE END

OF THE LEADER TAPE .
When the . power is first turned on , the displays of both units

are zeroed. However , this is generally not the zero point
you want to use because on a Zero Search function , the tape
may unthread itself , and because there is no absolute refer -
ence point for logging cues . Therefore , do the following .
A. Play or fast wind the tape ahead to the end of the leader ,
or approximately 10 to 20 seconds if there is none or if
' the leader is short .
B. Pull the RESET lever adjacent to the Tape Time readout on

the MTR- 90 head cover. That readout will now display
00 . 00 . 0 (00 minutes , 00 seconds , 0 tenths).
C. Press the LOAD button [11] on the Auto Locator so its

Tape Time readout also displays 0 . 00.00 (tenths of sec-
onds are not shown on the Auto Locator) .
2. ENTER A LOCATE TIME AND SEARCH AHEAD TO IT.
A. With the tape sto pped at zero Tape Time , use the keyboard
[9] to enter a Locate Time of 1 minute, 35 seconds (press
7- 9
1 then 3 then 5) .
B. Press the SEARCH button (20] . It and the FAST FORWARD

button will light up brightl y , and the tape will wind
ahead fast , begin slowing at about 1 minute on the Tape
Time readout , and stop when the Tape Time displays
0 . 01. 35 . The STOP button will then light up and the
others will return to their dim state .
3. STORE A CUE FOR FUTURE RECALL .
A. To memorize the locate time of 01 . 35 , now displayed on

the Locate Time readout , press the STO button (13] and
the "O" key on the keyboard, or you can use STORE button
(16] for memory " O".
B. The cue is now stored in memory address " O".
C. If you want to check that the cue is stored , first clear

the Locate Time by pressing its RESET button [4]; the
readout should change to 0 . 00.00.
D. Now press RCL (14] and number " O"; the Locate Time Read -
out should again display 0 . 01 . 35 .
4. SEARCH AHEAD AND ENTER PLAY MODE WHEN THE CUE IS REACHED
A. Clear the Locate Time by pressing the RESET button [4] .
B. Use the keyboard [9] to enter a locate time of 6 minutes ,

13 seconds (press 6 then 1 then 3) .
NOTE : Wh·e n you press the " l" key , the 6 temporarily
disappears , then reappears when you press the " 3 " key .
This is because the readout will not display a 6 in the
tens of seconds column (it will display the number you
pressed minus 6 , or zero in this case) .
C. Press the SEARCH button , and tape will begin fast winding .
D. While the tape is winding , press the PLAY button on the

Auto Locator . It will begin flashing .
E. When the Tape Time reaches 0 . 06 . 13 ,

(1) The STOP button brightens for an instant ,
( 2) The PLAY button stops flashing and stays brighter ,
(3) The transport enters Play mode ,
( 4) The SEARCH button returns to its dim state.
F. If you want to save the 0 . 06 . 13 cue point (do so for now) ,
press the STO button and number " l" on the keyboard . [9] .
Or use the STORE button (16] for memory "l ".
7 -10
5. SEARCH BACK TO THE FIRST CUE AND THEN BEGIN RECORDING
A. Press the RCL button followed by number 11 0 11 to recall the

first cue saved; the locate time should now read 0 . 01 . 35.
B. Press SEARCH and the tape will begin rewinding to the

cue; the SEARCH and REWIND buttons will be brightly
illuminated .
C. While the tape is winding , press the PLAY button and the
RECORD button on the auto locator . The will begin
flashing .
D. When the Tape Time reaches 0.01 . 35 ,

(1) The STOP button will brighten for an instant , and
the tape momentarily stops ,
( 2) The PLAY and RECORD buttons will stop flashing and
stay brighter ,
( 3) The transport will enter Record mode ,
( 4) The SEARCH button will return to its dim state .
NOTE: You can also use the SEARCH button [17) for memory
11
0 11 above and then proceed with step C . .
6. SEARCH TO ZERO
A. With the tape still recording, or stopped somewhere past

the previous 0 . 01 . 35 cue , press the ZERO SEARCH button;
the tape will begin rewinding and the ZERO SEARCH and
REWIND buttons will be brightl y illuminated .
B. When. the Tape Time reaches 0 .0 0.00 , the transport will

stop , the STOP button will light up and the others will
dim .
7• AUTO REWIND
A. Recall the 1 minute 35 second cue by pressing RCL and
number 11 0 11 •
B. Press the PLAY button.
C. When the Tape Time reaches about 20 seconds , press the

AUTO REWIND button [19) , which will brighten .
D. The tape will continue playing until it reaches the 01 . 35

cue; it will then rewind to the same Tape Time as when ·
you pressed AUTO REWIND (i.e. , about 20 seconds) and stop .
The STOP button will light up , and the others will dim.
E. By pushing the AUTO REWIND button with a Locate Time less

than the Tape Time the machine wil l do the inverse func -
tion of the above .
7 - 11
8. SHUTTLE
A. Clear the Locate Time by pressing RESET , and enter a new

t i me of about 2 0 s econds ahead of the current Tape Time
(i . e. , if you are at 20 seconds , enter 40 seconds) .
B. Press the SHUTTLE button (18) ; the tape will begin to

play and the SHUTTLE and PLAY buttons will brighten .
c. When the Locate Time is reached , the PLAY button will dim,
REWIND will brighten , and the tape will rewind to the
same Tape Time as when you pressed SHUTTLE .
D. Th e PLAY button wi ll then brighten (SHUTTLE is still

bright) , and the tape will play ahead to the Locate Time .
This cycle will continue indefinitely until you press
STOP , REWIND , or FAST FORWARD .
E. By pushing the SHUTTLE button with a Locate Time less
than the Tape Time the machine will do the inverse func-
tion of the above .
9• II ILLEGAL II COMMANDS
Enter a Locate Time that is a few minutes ahead of the cur-

rently displayed Tape Time . Press SEARCH . While the tape
is winding ahead , try to enter a new Locate Time, or try to
use RCL to recall a previously stored time . Press RESET on
the Tape Time or Locate Time . Notice that these funct ions
are temporarily disabled (do not have any effect) until the
search is completed and the machine returns to Stop mode.
7 - 12
SECTION VIII. 16/24 TRACK CONVERSIONS
8.1 GENERAL
The OTARI MTR-90 may be ordered in any of four configurations ,

16 track only , 16 track wired to accommodate 24 tracks (16 track
convertible) , 24 track or l" 8 track; this section of the manual
deals only with changing between the 16 and 24 track formats .
To change a 16 track convertable model to a 24 track machine ,

you perform only 4 steps : (1) remove the heads and head cables as
an entire assembly , (2) install the 24 track head assembly , (3)
plug in 8 additional circuit cards , and (4) align the azimuth and
record/reproduce/bias circuits . Changing a 24 track model to a 16
track machine is even simpler - you don ' t have to remove the extra
8 circuit cards .
NOTE: If an external controller or synchronizer is to be

used, the jumper cable for the SMPTE CUE switch on the rear
of the upper card cage ' s mother board will need to be removed
(for 16 to 24 conversion) or installed (for 24 to 16 conver-
sion) . Refer to Section 6 . 10 . If not , that switch should be
in the off position , and will therefore have no effect .
(This is not critical since not all controllers require this
feature . )
8.2 16 TO 24 TRACK, OR 24 TO 16 TRACK CONVERSION PROCEDURE
(Refer to Figures 5 - 2 and 8-1 . )
1. Turn off the MTR- 90 power switch .
top cover, lift and set it aside .
3. Unplug the speed select/tape timer readout/res~t switch flat

connector under the readout P . C . B . card . (It may be neces -
sary to remove the head base cover (Step 4) before completing
this step . )
Figure 8 -1. Remove these 4 screws to exchange

head assemblies.
8-1
assembly base cover, lift the cover up and forward so the
cutout clears the head cables, and set it aside .
5. Unplug the four head cables (1 erase, 2 record/sync , 1 repro) .
6. Unscrew the four round head phillips screws that secure the
head assembly base plate to the transport deck plate; two are
located directly behind and to each side the record/sync
head, and one next to each roller toward the front of the
base plate .
l" to 2 " TRACK CONVERSION :

The MTR-90 l" 8 track model can be converted into a 2" 16
track or 24 track machine. The conversion can easily be
achieved by exchanging various parts on the transport for
those for 2" operation and by adding 8 (or 16) audio circuit
cards, followed by necessary adjustments.
All the necessary parts are included in the conversion parts
kit. For further details on the price of the parts kit and
the changing procedures, you can contact OTARI or local OTARI
dealers.
•
ZA- 31G (8 to 24 track conversion kit)
ZA-31H (8 to 16 track conversion kit)
CAUTION: Do not disturb any of the allen screws that secure

the heads to the head assembly base plate .
7. Remove the head assembly, and set i t aside.
8. Install the new head assembly by following the preceding

steps 2 through 8 in reverse order.
9. If converting from 16 to 24 tracks for the first time, in-

stall 8 additional circuit cards in slots 17 through 24 of
the upper card cage.
10. Turn the power on , thread an alignment tape on the transport,

and proceed to align the head azimuth, and the various record
and repro levels, EQ and bias adjustments, as detailed in
Sections 4 and 5 of this manual.
NOTE : Once both head assemblies ' azimuths have been aligned
for a particular MTR- 90 transport, further conversions be-
tween 16 and 24 track configurations do not necessarily
require further azimuth adjustment.
8-2

SECTION IX . CIRCUIT DESCRIPTIONS
NOTES : 1 . Pertinent schematic diagrams in the drawing

package accompanying this manual are referred to
after each subtitle (alternate drawing numbers
are also given) .
2 . Each circuit board has its own individual power
supply regulation to provide the necessary
voltages.
9.1 PLAYBACK HEAD AND PREAMP

[Drawing Ref . PB- 15KOA (PB - 9A455)]
The playback (repro) head has a high impedance output (2 k -

ohms @ 1 kHz). Its output is fed via a low capacitance coax cable
into each channel ' s electronics module . The signal is AC coupled
to a set of matched transistors QlOl. These provide the initial
gain stage. The output of this stage is fed to an operational
amplifier which provides a low impedance output to drive the EQ
and other stages (IC101).
9.2 SPEED SELECTION AND HIGH FREQUENCY PLAYBACK EQUALIZATION

[Drawing Ref . PB- 15KOA (PB- 9A455)]
Equalization for 15 ips is switched ON when FET Ql04 is gated

ON by the logic circuitry. Similarly , 30 ips EQ is switched ON
when FET Ql05 is gated ON by the logic. Additionally , one has a
choice between two different equalization curves at each speed .
Two miniature switches on the Bias Control master circuit board
allows the pre-selection of either a 35 µ S time constant (IEC
curve) or 50 µ S (NAB curve) at 15 ips . The shorter time constant
is toggled between 17 . 5 and 35 µ S by FET Ql02 , and the longer is
toggled between 30 µ S and 50 µ S by FET Ql03.
9. 3 LOW FREQUENCY PLAYBACK EQUALIZATION

[Drawing Ref . PB-15KOA (PB-9A455)]
A standard low-frequency compensation is normally fixed at

both 15 and 30 ips . Optionally , one may individually adjust the
low frequency response of each channel (using trimmers on each
channel ' s electronics) by moving the " LF COMP " switch on the Bias
Control master board front panel from OFF to ON position. (OFF
position selects the fixed compensation . ) When the LF COMP switch
is ON , FET Ql07 is turned OFF , enabling trimmer VR104 to adjust ·
the amount of the channel ' s low frequency equalization (the knee
of the curve remains at 50 Hz) .
9-1

9.4 SYNC PLAYBACK
[Drawing Ref . PB - 15KOA (PB-9A455)]
Sync playback utilizes a circuit that is separate from , but

almost identical to , normal playback electronics . The circuitry
operates in nearly the same manner, with logic controlled selec-
tion of high frequency equalization , and the choice of fixed or
variable low frequency EQ .
Transformer TlOl steps up the head's output signal and feeds

the signal to a set of matched transistors Ql09 for preamplifica-
tion . Second stage is provided by half of IC102 , and a low
impedance output is given by the other half of IC102 .
15 ips EQ is switched ON by Qll2 , and 30 ips EQ is switched

ON by Qll3 . The 15 ips time constant is selected by Qlll , Qll4
and 30 ips time constant is selected by QllO , Qll4 , Qll5 plus
VR108 provides the adjustable low frequency EQ .
9.5 OUTPUT STAGE

Three FETs select the signal source to the output amplifier :

the repro head (Ql20) , sync repro (Ql22), or the input to the
record electronics (Qll8) . The logic- selected signal is fed to
the first stage of a dual Op Amp (Operational Amplifier) (IC103A)
and then to a bias trap , the second half of the Op Amp (IC102B)
and another bias trap . The output of the second bias trap is fed
to an Op Amp (IC104) . Here the signal is divided into two , the
one being sent to IC104A and the other to IC105B, i . e ., ACTIVE
BALANCE OUTPUT circuit . SWlOl is a switch selecting between BAL
and UNBAL . Output to the VU meter is fed to the VU meter assembly
through Ql24 behind the second bias trap .
9.6 INPUT CIRCUITRY

A test signal input is provided on the Bias Control board .

When a 1/4 " (6 . 3 mm) phone plug is inserted in this jack , the
signal is bussed to the TEST SIG . input of every channel , and a
DC voltage is applied to the TEST/LINE input . FET Q202 then
passes the test signal; FET Q201 is simultaneously turned OFF ,
blocking the normal input signal . When a test signal is not
plugged into the Bias Control board , the normal signal path is as
follows .
The channel input circuit adopts an ACTIVE BALANCE INPUT

circui t in which a transformer is not used . The signal applied to
each channel receives unbalanced conversion at IC201 and is fed to
9-2

IC201B where the first stage of amplification is carried out by
FET Q201. One of the outputs goes through RV202 (the Monitor
Level Calibration) to a Line Output Amp , while the other proceeds
through RV201 to the output stage of the recording amplifier .
IC203A and IC204A form the High speed EQ recording amplifier ,
where as IC203B and IC204B from the Low speed EQ recording ampli-
fier. Adjustment of each EQ is provided at VR203 and VR205.
IC205A and IC205B form the PHASE COMP. circuit at their own
respective speeds .
NOTE : EQ circuit constant for the recording system is

switchable . Conversion of the constant for the change from
NAB to IEC specification or vice versa is accomplished by
switching a miniature switch mounted on the Bias Control
P . C . B . card . The signal supplied from EQ stage is fed to
the last stage of recording through Q205 or Q204 (Speed
Select Gate) . IC301 is MIX circuit for the mixed bias and
audio signal . The bias current is supplied to this MIX cir -
cuit after receiving adjustment of its waveshape at IC301 .
15 ips high frequency pre - emphasis is provided by IC205A ,

and adjusted by a 10 - turn 10 kohm potentiometer VR204. IC205B
serves as a differential mixer for 15 ips EQ . A 3 0 ips high
frequency pre - emphasis is provided by IC204A , and adjusted by a
10 - turn 10 kohm potentiometer VR203 . IC204B serves as a differ -
ential mixer for 30 ips EQ . 15 ips EQ is selected when the logic
turns ON FET Q204 , and 30 ips is selected when the logic turns off
Q204 and turns ON Q203 .
The pre- emphasized audio from Q203 or Q204 feeds the audio/
bias mixing circuitry .
9.7 AUDIO/BIAS MIXING CIRCUITRY

[Drawing Ref . PB -15KOA (PB - 9A455)]
A master bias signal is generated in the Bias Control board

and distributed to each channel ' s electronics , where it is ampli -
fied and mixed with the pre-conditioned audio input . A 10 -turn 10
kohm potentiometer (VR301) serves as the channel ' s Bias Level
adjustment . The bias current is applied to IC302 , the amplifica -
tion stage , through R301 and C302 . L301 and C301 are wave
shapers. IC302 is provided with controls for the record mode and
lamp voltage in Control circuit by IC516 and Q206. All the con -
trols for the record mode are carried out by clock pulse to
provide gap-free punch- in at both high and low speeds. At 30 ips ,
it takes about 30 ms for the bias to turn ON . The clock pulse
provides an additional delay of approximately 45 ms to compensate
for the distance between the erase and records heads . The TPI is
a check terminal for record and bias currents . This carefully
synchronized turn-on not only provides gap - free punch in , it
permits the machine to enter record mode without "pops" or other
9- 3
noises . Once in record mode , the bias and erase current ramp down
in the inverse sequence .
The bias signal enters a high speed Op Amp (IC302) which

mixes the audio and bias signals. Q302 and Q303 form class AB
output amplifier that mixes the audio and bias (the head driver
amp) . The mixed bias and audio signal is applied to the record
head through C308 , parasitic trap L303/R317 and relay RL510 . Each
track on the Record Head has two identical windings . RL510
switches the windings into series for Sync Repro mode, and into
parallel for Record mode to provide a low impedance load for in -
creased bias current cap- capability .
9.8 ERASE HEAD DRIVER

[Drawing Ref . PB-15KOA (PB-9A455)]
The erase current is also generated in the Bias PCB Assembly

and distributed to each Amp PCB Assembly . RV401 mounted atop PCB
Assembly, is a gain adjustment for the erase current . The erase
current is then fed to IC401 . IC515(A & B) provides ON- OFF opera-
tion of IC401 . The clock pulse provides all the rise and fall
times of the erase current . L402 and C404 are wave shapers .
The erase current is amplified at IC402 and CLASS AB AMP

(Q402 and Q403) and supplied to the erase head through RL-502 .
TP2 is a check terminal for the measurement of the erase current .
9.9 REEL CONTROL BOARD

[Drawing Ref . PB - 43J (PB - 9A268)]
As a system , the Reel Control board , swing arm potentiometers ,

motor drive amp output , and reel motors , all maintain constant
tape tension . In addition , the Reel Control board senses whether
the swing arms are in the correct position to allow arming of the
reel servos , or in a position that would require disarming of the
servos . (Refer to the upper left hand corner of the schematic) .
One half of IC8 and half of IC7 serve as comparators that receive
DC voltages from the center wipers of the supply and takeup swing
arm pots . IC8 ' s reference voltage input comes from VRl (the take -
up arm POS trimmer) , and IC7 ' s reference voltage comes from VR3
(the supply arm POS trimmer) . Later models have test points TP2
and TPS for checking the supply and takeup position voltages ,
respectively .
The other halves of IC8 and IC7 are variable - gain inverting
amplifiers, whose gain is set by trimmers VR2 and VR4 which thus
set the gain for the entire servo system . IC8 ' s output proceeds
to the base of Q3 through a DC discrete component Op Amp, and dif -
ferentially drives the takeup motor drive amp output stage after
leaving the Reel Control board via 'card edge connector points AB.
9-4
R89 provides a negative feedback path from the take -up reel motor
ground return. The supply motor drive system is fed similarly
from IC7 , and output from AB18 . Rl07 provides the negative feed -
back paths from the supply reel motor ground return .
The DC output from each swing arm pot center-wiper , in addi -

tion to providing constant tension information, feeds a pair of
comparators which are adjusted to indicate when the swing arm is
at either extreme of its travel . Speci fically, the takeup swing
arm output goes through inverting buffer IC6B to comparators IC6A
and ICSA . VRS provides the reference voltage to IC6A , and is
trimmed so that D 27 lights up when the swing arm is fully up
(toward the rear of the deck) ; VR6 adjusts the reference voltage
to ICSA so that D 2 8 lights with the arm fully down . The supply
swing arm circuit operates similarly , with VR7 adjusting the
reference voltage to IC4A for the upper limit (030) , and VR8
adjusting the reference to IC3A for the lower limit (D20) . The
same voltage which lights the LEDs is fed through a hex inverter
IC2 to the AND gates in ICl . When both upper- limit LEDs are on ,
then the upper AND gate ' s output goes negative, allowing the
servos to be energized if the STOP button is pressed . Conversely ,
if both lower - limit LEDs are on , then the lower AND gate ' s output
will go negative and shuts off the servo system for safety .
9-5
SECTION X. MAINTENANCE
10 . 1 GENERAL
The OTAR! MTR-90 requires very little maintenance , other than

routine electronic a l ignment to different tape batches, cleaning ,
and demagnetization . In addition to these day- to-day maintenance
procedures , there are a few items t h at will benefit from occa-
sional cleaning and/or lubrication . Such items, plus a few parts
replacement procedures , are covered in this section of the manual .
The maintenance items which are primarily covered elsewhere in
this manual are listed below:
1. AUDIO ALIGNMENT
A. Repro alignment (Section 4.4)

B. Sync amp alignment (Section 4.5)
C. Bias alignment (Section 4.6)
D. Record alignment (Section 4.7)
E. Phase compensation (Section 4.8)
2. TRANSPORT MECHANICAL & ELECTRO- MECHANICAL
A. Head geometry (Section 5 . 2)

B. Transport cover plate removal and replacement (Section5 . 3)
C. Swing arm travel (Section 5 . 4)
D. Tape arming solenoids (Section 5 . 5)
E. Fast forward/rewind damping solenoids (Section 5 . 6)
F. Swing arm tension (Section 5 . 7)
G. Tape lifter mechanism (Section 5.8)
H. Brakes (Section 5.9)
I. Reel turntable height (Section 5.10)
J. Reel tension servo (Section 5 . 11)
K. Capstan servo (Section 5 . 12)
L. Adjustment of transport PCB assembly (Section 5 . 13)
M. Adjustment of master CPU PCB assembly (Section 5.14)
N. Adjustment of I/O PCB assembly (Section 5 . 15)
O. Adjustment of bias control PCB assembly (Section 5 . 16)
P. 16/24 track conversions (Section 8)
10 . 2 REMOVING AND REINSERTING PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS
The printed circuit boards , alternately referred to in this

manual as circuit cards , in the MTR- 90 ' s upper and lower card
cages are equipped with convenient levers that uniformly distrib -
ute pressure when withdrawing the cards . Be sure to use the
levers rather than pulling on the front lip of the PC board ' s
shield plate; grasp the end closest to the middle of the card on
both of its levers, and pull forward .
CAUTION : Before replacing board into machine, TURN OFF the
power FIRST.
10 -1
When replacing a circuit board, observe that the PC board
itself protrudes beyond the metal shield plate . It is the board,
not the metal plate, that must be aligned with the upper and lower
guides in the card cage . Slide the board in carefully, and then
press firmly on both levers to seat the board fully home into its
mating connector.
It makes no difference whether any of the circuit boards in

the upper card cage (1-24) are exchanged with one another; they
are numbered for convenience so that once aligned to a given head
assembly , several boards can be removed and reinstalled without
necessarily having to realign the machine .
10 . 3 REEL MOTOR REPLACEMENT
1. Turn the power off and unplug the AC power cable .
2. Remove the guard ring around the reel turntable of the motor
to be replaced , and then loosen the two recessed allen screws
in the turntable hub and lift it off the motor shaft.
3. Remove the four phillips screws that secure the upper back
panel of the chassis , and fold i t down carefully .
4. Unplug the . 4-pin UNIVERSAL MATE - N- LOKN connector on the brake

bracket that is attached to the reel motor.
5. Loosen the four cap head allen screws around the motor shaft
on the top of the de.ck plate .
CAUTION: Be sure to support the motor from beneath so i t

does not fal l into the chassis.
6. Remove the four motor mount screws completely , and withdraw

the motor .
7. Reinstall the re~lacement motor by following above steps 2

through 6 in reverse order .
CAUTION: Before reinstalling the reel turntable(s), refe r to

Section 5 . 10. Improper installation can result in costly
damage to the turntable and/or reel motor shaft.
'
8. Set the reel turntable height as described in Section 5 .1 0.
9. Check and adjust the reel tension servo , if necessary, as

described in Section 5 . 11 .
10. Check and adjust the brake tension , if necessary, as de -

scribed in Section 5.9.
10-2
10 • 4 BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT
Brake pads receive very little wear and seldom require re -
p lacement . If a pad does wear out , perform the following pro
procedure .
1. Brake pad can be easily replaced . Easy replacement can be
carried out by lowering the upper back panel and the panels
on both sides , or by flipping up the transport after pulling
down the VU meter panel toward you.
2. A brake pad can be taken out by removing the four screws that
secure the brake band (two for each side) as per the Figure
5 - 6,b) .
3. After installing a new brake pad , make sure that the brake
pad is uniformly distant from the brake drum by moving the
plunger of the brake s o l enoid by hand. Make adjustments by
loosening screws marked ''H'' in the figur e .
4. Check and adjust the brake tension as described in Section
5. 9.
10 • 5 METER OR METER LAMP REPLACEMENT

The VU meter lamps are operated at less than their rated
voltage , and should therefore have a very long life. If a lamp
does burn out , a replacement lamp may be obtained from OTARI .
1. Remove the four phillips head screws , dress washers , and flat
washers that hold the meter cover panel to the front of the
chassis .
2. Remove the three allen screws that secure the top of the
meter panel , and swing the panel open (down) .
3. Locate the meter whose lamp you wish to r eplace ; notice that
four screw posts from the meter protrude through the metal
chassis panel , but only two of these posts are secured with
nuts . Insert a suitable nut driver through the holes pro-
vided in the meter circuit board , and loosen the nuts and
lock-washers , but do not remove completely unless you are
replacin g the meter .
4. Unscrew the 4 round head phillips screws that secure the
meter to the meter circuit board , removing the screws and
lock-washers .
5. Pull the meter part ially out of the front of the meter panel ,
and remove the meter bezel (for lamp replacement) , or pull
the meter completely out of the panel (for meter replacement) .
10 - 3
6. (For lamp replacement only) Unsolder the old meter lamp(s)
and solder in the new one .
7. Reinstall the meter bezel (or a new meter) by followi ng above

steps 1 through 5 in reverse order (first see the note below).
NOTE : If the meter pointer does not rest exactly on the

last line of its scale , do not yet replace the meter cover
panel . First adjust the meter zero screw (centered bel ow
the scale on the front of the meter) so the pointer rests at
the line just below - 20 VU . This of course is a good time
to be sure if any other meters require this same static
adjustment.
10.6 CAPSTAN AND TACHO ROLLER REPLACEMENT
Field replacement of the rollers is not recommended . We

strongly urge you to contact OTARI before attempting to service
the rollers (other than cleaning them with pure isopropyl alcohol).
10 . 7 HEAD SHIELD POSITION ADJUSTMENT
Refer to Figure 10 . 1 . The upper and lower sensor assembly

positions can be adjusted slightly after loosening the respective
phillips head screws .
--'--SHIELD PLATE
SLOTTED HOLES
PLATE SHOWN
IN MID POSITION
SH UTTER
~.._~-+--LEAD SCREW
1....i-.--GUIDE RAIL(shafts)
.
SLOTTED H OLES
GU I DE RAIL
...+--DRIVE MOTOR
Figure 10 - 1. Head shield position adjustment .
10 - 4
The lower sensor should be adjusted so that the top of the shield
p l ate lowers to approximately 1 mm above the head assembly base
cover . The upper sensor should be adjusted so the shield plate
raises to approximately 3 mm from the bottom lip of the head
assembly cover plate .
10 . 8 CLEANING AND LUBRICATION
Refer to Section 4 . 3 for cleaning the tape path . There are

only a few other areas that should be checked periodically for
dirt. The MTR- 90 motor and guide roller bearings are permanently
lubricated so they do not requi re oiling.
HEAD SHIELD SCREW (WORM)
Perform this procedure once every 6 months , or if the shields

become noisy or move erratically.
1. Remove the 3 allen head screws that secure the top of the
meter panel , arid swing the panel open·.
2. Using a lint - free cloth , wipe off the screw (worm) shaft in
the center of the head shield mechanism, and the two smaller
guide shafts on either side of that screw (Figure 10- 1) . To
again access to all areas of these parts , turn the power on,
place the transport in Stop mode , and operate the SHIELD
button .
3. Wipe a light coating of utility oil onto the two shafts and
the screw (worm) .
10 - 5
SECTION XI. SPECIFICATIONS
1 1.1 TAPE TRANSPORT
TAPE WIDTH AND TRACKS : 1 - inch (25 .4 mm) 8-tracks

2 - inch (50 . 8 mm) 16-tracks
2-inch 24 - tracks
REELS SIZE : Up to 14 inches diameter (35 . 6 cm)

NAB hub with reel size auto sensing .
HEADS : Plug-in head blocks with full access to

independent head azimuth adjustment .
DRIVE SYSTEM : Pinch-rollerless direct drive capstan

system with :20 % speed control .
Constant tension servo- control led reel
motors .
MOTORS : 1 DC capstan motor;

2 fully servoed DC reel motors .
TAPE SPEED DEVIATION : Less than ±0.0 5% from beginning to end

of reel .
START TIME : Less than 1 . 0 second .
FAST FORWARD/REWIND TIME : 120 seconds maximum for 2400 feet

( 76 0 m)
WOW AND FLUTTER : Less than 0.04 % at 30 ips;
(Peak wtd . per DIN 45507) Less than 0 . 05% at 15 ips
PITCH CONTROL : ±20 % continuously variable control ,

percentage or ips readout with 0 . 1%
precision .
CUE CONTROL : Rotating Cue knob for variable speed

tape winding (bidirectional) propor-
tional to cue knob rotating; button
also defeats tape lifters in fast
wind and rewind modes .
TAPE TIME COUNTER : Five digit LED readout from tachometer/

logic measurement circuit ; indicates
hours , minutes , seconds , and tenths of
seconds .
TAPE SPEEDS : 30 ips (76 .2 cm/s) , and 15 ips (38.l

cm/s)
11-1
11 .2 ELECTRONICS (Measured with 3M #226 tape)
LINE INPUT : +4 dBm nominal level , 10 kohm active

balance .
LINE OUTPUT : +4 dBm nominal level , 5 ohm active

balance , BALANCE- UNBALANCE switch.
Minimum load impedance : 150 ohm
AMPLIFIER CLIPPING : +28 dBm
HEADROOM : 24 dB
EQUALIZATION : @ 30 ips , AES or IEC (CCIR) , switchable .

@ 15 ips , NAB or !EC (CCIR) .
Record EQ to be specified at time of
order .
BIAS FREQUENCY : Record , 257 kHz; Erase , 86 kHz
PUNCH - IN/PUNCH- OUT : Gapless and noiseless inserts with

automatic monitor switching .
STANDARD RECORD LEVEL : 320 nanoWebers per meter (nWb/m) .
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: Record/Reproduce

(Overall Record/Repro , @ 30 ips , 50 Hz 'V 25 kHz + 2 dB , -2 dB
measured @ 250 nWb/m) @ 15 i p s , 3 0 Hz 'V 2 0 kHz + 2 dB , - 2 dB
Synchronous Reproduce (Se l - Rep)
@ 30 ips, 50 Hz 'V l8kHz ± 2 dB
@ 15 ips , 30 Hz 'V 18 kHz ± 2 dB
DISTORTION : Less than 0 . 5% THD at 1 kHz , 320 nWb/m
CROSSTALK : 24 track @ 2 kHz , greater than 55 dB

16 track @ 2 kHz , greater than 58 dB
8 track @ 2 kHz , greater than 58 dB
16 and 24 track, 200 Hz 'V 16 kHz,
greater than 43 dB
ERASE EFFECT : Greater than 75 dB
SIGNAL- TO - NOISE RATIO :

Unweighted @ 520 nWb/m
•
24 Track @ 30 lpS Greater than 68 dB
•
•
16 Track @ 30 ips Greater than 70 dB
•
•
•
(Measured through 30 Hz 'V 18 kHz audio filter)
11 - 2

11 . 3 PHYSICAL
WEIGHT : 440 pounds (200 kg)
DIMENSIONS: 43 inches high (1 ,1 00 mm) ,

30 inches wide (770 mm) ,
24 - 1/2 inches deep (620 mm)
FINISH : Light beige and gray pebble finished

steel chass i s , black cover pane l s .
POWER REQUIREMENTS : 100/117/220/240 volts single phase

AC , 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 720 VA operating ,
2 , 000 VA starting .
11.4 ACCESSORIES
STANDARD : • Model CB - 113 Remote Box features

separate record , ready , and monitor
functions , vari-speed control, master
switching , cue , full transport controls ,
and LED status indicators .
• Accessory box
• Operation and maintenance manual (OS3 -
039)
OPTIOi~AL: · Model CB- 115 Auto Locator features ten

assignable memories, using stroken and/
or keyboard access ; varispeed control ,
electronic stopwatch , dual LED displays
for tape and locate timing , shuttle ,
and search to cue capabilities .
• 16/24 track conversion kit (ZA- 53G)
• Acryl resin dust cover (ZA - 52M)
• Round - roll stand (ZA- 52L)
11
• 1 8 track to 2 11
16 or 24 track con-
version kits . ZA- 31G (to 24CH)
ZA- 31H (to 16CH)
•Input Transformer Ass ' y (ZA - 53C)
· Output Transformer Ass ' y(ZA - 53D)
· l " 8CH conversion kit (to 2 11
16CH) (ZA..:. 31H)
11
· 1 8CH conversion kit (to 2 11
2 4CH) ( ZA - 31G)
·Emergency P . C . B . kit ZA - 53J
· Extender P . C.B. Ass'y PB - 78A
In the interest of product improvement , OTARI reserves the
right to change specifications without notice or obligation .
1 1- 3

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PAGE SECTION TOPIC

III BASIC OPERATION AND FUNCTIONAL CHECKOUT

OTARI MTR- 90 MANUAL

PAGE SECTION TOPIC

6 -4 6.4 Sel - Rep Recording (Overdubbing)

VII AUTO LOCATOR

VIII 16/24 TRACK CONVERSIONS

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OTAR! MTR-90 MANUAL

PAGE SECTION TOPIC

XII PARTS LISTS AND DRAWINGS

XIII PARTS LISTS AND P.C . B . ASSEMBLIES

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1 . 1 OTARI MTR-90 MASTER TAPE MACHINE

The Otari MTR- 90 records and reproduces 8- track , 16 - track , or

The MTR-90 is loaded with features , such as selection for

Included as standard equipment is the Model CB - 113 Remote

The optional CB - 115 Memory Locator attaches to the same stand

The electronics are highly refined . A single- card approach

CAUTION: The DC reel motors develop substantial torque .

1.2 USING THIS MANUAL

The various sections of the manual are divided by major

Normal parentheses ( ) are used for examples, and paren-

Generally , we have used all upper case type to describe a

The functional checkouts in Section III should be carefully

We encourage you to read this manual carefully now, and to

Figure 1 -1. MTR-90 Master Tape Recorder .

Figure 1 - 2 . Tape Transport Controls.

Figure 1 - 3. Cue Button and Cue Control Knob.

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Figure 1-4. VU Meter Panel (24-track or 16/24 track version).

Figure 1 - 5 . MTR- 90 Upper and Lower Circuit Card Cages.

Figure 1-6. Removal of PCB from Upper Card Cage

Figure 1-7. MTR- 90 Power Switch, Circuit Breakers,

CAUTION: NEVER ATTEMPT TO OPERATE THE MTR- 90 IF

Figure 1 - 8 . Audio Input and Output , Remote Control , Auto Locator

Figure 1 - 9. Auto Locator (CB-115 , Optional) - top , and

NOTE: Roll-around stand shown.

NOTE : The MTR- 90 weighs approximately 400 pounds (200 kg) .

Before you make any electrical connections , the equipment

2. Check the plug- in printed circuit cards in the card cages:

A. Grasp the top of each door in t he front of the MTR-90 ,

B. The upper card cage should contain the proper quantity

#1 Reel Control #5 I/O Control

Figure 2- 1 . DIP logic selector switch on transport

The #1 , #2 and #3 switches should be on . These switches

Switch No . Transport Function

SW- 1 - 2 cancels the function

CAPSTAN moved by hand with the cap-

ON/OFF switch for muting is

Switches for selecting the functions of the Head shield

SW- 1 and SW- 2 have been set to 0 and 1 , respective l y ,

Figure 2- 2. DIP Repro EQ selector switches on

TAPE SPEED EQ CURVE TIME CONSTANT SWITCH POSITION

Cue Level Attenuation Selection: SW4 on Card #7

F. All cards should be firmly seated in their mating con-

G. Close the doors to the card cages.

c. Check the various connectors to be sure they are firmly

l. · The connector on the bracket for each takeup reel

2 . The 3 connectors located on the head shield retraction

3. The connector on the sensor beneath each swing arm