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Updated: 2012-01-24 - 14:57 230 West Parkway, Unit 9, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 USA Tel: 973-835-5000 Fax: 973-835-6633 Email: info@zaxcom.com Website: www.zaxcom.com NOTE: All specifications in this manual are subject to change without notice. interstage Written by: Glenn Sanders and Jack Norflus Edited by: Ray M.
How to Boot from the Emergency Boot Card: .............................. 71 Advantages to Upgrading the Firmware ................................71 Upgrading the Firmware in Each Unit ................................. 71 ....................................72 IRMWARE ISTORY CHAPTER 9 – ZAXCOM WARRANTY POLICY AND LIMITATIONS ............74 Table of Figures 1-1 F .................................13 IGURE RONT...
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_______________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual 2-11 Z ................................29 IGURE HANNEL PAGE 2-12 B .................................29 IGURE OUTING PAGE 2-13 O ..............................30 IGURE UTPUT SSIGN PAGES 2-14 M ..................................31 IGURE UT PAGE 2-15 T ..................................31 IGURE UT PAGE 2-16 H ................................31 IGURE EADPHONE...
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_______________________________________________________ Table of Tables 7-1 XLR-3 P ................................69 ABLE ESCRIPTION 7-2 H -4 P ...............................69 ABLE IROSE ESCRIPTION 7-3 TA-5F & TA-5M P ............................69 ABLE ESCRIPTION 7-4 M & T ..........................69 ABLE UTPUT ESCRIPTION 7-5 S ............................70...
_______________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Index of Nomad Screen Objects OBJECT NAME PAGE IT APPEARS ON OBJECT NAME PAGE IT APPEARS ON AES-42 High Voltage enable button Advanced Setup page HP Beep Loudness select button Warnings Setup page AES-42 Power enable button...
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Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_______________________________________________________ OBJECT NAME PAGE IT APPEARS ON Return matrix Headphone-1 page Return matrix Headphone-2 page Return matrix Mono Out page Return matrix Tape/IFB Out page Sample Rate (SR) display Metadata page Sample Rate select button Sample-rate page...
50% less power than the current best solution. Depending on the model, Nomad can record up to twelve audio tracks and mix audio for a variety of applications. While it was created for use in the film and television industries, its exceptional audio quality and feature set make it a clear choice for any application that requires high resolution audio mixing and recording.
Chapter 1_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Timecode Large timecode slate page SMPTE reader/generator Frame-rates: 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97NDF, 29.97DF, 30NDF, 30DF Misc Sunlight readable color LCD Intuitive user interface Internal battery backup with auto switching Compatible with Mix-8 control surface .CSV Sound Log output Internal slate mic What’s included with the Nomad-4...
ENG. Lightweight and power efficient, it replaces multiple mixers and portable recorders that are currently used to mix audio for recording to camera via RF link or hardwired cable. Building on the Deva location recorder, the Nomad has an extensive software and hardware history based on the continuous refinement of our location recording technology.
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Chapter 1_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual D) When a “B” for user-bits is required, double click it. STOP LED While illuminated, indicates the unit is in Stop mode. ZNET / STOP / 3 /C key (One of the multi-function keys.) A) Pressed alone, it opens the ZaxNet Channel page {p.29}, while in shifted mode, (see...
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Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 1 This is a multi-function control. Press it to backout of a menu to the previous menu. Turn it to adjust the headphone #1 volume. 13. Star (*) key Pressing it: A) In the Home page {p.23}, it advances to the next configuration (see...
Battery Carrier (w/ 6 batteries installed) Battery Compartment Area (behind the door) Battery Connector (far end) Figure 1-2 Nomad Left Side Images External Power connector (Hirose-4F) (8 to 18 VDC {1/2 A @ 12 VDC}) (See Power Connector (Hirose-4 Connector) {p.69}.)
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Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 1 Battery Door The Silver knob rotates clockwise to lock the battery compartment door. Inside, you will find space for the battery carrier with 6 AA batteries installed, a slot for the Primary CF card and a slot for the MicroSD card.
Chapter 1_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Right Side Description Figure 1-3 Nomad Right Side Image Outputs 1 – 6 (TA-5M) Outputs 6 channels of audio. The levels are managed by the Output Levels page {p.52}. (See Audio Input / Output Connectors (TA-5) {p.69}.)
If you don’t, the last change may NOT be saved. Analog Inputs Nomad contains six super low distortion and super low noise microphone preamplifiers that provide studio quality performance in a portable package. Each input can be switched between mic-level and line-level operation, and features a powerful 48V phantom power supply.
Nomad allows an input to exceed the typical 0 dBFS range by 20 dB without any risk of clipping. With 135 dB of input dynamic range, 30 dB of headroom and a floating point mixing system, the need for any use of the trim control during normal operation is eliminated.
‘OFF’. Input Sampling-rate Conversion The Nomad will accept any unlocked AES signal with a sampling-rate of 44.1 to 96 kHz. The dynamic range of the sample-rate conversion is 124 dB, offering completely transparent conversion of digital audio from one sample-rate to another.
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Chapter 2 – Software Guide The Nomad is a very sophisticated recording device. The heart of the system is the software used to operate the device. This chapter describes every Nomad page and the functions within each.
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 Home page Page purpose: This page displays the current status for the recorder and its major components. How to get here: Turn the power on and let the system initialize. Figure 2-2 Home page (ENG Home page selected)
Record Enables page {p.37}. NOTE: For Nomad-6, 8 and 12, the Card Track Home page will never have fewer than 6 tracks. Generating Tone To toggle tone generation on/off, press and hold the SETUP key for approximately one second. Tone level and...
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 Bus Routing page {p.29}. While in the ENG Home page configuration, press the BUS key twice to enter the Bus Routing page. Auto-trim Channel Meter (Figure 2-2 {p.23} displays INPUT 1) Auto-trim eliminates the need for a separate hardware trim knob for each analog input. Auto-trim mode can be...
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Home page Changes Based on Transport Mode Pressing the MENU knob & TC key (Record) puts the unit into Record mode and changes the text displayed in the top of the Home page as follows: Figure 2-4 Indications of Record mode Pressing the MENU knob &...
Description{p.16} for the timecode input and output. Two BNC connectors are used to connect directly to broadcast cameras or other TC sources. Nomad contains a battery backed real-time clock. This clock is used to maintain running timecode. NOTE: the battery should be changed every 2 years to maintain the capability.
CJAM UB – user-bits only are continuously updated from a connected source TC Frame Rate To set the timecode frame-rate, press the TC FRAME RATE button and select the appropriate value. Nomad supports all standard frame-rates: 23.98 (23.976), 24, 25, 29.97 (29.97 NDF), 29.9DF (29.97 DF), 30 (30 NDF),...
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 o While in Record and press Stop – TC for the start of the last Take. If you just need to send running timecode to another device, set it to Generator. If you want to control another timecode device with an Auto-Load capability, set it to Card.
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Output Bus Assign page Page purpose: These pages control which analog inputs are routed to specific output bus(ses). How to get here: (BUS key Output Bus Assign button) Analog Inputs view Auxiliary Inputs view...
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 Mono Out page Page purpose: This page controls which audio busses are routed to the Mono out connector. How to get here: (BUS key Mono Out button) Figure 2-14 Mono Out page Tape/IFB Out page Page purpose: This page controls which audio busses are routed to the Tape out connector.
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual output bus. Output volume control for this connector is HEADPHONE #2 VOL button located in the Setup page {p.47}. Card Mix 1-4 page Page purpose: These pages control which inputs are sent to recording tracks 1 - 4.
Analog Inputs 5-8 view Digital Inputs 5-8 view Figure 2-18 Card Mix 5-8 page This page is not available in Nomad-4. To move between the views, press the BUS key. Collectively, the top line of the page views indicates the following sources: (1 –...
Auxilary Inputs 9-12 view Digital Inputs 9-12 view Figure 2-19 Card Mix 9-12 page This page is available in Nomad-12 only. To move between the views, press the BUS key. Collectively, the top line of the page views indicates the following sources: (o1 –...
Figure 2-21 Headphone-1 Monitor Sources page Nomad’s main monitor connection can retain up to 12 Monitor Presets, each consisting of any combination of card tracks, output busses or returns. If selected, wireless microphone receivers can be monitored directly through the ZaxNet System on Nomad 6, 8 and 12.
Take, you can enter a Note to indicate the condition of the Take. NOTE: Upon completing a Take, Nomad automatically increments the Take # in preparation for the next Take. Select one of the data fields and press the MENU knob to open the Enter Text page {p.56}.
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 Playback Control page Page purpose: This page controls which Take will be played back and where in the Take playback will begin. How to get here: (MENU knob once Playback Control button) (PLAY key)
(MENU knob once My Nomad button) Figure 2-26 My Nomad page This page controls the recording functionality of the Nomad. Each of the recording media can be accessed and controlled. IMPORTANT: when Nomad is setup to allow mirroring mode to be remembered (automatically turned on) after a power cycle, if a CF card is not installed in the Mirror slot after the unit boots-up, mirror mode will be turned off and must be manually turned on by the user when a valid Mirror Card is inserted.
At power-up, Nomad automatically closes any open files (at the point the audio recording was interrupted) with no loss of audio up to that point. Even though it uses a proprietary file system, it is 100% compatible with Mac or PC by using the free file conversion utility ZaxConvert.
This page allows the Operator to delete an entire folder on the recording media. How to get here: (MENU knob once My Nomad button Primary Card button Erase Current Folder button) Figure 2-30 Erase Current Primary Folder page WARNING: If you have mirrored a folder and need to erase it to make room for more recording files on the primary card, REMOVE the MIRROR card before doing the erase.
This page specifies which folder on the primary media is to be mirrored (copied). How to get here: (MENU knob once My Nomad button Mirror CF button Folder to Mirror button) Figure 2-33 Folder to Mirror page...
REMEMBER MIRROR SETTINGS AFTER POWER CYCLE button – this setting allows Nomad to STAY in mirror mode even after it has been powered off. If this option is set to OFF, any time you power down Nomad it changes the MIRROR CF MODE button on the My Nomad page {p.38} to OFF.
If factory defaults are recalled you will need to reapply your user settings. Nomad allows you to save settings to (and restore settings from) the mirror CompactFlash card. This allows for settings to be exchanged between multiple Nomads. The internal settings are stored in flash memory contained within Nomad.
(MENU knob once Memory Store/Recall button Recall 1 button) Figure 2-40 Recall Memory page NOTE: With the exception of “Preset #1”, the other two presets look the same. IMPORTANT: Once the unit has recalled (loaded) the settings, restart Nomad. Factory Reset page Page purpose: This page sets all of the parameter settings to known good and compatible values.
(MENU knob once Memory Store/Recall button Recall from Mirror CF button) Figure 2-43 Recall from Mirror CF page About Nomad page Page purpose: This page displays important information about the installed software. How to get here: (MENU knob once About Nomad button) Figure 2-44 About Nomad page...
Figure 2-45 Mode page This page maintains some of Nomad’s operating parameters. Pan routing enables and selects which pair of outputs will be assigned to the two channel ENG pan routing feature. This mode would most likely be used when sending two channels of audio to be recorded directly to camera.
Figure 2-47 Input Configuration page The factory default is set up so that Nomad can handle one pair of AES inputs. If more than one pair of AES inputs is required, then the Input configuration must be changed in order to make the AES additional resources available.
(MENU knob once ENG Setup button Set Time Date button) Figure 2-49 Set Date & Time page Nomad contains a battery backed real-time clock and calendar. This page is used to jam the timecode and user- bits. The clock keeps the timecode running when the power is turned off.
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 Input Limiter Parameters page Page purpose: This page manages the common input limiter settings. How to get here: (MENU knob once ENG Setup button Input Limiter button) Figure 2-51 Input Limiter Parameters page...
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual This page maintains the Limiter/Compressor parameters for the card tracks. The settings are effective on a global basis, meaning the settings established here are used for all of the card tracks. The Card limiter only affects the selected tracks that are recorded on the CF card media.
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 2 Warnings Setup page Page purpose: This page manages the audible alerts sent to Headphone-1. How to get here: (MENU knob once ENG Setup button Warnings Setup button) Figure 2-56 Warnings Setup page Input Levels page Page purpose: This page manages the audio levels for the specified inputs.
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Output Levels page Page purpose: This page manages the audio levels for the specified outputs. How to get here: (MENU knob once ENG Setup button Output Levels button) Figure 2-58 Output Levels page TA-5 &...
NOTE: The user should read the release notes whenever he installs a new version to see if he should install a new bootloader or new ZaxNet firmware. ZaxNet Setup page Page purpose: This page configures the wireless transceiver installed in Nomad. How to get here: (MENU knob once ZaxNet Setup button) Figure 2-61 ZaxNet Setup page...
While the unit is in transmit mode, this button controls the transmitter’s signal strength. (7 = high power) Transport Commands button If this button is set to SLAVED, the associated wireless transmitter will start/stop recording each time Nomad starts/stops recording.
Chapter 2_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual False Start page Page purpose: This page gives the Operator the ability to mark a Take as a False Start or just delete it. How to get here: (while in Stop mode, press and hold ZNET key for 1 second)
Red. When the power source voltage drops to low, the unit shuts down. NOTE: Nomad can operate down to about 6.0 V, but it is not recommended to run at this voltage. IMPORTANT: When the unit shuts itself ‘OFF’ due to power loss or insufficient power, the audio tracks are left in the “open”...
24 hour format, as there is no AM/PM indicator. Analog / Digital Audio Inputs The Nomad supports both analog and digital audio inputs. The back of the unit has six XLR-3F analog inputs. See Back Side Description {p.19} for the location of these connectors. The left side of the Nomad has a DE-15F digital input connector.
(Analog / Digital) The delay in the Nomad provides a way to monitor various input sources that may come into the Nomad at slightly different times. For example, wireless microphones typically require 0 to 8 ms of delay to avoid phasing associated with mixing wired and wireless sources to a common mix track.
Chapter 3_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Analog Audio Outputs The Nomad has two different sets of output bus connectors, busses 1- 4 are sent the XLR outputs and the first 4 TAs: TA-5M – six channels (see Audio Input / Output Connectors (TA-5) {p.69})
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 3 4. Repeat steps 1 thru 3 to set up each additional connection. Setting the Number of Tracks Recorded Once the routing is assigned, you use the Record Enables page {p.37} to enable which tracks are recorded.
This section describes recording settings. NOTE: There is no one way to setup a Nomad correctly, nor do any of the settings described here have to be done in any certain order.
The brightness of the screen can be changed by pressing the LCD BRIGHTNESS button and changing the value. Monitoring with Headphones Nomad is very flexibile in routing its input, output and recording options. This flexibility is extended to the headphone monitoring area as well. You can create up to 14 Monitor Presets.
{p.27} and press the JAM TIME button. This will tell Nomad to Jam the TC generator with the current clock time and count from there. Enter 00:00:00:00 at the start of the workday – this allows you to see how long you have been working today.
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 5 Chapter 5 – New System Capabilities Introduction Our Software Engineers make changes to the firmware to make it easier to use or to correct a problem that an Operator has encountered. But, every once-in-a-while, they come up with some truly ground-breaking additions to the system.
1/4" stereo jack Connector #2 1/8” (3.5mm) stereo jack Dynamic Range 115 dB Impedance 100 ohms (optimal) Other Connectors External Storage 1 x USB 2.0 (Nomad-8 & 12 only) External Storage Power 5 watts Serial/RS-422 1 x 4-pin USB style (Zaxcom proprietary)
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Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 6 Timecode Input 1 x BNC Output 1 x BNC External Power 1 x Switchcraft L712 External Slate Mic 1 x 1/8” (3.5mm) stereo jack IFB RF 1 x SMA-F Recording Internal Storage 2 x CompactFlash card slots, 1 x MicroSD card slot...
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Chapter 6_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual Software Based Properties Internal Mixer Mixer Cross-points 16 in / 16 out (pre-fader, post-fader, phase inversion) Internal Processing 32-bit floating point DSP Effects Input Limiter (A x 10, D x 8) Type Soft Knee Attack...
Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 7 Chapter 7 – Connector Pinouts This section provides the pinouts for the connectors on the Nomad. The mating cable connector part number is also provided for the less common connectors. NOTE: All of the diagrams in this chapter show the solder side of each connector.
NOTE: Since we all like to have backup plans, consider keeping a FAT32 formatted card with the version you installed on Nomad. You know the old saying: “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and … ”...
Chapter 8_____________________________________________________Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual 13. Cycle the power to run on the newly installed firmware. 14. You have successfully completed the installation. Enjoy the fruits of our Engineer’s labors on your behalf. Firmware History =================================================================================================================== Vx.xx (IFB Vx.xx) YYYY-MM-DD...
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Zaxcom Nomad User’s Manual_____________________________________________________Chapter 8 BUG NOTE mirroring does not turn on if there is no valid mirror card at boot up and it does not turn on until the mirror card is mounted =================================================================================================================== V2.49B 2011-12-05 Added extra IFB menus to ADVANCED menu...
_services.htm) and complete the form. You will receive an email or telephone call with the RMA #. Please write the RMA# on the front of the package. If you don’t have internet access, you may request an RMA # by telephone. Zaxcom will return the warranty repair via 2 UPS or FedEx at their discretion.
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