Free Running and Jamming

Your UltraSync ONE has a Free Run/Jam-Ext mode, which has two different purposes. You should use this mode if you want to use your UltraSync ONE to:

• Run as a standalone unit and provide its timecode to an external device (see Free Running - UltraSync ONE as a Standalone Device).
• Synchronise with external devices in a third-party system rather than a Timecode Systems network (see Jamming to an External Timecode Source).

Note: To preserve battery life, RF is automatically disabled in Free Run/Jam-Ext mode, as it is not needed in a free running or external jamming workflow.

Free Running - UltraSync ONE as a Standalone Device

UltraSync ONEs are most commonly used in a network, where they will synchronise with a master device. But you do not have to use your UltraSync ONE in a network - if you prefer, you can use it as a standalone device.

When a UltraSync ONE is used as standalone device, it is 'free running'. This means that the UltraSync ONE uses its own internal timecode settings and does not receive timecode from other devices. It can output its timecode to other devices via the SYNC or LTC ports, so that the other devices synchronise with the UltraSync ONE.

To run your UltraSync ONE as a standalone device, you need to set it to run in Free Run/Jam-Ext mode (see Jam UltraSync ONE to a Signal).

Jamming to an External Timecode Source

If you want to use your UltraSync ONE in a third-party system instead of a Timecode Systems network, you will need to use jamming. This is because third-party systems do not recognise our proprietary RF protocol. Jamming uses a wired connection, and so our RF protocol is not used.

The jamming workflow is:

1. Connect the external device to your UltraSync ONE's LTC port.
2. Set your UltraSync ONE to run in Free Run/Jam-Ext mode.
3. Set your UltraSync ONE to jam to the external device's timecode signal.
4. Disconnect your UltraSync ONE and the external device.
5. Output the timecode to another device, if required.
6. Re-jam at regular intervals (at least twice per day) to maintain synchronisation.

So the first part of the workflow is to connect your UltraSync ONE to the timecode source, and then jam to its signal.

When your UltraSync ONE is jammed to the timecode signal, you can disconnect the UltraSync ONE and the external device.

(For details on this part of the workflow, see Jam UltraSync ONE to a Signal).

You can then use your UltraSync ONE to output the timecode to another device.

To output the timecode that originally came from the external device, you need to:

1. Connect the UltraSync ONE to the device that will receive the timecode from your UltraSync ONE.
2. Set your UltraSync ONE to run as a Master TX. It can then output the timecode via its LTC port or via its SYNC port (SYNC output has to be set to LTC for this).

For more details, see Master TX UltraSync ONE - Set Up.

To learn about using the SYNC port to output timecode, word clock, or genlock, see Set the SYNC Output.