The 970 records 64 channels of monophonic or polyphonic 24-bit, 48 kHz WAV files from any of its 144 available input connections. Connections include 64 channels of Ethernet-based Dante, 64 channels of optical or coaxial MADI, eight channels of line-level analog, and eight channels of AES digital. Any input can be assigned to any track. 32-track recording at 96 kHz is supported. The 970 records to any of four attached drives, two front-panel drive bays and two rear-panel e-SATA connected drives. With four available drives, material can be recorded to multiple drives simultaneously for simultaneous backups, eliminating time-consuming post-record copying. Drives can also be set to record sequentially, allowing continuous long form, high-track count recordings. With its built-in, rock-steady Ambient timecode generator, the 970 can operate as either the master clock or it can be jammed to external devices cameras and other sources. All common production time code rates and modes are supported. The 970 also supports clock synchronization from external word clock, video, MADI, or AES. To simplify connection of multiple digital inputs, SRC’s are available at each input. PowerSafe™ circuitry provides a constant 10-second power reserve. In the event of power loss, the 970 continues to operate for up to 10 seconds, then cleanly stops any file operation and safely shuts down. The 970 draws 10-27 VDC through a four-pin XLR connector. A secondary connection allows connection to redundant power supplies. The 970 can be controlled from browser-capable computers and tablets. When connected to a data network, transport controls and setup menu controls are available on PIXNET. PIXNET offers control of one or multiple 970 recorders. Multiple units can be grouped for simultaneous control. The 970 was designed with knowledge gained from the industry’s top engineers and from Sound Devices expertise in field mixers. Recognizing that sounds engineers operate in fast-paced environments, important controls are a knob or a switch away, while extended features are quickly accessed with the intuitive LCD-based control.