1. Better, cheaper, faster lock

Strangely enough, the reason is that when daisy-chained to another machine, the DA-88 will ignore the SMPTE code on the master and lock to it's own code, called absolute, or abs code. While version 4 software will allow the machines to follow SMPTE time code, it is not the time code on the master DA-88 they follow, but the LTC being fed to the SMPTE input of the machines own SY-88. This means that not only do you have to add an SY-88 to each machine, but that you lose the sample accurate lock that abs code synchronization gives you.

2. But how does the Striper help?

The striper works to control the machines internal time code generator during the striping of the tape. The tape is setup to stripe as normal but the generator is not started. Once the tape is moving the Striper will take control over the generator and start it up so the all tapes have same relationship between SMPTE and abs code. This assures that whichever type of code is used to sync the machine, it will remain in sync with both the other tapes and the master picture source.

3. Is that all it does?

If it were, I could have stopped at number two. The active switching of the remote interface in the striper has created a buffer amp between the remotes in a systems and the machines themselves. This allows increased cable lengths by reducing the load placed on the drivers when driving multiple DA-88's over long cables.

But wait, there's more

Which do you hate more: Putting one ten minute reel on a tape and wasting 75% of your media, or having someone sit by the machines while they stripe and stopping the machines every reel, resetting the generators for the next reel and then restarting? The SAS-202 has a control that will do it all for you. You can set it to stripe 10 or 20 minute reels and it will stop the generator (at 13 or 23 minutes), advance to the pre-roll number of the next reel, wait approximately 30 seconds and retart the generator. Cool.