Dieter's

TSR-24S & TSR-24
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MAIN & FAQ PAGE

last update: 2024-02-02

TSR-24 stands for "True Stereo Reverb, 24 bit"
The TSR-24(S) reverb/effects unit was made with two versions: TSR-24 and TSR-24S
The TSR-24S in nothing other than a TSR-24 with the latest firmware (Version 2.00) and 20MHz cycle frequency of the main processor.
So EVERY TSR-24 can and should be upgraded to TSR-24S (see upgrade-section for details)
The "S" version adds many new algorithms, increases the maximum delay time, supports the PPC-200 and PPC-210 upgrade and the main processor runs at 20MHz (see upgrade-section for details)

FAQs
Upgrades for the TSR-24(S) (firmware 2.00, PPC-200, PPC-210, 20MHz-upgrade)
Manual download
Troubleshooting (hard reset, lithium battery, confuse display)
General description of the TSR-24(S)
Firmware upgrade and other parts at my Webshop now!!!

TSR-24(S) UPGRADE-SECTION:

Q: How can I find out the installed firmware version of my TSR-24(S)?
A: Switch on the unit while watching the display. The firmware version in shown there while boot up. E.g. the display shows "2.00" – that means firmware version 2.00

Q: How can I find out the cycle frequency of the main processor of my TSR-24(S)?
A: Execute these steps:
- Switch on the unit while watching the display.
- Check what is written after the firmware version.
There are 3 possibilities:
a) no trailing characters: that means you have 10MHz cycle frequency of the main processor
b) if there is written "10MHz" the main processor runs at 10MHz.
c) if there is written "20MHz" the main processor runs at 20MHz.
If you have 10MHz only, you should upgrade to 20MHz! Email me!

Q: How can I find out if I have a PPC-200/210 card installed in my TSR-24(S)?
A: Switch on the unit while watching the display. The firmware version in shown there while boot up. If after this screen follows another screen with the message "PPC installed" you have a PPC-200/210 installed.

Q: Where can I get a firmware-upgrade (2.00) for my TSR-24?
A: Email me! I have it available! The upgrade comes with a very detailed installation manual! If you want to buy the upgrade visit my webshop here!

Q: Where can I get a 20MHz upgrade for my TSR-24S?
A: Email me! I have it available! The upgrade comes with a very detailed installation manual! Before you upgrade to 20MHz you must have the 2.00 firmware installed!

Q: Where can I get a PPC-200 or PPC-210 upgrade card for my TSR-24(S)?
A: At my Webshpop here or Email me! I have it available! The upgrade comes with a very detailed installation manual! Before you install the PPC-200/210 you must have the 2.00 firmware installed! It's not necessary to have the 20MHz upgrade installed, but for best performance I recommend to upgrade to 20MHz, too.

Q: Which benefits do I get by installing the 2.00 firmware in my TSR-24?
A: By installing the 2.00 firmware you upgrade your TSR-24 to a TSR-24S
You'll get the following benefits:
- many new algorithms
- increased maximum delay time
- the 2.00 firmware supports the PPC-200 and PPC-210
- the 2.00 firmware supports 20MHz upgrade
- an adjustable intelligent chromatic tuner

Q: Which benefits do I get by installing 20MHz upgrade in my TSR-24S?
A: You'll get the following benefits:
The speed increase is associated with:
- program changes
- higher multiplex speed of the 7 segment display and the LEDs
- expression controller responsiveness
- speed of response to user commands (operating system response)
- speed of boot up
- refresh rate of the display
- algorithm compilation
- etc.

Q: Which benefits do I get by installing a PPC-200/210 in my TSR-24(S)?
A: The PPC-200/210 doubles the capabilities of your TSR-24S.
You'll get the following benefits:
- increased memory (adds 6MB SDRAM). So you can set 10 seconds (5 seconds stereo) of delay (great for looping!)
- you get 8 factory algorithms more with cool effects
- 484 available CPU blocks instead of 228. You can create more complex user algorithms and odd effects.
- Seamless Program Change: This function allows you to switch seamless from program to program. See user-manual for details.

Q: Will I lose my presets after installing the 2.00 software or the 20MHz upgrade in my TSR-24(S)?
A: Yes, because after installing you have to execute a hard reset.
If you want to keep them, consider a bulk MIDI dump or individual program dump. (I don't know, though, if older TSR-24 programs will seamlessly load back into a TSR-24S.) Or, write down your most important settings on paper.

Q: Will I lose my presets after installing the PPC-200/210 in my TSR-24S?
A: No, because it's not necessary to execute a hard reset.

Q: What is the difference between the PPC-200 and the PPC-210?
A: There is absolutely NO difference between the PPC-200 and the PPC-210 cards. They are 100% identical!
There was different software in the box, the PPC-210 came with 3.00.00 software for the GSP2101 and the PPC-200 was shipped with 2.00 software for the TSR-24.
The cards can be used IN EVERY GSP2101 and IN EVERY TSR-24(S). If you have a problem with the cards - email me!

Q: What is the meaning of the designation "PPC-200" and "PPC-210"?
A: PPC means Parallel Processing Card
The designation "200" was used because the firmware (EPROMs) which came with the PPC-200 was Version 2.00 (for the TSR-24).
The designation "210" was used because the firmware (EPROMs) which came with the PPC-210 first was Version 2.01.01 (for the GSP-2101), later the PPC-210 cards were shipped with the 3.00.00 (= Artist) version, but the designation remained "PPC-210".

TSR-24(S) USER-MANUAL:

Q: Where can I download the user manuals for the TSR-24S?
A:
Here you can download the users manual!
Here you can download the quick start guide!

Q: Where can I download the user manual for the TSR-24?
A: Sorry, I don't know! If you have it in pdf-format please email me! But: I recommend to upgrade to the TSR-24S, so a manual of the old TSR-24 is not necessary.

Q: Is a German user manual available for the TSR-24S?
A: No, the manual was never translated into German.

TSR-24(S) TROUBLESHOOTING:

Q: How do I recognize that the internal lithium battery gets weak?
A: Best would be to measure the voltage with a voltmeter. If you don't have one:
- The unit doesn't hold the presets while switched off.
- The display might show garbled characters
I recommend replacing the battery every 7 years.

Q: How do I measure the voltage of the internal lithium battery?
A: Execute these steps:
- Pull the mains power cable!
- open the unit and locate the RAM-chip marked with U21
- Measure the DC voltage with a voltmeter at PIN16 (-) and PIN32 (+)
- The voltage should be 2.7VDC or higher. If it is lower, replace the battery.
- close the unit

Q: After replacing the lithium battery of my TSR-24(S) I get confuse characters on the display. What can I do?
A: Execute a hard reset

Q: How do I execute a hard reset at a TSR-24(S)?
A: If you execute a hard reset you will lose your presets! Execute these steps:
- switch off the unit
- switch on the unit WHILE pressing down the #1 access button
- an asterisk will appear next to "Digitech"
- release the #1 access button
- press (and release) the "program up" button
- The display should read "Resetting... Please wait..."

Q: I have a TSR-24(s) that won't start up, the backlit display comes on but shows nothing, the LED display says "888" (as in all lit up) and a few of the level lights stay on. I have tried the (assign 1 while starting up and then the program up button, but no asterisk and no results). What's wrong?
A: In most cases there is a problem in the power supply. Check the soldering-points in the power-supply area. If they are dark-grey resolder them. Execute a hard reset.

Q: Oh my! The TSR24 is so complex. Any tricks I should know of?
A: This tip comes from "van Sinn": In addition to close reading the manual, download the GSP2101 manual and close read the digital processing section, as it contains many useful ideas.
The two units share practically the same digital engine.
Also, download and read the Friday Night Tips by Randy Thorderson of Digitech. Friday Tips was an email newsletter of sorts, containing GSP2101 tips.

General description of the TSR-24(S)

TSR-24S QUICK SPECIFICATION
• A/D converter: 18-bit, 128x oversampling delta sigma stereo A/D converter.
• D/A converter: 18-bit PCM.
• Sampling frequency: 48kHz.
• Digital signal path: 24-bit.
• Internal data path: 48-bit.
• FX groups: Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Pitch, Sample, EQ, Flange, Mod, More (noise gates, silencers, duckers, wahs, phase inverter), Mix.

The TSR-24S has 128 editable and 112 preset Programs (the manual claims 256 of each), organized in one bank of 240 Programs. You can freely overwrite Programs 1-128; 129-240 are preset. Note that Programs 113-128 are bypassed unless you have the optional PPC-200/210 installed; these show off the capabilities of a double processor-equipped TSR24S. If you have the standard unit only, you can't use them, but you can overwrite them.
At the heart of each Program is an Algorithm, a configuration of effects. You can select from 24 factory algorithms (32 with the PPC-200/210 installed), or create up to 32 custom algorithms - sound quality aside, this is the single most attractive and powerful feature of the TSR24S. When creating an algorithm from scratch, you have a choice of 78 effects modules, linkable in any order, and 25 mixer modules: mixer modules (which offer up to 16 inputs and a choice of mono, stereo, and 3-output operation) are needed to patch the effects together. The list of possible effects modules is comprehensive: 10 reverbs, 17 delays, 10 EQs, three samplers, eight choruses and flangers, 10 pitch-shifters, noise reduction, phasers, tremolos, wah-wahs and duckers; there's even a phase inverter and tuning reference.

Programming the TSR-24S is, in spite of the manual, relatively simple. The FX module buttons allow you to fly around the system without getting too confused; choose your effect, scroll to a parameter, tweak it, have a listen, and save the result. Simple.

As for algorithm creation, Digitech make this easy as well. Firstly, it pays to offline a little work to pen and paper - plan your algorithm, add up the CPU and RAM blocks you'll need, and then go to the TSR-24S. Select any algorithm, and press the Add button. This gives you the option to modify a factory algorithm or create one from scratch. Scroll through the modules and press "Enter" when you reach one you wish to use. When you've made your selections (or run out of Blocks), you patch the effects together. An auto-link function 'plugs' the modules together in the most logical manner, but manually linking modules, with the aid of the excellent new graphic module linking feature, is simply a matter of scrolling through options and confirming your choice. It works like a small-screen version of Apple's MIDI Manager for Macintosh computers.

One of the most attractive selling points of the TSR-24S is its ability to be used as two discrete processors. The biggest compromise is that your total of four or five effects modules per algorithm is now split in two. There are three factory 2-channel algorithms, but you can also programme your own; it's possible to create some excellent everyday effects for both channels, but off-the-wall processing is best left to single chains - or to a PPC200/210-equipped TSR24S, which effectively means two TSR-24Ss in one box.

"Digitech's S-DISC based processors produce some of the cleanest, most complex reverbs available in affordable packages."

One other easily overlooked feature that saves money is the built-in chromatic tuner, accessible under the Utility button. This is blissfully easy to use, not to mention accurate. You simply alter an instrument's tuning until the strobing vertical bars at the bottom of the LCD stop moving - the tuner automatically detects which note you're trying to tune. The overall tuning reference can be altered between A = 427 and 453, or set to A-flat, G or G-flat, so if you want to tune to a lower, renaissance reference point, this is the machine for you.

It's been said before, but Digitech's S-DISC based (Static/Dynamic Instruction Set Computer) processors produce some of the cleanest, most complex reverbs available in affordable packages. The TSR-24S is no exception: its reverbs offer programmability unavailable at this price elsewhere - as an example, the completely OTT ExaVerb preset has an astonishing 28 editable parameters intended to allow you to convincingly recreate acoustic spaces. The reverbs tend to be bright, but not in the metallic way of some Japanese processors, offering clarity and realism instead. The rest of the effects are equally excellent: delays and samples (up to 5 seconds mono; 2.5 seconds stereo (twice as much with an PPC-200/210 installed)) provide subjectively perfect replications of the input signal; choruses and flangers are rich and exciting (perfect for guitar processing); and the EQ modules add a good deal of creative potential.

Noise performance is good, and the NR modules help where the nature of the effect adds unwanted noise. We thought the pitch-shifting modules not quite up to the quality offered by the rest of the effects, which is surprising given Digitech's success with their Vocalist range of harmony processors. Even the Whammy-based effects - derived from the famed digital dive-bomb control found on certain Digitech guitar products - are a little lumpy. However, while we wouldn't use the modules as serious harmony or pitch correction tools - the delays involved and metallic quality are far too obvious - they can be used effectively for guitar processing or sound effects.

REAL-TIME MIDI CONTROL
As befits a hi-tech product released in 1995, the TSR24S offers comprehensive real-time MIDI control. Any Continuous Controller can be linked to any TSR-24S parameter; up to 10 Local and 20 Global Controller links are possible. Local links are specific to a particular Program, while Global links are always active - if you assign mod wheel to flanger depth, for instance, that link will work in any program that uses the flanger.

To make the link between Controller and parameter, select a parameter, press the MIDI button, and the link is made. Now choose which Controller will do the controlling, its operating range, and that's it.