Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Making S/PDIF Talk to Either Optical or Digital


Recommended Posts

(note: the subject header is inaccurate, but I can't seem to be able to edit it -- oh, well!)

 

Hey! I've been doing a little bit of research on this, but just wanted to make sure. Also, I would imagine that a lot of people have similar questions about converting different digital signals, and hopefully this will either answer their questions, or if I am wrong, at least spark a conversation that will lead to the correct answer!

 

The Situation: The output from the computer is S/PDIF (RCA). The DAT has either optical (those thin little cables where you can see the light -- cool!) or digital (XLR). How do you make these two "talk" to each other?

 

I believe that one needs a format converter, such as ones that are made by M-Audio (CO3 possibly, which is a coaxial/optical/AES/EBU converter, which converts input signal to any of the other 2 formats simultaneously for $250 retail) or perhaps something made by Midiman, such as the CO2 ("coaxial/optical bi-directional converter -- optical S/PDIF to coax S/PDIF and vice versa -- for $80 retail). I also believe that the Midiman CO2 would fit my needs, but wanted some verification from someone!!! If there are *better*, more efficient methods of achieving this "conversation' between my computer and the DAT, please let me know. And if there is a good place to purchase one of these doo-hickeys (I'm more interested in good service than price), please post here as well!!!

 

As usual, much gratitude for sharing information!

 

------------------

Ken/Eleven Shadows/d i t h er/nectar

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

music*travel photos*tibet*lots of stuff

"Sangsara" "Irian Jaya" & d i t h er CDs available!

http://www.elevenshadows.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

This message has been edited by Ken/Eleven Shadows on 04-28-2001 at 06:27 PM

 

This message has been edited by Ken/Eleven Shadows on 04-28-2001 at 06:27 PM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 2
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Ken, before you get too esoteric, the XLR in may recognize the RCA out. Just wire up an adapter that sends the RCA hot to the XLR hot (pin 2), and the ground to XLR ground (pin 1). If that doesn't work, try shorting XLR pin 3 and 1 temporarily. I've used this with various pieces of digital gear and it seems to work better than 50% of the time.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Craig! I heard the same things from a couple of other sources, too, so that is encouraging. I'll try it this weekend and report back!

 

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...