S/PDIF ?

Let's see...my memory tells me it stands for Sony/Philips Digital Interface, but I could be wrong. What it does is transfer digital data from one device to another, without going through anything analog - it's a type of input/output on some devices. What it doesn't do is lightpipe, which transfers multiple tracks at a time from one device to another.

So, do I get a prize? Or did I get it all wrong?
 
Yeah Dobro, it stands for Sony/Phillips Digital Interface. It looks just like an RCA jack. I have been told by some to only use S/PDIF cables and others have told me that 75ohm RCA cable is okay, although I have never tried it.
It transfers digital audio in stereo (I think it also transfers disc data, i.e. a CD's TOC or track numbers, track timing, etc.) with just one cable.

Lightpipe and T/DIF (TASCAM Digital Interface) look like computer cables and tranfer digital audio in multiple track formats. ADATs use lightpipe and TASCAM's DTRS (DA-88, 38) use the TDIF. They both do the same thing, but are not interchangable. They do make TDIF to Lightpipe converters (and vice versa) though.
But nobody asked about that. I am rambling for no good reason ----

Brad
 
Well- there's both optical and electrical versions of S/PDIF and they use different cables/connectors. The protocol covers how the digital data is organized during transmission. Both the 75 ohm RCA cable and the dedicated S/PDIF cables will work for the non-optical (coaxial) variety.
 
Was the optical digital protocol developed by Sony/Phillips also? I always thought that S/PDIF was kind of their answer to the optical (looks kind of like a phone jack, right?) option.

And doc, have you used both optical and electrical? If so, do you favor one over the other? I have only used electrical but I will try optical if the word is good...

Brad
 
Just adding:

There are pretty cheap converters that will go from optical S/PDIF to coaxial S/PDIF or the other way around. Fostex has one called COP-1 and Audio-Technica also makes one. If you've got machines with different connectors, these might come in handy.

mm
 
Brad- I've tried both and (no surprise, since they're both digital) can't tell the difference. The optical was from a SONY CD player ($149!!) to a TASCAM CDRW-5000 which accepts both flavors of S/PDIF and AES/EBU input which, as far as I know is the same thing redesigned to accomodate longer cable runs. But you gotta love the solid feel of the XLR connectors on the AES/EBU type of connection versus those RCA jacks that my cats can pull out with no problem even if you don't need the longer cable run.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top