adat sync and word clock for dummies

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a6string4u

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Greetings,

I am new at recording. I am starting fresh and have selcted some hardware. I am ready to be a digital PC hard drive recording fool...Just so you understand where I am coming from. Given, an Alesis PCR card,which has an ADAT 9 pin sync I/O, and a Fostex VM200 digital mixer, which has a BNC workclock I/O, is there any way (cheap like an adaptor)to adapt part of the ADAT sync to the word clock format? Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate a specification for the ADAT sync, so I cannot determine whether I can pull a sync out of the 9 pin and worst case, translate it to TTL levels if it is not TTL already. Is my only option give the card back to the store and order something that is more open system? I am keeping the VM200. It is way cool for me.
I am not totally sure that this is even necessary, i.e. no stability gained by doing this. I do not have the interface definition for the ADAT light pipe either, so I am not sure about embedded clocks etc. Any pointers, books, or comments?
Thanks
 
a6string4u: you have a digital mixer hmmmm, I'm thinking there is a way to sync it via 9pin cable, I just read something on that
(o.k. never mind)
Do you have an optical/lightpipe on your PCI card ?

you should be able to go from your card
Internal / ADAT / WordClock /Ctrl Track
(let me look in on that one) I know you can do it though
 
Thanks,

I called Alesis. I asked about the 9 pin connector, and the reply was no way to get word clock off of it, and if I don't have an ADAT, I should not worry about that connector. Easy for them to say. In the mean time, they have taken the best thing about a PC, that it a relatively open system at this level, and converted it to their proprietary interface. You know this whole darn problem would go away if they would stick to making excellent proprietary products but with using open system interfaces for system interconnects. I am going to try this card one more time before I decide whether to give it back to the store it came from. If I achieve some greater level of success, i will remark positively. Ohterwise, I will simply scold the store that sold this to me.

PS
My 20 bit mixer output is reduced to 16 bit in this version of the ADATedit software. good for 16 out of my 20 bits. I wanted to at least hang on to the 4 LSBs until mixdown. The ADAT/Connect software apparently cannot be used with my digital mixer. I found that out by scanning the greater than 300 page manual that you can download for ADATedit. That explains why the box says 16-, 20-, or 24 bit recording at either 44.1 or 48kHz. Right? Come on Alesis,
 
Ok, the cracks and pops are gone ( at least on the scale that they were originally and I am using the embedded clocks from the ADAT light pipe to sync).

Now, Why with a 266 PII with 64 Meg of Sync Ram am I getting memory errors when I am using a brand spankin new ATAPI-66 20G hard drive and PCI controller card? The sync issue is closed. Now I need to move on to the other recording problems, like recording more than one track for more than 1 minute uninterrupted by a memory message. Is it just my computer and config?

[This message has been edited by a6string4u (edited 06-24-2000).]
 
The board went back to the store. I am convinced that the hardware was fine, and that the software was, to quote another member, "Junk!!!". I am now in search of another ADAT lightpipe interface card.
 
go with a gadget labs 4/24 with the adat option card. great card that will total to about $400.
 
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