how can i use the "serial" adat inputs of my motu 828 ?

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earworm

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i never cared about the adat connector i got on my motu 828 untill i started to run short on inputs, 10 ins isn't that much actually...
so on the back of my motu 828 i got this adat input, and its (if i'm correct) a serial port-connector, or din-9-pin or how do you call that? (i didn't count the pins yet so the number is probably wrong...)

now instead of buying a second soundcard i could just get me an adat machine, no? but i've never seen or used that, what kind of options do i have? are there things like a 19" machine with a bunch of jack inputs or preamps with an adat output that i can connect directly to my motu?

today i saw this behringer thing with 8 preamps and adat out, but its optical adat, useless to me, are there other units out there that i could use?

and ehm, i hope i'm not mistaken when i think that you can use the 10 inputs of the motu together with that adat input?

http://www.amk.nl/motu/motupics/828_ba.jpg
 
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Do you have an ADAT?

If you do you can run 8 more inputs into the ADAT via the 1/4" connectors, then out into the MOTU.
 
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Is your 828 an 828mkII?

I don't know anything about a "serial" ADAT port, never heard of of it.

I currently use a MTOU 828mkII along with a Behringer ADA-8000 for a total of 18 analog inputs to my laptop, I have had no problems with it.

:)
 
that 9 pin plug is for adat sync. it is not for audio.
 
The 9-pin is the synch cable but the MOTU has a Lightpipe in/out, too, which also carries wordclock.
 
its the 828, not the MKII,
and yes, i took another look on the back, that 9-pin connector says "adat sync",

i don't have an adat, don't know anything about that kind of device,
i do have an optical in/out (spdif or adat, thats what it says)

so what are the prices and types of adat machines? and that lightpipe connection can handle 8 channels at a time?

i started looking up info, and all i know right now is that if i want to use adat, i'll first have to record on tape, and after that i send all the data to my computer, or can all this happen 'simultaniously'? i just connect my mixer direct outs to the inputs of the adat and the adat sends everything to my Motu so i can record on 18 tracks at the same time..?..

any opinions about this machine: (or any simple explanation about how i could start using it.?)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Alesis-Adat-Mac...340306098QQcategoryZ41477QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
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earworm said:
so what are the prices and types of adat machines? and that lightpipe connection can handle 8 channels at a time?
Click to expand...

Lightpipe can handle 8 channels at a time. You don't necessarily have to buy an ADAT to make use of the Lightpipe connector, there are converters. What does the rest of your setup look like, i.e. mixer, instruments, etc.. Also, what are trying to record that requires more than 10 tracks at a time?
 
earworm said:
today i saw this behringer thing with 8 preamps and adat out, but its optical adat, useless to me.
Click to expand...

that thing is exactly what your looking for...... it's nothing more than a analog to adat converter with pre's tossed in for free...

it's better to buy a converter instead of an adat recorder. Because if you use an adat recorder you can only use the a/d or d/a conversion seperatly. I mean you can't use em at the same time.
 
earworm said:
all i know right now is that if i want to use adat, i'll first have to record on tape, and after that i send all the data to my computer, or can all this happen 'simultaniously'?
Click to expand...

Let me give you an example of uses for lightpipe w/o an ADAT-

I have a Tascam tm-d1000 digital mixer. It's digital outs are t/dif connectors. The t/dif cable goes into an if-tad converter(t/dif to lightpipe), then goes lightpipe into my computer.
 
interesting, thanks for the info,
yesterday night i read the manual of one of those adat recorders
and indeed it seems easier to just use a similar item like that behringer convertor, but i just detest behringer so i'm gonna look for something else,

so i'll start searching after "ad converters with adat out",
i think i saw the Maudio Octane, which has adat out, but thats too expensive, i can buy me another Motu for that money

so of course the question: what AD's would you suggest?
this should be what i need, right:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fostex-VC-8-ADA...ryZ3278QQssPageNameZWD10VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
but i see its "only" 20 bit, that means that if i use it together with my motu i can only record in 16 bit cause the fostex can't handle 24 bit? thats too bad

there's lots of sites (online stores) that sell this one, seems to be popular:
http://www.podcastingnews.com/news/05_04/SM_Pro_ADAT_Converter.html
($145)

---additional info about my recording chain:

mixer: soundcraft M8 (8 direct outs to soundcard)
mixer 2: studiomaster 16:4:2 (4 subs + 2 overheads go to soundcard via spdif)

when i record my drumkit i got more than 10 channels in use, when i record a band there's a bassist or guitarist playing along, so actually i need around 14 inputs and i'm happy
 
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mhh, i don't know, i've just bought a soundcraft M8 which should be an upgrade from my OLD studiomaster mixer,
and i don't want to downgrade my signal path to behringer...
this year i'll do some live recording too, maybe then this berrie unit is OK, but i'd like to keep that brand out of my humble homestudio,
but indeed, that 'sm pro' brand seems like something cheap too

i just thought that adding some adat inputs might be easier and cheaper than getting me a second motu 828, maybe even less chanse of conflicts,
i once tried to use two Dman cards at the same time and it never worked... but i bet Motu (and firewire instead of pci) can work "better",
i'll do some more investigation the next coming months,
thanks already for the input!
 
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