SPDIF stereo?

  • Thread starter Thread starter James HE
  • Start date Start date
J

James HE

a spoonfull weighs a ton
Is a SPDIF input stereo? I'm under the impression that it is but how? If it's like an RCA- wa? where is the second pin(terminal) or I guess it dosen't need it ?Grrrrrr..... darn digital contraptions...

-jhe
 
Yes, it is stereo, so to speak.
Don't think of it as regular cable, It is transferring digtal info, not sound.
 
Yes the stereo S/PDIF transfer not only occurs over one cable, but occurs in real time. So an input channel receiving this stereo signal will get the digital version at the 1x speed that is inherent in analog transfers. The designers were obviously looking to make the digital connection almost transparent to analog users.
I'm thinking that the protocol for this standard is to send two (or 3 for 24 bit) bytes of a left channel sample followed by a matching group of bytes for the same time slot in the right channel, then repeat until the file has been transferred.
From what I've read in the TASCAM CDRW-5000 manual, track information is indicated by a stream of zero samples for a specified time-out period.
Just a guess based on the properties I've observed while using this format.
Since computers can transfer data at MUCH higher rates, it's clear that the standard was premature. But it still works great!
 
Dr...when I got my Gadgetlabs spdif card I automatically assumed that when I did a spdif copy from my VS880EX to Cakewalk I wouldn't have to set any levels. I find I do have to set levels just as though it was an analog copy. Sound right to you?
 
I haven't seen any level adjustment available while recording from a S/PDIF or AES/EBU source. I think that's the idea, though- you're just getting a digital copy of the file.
Output level adjustments on the Roland?

[This message has been edited by drstawl (edited 05-18-2000).]
 
Yes, the Roland spdif output. And there was no level adjustment in Cakewalk, so I had to do it by ear, and trial and error. That was version 8 though, and I haven't tried it with version 9. Maybe I just didn't realize there is a spdif level view in the console view at the time. I'll have to re-check it out again.

[This message has been edited by monty (edited 05-18-2000).]
 
My dbx preamp has a digital output level control for the S/PDIF and AES/EBU outputs but none of my S/PDIF input devices has any input level adjustment.

[This message has been edited by drstawl (edited 05-18-2000).]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top