TDIF help, please...lotta distortion

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jdwxly

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I'm new to digital mixers and TDIF technology, and I've run into a problem I cannot sort out. First, here is the hardware/software chain:
Tascam TM-D1000
M-Audio Delta TDIF
Athlon XP powered PC running Windows XP Pro and SONAR 2.2
TDIF cable from mixer to TDIF card
TDFI card is the clock master, mixer is looking to Clock In for sync

My input source is a minidisc. Both channels sound fine in headphones. I run the left channel into channel 1 and right channel into channel 2 on the mixer. Channel 1 is panned hard left, channel 2 panned hard right. Mixer is in record mode and both channels are bussed to 3-4 and L-R.

If I monitor using the monitor outs on the mixer, everything sounds fine. When I record in SONAR, I get a severely distorted waveform from channel 1. On playback it sounds horrible on that track only; track 2 sounds great.

If I monitor the return on the TDIF card, track 1 is distorted there as well.

Swapping the inputs at the mixer has no affect. Track one is always the bad one. I also tried other channels on the mixer (bussed to 3-4) with no change - whatever comes in from buss 3 seems messed up.

Where do I look for the problem? TIA!

Dennis
 
I quickly tried buss 1-2, but I wasn't able to really test it out in that configuration. I'll play with that option some more and see what happens. I'm also going to try going Direct Out to the sound card and see if that has a similar issue.
 
Tried a few more things tonight...

First, ran the same source into the mixer and bussed it to 1-2 rather than 3-4. The results were even worse: buss 1 still had the distortion when recorded, and I couldn't get ANY signal from buss 2.

Switched back to buss 3-4 and tried again. This time, I got distortion on BOTH channels!

Out of frustration I plugged the minidisc player into the Delta TDIF analog in's, and shut off the mixer. It recorded great that way, so the TDIF card seems to be somewhat functional. I can also monitor on the TDIF card analog outs.

I'm beginning to think that the TM-D1000 must have taken a hit in shipping.
 
Hello,
your problem sounds like a sample-rate problem. Be sure all equipment operates at the same sample-rate. Try a low samplerate like 44,1kHz. Did you connect your MD-player analog or digital ? If digital, this input has to be the master for syncing, unless you have a prof. MD-player with ext. sync.

Good luck.

Tom
 
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

I did have everything running at 44.1kHz, with the Delta TDIF card set as the clock master and the the mixer set to look for clock on the clock in port. My MD player only has analog out, so that wasn't it.

I removed the clock cable, reset the mixer to Internal clock at 44.1kHz and set the Delta TDIF to TDIF as the clock source. The card locked right on (nice to have that indicator in their control panel) and the next attempt at recording was fine. Thanks for all your help!

Is there something special about setting up for an external clock if the additional TDIF card is installed? My mixer has that card.
 
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