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Thread: ADAT capture, differential?

  1. #1
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    Default ADAT capture, differential?

    I'm planning to capture a bunch of show data from Image engineering boxes using an ADAT deck. I will modify it with the pango docs.

    The decoder is single ended (non-differential.) I'd still get the same resolution by going single ended into the ADAT deck, so there shouldn't be any real advantage to bothering with the ELCO connector correct?

    I plan to pass it through to a Silicon Graphics Octane computer where I will record it as 8 channel PCM (convertible to WAV file.)

  2. #2
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    an Octane? what decade are we in

    best way to convert ADAT is with a lightpipe interface of some kind

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by telmnstr View Post
    I'm planning to capture a bunch of show data from Image engineering boxes using an ADAT deck. I will modify it with the pango docs.

    The decoder is single ended (non-differential.) I'd still get the same resolution by going single ended into the ADAT deck, so there shouldn't be any real advantage to bothering with the ELCO connector correct?

    I plan to pass it through to a Silicon Graphics Octane computer where I will record it as 8 channel PCM (convertible to WAV file.)
    As long as the connection between the source and the adat is short you should be ok going single ended. What is the output voltage on the decoder? You want +/-5V and avoid clipping!

    best way to convert ADAT is with a lightpipe interface of some kind
    I would recommend the MiniDSP USBStreamer, it has ADAT optical in and out and you can do the transfer on PC or MAC.

  4. #4
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    if he is using an Octane he is probably running IRIX... if he is, hats off to him, that's HARDCORE

  5. #5
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    I'm not familiar with Octane at all, but a quick search revealed that it does have ADAT Optical built in. That's pretty sweet!

  6. #6
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    ADAT was mid 1990's if i recall. i used to sell the tapes and service the decks every so often, there are cheap converters on flea bay if you need a ballanced output, i even rigged a cheap BTL output car amp todo this as i found when sending the signal to my galvo as the +5 ground -5 offers more controll with out a computer but i am very green when it comes to this, i lowered the supply voltage to the car amp so it can not exceed the 5 volt logic with zeners just in case with resistors to limit the current just in case, BTL out put can be made todo the same thing as a balanced out put (BTL Balanced Transmission Line) i have spares if any one wants a very Podunk way of doing this lol, i can post specs for an ic that can do the same but it needs a dual rail supply.

  7. #7
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    telmnstr i plan on going differential.

    hey Draco can you post your relevant schematics to this if you can please, I am on this exact topic and am looking into sending inout diffy signals to or from my ADATS or whatever I might also get in the future.

    one of the first pro diffy senders or receivers i have came across is the ssm2141 and the ssm2142, my quick glance at them on ebay shows them to be somewhat expensive.. i am sure there are others around.

  8. #8
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    Hah, I forgot I added this thread. Yes, it's a SGI Computer with built in 8 channel lightpipe in and out. I used to be a huge SGI computer fanboy, and used to buy a bunch of machines at NASA auctions (along with lasers.)

    I don't know the specific application but I'm pretty sure the reason SGI put ADAT on there is because of applications from companies like Discreet used for movie production (film scanning / film recording / effects stuff.) There was a box that was normally seen with some of the SGI machines that was basically A to D / D to A with 8 meters on each channel. Maybe it was MOTU don't recall. I just happen to have the computer, it has the interface, free solution? A bunch of the SGI desktops had a crazy command line argument you could pass to audio applications that would turn the microphone input into line input 3/4 and headphone output into line output 3/4. Crazy cool stuff.

    And what's crazier is that people on here recognized the specialty of the computer, and that it runs IRIX. <3 <3 <3

    Now to locate a 3/4" Umatic deck.....

  9. #9
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    Hmmmm. I wonder if libSDL would compile on IRIX!

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