Topic: Sony rk-da10p cable

[tchoub]

Hi,
I have an ad20 and a minidisc recorder. Until now, those were connected thanks to an optical cable.

I now have a D8 and I would like to use my D8 to make live recordings.
I have a Sony rk-da10p (I think) cable (black headed) which is supposed to be made for the D8.

So, my questions :
 1- could you tell me if the following cable that you see in the image is a rk-da10p cable for a d8 ? (sorry for this question... ) Is it an input only cable or an input/output cable ?
 2- I tried to connect this cable to the spdif output of the ad20 but the connexion between those two parts is really loose...
So, can I use a rk-da10p cable with an ad20 ?
Would it be better to get an optical cable with input and output like a poc-da-12 ? (I would like to be able to transfer my masters to cdr through the optical input of my soundcard)

Thanks !
Fred

[todd e]

the cable you have appears to be a sony 'input only' cable.  it is still a great find and i'd suggest that you hold on to it, for any future modifications that you may desire (i.e. pro-dig upgrade to an active i/o cable!)

the second option, while a good idea, will be hard to find.  i am not trying to deter you but there are many folks who want that cable (me thinks due to the increased jb3 prescense on the market-place)

why don't you check to see if the cable pictured above receives the signal, then i'd think about re-inforcing the s/pdif.  if you can find the optical i/o cable, please get it.  it is not something i'd recommend taking to the field much as it is very fragile, but it will definitely help on the transfers.  pm me if you have any questions.

+T for trying new things.

[tchoub]

thanks for your answer.
I will try to see if the cable receives signal as soon as I get my D8 back from Sony.
I only have my ad20 and this cable ... at the time I'm writing this message. I should get my D8 soon !

What are the methods that I could use to "re-inforce the s/pdif" ?

Thanks again  

[todd e]

i was afraid that you'd ask that.  one simple way to possibly re-enforce the connector would be to purchase a splitter that looks like this :
http://www.american-digital.com/cms/images/absimages/SBY.gif

that way the connections may be 'filled' better with a different cable end.  also you could feed a 2nd signal from the split.  it would be worth the few bucks to try.  oh yeah, you can ge this splitter at any rat shack.  other types of re-enforcements, I can't help ya.  

hope this works!

[BCostigan]

I'm assuming that you have a mono mini to rca adapter for the coax out on the ad-20???  If so I think you'd be good for recording/giving patches with Todds suggestion.  Digital transfers won't be possible though.


I used a sony optical cable with a toslink adapter when I used an ad-20 -> d7 with no trouble.   Well...the only trouble I had was that every minidisk and JB3 patcher wanted a patch due to the optical out!

[Stumptown Matt]

I could not get any sony portable deck(D3, D7, D100) to work with my AD-20 unless I used an Oade active cable.

[todd e]

I could not get any sony portable deck(D3, D7, D100) to work with my AD-20 unless I used an Oade active cable.

unless things have changed, these are still for sale on doug's site.
sturdy and well worth the $$!

[tchoub]

I could not get any sony portable deck(D3, D7, D100) to work with my AD-20 unless I used an Oade active cable.

Have you ever tried with a D8 using an optical cable ?

I finally got my D8 back from Sony and I've been able to test my cable. The ad20 doesn't send any signal to the dat with the rk-da10p... but the connexion is really loose...

Since I would like to transfer my masters to my pc through the optical input of my soundcard, I'm going to buy a poc-da-12 cable.
I hope this will work !

[Brian Skalinder]

Have you considered selling the D8 and picking up a JB3?

[Stumptown Matt]

I could not get any sony portable deck(D3, D7, D100) to work with my AD-20 unless I used an Oade active cable.

Have you ever tried with a D8 using an optical cable ?

I finally got my D8 back from Sony and I've been able to test my cable. The ad20 doesn't send any signal to the dat with the rk-da10p... but the connexion is really loose...

Since I would like to transfer my masters to my pc through the optical input of my soundcard, I'm going to buy a poc-da-12 cable.
I hope this will work !

I have never tried the sony 7 pin optical cable, but it should work.  The reason Sony decks often have issues when trying to get a signal via coax is because Sony uses a non standard voltage that was different on almost every model of portable DAT.  Since the optical cable does not need any voltage (it's only light signals that are being sent) there should be no problems.  In fact I know people have used the optical cable for AD-20>DAT but others have stated that the optical cable does not hold up well in the field because it is very fragile.

Sony decks can be kind of crazy.  The other night I could not get a signal from an M1 to my D100.  I even had an Oade active cable, but still could not get a signal.  We switched cables around and such but nothing worked.

[tchoub]

Have you considered selling the D8 and picking up a JB3?

no ...  

[Kindguy]

the short time I owned an ad-20. I used the sony 7 pin optical cable. My pro digital would not pass the signal.

[Stumptown Matt]

I have a pro digital and an oade cable and only the oade would work from my AD-20 to my D3 or D100.