Topic: Transfer from DAT to a new mac?

[live2496]

I have a radio shack Digital Signal Converter that should work for this. PM sent. PM me back if interested.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I have a radio shack Digital Signal Converter that should work for this. PM sent. PM me back if interested.

I've read somewhere (here maybe) that the RatShack SPDIF>Optical is NOT bit perfect???  I know the one I had would drop-out every once in a while...  But it was for my TV so I didn't care...

Terry

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Digital format converters (S/PDIF coax > optical):  Hosa ODL-276(16-bit) or -276A(up to 24-bit).  Shouldn't run you more than ~$50 new.

Software:  Check the sticky at the top of the Computer-Related forum.

If you're going the DFC route, try and get the Hosa.  The 312 is known to be Bit Perfect, and it is assumed the 276 is as well...  I had one and it performed extremely well - much better than the cheapy Rat Shack or the M-Audio CO2.  Both of those gave me drop-outs.

Terry

[live2496]

I haven't ever used this Radio Shack box before. But I just did a bit test with it and it passed.

I'm no big fan of the RS brand, but I had a hard time believing that a relatively simple device like this wouldn't be bit perfect.

Here's the method I used. Perhaps it will be of use to others later:

I generated 10 seconds of rectangular waves in Samplitude. 40 hz waves at about -3dbfs. I set the output device to SPDIF and set the software to loop the playback. I left a small portion of silence between each 10 second segment on playback. This was so I could align the samples later.

Recording chain was RME Multiface SPDIF out -> coaxial cable -> radio shack digital signal converter --> toslink output -> PDAudio SPDIF input
Captured using Live2496 with 16-bit resolution at 44.1kHz with the software set for toslink input.

I recorded about 30 minutes of audio then opened the file in Samplitude. Chopped the object in half using the "T" keyboard shortcut. Then moved the second half of the recording onto an adjacent track.  I zoomed in and shifted the bottom object to align the samples so that there was a 10 second segment of sound and then a short gap that repeated for about 15 minutes duration. After the objects were in position I trimmed the leading and trailing edges off of the objects so that both objects were identical in size.

I locked the objects in that position on the timeline. Then I checked the "invert" checkbox for both left and right channels of one object. This inverts that channel upon playback or mixdown. Then I bounced (mixed) the resulting objects. The resulting file was null with no artifacts.

Terry, I don't know how to explain your experience with it. Their must be some other factor involved.



 

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Terry, I don't know how to explain your experience with it. Their must be some other factor involved.

I bet Rat Shack has changed their models/supplier or something...  I'm glad yours works for you, I had no such luck...  Cest la vie...

Here's a Hosa 276 in the YS for $25:  http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=136660.0;topicseen

Terry

[dean]

Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-THIN-TOSLINK-MINIPLUG-THINTOSMIN6/dp/B00016W6Y6

Of course, you'd need a DAT deck with optical out, which the DA-R100 doesn't have.

I have a standard macbook, not a macbook pro, and a 7 pin optical from my sony dats (D7, D8) that term in mini plug.  Can I go direct into my 1/8" audio in jack like a macbook pro, and record onto Audacity or some other audio software?

Currently I go dat>7pin>jb3, then jb3>usb>macbook via file transfer.  So I still have to do it all in real time plus transfer time.  If I could go direct in that'd be great.  Assuming this would work, would I lose anything in the re-recording into Audacity (any more than I could possibly lose re-recording to the jb3)?

[live2496]

I am not a macbook user, but I will try to help. Someone please jump in if any of this is incorrect.

I think it depends upon the date of manufacture. Here are some details that might help. And they have serial numbers which help identify your system.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1562

If your computer has SPDIF in, then you should be able to record from the digital input with Audacity. When recording from the digital input there will be no loss of quality. You should get a bit exact copy.

[dean]

I am not a macbook user, but I will try to help. Someone please jump in if any of this is incorrect.

I think it depends upon the date of manufacture. Here are some details that might help. And they have serial numbers which help identify your system.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1562

If your computer has SPDIF in, then you should be able to record from the digital input with Audacity. When recording from the digital input there will be no loss of quality. You should get a bit exact copy.

Awesome.  Thanks!