Topic: DAT > PC Conversion Help...

[blguillen]

Hey all  

I have a question about (finally) getting around to transferring some of my tapes to cd.  I have the following soundcard to use (if i need to get another one in the long run, i'm down to do that):

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=ce4f3b6d13494004f69f07cb11070055

and this 7 pin cable:  http://www.micsupply.com/active7pin.htm

I'm using soundforge to record into.  The problem is that I'm not getting anything out of my dat (signal wise).  But, if i run an analog cable line out of the dat into the soundcard, I get signal and it sound pretty good.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? or can offer any advice to me?  Any help is greatly appreciative.

Thanks!!

Bobby

[thoman8r]

Hey all  

I have a question about (finally) getting around to transferring some of my tapes to cd.  I have the following soundcard to use (if i need to get another one in the long run, i'm down to do that):

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=ce4f3b6d13494004f69f07cb11070055

and this 7 pin cable:  http://www.micsupply.com/active7pin.htm

I'm using soundforge to record into.  The problem is that I'm not getting anything out of my dat (signal wise).  But, if i run an analog cable line out of the dat into the soundcard, I get signal and it sound pretty good.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? or can offer any advice to me?  Any help is greatly appreciative.

Thanks!!

Bobby

hmm...well I've never used this device but if DAT > analog out > soundcard > USB > PC works than it sounds like the problem is probably between the DAT and the soundcard.

Check your cable to make sure that it is switched digital and not analog transmission.  Also maybe the cables are mislabelled?  Try plugging the other one into the sound card and see if you get a signal.  
Other than that, do you have any way to verify that the cable you have works?
Also, what Sony DAT recorder do you have?

[Brian Skalinder]

I'm using soundforge to record into.  The problem is that I'm not getting anything out of my dat (signal wise).

I don't think it's reasonable, given the information available so far, to conclude you're not getting signal out of your DAT.  Before we make that conclusion, we need to verify at a minimum:

[1] all physical connections and cables are connected and functioning properly
[2] proper soundcard drivers are installed and working
[3] soundcard is configured correctly for digital input
[4] proper Soundforge configuration for recording a digital signal

As I look more closely at your post, looks like you're using the Pro Digital 7-in cable which transmits a S/PDIF signal over coax wire with RCA connectors.  The specs on your M-Audio sound capture device indicate it may receive a S/PDIF optical signal with 1/8" connector.  Based on this, it appears you need:

[a] a sound capture device that accepts S/PDIF coax, or
a 7-pin > optical cable, or
[c] a coax > optical digital format converter

[leegeddy]

Hey all  

I have a question about (finally) getting around to transferring some of my tapes to cd.  I have the following soundcard to use (if i need to get another one in the long run, i'm down to do that):

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=ce4f3b6d13494004f69f07cb11070055

and this 7 pin cable:  http://www.micsupply.com/active7pin.htm

I'm using soundforge to record into.  The problem is that I'm not getting anything out of my dat (signal wise).  But, if i run an analog cable line out of the dat into the soundcard, I get signal and it sound pretty good.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? or can offer any advice to me?  Any help is greatly appreciative.

Thanks!!

Bobby

make sure your soundcard's setting is set to SPDIF IN.  MAudio should have a Control Panel. perhaps you need to d/l it from MAudio.

marc

[thoman8r]

As I look more closely at your post, looks like you're using the Pro Digital 7-in cable which transmits a S/PDIF signal over coax wire with RCA connectors.  The specs on your M-Audio sound capture device indicate it may receive a S/PDIF optical signal with 1/8" connector.  Based on this, it appears you need:

[a] a sound capture device that accepts S/PDIF coax, or
a 7-pin > optical cable, or
[c] a coax > optical digital format converter

I thought that at first too Brian, but after doing so snooping around on micsupply.com it does appear that it is indeed an optical cable, unless mic supply is blatently lying.

http://www.micsupply.com/sonyopticalcables.htm
                                            ^^^^

[Brian Skalinder]

I thought that at first too Brian, but after doing so snooping around on micsupply.com it does appear that it is indeed an optical cable, unless mic supply is blatently lying.

http://www.micsupply.com/sonyopticalcables.htm
                                            ^^^^

I think MicSupply's web page filename is just wrong.  The only optical device on that page is the toslink > mini adapter.

[thoman8r]

I thought that at first too Brian, but after doing so snooping around on micsupply.com it does appear that it is indeed an optical cable, unless mic supply is blatently lying.

http://www.micsupply.com/sonyopticalcables.htm
                                            ^^^^

I think MicSupply's web page filename is just wrong.  The only optical device on that page is the toslink > mini adapter.

It's very confusing what they have there, but they do list this as the description for the adapter

MicSupply.com customers have almost exhausted the 7-pin pin optical cable supply available.  The mini-toslink adapter makes enables the flexibility to use any of  the optical cables on this page in any optical input (toslink or mini optical).

To me this indicates that the cables on the page are meant to be optical, but I do admit they looked coaxial to me at a glance.  After looking at it more closely though I agree with you.

[Brian Skalinder]

I guarantee it's not possible to pass an optical signal through an RCA connector.  Their page is just plain wrong.  'Course, I've been known to be wrong before after making such a bold statement...  

[blguillen]

Also, what Sony DAT recorder do you have?

i'm using a d8

it is on digial, and on an analog setting.  one is for in, and the other is for out.  at the moment i have no real way to verify whehter or not the cable works (I just bought it yesterday).

[blguillen]

.

I don't think it's reasonable, given the information available so far, to conclude you're not getting signal out of your DAT.  Before we make that conclusion, we need to verify at a minimum:

[1] all physical connections and cables are connected and functioning properly
[2] proper soundcard drivers are installed and working
[3] soundcard is configured correctly for digital input
[4] proper Soundforge configuration for recording a digital signal

its all installed & connected properly

As I look more closely at your post, looks like you're using the Pro Digital 7-in cable which transmits a S/PDIF signal over coax wire with RCA connectors.  The specs on your M-Audio sound capture device indicate it may receive a S/PDIF optical signal with 1/8" connector.  Based on this, it appears you need:

[a] a sound capture device that accepts S/PDIF coax, or
a 7-pin > optical cable, or
[c] a coax > optical digital format converter

ah, ok.  so a 7 pin > optical cable adaptor would work then?  I'll check it out and see if it'll work.  i have a 1/8 mini connector adaptor on the rca out side of the cable.  or should i just get another soundcard?

[Brian Skalinder]

ah, ok.  so a 7 pin > optical cable adaptor would work then?  I'll check it out and see if it'll work.  i have a 1/8 mini connector adaptor on the rca out side of the cable.  or should i just get another soundcard?

Yeah, that's your problem - using a RCA > 1/8" adapter won't work because the sound capture device is expecting an optical signal, not an electrical signal.  Your 7-pin > RCA cable + RCA > 1/8" mini adapter is providing an electrical signal.

A 7-pin > optical cable *would* work, but IMO you should keep the 7-pin > coax you have currently (much more robust than the 7-pin > optical cables out there) and just get a different soundcard.  Lots of inexpensive options for soundcards, there've been some posts recently about different cards.  Try a search and ask more questions if you need to.  Is there a reason you're using an external sound capture device?  Are you using a desktop or laptop?  PC or Mac?

[blguillen]

Yeah, that's your problem - using a RCA > 1/8" adapter won't work because the sound capture device is expecting an optical signal, not an electrical signal.  Your 7-pin > RCA cable + RCA > 1/8" mini adapter is providing an electrical signal.

A 7-pin > optical cable *would* work, but IMO you should keep the 7-pin > coax you have currently (much more robust than the 7-pin > optical cables out there) and just get a different soundcard.  Lots of inexpensive options for soundcards, there've been some posts recently about different cards.  Try a search and ask more questions if you need to.  Is there a reason you're using an external sound capture device?  Are you using a desktop or laptop?  PC or Mac?

i just got a fujitsu laptop, and wanted to get this as an alternative to maybe the vxpocket, and run ad20 (optical out) > (optical in) m audio trackman and from ad20 > 7 pin > dat as a backup,.

i figured it would work for a dat transfer too.  no worries though.  i'll do some more reading up on the soundcard threads (Yeah, there has been lots o discussion about it recently) and get me one i can internally connect to my regular pc.

Many thanks Brian!!! I got lots o shows coming up in socal that I wanna hit up, and wanna spread some of my recent stealths too...  

[Sean Gallemore]

with the m-audio soundcard you have to screw around with the control panel.  Use the s/pdif internal clock, make sure you have coax digital input selected (might have to toggle back and forth to detect a signal), and the type of signal (consumer or pro) has to match what ever your deck is putting out