Topic: jb3 piggybacking

[sweatboard]

How do you "piggyback" and what cord do I use to piggyback a jb3.  Thanks,

Brian

[Brian Skalinder]

What do you mean by "piggyback"?  If you're talking about patching from one JB3 to another - i.e. recording the same content on multiple JB3s simultaneously from a single source - check the NJB3 Tapers FAQ.  If something else...please clarify.

[macroint]

What do you mean by "piggyback"?  If you're talking about patching from one JB3 to another - i.e. recording the same content on multiple JB3s simultaneously from a single source - check the NJB3 Tapers FAQ.  If something else...please clarify.

This makes me think...I've seen pics of NJB3's patched together for a show, but wouldn't it be more efficient to just record on one and afterwards transfer the show to the other NJB3 with the 4-pin cable? I think I read somewhere, probably the FAQ, that patching NJB3's weakens the signal.

[The Kilted Taper]

PLus, if the head JB3 is getting a digital signal, all the rest are getting analog. And the battery usage. Just get a 4 pin and do the transfer at the end of the show.

[Brian Skalinder]

[100] So does this mean I can use it to patch in digital patch chains?  What about analog patching?

Sure, either analog and digital.

Analog

Simply feed it an analog signal via stereo mini connector and you're all set. Probably want to run line-in as it sounds better than mic-in.  Mic-in is known to suffer from nasty artifacts like hard drive whine and a high noise floor.  While line-in is much better than mic-in, you're ultimately far better off patching digitally.  You can send an analog output to patchers via the Line 1 analog out as well.

Digital

The NJB3 takes an optical input via a optical mini connector.  Since most outboard ADCs and recording decks pass a coax S/PDIF signal, how the heck do I patch with my optical NJB3?  Just pick up a coax barrel splitter - one of the outputs runs to your digital format converter and the other passes the signal on to the next patcher in queue.  The apparently most reliable digital format converter which supports coax S/PDIF <-> optical conversion - and therefore ideal for patching - seems to be the Hosa Hosa ODL-276 (S/PDIF coax <-> optical).  The -276 will be most useful for patching since it converts a S/PDIF coax signal, the most common digital signal passed in patch chains.  Users have experienced mixed results with other digital format converter boxes:  M-Audio CO2, M-Audio CO3, the ubiquitous "greybox".  Jamie Lutch has posted some testing results over on the NJB3Tapers Yahoo group Files section and I've tested the ODL-312 quite a bit.


[110] What about patching multiple NJB3s together in a chain?

The NJB3 doesn't support digital passthrough of a digital signal, hence the need for the coax barrel splitter to split the coax S/PDIF feed.  However, splitting the signal multiple times will weaken the signal and will likely eventually render the signal unusable for the digital format converters (or for DAT decks far down the chain after a long run of NJB3s).  For this reason, it's probably a good idea to drop in a DAT deck in between every two or so NJB3's in the chain because the DAT decks re-generate the coax S/PDIF signal bringing it back up to full strength.  OR, NJB3s can simply copy the recorded files across NJB3s after the show (neat!).


[115] Can I split the optical signal after my DFC and before my NJB3 to patch two NJB3s off the same DFC?

You can try, but anecdotal evidence suggests it won't work.  The passive optical splitters available at places like Radio Shack basically halve the strength of the signal feeding each device behind the splitter.  The weakened signal apparently is not strong enough to feed the NJB3 properly.


[120] How do I transfer or copy files from one NJB3 to another?

      [1] Download and install the latest Firmware
      [2] Conect both players with the 4 pin to 4 pin 1394 cable
      [3] Turn both units on
      [4] Go to Music Library, All Tracks view.
      [5] Press the Side Scroller and select Send Track
      [6] You can then select each file, one at a time and send it to the other player.

      Note: Copy protected tracks such as WMA(with DRM) or preloaded content cannot be transfered from the player units.

[F.O.Bean]

also, the few times i did the 4-pin>4-pin transfer after the show, it was VERY finnicky, i barely budged one of the 4-pin cables and BAM, stopped transferring and i had to start all over, and i have a relatively nice 4-pin>4-pin cable