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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: Gravesio on March 08, 2010, 12:22:43 PM

Title: DAT > MacBook
Post by: Gravesio on March 08, 2010, 12:22:43 PM
Hello All,

I did a search for this topic, but didn't find a real comprehensive answer.

I have a D8 and ton of DAT tapes that I'd like to convert onto my MacBook.

Any kind person out there that can explain to me what I need to get the music off the tapes and onto the computer?  Any help at all will be greatly appreciated as I'd like to be able to preserve some of these recordings.

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: H₂O on March 08, 2010, 02:49:23 PM
I'd pick up an external Sony SDT-9000 DDS drive, a RATOC Firewire to SCSI adapter, and grab a DAT transfer app.

A good app is DATXtract:
http://pdicamillo.org/~peter/datxtract/ (http://pdicamillo.org/~peter/datxtract/)
 
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: page on March 08, 2010, 02:58:30 PM
Does the D8 have a coax digi-out? (I never used one so I don't know).

If so, then one option is to get a converter for coax SPDIF > optical SPDIF and feed that into the macbook's optical in. Not all converters are bit-perfect, so if you consider this option, then look around here and see what people say about which ones.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: capnhook on March 08, 2010, 10:36:52 PM
Does the D8 have a coax digi-out? (I never used one so I don't know).

If so, then one option is to get a converter for coax SPDIF > optical SPDIF and feed that into the macbook's optical in. Not all converters are bit-perfect, so if you consider this option, then look around here and see what people say about which ones.

Find a Sony 7-pin > toslink I/O (Sony POC-DA12:  7-pin plug on one end and two Toslink fiber optic plugs on the other; one is input and the other is output).   Put a female toslink > male 1/8" optical adapter on the Toslink output, and plug into your 1/8" female optical IN on yer macbook.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: page on March 08, 2010, 10:45:49 PM
Does the D8 have a coax digi-out? (I never used one so I don't know).

If so, then one option is to get a converter for coax SPDIF > optical SPDIF and feed that into the macbook's optical in. Not all converters are bit-perfect, so if you consider this option, then look around here and see what people say about which ones.

Find a Sony 7-pin > toslink I/O (Sony POC-DA12:  7-pin plug on one end and two Toslink fiber optic plugs on the other; one is input and the other is output).   Put a female toslink > male 1/8" optical adapter on the Toslink output, and plug into your 1/8" female optical IN on yer macbook.

hook ftw. I'd forgotten about that whole 7pin proprietary thingy.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: capnhook on March 08, 2010, 10:57:14 PM

They're flimsy, but they work....!
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: Gravesio on March 09, 2010, 03:59:53 PM
Thanks for the help.  I have the old Oade Bros. 7-pin. 
I am wondering if I need any sort of external sound card, or if the info from capnhook is the best way to go.

Thanks again for all the info.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: capnhook on March 09, 2010, 06:35:14 PM

Digi is digi........this from Apple 13" Macbook specs:

Optical digital audio input is S/PDIF format and uses a standard Toslink cable with a Toslink mini-plug adapter, accepting up to 24-bit stereo and 44.1-96kHz sampling rate.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: page on March 09, 2010, 10:37:01 PM

Digi is digi........this from Apple 13" Macbook specs:

Optical digital audio input is S/PDIF format and uses a standard Toslink cable with a Toslink mini-plug adapter, accepting up to 24-bit stereo and 44.1-96kHz sampling rate.


may or may not be bitperfect, but it is digi-in which is a step up from the alternative.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: Jhurlbs81 on March 10, 2010, 08:36:40 AM
not sure if all macs are created equal in this regard, but I remeber reading they were bit perfect.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: page on March 10, 2010, 12:56:56 PM
not sure if all macs are created equal in this regard, but I remeber reading they were bit perfect.

oo, interesting. I guess it's testable, I haven't tried though.
Title: Re: DAT > MacBook
Post by: keytohwy on March 12, 2010, 01:39:34 PM
not sure if all macs are created equal in this regard, but I remeber reading they were bit perfect.

I think they are bit perfect up to the 24/96 realm.  I'll try to hunt down the reference.  I guess one note is that you can sync to external clock or internal.  Internal is the only choice for higher bit rates.  Also, G5s recognized 32khz stuff, the Intel Macs do not.

keytohwy