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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: cgrooves on July 15, 2006, 11:04:06 AM

Title: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: cgrooves on July 15, 2006, 11:04:06 AM
iRiver H140 + Rockbox (recent build):

I was planning on getting an optical patch tonight (I've been running line-in only) and set the source to digital.  Hooked up my optical cable to the back of my DVD player to see if I could record the audio.  Ended up recording digi noise on the H140.  The levels were pegged out (and clipping a lot), but it was a digital signal coming from the DVD player (with no way to attenuate signal strength).  Is the problem perhaps that the DVD player is not sending a S/PDIF signal?  I don't have a pre with optical out available to test right now.  I guess I'll bring along my rca (x2) > mini in case I have to use an analog patch. 
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dgodwin on July 15, 2006, 11:10:14 AM
I tested the digital in on my 120 with a fostex d5, and everything went smoothly.  Not sure what was going on.  In the older versions, you had to turn on the digital outs for the digital in to work.  Is this still the case, and did you do that?  Other than that, I'm not sure what else might've caused the problems. 
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: cgrooves on July 15, 2006, 11:16:26 AM
I'm using daily build 07.07.06.  I can see a red light in the optical out port when feeding it the signal, so it appears that optical out is working.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: whatboutbob on July 15, 2006, 11:31:22 AM
In the older versions, you had to turn on the digital outs for the digital in to work.  Is this still the case, and did you do that?

That's not the case with newer builds.  Digi-out is auto-enabled whenever you select digi-recording.  You do still have to ensure you're sending the iriver a digi signal before you go into the digi-recording screen tho, otherwise the iriver may not be able to lock-on to the signal.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: cgrooves on July 15, 2006, 11:37:31 AM
I've ensured that the signal was being passed before entering the recordiing screen.  I'm hoping that the optical signal being transmitted by my DVD player is just the wrong format.  Has anyone else tried feeding their H1xx an optical signal from a DVD player?  If you got the time, I would appreciate hearing the result of the recording.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dgodwin on July 15, 2006, 12:16:32 PM
I just tested from my dvd player to my iRiver (daliy build 060605)

JVC XV-N44 -> iRiver HP 120

I used both a cd and an actual dvd to test.

CD - came out fine
dvd - all sorts of clicks and noise. 

Hope this helps
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: cgrooves on July 15, 2006, 12:24:10 PM
I just tested from my dvd player to my iRiver (daliy build 060605)

JVC XV-N44 -> iRiver HP 120

I used both a cd and an actual dvd to test.

CD - came out fine
dvd - all sorts of clicks and noise. 

Hope this helps

You sir, are the man! +T
I don't know why I didn't think of trying a CD.  I got the same results as you did, and am now convinced that I can successfully get an optical patch recording tonight via digital in on the h140.  The DVD digital audio optical signal must be in a format that isn't compatible.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dgodwin on July 15, 2006, 12:28:32 PM
Glad I could help.  I was kinda dissapointed that recording from a dvd didn't work.  I had popped in a simpson's dvd:  Marge vs. the Monorail  ;D
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: petur on July 15, 2006, 07:00:06 PM
I wouldn't be surprised if the DVD audio signal was encrypted. Bloody DRM  >:D
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dunebug81 on July 15, 2006, 07:32:09 PM
I dont think its drm...doesnt the iriver record in 16/44.1 where a dvd is 16/48?  I would say that the difference between the two is causing the magled audio.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: rsimms3 on July 15, 2006, 08:06:50 PM
Is 5.1 a different optical signal from 2 channel PCM?  That would be my first thought that the DVD was set to Dolby or something where the CD would just output PCM.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dunebug81 on July 15, 2006, 09:12:38 PM
Is 5.1 a different optical signal from 2 channel PCM?  That would be my first thought that the DVD was set to Dolby or something where the CD would just output PCM.

Depends on if the disc was playing a 5.1 track.  Even still I think its still a 48k and not 44.1.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: treespine on July 15, 2006, 11:27:22 PM
I thought the H120 was able to record 48 digitally?
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dunebug81 on July 15, 2006, 11:29:46 PM
I thought the H120 was able to record 48 digitally?

It might..but does it auto detect what what sample rate/frequency its coming in at?  Perhaps you need to adjust the setting on the iriver so it will take a 48k signal.  There was an iriver on woot.com the other day and I thought about getting it but I know id still use my MD so it would have been money wasted.
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: treespine on July 15, 2006, 11:32:02 PM
Quote
There was an iriver on woot.com the other day and I thought about getting it but I know id still use my MD so it would have been money wasted.
 

I saw that iRiver on woot, but it wasnt the h120, it didnt have the recording inputs.  You can get iRiver H120's new on ebay for $150 +shipping.  Not a bad deal for a plug-n-play 20 gig hard drive that can play music and record digital/mic/line
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: dunebug81 on July 15, 2006, 11:52:21 PM
Quote
There was an iriver on woot.com the other day and I thought about getting it but I know id still use my MD so it would have been money wasted.
 

I saw that iRiver on woot, but it wasnt the h120, it didnt have the recording inputs.  You can get iRiver H120's new on ebay for $150 +shipping.  Not a bad deal for a plug-n-play 20 gig hard drive that can play music and record digital/mic/line

Woah, I didnt realize that now all the models recorded.  I would have been super pissed to find out that it didnt record after the fact.  I dropped $400 on a 60gb ipod a 2 months ago and love it.  Ive got an ihome dock thing to put it on at work and I just hit shuffle and let it run all day and never hear the same song twice. 
Title: Re: Optical > H140 Question
Post by: Sherbz on July 16, 2006, 10:10:50 AM
It was almost certainly passing a DD (perhaps DTS) signal. If you put in a DVD with a LPCM soundtrack, it probably would have worked.