Topic: n00b needs help with cheap jb3-based sbd/patch rig

[nubjamin]

hey kids, this is my first post, although i've been lurking for a little while. very chill forum you got here...

so here's the thing: i bought a 20Gb jb3 (after reading about the various options on this forum - thanks!), and now i need help with actually using it. i am specifically interested in making SBD recordings of some of the acoustic/bluegrass shows in the boulder area, which are typically in very small venues. usually the soundboards in these places are just going to have RCA outs, but some i think might have s/pdif out as well.

anyway, my question is: what do i need? i'm guessing that the best thing would be to buy a preamp/ADC like the UA5, but i'm not sure if i'm ready for that expense yet. can i convert stereo RCA out to s/pdif without an external ADC? is that what something like the HOSA ODL-276 is for? the thing i don't understand about the ODL-276 is how you get from RCA stereo (from the SBD) to s/pdif coax RCA, or whatever you call that.

am i making any sense at all?

finally, what do i need in addition if i want to allow someone else to patch off of me, or vice versa?

yeah, pretty n00b stuff here, so i apologize if it's been covered a million times. thanks in advance for the help...

[mgleason007]

anyway, my question is: what do i need? i'm guessing that the best thing would be to buy a preamp/ADC like the UA5, but i'm not sure if i'm ready for that expense yet. can i convert stereo RCA out to s/pdif without an external ADC? is that what something like the HOSA ODL-276 is for? the thing i don't understand about the ODL-276 is how you get from RCA stereo (from the SBD) to s/pdif coax RCA, or whatever you call that.

The easiest thing if you get a s/pdif (I take it you're referring to coax?) from a SBD, which I've never heard of, would be a Hosa box.  Not sure which one but you'd want the one that does coax to toslink.  If you get an RCA feed from the board, you just need a stereo RCA > 1/8" stereo adapter, and let the jb3's internal A/D take care of it if you're going for the cheapest route.  Or just get a digi-mod UA5.  There's one in the for sale section for $200 right now.

finally, what do i need in addition if i want to allow someone else to patch off of me, or vice versa?

You can't... not exactly.  You would need a 4-pin to 4-pin firewire cable and do the transfer post-recording.

[nubjamin]

The easiest thing if you get a s/pdif (I take it you're referring to coax?) from a SBD, which I've never heard of, would be a Hosa box.  Not sure which one but you'd want the one that does coax to toslink.  If you get an RCA feed from the board, you just need a stereo RCA > 1/8" stereo adapter, and let the jb3's internal A/D take care of it if you're going for the cheapest route.

really? i didn't realize it was that simple. ha! looks like i was over-thinking this...

btw, it was one of the musicians that told me some of the soundboards have digital out - in my head i was thinking it must be s/pdif optical, but i really have no idea. i guess in general i will assume it's stereo RCA.

Or just get a digi-mod UA5.  There's one in the for sale section for $200 right now.

interesting. what does the "digi-mod" indicate?

finally, what do i need in addition if i want to allow someone else to patch off of me, or vice versa?

You can't... not exactly.  You would need a 4-pin to 4-pin firewire cable and do the transfer post-recording.

gotcha. but if i got an external ADC, someone could patch off of that, right? no? i guess i was thinking of some kind of splitter...

thanks for the quick response!

[mgleason007]

interesting. what does the "digi-mod" indicate?

The way the UA-5 is made, the digital outputs (coax, toslink) are not active unless a computer is hooked up to the USB port.  I have no idea why it was made this way, but the digi-mod fixes that and makes all of the outputs active.

gotcha. but if i got an external ADC, someone could patch off of that, right? no? i guess i was thinking of some kind of splitter...

If you got a UA-5 and went UA-5 > JB3 (optical) (which is the only way to do it, really), someone could certainly patch off of your UA-5 via coax or USB.  And the firewire thing of course assumes that the patcher was also using a JB3.

+T for diving in!

[Brian Skalinder]

I suggest checking out the Archival Info forum for some info on the NJB3 and UA5.

Ahem.  

[mgleason007]

I suggest checking out the Archival Info forum for some info on the NJB3 and UA5.

Ahem.  

There you go with that damn archival section .  But yeah, definitely go through those few pages of threads... def worthwhile read.

[InfiniteOhms]

people can also get a analog patch out of you by simply pluging in a 1/8" plug into the line out. At this point i would'nt realy bother with a external A>D, the internal sounds fine for SBDs.

[nubjamin]

At this point i would'nt realy bother with a external A>D, the internal sounds fine for SBDs.

now this is the kind of thing i wanted to hear.  

thanks a lot guys! i'll check out the archive...

[BJ]

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=11;action=display;threadid=16274

you might wanna chekc out some other thread sabou thte jb3 before you rely on the internal A/D for sbd's

[nubjamin]

good god, the jb3 faq in the archive section is ridiculously informative. (the link in this forum was a good idea.) thanks y'all, sorry to bother...