Topic: Problem passing a digital signal from a da-p1 to a ua-5>jb3 setup,, help please

[housermix]

Hey folks, question for everyone. Last night was the first time I tried to use my UA-5 > JB3 to patch out of another taper and here is what happened.

We were running a matrix mix into a DAP-1 and then I patched out of my friends DAP1 and into my ua-5 via a digital coax cable. I was then going to pass that signal to the jb3 via the optical cable from the ua-5 > jb3 ... The problem I ran into is I was not receiving a signal into the jb3. I was receiving the signal fine into the ua-5 b/c when I plugged headphones into the ua-5, I could here the house music so I know the signal was getting across the digi-cable, but nothing into the jb3, no levels at all. The weird thing is the jb3 recognized that it was 48 signal and not at 44.1 and if we switched it, it would change to 44.1, but still no sound...

I tried 2 different digi-cables and spend forever looking at it but could not get the signal into.

So I ended up patching right out of our mixer that we were using to do the matrix via 1/4 > RCA into the ua-5, then optical into the jb3 and it worked fine, nice signal, everything. 

Any thoughts on why I could not get the digi-signal, maybe something I was overlooking?

thanks in advance
kevin from charlotte

[hexyjones]

Sounds like you are just using the UA5 as format converter...I'll leave it to others to decide if that will work...

But - for that task - might be best to have simpler device that does only the COAX > Optical...

Im sure someone can chime in with the correct HOSA product...

[barrettphisher]

Is it a digi mod Ua5??  Don't quote me but I thought by doing the mod you lose the capability to take a digi in.....It only works when it's hooked up  to a computer....yes no maybe am I in the ballpark???/
Barrett

[Brian Skalinder]

Is it a digi mod Ua5?? Don't quote me but I thought by doing the mod you lose the capability to take a digi in.....It only works when it's hooked up to a computer....yes no maybe am I in the ballpark???

From the Oade Bros site:

The mod disables the digital output from a computer to the UA5 via the USB port, so you cannot send data from the computer to the UA5 on the USB buss.

[hexyjones]

Is it a digi mod Ua5?? Don't quote me but I thought by doing the mod you lose the capability to take a digi in.....It only works when it's hooked up to a computer....yes no maybe am I in the ballpark???

From the Oade Bros site:

The mod disables the digital output from a computer to the UA5 via the USB port, so you cannot send data from the computer to the UA5 on the USB buss.

What does that mean...? Qualify that comment...seems irrelevant...unless you are trying to say the digi-mod affects only the USB?

Thats about the USB in...I think he went coax in...is that disabled...?

[housermix]

it is a digi-mod ua-5 from oade but I thought all the digi-mod did was make it possible to do exactly what I was trying to do without needing a computer, i.e. pass a digital signal from a device to the ua-5 and then out to another device. Without the digi-mod, you can't pass a digital signal out of the ua-5 without a computer (I think), so I am wondering if the ua-5 I got from oade doesn't have the digi-mod or has a problem with the digi-mod that they did?

I went from the da-p1 > ua-5 via digital coax, not usb

[hexyjones]

Perhaps the relevant Oade quote would be:

The first mod enables the digital coax and optical outputs for stand alone operation without a computer.

[Brian Skalinder]

What does that mean...? Qualify that comment...seems irrelevant...unless you are trying to say the digi-mod affects only the USB?

Thats about the USB in...I think he went coax in...is that disabled...?

Perhaps the relevant Oade quote would be:

The first mod enables the digital coax and optical outputs for stand alone operation without a computer.

My quote from the Oade Bros is relevant given the context in which it was posted:  addressing barrettfisher's confusion around lost capability with the digi-mod.

[johnw]

By any chance did the power light on the UA5 blink? Did you see the black levels fluctuating on the JB3 at all when attempting to record out of the DAP1?

The digi-mod takes away the ability to use the UA5 for playback/recording of a signal coming through the USB from a computer. My understanding is that it should not affect the ability to use the UA5 as a digital format converter, although I never tested this function when I owned one. Unfortunately the UA5 will resample any digital input which may be part of the problem. Also I have no idea if a DAP1 passes a pro signal that might not work with a UA5 using a consumer coax input. Edit: nevermind that - coax is always consumer I think.

The other problem might be that the JB3 doesn't fully support 48 files. It will record them, but I think playback may be limited to 44.1. I've never tested the abillity to playback 48 files on the JB3, but it would be an easy test. Of course you said you also tried this with the Tascam set at 44.1.

In either case, if your JB3 is getting a signal when recording it will auto-detect that there is an incoming optical signal and display metering levels as 2 fluctuating black bars on the other side. If it detected the optical signal from the UA5 but did not display the fluctuating black bars, then you are correct in saying it was not getting a signal. I wouldn't go by the abscence of sound from the JB3 as a bad sign since the headphone output is kind of weak.

In the future, I would either pick up a Hosa ODL-276 (coax>optical converter) to patch out of a DAT deck or other coax signal or use the analog inputs on the UA5 as you ended up doing.

IMO, the easiest way to test this at home would be to hook your UA5 to the coax output of a home dvd player or cd player (or whatever you may have available) and try to feed an optical signal to your JB3. If the JB3 will record the coax out reseampled through the UA5 optical out then your equipment is fine but may have a problem with DAP1s.

[hexyjones]

How were the switches on the UA5 set?

From the manual - (some of this may vary - due to the mod)

7. Sampling frequency select switch
This selects the Sampling frequency at which audio signals will be recorded and
played back. In order for this setting to take effect, you must exit all applications,
then switch the UA-5's power off, then on again.

About the Sampling frequency select switch setting
• The UA-5’s Sampling frequency select switch must be set to match the
sampling frequency of the application you are using.
• 96 kHz REC and 96 kHz PLAY are valid only in Advanced mode (when
the Mode select switch is ON).
• When the Sampling frequency select switch is in the 96 kHz REC
position, you will not hear the playback sound from your application.
• When the Sampling frequency select switch is in the 96 kHz PLAY
position, the sound from the instrument or audio device connected to the
UA-5 cannot be recorded by your application.

[housermix]

I had the switch set to 48 b/c that is what the da-p1 was running at. I had the input set to digital b/c I was going digital in from the coax, not the RCA,

now there shouldn't be any volume adjustments that can be made from the ua-5 if the signal is digital correct? In any case, I had all sensor and volume nobs wide open, and still nothing...

[hexyjones]

How about #7?

Did you switch to 48 after the device was turned on...? Perhaps you needed to restart (maybe - this might only refer to computer based applications...)

Sounds like you need to set the switch and turn it off and back on...

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I ran into this same problem early on, Kevin, and I sent you an email about it...

But from what I remember with my emails with Doug Oade, the UA5 doesn't work as a DFC.  I have no idea, why not, it would seem like it would with all the ins and outs, but it doesn't.  I see this as a flaw in the UA5, but not a big one...

I expressed to Doug my desire to get a new mod done, a DFC mod, but he said it would be cheaper to go with a Hosa.

Terry

[hexyjones]

By any chance did the power light on the UA5 blink?

Ah ha...this indicates that SCMS is in play...(not sure if that is what the poster was getting at...)

So perhaps the UA5 saw the flag and passed on a non-copyable signal to the JB3...

However - I am inclined to accept twatts explantion...

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

By any chance did the power light on the UA5 blink?

However - I am inclined to accept twatts explantion...

What explanation???  I didn't say anything useful!!! 

Really, I can't remember exactly why it doesn't work, but I was pretty irked about it - I didn't like the idea of carrying an extra unit and battery (the Hosa and its battery), but its not a big deal...

Terry