003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

Hello,

This one's got me stumped :confused: ...maybe you can figure it out:

I use a 003 with an external Lucid 88192 converter on ADAT (PT LE v7.3, PPC G5, OS 10.4).

Until today, I have been syncing the Lucid to the 003 through ADAT. However, I wanted to make the switch to word clock since it's supposed to be a better form of sync between 2 digital devices.

I hooked up my BNC from the Lucid WC out the 003 WC in. In Hardware Setup in Pro Tools, I set the clock source to Word Clock, and I set the Lucid sync to Internal @ 44.1 (the session rate). The Word Clock light lit up on the 003, and I did not get any sync error messages in PT.

I immediately got ripping / clipping distortion from my tracks. The meters on the Lucid were clipping hard, but the Pro Tools levels were totally normal. As soon as I switched the sync back to ADAT, everything went back to normal. The Word Clock setting made the levels clip, and the sound was completely thrashed.

To make matters more confusing - I found a setting in the Lucid ADAT IN menu called "SRC" (Sample Rate Convertion). As soon as I turned that ON, (still using Lucid WC as the master clock), the levels were back to normal, and everything sounded great. The sessions is at 44.1, the Lucid Clock was set to 44.1 internal - so it should not of needed SRC.

So the big questions:
- Why did WC clip the levels, while ADAT sync was fine?
- Why did turning ON Sample Rate Conv. fix the problem?

Any help on this matter is greatly appreciated. Everything seems to be working fine now, but I feel strange leaving SRC on, when everything is tracked / played / converted at the same sample rate.

Thanks,
Geelo

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

Any chance the bit depth is setup different somewhere in the chain?

A:)

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

Thanks for your thoughts 1ace1. My session is 24bit, but I don't think there are any settings for that in the Lucid. Just sample rate.

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

I was having the same issue with my 003 and DigiMax. I gave up after a bit of tinkering, figuring that one of the two devices was too confused. Hoping for an answer with you.

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

Yeah, my guess is that the 003 is not sending clean 44.1 samples, and needs SRC to clean them up. The lucid clock is high end and supposed to be rock solid, so I doubt it's them.

I have spoken to Lucid's tech support several times for other matters (no problems, just clarification on use). They are very helpful, I'll call them and see what they have to say.

I would call Digidesign tech support....oh wait that is going to cost me $$$$$. What crap!

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

If its working with SRC on then you can just go with it.

Would be interesting to find out why though.

Maybe SRC needs to be on to deliver word clocking via BNC?!

A:)

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

1

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

I spoke with Lucid Tech Support yesterday, and they state that it should work fine without using SRC, as long as the session is in the same Sample Rate as what the Lucid is set to.

They suspect that the 003 is spitting out a questionable / unstable sample rate through the ADAT when WC is controlling the sync.

I agree that if the SRC works, then keep it on. But I am concerned that this may be a sign of a bigger clocking issue with the 003. I really wish there was free tech support for the 003. Is there a Digi moderator that can chime in?

Thanks,
Geelo

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

Try the live chat thing at the top of the forum.

A:)

Re: 003 / Lucid 88192 / Word Clock Problems
 

Email support is free: http://www.digidesign.com/tsr

No idea but since the Lucid was the clock master, the fact that it was clipping/distorting likely had zero relation to Pro Tools. Also, setting it to SRC seems completely contrary, since the Lucid was the clock master - it's only sending WC, not receiving it. There should be no reason to SRC a WC output.

What I would do is use the same settings, but not connect it to anything - does the problem still occur? If so, it's most likely a hardware issue with the Lucid.

Are you using a 75 ohm BNC coaxial cable? Did you try a different cables?

You also say:

In reading the rest of your post, it's difficult to be sure you mean what you're saying - did you actually clock the Lucid to the 003 via ADAT previously? Meaning you had an ADAT cable from the output of the 003 to the input of the Lucid? And Pro Tools was set to internal clock, the Lucid to external?

I wanted to be sure, as it seems you're reversing which device is the clock master in each situation (previously = 003 via ADAT, currently = Lucid via WC).


Did you try using the 003 as the WC master, to see if anything changed?