World Clock + S/PDIF effects

[Michael1052]

I am still trying to grapple with digital recording, so any help will be much appreciated.

I am using MBox2 and want to connect digitally with my Lexicon MPX 550 effects unit. When I connect with S/PDIF between the two, they both want to set the Clock Source to external (S/PDIF).

I can get this to work by outputting MBox in converted analogue, inputting into the MPX in analogue then sending the digital signal back to MBox via S/PDIF, but that costs me two conversions.

I am assuming I need a standalone World Clock unit that the signal passes through between the MBox and the MPX. Is that true? and does such a unit exist? and if so, what do you recommend? Or is there a better way to do this?

(setup: laptop Win XP2, ext hard drive, firewire connections.)

thanks
Michael

[AltissimoFreak]

Nope, this will not work.

I assume that you are using an MBox 2 Pro, rather than the standard MBox 2, since you mention that it has wordclock and firewire on it.

There used to be a really detailed post about this very issue that a great and wise ex-DUC member posted when the MBox 2 Pro first came out. But sadly it has been deleted.

Read the MBox 2 Pro manual, and you will find out that:

1) In order to record at 96k you must use the internal MBox 2 Pro clock
2) like all of the MBox line, the S/PDIF outputs are just mirrors of the main L/R output
3) you can only clock at 44.1k and 48k when using wordclock, or S/PDIF I/O

All these things do not work, supposedly, because the chip that controls the clocking, and S/PDIF was faulty, and Digi did not find out until after they ordered 10,000 or so MBox 2 Pro units, and then couldn't change the design of it.

Also, that footswitch connector on the back panel is inoperable. Supposedly they will be releasing a firmware/software patch at some point which will enable it.

[Michael1052]

I'm trying to understand your reply as it applies to me.

Yes I am using MBox2 Pro, and I am only using 44.1k as all experimemnts I have done have indicated that as I want to put the output on CD, I lose quality by recording any higher than 16/44.1, and I can control levels on recording so clipping is not a problem.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying if there were no problem with the chip, I would have been able to set the clock source to Word Clock or internal, while still using S/PDIF input and output?

Whatever, currently there is no way to set the clock source other than to external S/PDIF when using that for in and out for the MBox2 Pro? The problem is that both components want to use the other for clock source, so you are saying there is no way around this? (except going back to analogue)

trhanks for your reply
m

[AltissimoFreak]

You may want to check out THIS THREAD.

I'm not sure what the problem would be if you are clocking to 44.1k. According to the MBox 2 Pro manual, it should work. But then, there are so many querky things with that unit that it's impossible to say. I've even had conflicting accounts from Digidesign themselves about what is and isn't possible with the MBox 2 Pro.

I believe that the consensus has been that external effect through S/PDIF do not work on the entrie MBox line, because the S/PDIF output only mirrors the main L/R output, so you can send your main mix to an ADAT tape recorder, or something.

[Michael1052]

thanks for your replys - I did see that thread, and I will have another shot at getting it to work, while I still have the MBox.

much appreciated!