Optical, Spdif, clocking issues w/ Digimax & Apogee. Help!!!

[motoxracer400f]

Hi everyone,

I'm having major word clock, optical, and spdif interfacing problems using Pro Tools 7 with the Music Production Toolkit. I've been using an Apogee Rossetta 200 out to my Digi002 via spdif coax cables and clocked off of the Rossetta, so I would set the Pro Tools input to External. This worked pretty good for a while and I was able to record 10 tracks simultaneously. The only problem I was having with this was that I needed to keep the power off on the Rossetta so that Pro Tools would revert back to internal before starting up otherwise It would lock up. I guess I was able to live with that issue though.

**But the real problem that I'm having now is this:

I needed more tracks so I bought a Digimax 96k. I was told that I could use the Rossetta, connected through spdif, and also the Digimax 96k via optical. I've been stumbling with this for some time now and I just can't get this to work. The Digimax doesn't even show up under the track input list. Can someone please help me?? How should I hook this up so that I am able to use the Rossetta as the clock source and still record tracks via the Digimax 96k. Do I need BNC word clock cables? Everytime I play with the clock source in pro tools it always reverts back to internal due to invalid clock source.

Thank you so much!!

[Ziko]

Does the Rosetta have a BNC word clock output? Does the Digimax have a BNC word clock input?

You need one device to be the master, the other 2 to be slaves. So if you want the Apogee to be master you'll need to set the 002 to be a slave from spdif (like you had originally) but also you need the Digimax to slave off the Apogee which is where a BNC connection between the two comes in.

Oh and if you haven't yet got the digimax going in PT at all, I'd start by taking the Apogee out of the equation and just get the Digimax sorted on its own. You want to be sure each device is OK on its own before you start trying to run emall at the same time.

[motoxracer400f]

Thanks, I will use BNC connections (in & out) from the Rossetta to the Digimax to supply the sync between the 2 but then how should I get the final connections of the 2 into the Digi002? Should I run a optical lightpipe cable OUT from the Digimax to the IN on the Rossetta and then spdif OUT from the Rossetta to the spdif IN on the 002 or how should I do this?

I really appreciate your guys help!

[humpback]

A little off topic, but to keep from having to turn the Apogee on/off, do this: when you are done with a session, close the session but not PT. go to menu bar and click setup. Then click hardware. Then set your clock to internal. You can then close PT. When you open PT next, open the program not a session, do the reverse - change the source to external (making sure your Rosetta is set to the correct sampling frequency). Then open the session you want! Always works for me...

Cheers!

Nathan Lowe

[Kobra]

Thanks, I will use BNC connections (in & out) from the Rossetta to the Digimax to supply the sync between the 2 but then how should I get the final connections of the 2 into the Digi002? Should I run a optical lightpipe cable OUT from the Digimax to the IN on the Rossetta and then spdif OUT from the Rossetta to the spdif IN on the 002 or how should I do this?

I really appreciate your guys help!

That probably wouldn't work and even if it did, it would defeat the purpose of having more inputs, since you would only be able to record two channels. I would connect the word-clock Rosetta BNC out to Digimax in, ADAT optical from Digimax out to 002 in, Rosetta spdif out to 002 in - then set Rosetta as the master clock (in PT it would be spdif, not sure how to set the Digimax, but it's probably explained in the manual for it) - now to select the Digimax inputs PT, choose ADAT optical inputs 1-8 and spdif in for Rosetta.

[Ziko]

Quote:
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Thanks, I will use BNC connections (in & out) from the Rossetta to the Digimax to supply the sync between the 2 but then how should I get the final connections of the 2 into the Digi002? Should I run a optical lightpipe cable OUT from the Digimax to the IN on the Rossetta and then spdif OUT from the Rossetta to the spdif IN on the 002 or how should I do this?

I really appreciate your guys help!


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That looks OK to me, I don't see why it wouldn't work Kobra.

To go back a step, let's establish how to hook the two devices up to record (ignoring clocking):
Rosetta spdif(RCA) out to 002 spdif(RCA) in.
Digimax optical out to 002 optical in (make sure optical in is set to DAT, not spdif).
That'll definitely work and will give you the maximum 18 inputs total for the 002.

Now for the clocking.
One device needs to be the master, the other 2 slaves, there's a few ways to make that happen, here's a couple of ways to try:

1.
Rosetta as master.
002 slaved from Rosetta by setting clocking to come from SPDIF(RCA)-in.
Digimax slaved from Rosetta by running a BNC cable from the Rosetta to the Digimax.

Issues: The Rosetta needs to be able to send its digital output out the SPDIF(RCA) output and send clock info out both the SPDIF(RCA) and BNC word clock output at the same time. I would have thought it would do that though, maybe email Apogee support and ask them.
The Digimax needs to be able receive clocking from its BNC word clock port and output through its optical out, again this should be possible, it's reptty standard.

2.
Rosetta as master.
002 slaved from Rosetta by setting clocking to come from SPDIF(RCA)-in.
Digimax slaved from 002 (which is salved off the Rosetta so all should end in sync) by setting the Digimax to get its clock from its optical out port.

Issues:
The Digimax needs to be able to get its clock from its optical out port, not sure if that's possible, especially considering it's an out port not an in, so the main traffic (the digital audio) is heading in the other direction. Maybe email Digimax support and ask them.

Let us know how yo get on as I've got an Apogee Mini-me and a 003R myself and might want to try adding an 8 channel stirp like the Digimax myself at some point. I've been wondering about clocking.

Cheers,

Simon

[motoxracer400f]

I will try this. I just emailed Apogee to see what they have to say. I will let you all know once I get this straightened out.

--Thanks again

[motoxracer400f]

I think I finally solved the issue. This is the reply I got back from Apogee:

Greetings Jason,

In this configuration all that's left to do is set Protools to clock
from SPDIF coxial/RCA the Rosetta 200 will send clock data through the
SPDIF connection, optical, AES and word clock outputs simultaneously.

If you haven't already make certain the Digimax is clocking from word
clock. The other thing to note is that the 002's ADAT I/O is limited
to sample rates up to 48 kHz.

I haven’t been able to try this yet but surly will tonight. Thanks for all the help!!