Simultaneous AES/ADAT/SPDIF on HD I/O Digital

[crazyhorse]

Does anybody know whether the new AVID HD I/O 16x16 digital interface allows you to use different digital formats at the same time? I am guessing that you can have ONE OF 16 AES, TDIF, or ADAT, but the interface also has another digital I/O section on the base machine that provides an additional 2 spdif or 8 adat. Thus, I am guessing that you could, for example, use the 16 AES plus either of the 2 spdif or 8 adat - ie. you can run different digital formats across the two "cards", but can only use one format within each card. So in effect you can have as many as 24 digital I/O working simultaneously (eg. 16 AES plus 8 Adat; or 16 adat and 2 spdif)

I read the consolidated HD I/O guide on the avid site and it was somewhat confusing since it covers all three I/O versions at the same time.

Thanks.

[Bill Denton]

Not only was the manual confusing, the email I got from Avid regarding this question wasn't much clearer...

From what I've been able to suss out, here's what it is...

You can only have 16 inputs and 16 outputs at a time.

These 16 inputs/outputs can be any combination of those on the input/output cards installed and the input/outputs built in to the "enclosure".

In other words, you can use any combination of the inputs/outputs on your unit, but only 16 inputs/outputs.

Again, this is just my understanding, but it is based on fairly decent information.

Now, if I can manage to explain it in a simple fashion why can't Avid?

[the dude]

digital outputs are all mirrored to the AES/TDIF/ADAT on the digital IO card
only the (ENC) outputs can be independent but again only one format is available

16 outs MAX !!!! but you can use use all outputs of AES/TDIF/ADAT simultaiuosly but all are mirrored AES chan 1, TDIF chan 1, and ADAT chan 1 will only output the same signal

[crazyhorse]

Thanks guys. That is helpful. And it is actually good news for me, as the ability to mix i/o is more important that the total number of channels. cheers.

[Firechild]

I would like to rephrase slightly...can you you use both AES/EBU enclosue and S/PDIF enclosure out simultaneously with the same signal, Pro Tools master Output? What is confusing is in the Hardware setup you have to choose Digital Format AES/EBU or S/PDIF (or Optical (S/SPDIF)?

[BScout]

Yes. You set to “digital output” and all outputs on the enclosure send parallel signals. The format is about the inputs (or in the case of optical s/pdif, to use that instead of adat standards)