S/PDIF versus (or, along with?) ADAT

[futz]

Pro Tools 7.3cs1 ; Session sample rate at 44.1; Clock on Internal:

I’m having a rookie problem that likely has an easy answer (and has probably been covered before but I couldn’t find it here or in the Answer Base). I just haven’t been able to figure this out, and my guess is one of the many bright minds here will be able to set me straight quite easily.

I am trying to bring music from the Mac (iTunes, music from web sites, etc.) to my 002R by connecting an optical cable from the Mac’s optical out to the 002’s optical in. I checked under Hardware Setup and ADAT was selected. I then assign an aux channel’s audio input path to ADAT 1-2. I opened System Preferences to Sound and selected Digital Out, which selects the Optical digital-out port.

I then start a song in iTunes, and hear nothing. So I put a Y stereo mini male to two phone plugs audio cable into the audio jack in the back of the Mac and bring the phone plugs into Analog 7-8 inputs of the 002, change the input assignment on the aux track to Analog 7-8, and I hear audio. I change the assignment back to ADAT and hear nothing again.

While all this is happening, I have access to the S/PDIF port, which is where I bring in an outboard box (Receptor). If I change the Hardware Setup to S/PDIF, the audio from the Mac then does come through the module whose input is assigned to ADAT 1-2, but I lose access to the S/PDIF input, which becomes italicized and grayed-out.

To briefly recap, I don’t really understand the relationship between having access to ADAT and S/PDIF, whether or not both are usable simultaneously, and how to make that happen if it is. Can anyone answer this? Thanks much in advance.

[StudioRhythm]

There are two different protocols that the 002 supports for sending and receiving digital audio on optical cables:
1) ADAT
2) SPDIF (using TOSLINK)

Macs use Toslink, which is a 2-channel format. On the 002, you can't use both the RCA SPDIF ins and TOSLINK via the optical port at the same time (but you can use the 8-channel ADAT at the same time as the RCA SPDIF, which is very useful but not helpful in your case). So, what you're looking to do can't be done, unfortunately -- you need to pick one or the other at any given time.

[futz]

I had a feeling that was the case.

Thanks, Dan, for taking the time to give me a thorough answer. I don't particularly *like* the answer that much, but thanks just the same. Very kind of you.

By the way, I'm in Menlo Park, so you helped educate a homie. Much appreciated.

[StudioRhythm]

You're welcome! (and sorry the answer wasn't better news....)