Seeking Advice...Older Interfaces....

[zetm]

So over the holidays, I purchased several Pro Tools pieces on ebay to put together a system.

From Person A I got a Mix Core+Farm+DSP Card set
From Person B I got an ADAT Bridge
From Person C I got a 1622.
I had a 882/16 bit interface.

After putting everything together several weeks after all of my purchases, only my 882 works. So at this point, I'm thinking or feel reasonably comfortable the Mix cards work.

Now the 1622, I bought this on ebay because the seller was selling the cable. Unfortunately, he is in Sweden. I only paid $100 for the 1622/cable, so I could probably find another 1622. I've had this unit work intermitantly.

The ADAT Bridge I can't get anywhere. I can't get any sound of this thing, I have tried setting the sync to optical and I get a lovely DAE Error 11 everytime.

My question, or advice I'm seeking, is can anyone give me any pointers on buying interfaces on ebay. Most people sell interface with no returns accepted. And without the interface cables. You don't know if this person owned the unit ( unless they state in their listing ), or if their uncle / father died leaving them a unit they probably have no way how to test, or your dealing with someone who came about the unit with no idea how it works. Some people seem to think that if you get green lights, it works as well.

I'm at a point where I might scrap my system and try to get enough money to move into a new MOTU FW system.

It's just frustrating.

Thanks for listening.

[John_Toolbox]

The best thing you can do when buying is ask technical questions about the interface. If the seller can't answer them, they probably have never used it.

Have you tried all of the interfaces on different ports of your cards?
Have you tried swapping cables between the 882 and adat bridge(the 1622 has it's own cable).

How do you have your word clock/slave clock connected?

What are you using the ADAT bridge with?

[zetm]

John, thanks for your reply.

I'll swap all of my cables today to determine if the issues go away.

I have connected the 882 and it works fine and I've used more than 2 of the cables I have. I have 3 cables to try.

I have tried two different ADAT interfaces on the bridge. The first one was an SM Pro Audio ADAT 8 Channel interface. And I have tried a Alesis Fusion 8 HD keyboard with ADAT output. I've also tried 2 different Optical cables.

I also took my power amp out of the picture and tested with headphones on the outputs. I could never get audio out of the ADAT Bridge, nor do I see an output option on the IO menu like I do with the 1622. I don't know, that may be normal. I did try sending my output to channels 1-2 of the A Part of the ADAD Bridge to test audio output.

The 1622 I was able to get working last night for one session, but on restart did not come up.

As far as sync, I've got a USD synchronizer.

So clockwise USD --> superclock --> ADAT Bridge --> superclock --> 1622 --> Superclock --> 822/16

Mix Core --> Y-Cable - ADAT Bridge A/B
Mix Farm --> 1622
DSP Farm --> 882/16

Thanks for your help.

[John_Toolbox]

Go to your i/o setup, if there are no paths set for the adat bridge then click on the default button. You'll need to do this for both inputs and outputs, and the A and B sections of the adat bridge.

If your other ADAT devices have a word clock input, run a BNC from the word clock out of the usd to their inputs. If they don't, take a look at their manuals and see if they support external sync. They may need to be the master clock to sync up via lightpipe.

[zetm]

Well I found out at least 2 channels of my 1622 work; however, the audio out does not work. I did this by testing a pair of headphones out of the outputs. I was able to record on inputs 15/16 from the front. I'm hoping the rear inputs are working too...

Luckliy, I can use the 882 for my outputs to my power amp.

I have a question about the ADAT Bridge. Most ADAT devices you can see the red light coming out of the interface when the unit/device is powered. This is not happening with the ADAT Bridge.

[John_Toolbox]

Originally Posted by zetm

Well I found out at least 2 channels of my 1622 work; however, the audio out does not work. I did this by testing a pair of headphones out of the outputs. I was able to record on inputs 15/16 from the front. I'm hoping the rear inputs are working too...

Did you use a headphone amp? Headphones are not going to work plugged directly into the outputs due to level differences.

Originally Posted by zetm

Luckliy, I can use the 882 for my outputs to my power amp.

I have a question about the ADAT Bridge. Most ADAT devices you can see the red light coming out of the interface when the unit/device is powered. This is not happening with the ADAT Bridge.

You should see red light in the outputs, if not then you have a bad unit. The inputs won't have the red light, but whatever you plug into them should.

[zetm]

1622: I originally tested the output into an old Kawai keyboard mixer.

Out of the 882, I can plug headphone directly in and get audio.

I did not try the cables I used from the 1622 to the KAwai mixer from the 882. That I will try tomorrow evening when I get home from work.

I've pulled my ADAT Interface and the ADAT Bridge to my work bench.

I have a working Digi001 system. I'm going to test the ADAT interface against the Digi001 to verify it's working.

Thanks for your help and ideas by the way. Greatly appreciated.

[John_Toolbox]

I know the 1622's input gains are software adjustable, I can't remember if the outputs are, but they probably at a minimum have a +4 or -10 Dbu setting. That might be your problem as well.

[Table Syrup Records]

Ok, no time to read the whole thing, but you've got John on the line so you will be fine :)

I briefly perused, but didn't see anything indicating wether you have a TDM ribbon connecting the cards, or if the cards all SHOW and PASS in digitest.

I easily could have missed this info, but if not, check those.

Sometimes the obvious slips

[dreamsequence]

If there is anyone with experience with Superclock chaining, I have both a USD and an Opcode 64xtc. It appears I should run the Superclock OUT from the 64xtc into the USD Superclock IN, running the 64xtc as clock master. Will I still get the benefit of the low-jitter USD output? I have this currently chained through the USD into (4) 888-24s, (2) 882-20s, and an ADAT bridge. I assume SMPTE I/O is handled via the 64xtc, or can I use the USD for any of its other features?