Mac Optical Out->Omni - constant clock issues

[scullionj]

So, I know this has been posted about before, but I've searched around and can't seem to find enough info.

It's the ol' trying to get my mac's optical audio into my Omni, primarily for purposes of monitoring Soundminer (SMHD+, rewire is still in beta AFAIK).

I've set my Mac output to Optical, and then set that input on the Omni. I've tried a few things:

1. Internal Clock
   • Clock source: internal
   • Audio MIDI Settings: Manually set optical sample rate to 48
   • This often works for a little bit, and then at some point screws up and gets all clicky/bad clocky sounding. Then when I go under Audio MIDI, I'll find that the sample rate has switched back.
2. Optical Clock
   • Clock source: optical
   • Audio MIDI Settings: Manually set optical sample rate to 48
   • Similar issue, except that it'll work for a bit, and then it'll mess up. PT then tells me that it doesn't have sync, and lo and behold, it's defaulted back to 44.1 under Audio MIDI.
   • Sometimes, PT still tells me it doesn't have sync, and yet the sample rates are matching.
3. Slaving Mac to Omni clock
   • Not possible? Not able to change my clock source under Audio MIDI setup

So, I'm not sure if there's some other method for me to try, or if there's a tried and true method at all to getting this working. I'm fairly close to pulling the trigger on a license for Source Elements Nexus, but you know, would rather not make another purchase, since I feel like this should be doable with what I've got on hand.

I'm on a Mac Pro (cheese grater). Oh, and Mountain Lion (10.8.5). If that helps. Pro Tools HD 10.3.10 (recently upgraded it from 10.3.9 or 8, can't remember which, but it was having the same problem).

Hopefully someone's had similar experiences, or we can put our heads together a bit. Thanks!

EDIT:

Forgot to add, I have checked sample rate conversion for my Omni settings.

[jjnssn]

Do you have sample rate conversion checked under optical? I believe the omni will then manage what ever is pass to it. That has it works on my PC. Page 26 of omni manual.


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[Darryl Ramm]

#1 Should not work reliably
#2 Should work
#3 Can only work of you have a S/PDIF or other digital out from the Omni into an S/PDIF in on the Mac. Do you?

What exactly are you setting the output device and sample rate to in Soundminer? (think this is all settable on the Mac?).

[scullionj]

Originally Posted by MADIrouting

Do you have sample rate conversion checked under optical? I believe the omni will then manage what ever is pass to it. That has it works on my PC. Page 26 of omni manual.


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Yes, forgot to add that. Will edit my OP, thanks

[scullionj]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

#1 Should not work reliably
#2 Should work
#3 Can only work of you have a S/PDIF or other digital out from the Omni into an S/PDIF in on the Mac. Do you?

What exactly are you setting the output device and sample rate to in Soundminer? (think this is all settable on the Mac?).

Yeah, thought that #2 should work, but it isn't for some reason.

For #3...that's a good point. I can't believe I missed that. Will have to source another optical cable and try it out. Though I'm still wondering why #2 doesn't work.

In Soundminer, I'm setting my output and sample rate to Optical/48.

[Darryl Ramm]

Just for the heck of it try starting/restating Soundminer after your change the Audio/MIDI output settings. And make sure that OS X alerts and sound output are not set to that output.

[scullionj]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

And make sure that OS X alerts and sound output are not set to that output.

Is this part like...key to this? Because I just did it and so far I'm not having problems.

Fingers crossed that it keeps working, but if that's a huge thing then, yeah. Thanks for that!

[Darryl Ramm]

your invoice is in the mail.

(it ideally should not be needed, but I suspect you have different software dinking with the settings. Something is doing that, OS X/CoreAudio won't just change sample rates by itself).

[Chief Technician]

The only thing that Behringer made that was worth buying, the Ultramatch Pro 24/96 SRC, solves this problem. Mac Optical output-->Behringer-->whatever, and the Behringer can be slaved to word clock too.

[K Roche]

So I have a different but related tech question about the OMNI

i would like to use the optical connection to bring sound out of my Mac Pro so as to be able to run the sound from Final Cut Pro X and SoundCloud through my system. But I cannot figure out how to do that without constantly reconfiguring the digital 1-2 input on the OMNI because I am also using AES connection for my outboard reverb unit as a hardware insert.


Does anybody know if the AES/EBU XLR Input on the back of the OMNI is locked to the Digital 1-2 Input Format section in the Hardware Setup ?

So currently with the DB25 AES out wired to the #1 wire of the DB25 snake, going into the reverb unit and the AES/EBR XLR input going into the Omni and running through the I/O channels 5-6 position in the I/O matrix . It automatically selects the AES/EBU option in the Hardware Setup "Digital 1-2 Input Format" section and it shows up as AES/EBU 1-2 in Maxtrix header lines

If I rewire the DB25 AES out to wire number #5 will it still pass a signal in and
and then I choose Optical (SPDIF) 1-2 for the optical connection ? Is possible or do you have to chose either AES or Optical but cannot use both / Thanks K.Roche