2408 MKII format conversion problem

[Big A]

Greeting All,
I am new to this forum and this may be a tired subject considering the age of this product, but I haven't been able to get help anywhere else. I recently upgraded my studio. For several years I have been recording with the classic standalone mtr - Yamaha AW4416. (talk about old - came out in 2000) I'm going to an all computer daw recording studio with a few classic hardware pieces. Been loading my old tracks into Reaper (nice program so far and you can't beat the trial deal). I have an 8 channel TDIF card in the AW. Going from the AW to the MOTU - trying to convert to ADAT then to my interface - a Focusrite 18i8 which has ADAT in. Setting the AW as an MTC master. Also, the AW as wordclock master via BNC to the MOTU - it locks in - then setting the 18i8 to WC slave to the ADAT input from the MOTU - it locks in. But when I hit play on the AW, the GUI for the 18i8 shuts down and doesn't see the 18i8 as connected anymore. After a couple of tries, I recorded some test tracks using the analogue inputs on the MOTU and the ADAT output into the 18i8 and everything worked fine. Then I used the spdif outputs on the AW directly into the 18i8 and everything sinced and worked fine. Something is wrong in the conversion or clocking or something. I really don't won't to be transfering hundred of tracks - 2 at a time - in real time! My wife already says I love my studio more than her. I know this is a lot to follow and probably boring, but if someone with knowledge about what to try next, I would greatly appreciate it.
BTW - yes they do make ADAT I/O cards for the AW, but at about $200 used, it cost as much as the recorder these days, and I would like to spend that money on software.
Thanks much,
Adam

[bayswater]

Wow, that's a little difficult to picture. I don't claim to understand what's going on here, but one thing that might be relevant: I've never been able to get my 2408-2 to sync with other units via an ADAT connection. I've always had to rely entirely on wordclock.

[Big A]

Thanks for the input. ADAT digital is supposed to carry WC signal. The Focusrite 18i8 does not have separate BNC WC connectors. It also shows it as sinced to the ADAT input from the MOTU. I wonder if I try the MOTU as the WC master if that might do it. Then BNC to the AW. Normal is to use the source as the WC master.

[bayswater]

ADAT digital is supposed to carry WC signal.

"supposed" is the key word. I don't know if the problem is ADAT or the 2408-2, but I always get timing errors on exactly one of the 8 ADAT channels.

[mikehalloran]

BTW - yes they do make ADAT I/O cards for the AW, but at about $200 used, it cost as much as the recorder these days, and I would like to spend that money on software.

Normally, if that's the going rate, you can sell it for around what you paid. Unless you know someone with a card that you can borrow, you may not have too much of a choice.

Having decided that I want to hear some of the things that I did between 1968–1997, I've recently bought and sold a lot of hardware on "catch and release" to convert old projects.

My 2408 (1st gen) and my 828mkII both worked fine to bring 8 tracks in from my Fostex FD8 via ADAT. No clocking issues at all. Fortunately, I never had more than 8 tracks per project. I had used my 2408 in stand-alone to make the analog-ADAT-8 conversion to my FD8s in the first place (I had three over the years and have since sold them all).

[bayswater]

My 2408 (1st gen) and my 828mkII both worked fine to bring 8 tracks in from my Fostex FD8 via ADAT. No clocking issues at all. Fortunately, I never had more than 8 tracks per project. I had used my 2408 in stand-alone to make the analog-ADAT-8 conversion to my FD8s in the first place (I had three over the years and have since sold them all).

Interesting. I've always connected my 2408-2 and my 828-3 with both ADATs to get 16 channels, which I rarely use. Maybe I wouldn't get clocking problems on ADAT if I only used one of the two ADATs.

[David_Focusrite]

Hi Bayswater,

Sorry to hear that you are having issues, but I am happy to help!

When syncing the Scarlett 18i8 to your external devices, it should be able to lock to the device connected via ADAT as long as the other device sends a sync signal via ADAT.

Since you mentioned MixControl crashing, this may be indicative of something else.

As opposed to troubleshooting via the forum, I think it will be a bit more efficient and effective if you spoke with one of our techs over the phone.

We can also use a screen sharing software called Team Viewer to remotely evaluate the situation.

The US Tech Team can be reached at 310-322-5500 Mon-Fri 8am-6pm PST.

I feel confident that we can get this issue resolved and get you back to your project!

Best regards,
David // Focusrite Technical Support

[bayswater]

David, maybe there is some confusion from the quoting, but I don't have a problem with any Focusrite equipment -- all I have is MOTU, and I just use the wordclock connections and everything is fine.

I think it's BigA that raised the issue.

[Big A]

David,
Thanks for your response. I am the one with the 18i8. Just a couple of weeks old. If you read my whole post that started this thread, it MAY become a little more clear. The only time I'm having any problem is during digital audio format conversion through the MOTU 2408 Mkii. I was able to get the Mix control to see the incoming 8 channels of adat signal 1 time when I first tried this. EVERY channel had a severely clipped signal! Then it acted as if I unplugged the usb cable from my computer to the 18i8. I just left those details out of the original post because just look how long it is! Every time after that, when I hit play on the Yamaha MTR, the Mix control again acts as if the cable has been unplugged (crash is probably not the right description). BTW, I did email FR tech support and they never responded. Every other scenario it records and plays back fine. I would say excellent even.
Thanks,
Big A
(Adam)

[Big A]

Just to follow up. I did get a Focusrite Tech support guy on the phone last night. He suggested using the spdif output on the Yamaha as a WC input into the 18i8. I tried it and it didn't work. Now the mix control stays on, but every input is hard clipped. Did test tracks using the analog ins on the 2408 into the tdif input in the Yamaha - all worked fine. Then I unplugged the adat cable to the 18i8. Kept the 8 tracks from the Yamaha plugged to the 8 channels tdif output and hit play. Then monitored each channel pair in the headphone jack on the MOTU. CONSTANT massive static almost like pink noise on every channel, whether their was any audio on the track at that particular time or not. Works fine as TDIF input into the Yamaha, but as an output from the Yamaha to the MOTU = massive static. No wonder every channel on the Mix Control and Reaper (bad word around here I guess) was hard clipped.

[Big A]

Pro Tools, Reason, Abelton, Logic, Reaper... That's funny.

[David_Focusrite]

Hi Big A,

Apologies for the confusion!

Can you message me your case# and email address so that I can look deeper into your case?

Best Regards,

David // Focusrite Technical Support