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Is there a way to sync an ADAT to DP with only optical cables into a MOTU 8Pre, then to my computer? I just bought an ADAT on EBay,and I have six ADAT tapes of material to transfer to DP, with an 8Pre in the middle. Can this be done without a separate synching device...like a Motu Timepiece?

I'm thinking that, as long as you transfer all tracks simultaneously, and you clock DP from the ADAT, you should be ok.

Thanks for the reply.
I can't transfer all at the same time.I have one ADAT, so I will have to do 8 tracks, insert another tape, transfer another 8, and so on. So when I do the next 8, I want them to be in sync with the first 8.
You mentioned clocking DP from the ADAT...does that mean opening 'clock source' in DP and choosing ADAT?
Thanks for helping me.

You mentioned clocking DP from the ADAT...does that mean opening 'clock source' in DP and choosing ADAT?

Yes. Note that the ADAT sample rate is 48k.

Without a timing reference, you will have to sync up the tracks from the different tapes manually, by ear/eye. Not hard to do in DP.

I used to do it with my 2408 - optical cable from the ADAT only

If you have multiple tapes to transfer, ideally you do want positional sync as well as sample clock sync. The optical connection will provide the sample clock sync, but not positional.

If you were transferring only a single 8 track tape, this wouldn't be a problem. If you transfer more than 8 tracks from multiple tapes, the separate passes have no way of lining up without positional sync.

If there was a common reference point on the multiple tapes, you could use that to manually line up the passes after record into DP. If that's not an option then yes you do need some sort of synchronizer.

The original black faced ADATs didn't have any type of sync control besides the 9-pin sync jack on the back panel. Later model ADATs have a MIDI jack for MTC sync.

MOTU has made a number of devices that support ADAT 9pin sync, but none of the current models have that capability.

An MTP AV/USB would do the job. The PCI card for a MOTU PCI audio system has an ADAT 9pin sync port. The original 828 and 828mkII interfaces have ADAT sync ports.

The Alesis BRC will do the job.

Dave

Thanks to all who have helped me in this problem.
I think I have found an easy answer.After reading the ADAT manual, I find that when the tapes are originally formatted, 15 seconds of leader are recorded...then 2 minutes of 'data' are recorded...then...at 000.000.00, you can begin recording. So, all I do is auto locate each tape to 000.000.00, and use that as a relative point for each tape. I suppose that each tape's '0' point is exactly the same.If not ...maybe a plan B.
Again, thank you all