Ableton Forum

Hi!

Can anyone tell me how I would connect a MIDI cable to a S/PDIF? To put the question in context, I am trying to connect a Behringer FCB 1010 to a PreSonus Firebox, which only has an S/PDIF port.

Thanks!

Andy

lolwut?

Midi is messages.. for controlling software/synths etc.
SPDIF is audio...
cant happen

free to be corrected here.

the Firebox does have Midi in, its on the dongle adaptor.

free to be corrected here.

Not at all.

OK here's a legit question about S/PDIF.. If I bought the M-AUDIO Fast Track Ultra, which has S/PDIF in and out, how would I plug a synth or any other instrument whether it's XLR or 1/4 inch into the S/PDIF IN.. and how would I connect the S/PDIF OUT into a mixer or speaker?

Is there S/PDIF to XLR or to 1/4 inch adapter, I read it can be done with pre-amps but can it be done without? and is S/PDIF the same cable that hooks up subwoofers in car stereo's?

I want to beable to access the 2 S/PDIF channels but I would be using a synth, microphone, or Roland SPD-s not anything that has a digital connection like that

similar looking, but different signals.

outershpongolia wrote:OK here's a legit question about S/PDIF.. If I bought the M-AUDIO Fast Track Ultra, which has S/PDIF in and out, how would I plug a synth or any other instrument whether it's XLR or 1/4 inch into the S/PDIF IN.. and how would I connect the S/PDIF OUT into a mixer or speaker?

Is there S/PDIF to XLR or to 1/4 inch adapter, I read it can be done with pre-amps but can it be done without? and is S/PDIF the same cable that hooks up subwoofers in car stereo's?

I want to beable to access the 2 S/PDIF channels but I would be using a synth, microphone, or Roland SPD-s not anything that has a digital connection like that

spidf is a digital format so you would need an ad converter

would an "ad converter" have an input for a S/PDIF cable and then have a 1/4", XLR or RCA output?

I bought the M-AUDIO Fast Track Ultra and I want to use the S/PDIF in and out, what out there would I be able to use?

I'm just looking for a way to plug a synth, guitar, bass, mic, anything into the S/PDIF in if there is a way, and then also use the S/PDIF output to speakers or something to record the session.. Any Ideas?

I really have no clue about S/PDIF even after looking around on google

outershpongolia wrote:I really have no clue about S/PDIF even after looking around on google

S/PDIF is to audio like DTV is to what used to be plain ol' TV: it is a way to transmit audio as ones and zeros. A benefit is (if your cable is sound) you get zero distortion. But I've have to say that I have a couple of things that send and receive it, and don't use it much.

There was a really good discussion about it a while back here.

[edit] found it http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60532

outershpongolia wrote:would an "ad converter" have an input for a S/PDIF cable and then have a 1/4", XLR or RCA output?

I bought the M-AUDIO Fast Track Ultra and I want to use the S/PDIF in and out, what out there would I be able to use?

I'm just looking for a way to plug a synth, guitar, bass, mic, anything into the S/PDIF in if there is a way, and then also use the S/PDIF output to speakers or something to record the session.. Any Ideas?

I really have no clue about S/PDIF even after looking around on google

an a/d converter would convert an analog signal to a digital signal. it's an analog input to digital output. there are also d/a converters and ad/da converters. if you're trying plug a synth's analog instrument outs into a spdif input on the fast track ultra, you would need an a/d converter. if you were trying to plug the spdif out from the fast track ultra into a mixer, you have two choices. get a digital mixer with a spdif in... i.e. edirol m-16dx oryou get a d/a converter. if you want to plug the spdif out into a set of speakers, you can either use a d/a converter, a monitor management system with digital input, i.e. presonus central station, or a pair of active monitors with spdif input, i.e. jbl 4300 series.

what i've done with my spdif i/o is as follows...
run the spdif output of my motherboard into a digital mixer spdif input, then run the output of the mixer into the spdif input of my interface. this allows my to keep the interface on exclusive mode for programs like Live and set my default audio output to use the spdif out so that other apps or web browsers can still output audio while Live is running, if i nneed to listen to something else. especially handy if i want to rip audio from online sources. the digital mixer isn't totally necessary but since it's an 16-in/ 2-out mixer, it allows me to add other audio sources without all the plugging and unplugging that'll wear down cables and it allowed me to save all of my analog inputs on my interface for other things like hardware fx chains.