spdif problems with Luna

Shot · Post by **Shot** » Wed May 29, 2002 6:13 pm

Hi!

I just bought Luna few days ago and I'm stuck with one problem. Everything works fine except digital input and output. When I patch output from Recording Mixer V2 to SP-DIF Destination it doesn't work. No sound! Same with input. I plug something digital into SP-DIF source and route that device into the same mixer. I would have to have some signal on selected channels in mixer, but I don't. Peakmeters are dead.

What should I do?

In settings I've set my card into Master mode, at 44khz...I'm using Luna software ver 3.01. Would upgrading to 3.1 software change anything?

What am I doing wrong? Is it a bug, am I stupid or my card is fu**ed up?

Help!

Shot

sandrob · Post by **sandrob** » Thu May 30, 2002 4:11 am

why you bought that crapy card? which bastard told you to do this?

just jokeing

welcome to planetz

i don't use spdif, but i see that many people have same problem...

sandrob · Post by **sandrob** » Thu May 30, 2002 4:18 am

some solutions fromcw's forum:

cut of the "LUNA S-PDIF Dest" module from the v2.5 or 3.01,install
the SPF 3.1 again and insert it into the "software IOs" of the SPF folder. Then start the SPF,delete the current S-PDIF module,go
to "OUTs" on the Live Bar - now,load the changed S-PDIF module!
Sure,it works - becuse I had the same problem a few days ago!

no problems in 3..01 or below my problem is only in 3.1, I have 3.01 installed alongside and all is fine.

3.1 is still defunkt. weird thing is only 44.1 will not work,.

krizrox · Post by **krizrox** » Thu May 30, 2002 4:43 am

Sandrob you crack me up

Anyway, I just love responding to these Spit-IF error reports. Misery loves company and maybe we can start our own club somewhere.

I had bought Luna back in August of last year (or thereabouts) and immediately had a problem trying to get my dbx 386 stereo tube preamp to communicate with Luna via the SPDIF input. Oddly, this same piece of equipment worked fine with my original tripleDAT soundcard (the tripleBoard). So I was naturally suspecting something wrong with Luna.

After much frowning, swapping of cables and so forth I finally gave up trying to figure it out (absolutely brilliant design decision making the SPDIF input a mini-plug by the way).

A short while later, I dumped Luna and bought Pulsar. Guess what? My dbx 386 unit mysteriously started working through the Spit-IF input again. Wonderful! Clearly something strange going on with Luna and I assumed it was a half-baked product and didn't give it another thought until I upgraded to SFP.

The first thing I noticed after upgrading to SFP was.... what? Anyone? Anyone? OK, you in the back there! That's right! 386 no worky through SPDIF anymore. Well, clearly we took 2 steps forward and 1 step back. I haven't tried it with the latest "a" version and I don't think I could take the rejection

The moral of the story is... er... uh.. what was the question again?

subhuman · Post by **subhuman** » Thu May 30, 2002 7:41 am

And I've never had a single problem with SPDIF on Pulsar2 or Luna2 ... but my only SPDIF devices are an 03D and the effects processors... but I do believe for certain devices there must be something up - like those devices want a wordclock signal if they aren't master, or some bug that only shows itself with certain devices?

subhuman · Post by **subhuman** » Thu May 30, 2002 7:43 am

But I think a lot of the Luna SPDIF problems might actually be physical: wire related. The 1/8" stereo mini to dual RCA (tip & ring) plug isn't all that common of a way of delivering SPDIF, so maybe check that? What type of connector are you using there?

Do you get a little "red light" in the Sample Rate dialog box inside your CW app?

Shot · Post by **Shot** » Thu May 30, 2002 8:55 am

I suspect that the problem is only in software. When I pluged cable in s/pdif conector, I checked and the red light was on. Device that I use for inputing digital signal (DCC - Digital Compact Casette, huh, ever herd of it!!) had signal. If DCC wasn't recieving digital signal it would have message like "no digital input" or something else. And you know what, when I change samplerate in Luna's settings dialog it would actually stop sending signal for a second and have short noise after setting new samplerate. So I'm definitely sure that the card is sending digital signal through s/pdif output. But what is it sending? Nothing! Zero! Silence! It's definitely something software. I believe that Luna software has a bug with s/pdif. Also, I've noticed another bug in software. I cant send any signal on AUX on GSIF channels in Recording Mixer V2! Inserts work fine, other channels (ASIO and ther) send aux with no problem, but Giga chanells don't. I've created separate path to avoid this problem so it's not a major issue. But spdif is a major issue!

Is there anyone with other Luna software than 3.01 who could send me just SP-DIF Source and Destination device. I have bad connection to internet (56k modem) so I don't plan to download 115 mb od new 3.1 version. Please help me just with one device. My email is ltralic@grf.hr so if there's anyone with other software version to pass me just one file! PLZ!

Thanks!

Shot

krizrox · Post by **krizrox** » Thu May 30, 2002 11:58 am

Hey Sub - I was wondering something...

If I use the wordclock master signal from my A16 Ultra into my dbx 386, I'm thinking that might cure my problem with the SPDIF thingy.

But I'm wondering how that affects Pulsar & tripleDAT config's. I would have to manually select the wordclock synchronization setting on the front of the A16 right? That would send wordclock sync to the dbx 386 right? But what does Pulsar see? What is Pulsar now sync'ing to as slave? The only connection from the A16 to Pulsar are my toslink cables.

subhuman · Post by **subhuman** » Thu May 30, 2002 12:06 pm

Usually you run wordclock to everything in your studio, not just from one piece...

Privatny · Post by **Privatny** » Sun Jun 02, 2002 12:36 pm

Interesting this Spdif business. I've got a Luna2 connected to a SBLive (value) and input works with no problems. Output doesn't. So I thought: it couldn't possibly be my precious, brand new Luna's fault. But CDROM > Live spdif connection worked. So I thought: it must be some different standard for those CDROMs. Actually I din't need spdif that much and in particular, I wasn't ready to pronounce my Luna deffective. Now I'm not so sure any more. I hope that it's nothing worse than a (repairable) software fault.

Has anyone had similar experience with Luna and Live cards?

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Sun Jun 02, 2002 1:24 pm

In the old days when my Luna's spdif in worked I had problems connecting it with several gear (it worked with one DAAT and didn't work with a CD player) but it was only an ice mountain top, the whole problem with it that the IN worked ocasssionaly (very often dis-synchronisations (sorry, perheps there should be another prefix here). I even bought in a specialized shop a special digital cable (Klotz), expensive and from renowed manufacturers plugs (Made in USA, not China or so) and... nothing changed, the same problems but less frequent... Now I have no probs with the IN - it stopped responding... No in, no problem...
The idea of mini jack as a digital plug/socket isn't that clear for me. Despite of various toy-hifi (portable minidisk or so) I haven't seen more of them and belive me or not - had no problem with ALL the spdif ins I met in my life (even with plain, $0.5 multimedia cinch-cinch cables...). So sorry, Subhuman, I will never belive in mini jacks...

subhuman · Post by **subhuman** » Mon Jun 03, 2002 7:55 am

So sorry, Subhuman, I will never belive in mini jacks...

I don't understand... why are you sorry to me? I don't like SPDIF on mini jacks either...

krizrox · Post by **krizrox** » Mon Jun 03, 2002 12:25 pm

I do! I think they're great. I'm thinking of cutting off the RCA jacks on my Pulsar cable whip and replacing them with alligator clips.

Way cool!

That will factor into the "Pulsar-As-Out-Of-Control-Science-Project" mentality

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Tue Jun 04, 2002 12:58 am

On 2002-06-03 08:55, subhuman wrote:
I don't understand... why are you sorry to me? I don't like SPDIF on mini jacks either...

It's because you always (twice or 3 times earlier) protect (don't know the exact word but I hope you know what I mean) mini jacks after my battles against them. But my appologies were because I'm a sort of human who appologises a lot

[ This Message was edited by: samplaire on 2002-06-04 01:59 ]

subhuman · Post by **subhuman** » Tue Jun 04, 2002 8:51 am

All I ever have tried to do was help you get it working ... and they DO work with my testing with all my equipment here, and never with any problems - so I was encouraging to check your cables (because I agree: spdif I/O on a single minijack isn't that common in my experience). So maybe defending them as in "you can get them to work" but I hardly tout the minijack as the end all of studio connections.

So sorry if you thought I was 'protecting' the minijack. The minijack can go to h*ll for all I care!

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Tue Jun 04, 2002 12:22 pm

1. Yeah - 'defend' not 'protect'.
2. I know you wanted to help me, everybody knows one can count on you, Sub

dante · Post by **dante** » Sat Jun 08, 2002 7:24 pm

Ive had LUNA SPDIF problems with 2 different upgrades now. I simply copy the old SPDIF.MDL part (or whatever its called) from the previous version into the current pulsar directory and the problem(s) go away.

boohoo · Post by **boohoo** » Sun Jun 09, 2002 4:43 am

I dont know if this is relevant to anyone else but I was trying to find out about feeding a Sony DAT-Man from the S/PDIF out using a 7pin to minijack cable. Some issues exist (active/passive) that might be of interest to some.
Take a look.
http://www.core-sound.com/7-pin-bible.html
I also dont get this minijack digital connector format either, or why the 1/4 inch jacks operate at -10dBu rather than +4.

[ This Message was edited by: boohoo on 2002-06-09 05:45 ]

[ This Message was edited by: boohoo on 2002-06-09 05:47 ]

[ This Message was edited by: boohoo on 2002-06-09 09:48 ]

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 7:25 am

I'm using a Pulsar I and a Luna II and the spdif in is not working on either so I don't think the problem is in the mini jack. I was wondering where i can get modules from version 2.5?

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 11:43 am

braincell, on macs it is not so dangerous to install anything (especially luna/pulsar soft - it can be easily removed from a system) so i'll install it on my 3rd partition and share the mentioned module with you. And, of course, i will try it with my luna (but I don't think it solves my problem which seems to be hardware, but... who knows? Hope it will work on a PC, too. So pay attention, I'll do it within next 2 hours.