Master Clock over TDIF

[Jayson Wonder]

Can the DM-24 actually be the master clock source over TDIF?

I am so lost and have been going on 2 weeks of trying to connect and get sound and sent between the DM-24 and MX-2424. I am not sure if it is a sync issue or a hardware issue. I have tried everything as per my other posts so I figure that maybe it cannot act as a master clock despite that fact that it will not sync to the MX either due to out of range error.

Pulling hair out and thinking I wasted a lot of money of I cannot get these units that were meant for each other to work with each other.

 

[rbrezins]

Yes, TDIF sends wordclock.

Until now I'm using two Alesis HD24 recorders for recording tracks. Using an Apogee Big Ben as master wordclock.
Alesis BRC remote is slaved to this wordclock, DM3200 is slaved to this clock and my M-Audio ProFire2626 is slaved to this clock.

I use two Tascam converters, IF-DA8 and MA-AD8 using TDIF, they are both slaved to the masterclock over TDIF, coming from the DM3200.

I have no knowledge about the MX2424.

Are you using the correct TDIF cables???
Because this should work without any problems.
Set input 1-24 to TDIF1/2/3, send 16 channels out to TDIF1/2. Should work, always.

Have you got the possibility to test your mx2424 with another DM24 or DM3200/4800?

Edit, read your other posts. Just use the DM24 as master clock and set the mx2424 as slave to this clock over TDIF.
What sample rate are you using?

Can you post pictures of the "DIGITAL" menu screens and your I/O menu screens of the DM24 and the mx2424?

As far as I can conclude, you might have one of these problems:
* defective mx2424
* wrong or defective TDIF cable(s)
* mixing desk or recorder, wrong settings, one is set to high sampling speed (88.2/96kHz) and one to normal sampling (44.1/48kHz).

 

[Jayson Wonder]

Hi and thanks for replying.

I am using the correct TDIF cables, I have three and they are connected appropriately between the MX and the DM. I have no idea why it is not working.

The inputs are set as you have indicated. To be sure that things were correct I used the "NEW MIXING SNAPSHOT" where these settings are default and still not successful.

Unfortunately I do not have any access to another DM in my local area.

I do have signal coming in to the DM from my sound modules. On the output screen it is set to direct output 1-8, 9-16, etc.

It just seems like I cannot get any sound to the MX, Starting to think maybe the MX or its TDIF card is bad...

I am using 44.1k on both machines. MX, menu 000 Control Mode is set to Local/TL-Bus which the manual says is default. The other options: Timecode Chase, MTC Chase, Varispeed did not seem to make sense. Menu 001 is set to automatic and Menu 002 is set to Dig 1-2.

I will take pics and post right now if I can post pics on the site.

 

[Jayson Wonder]

Here are the pics of the DM and MX setup screens,

DM Clock Settings

DM IO Settings

MX Menu 000

MX Menu 001

MX Menu 002

MX Menu 003

MX Menu 005

Please tell me if you see that these appear to be incorrect in anyway.

Thanks,

 

[Jayson Wonder]

Just a small update.

I have tested the basic routing and signal path of the DM and it appears that I understand the settings and that can configure the basic I/O on the board and that human error is probably not the issue.

I tested the ADAT I/O's and the Digital 1&2 and the FW I/O's. All are capable of input and output to and from other devices including the MX (spdif / xlr I/O confirmed record and playback is functional). So other the only issue is the TDIF. I confirmed that I have the correct cables, TDIF not analog or AES snakes.

The only possible culprit is the IF-TD24 card installed in the MX or the TDIF interface that is included in the DM. I have no way of testing further as I cannot find any other TDIF devices that I can use or borrow to further investigate.

There is still the possibility that I am missing a simple setting somewhere on either the DM or the MX which is preventing the functioning of the TDIF signal path but as the screen shots show above I am at a loss.

Thanks and I am open to suggestions or thoughts.

 

[rbrezins]

The first 8 channels (1-8) of the DM24 are using M/L inputs, but I guess you know
Don't see any wrong settings here.

MX menu 002, sample reference is on digital 1/2, are those SP/DIF inputs?
If you set this one to TDIF, what happens?

Guess indeed that your TDIF card inside the MX2424 is faulty. Have you tried pulling it out and putting back in?

 

[Jayson Wonder]

Yes I have pulled it and reinstalled it with no luck.

The digital 1-2 is for TDIF 1-8, there is 9-10 for 9-16 and finally 17-18 for 17-24.

Card must be bad.

 

[Jayson Wonder]

Thanks to all who offered suggestions and support. The problem is now solved. The problem was a combination of bad cable/s and a flakey ribbon cable connecting my IF-TD24 card.

After replacing ribbon cable and making my own TDIF cables I am as happy as kid in the candy store.

Now I can start to use this great gear!

Just need to find the actual pinout for the RS-422 / Sony P2 cable as the last 2 diagrams did not work. Would like to control MX's transport (rew/fwd/stop/play) ftomthe DM

 

[mozaicman]

isnt the 25dsub cable completely interchangeable with the tdif ports?

having the same issues discussed above, recently bought an mx2424 on ebay