How to Connect Sony DAT Recorder with MacBook Pro's Optical Audio Input?

Question

How to Connect Sony DAT Recorder with MacBook Pro's Optical Audio Input?

Hi,

I tried to connect my Sony TCD-D8 DAT Recorder with my MacBook Pro's optical audio input (SPDIF) but there's no sound on the MacBook. I used the original digital TOSLINK ( http://www.amazon.de/Sony-POC-DA12P-Optisches-Verbindungskabel-für/dp/B00005K4ES) and a adapter to get the signal into the MacBook Pro: http://www.amazon.de/Adapter-Toslink-Buchse-optischer-Stecker/dp/B000LB65XO

The connection itself seem to work because there's red light at the end of the adapter but when plugging this into the optical audio input there's not sound at all. Is there something which need to be enabled to use the SPDIF input of the MacBook Pro?

MacBook Pro 2.2, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jun 5, 2010 6:29 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 6, 2010 1:54 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

At http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1596 there's a note that the optical input accept 44.1-96kHz sampling rate and like you said long play has 32kHz.
As well you said +"but you may need to set whatever program you are using to record to accept 32kHz"+, do you mean some software can record the digital output with 32kHz even though the optical input port of the MacBook Pro can't?

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Answer 2

Jun 5, 2010 4:33 PM in response to g4s

Thanks for your reply. At "System Preferences > Sound" there's only the line in and the internal micro visible.
So I did a test with playback at MacBook and recording at DAT, this worked great. Now I changed the direction and did play back at DAT with the new recording and now "System Preferences > Sound" recognized the digital input. Then I had a closer look into my old DAT tapes and noticed that they were recorded in long play mode. It seems that the digital input port is not compatible with tapes recorded with long play mode. Hmmm, is there a workaround to get the long play recordings into my MacBook Pro?

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Answer 3

Jun 6, 2010 12:36 AM in response to Christian Steurer

DAT records standard play at a sampling frequency of 48kHz or 44.1khz (the latter is the same as CDs); however at long play it samples at 32kHz. The Tech Specs of the Macbook Pro don't specify acceptable input sampling rates; but you may need to set whatever program you are using to record to accept 32kHz. If you want to burn to audio CDs you will then need to convert to 44.1kHz.

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Answer 4

Jun 6, 2010 2:49 PM in response to Christian Steurer

No: I did look the specs at www.apple.com and it didn't say anything about sampling rates; but if the input in fact won't handle 32kHz then no program will handle it. Some programs can handle a range of sampling rates, but obviously they are dependent on the hardware.

If you can obtain or borrow a hi-fi type Sony MiniDisk recorder, these (or most of them) will convert a 32kHz input to a 44.1kHz output: unfortunately Sony has stopped making them.

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Answer 5

g4s

Level 2

414 points

Jun 5, 2010 7:44 AM in response to Christian Steurer

Go into System Pref./Sound and see if it recognizes it, then enable it. Should work.

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Answer 6

Jun 5, 2010 4:33 PM in response to Christian Steurer

Try using the Audio MIDI Setup program and make sure that the device is selected there.

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Answer 7

g4s

Level 2

414 points

Jun 5, 2010 10:24 PM in response to Christian Steurer

You could use the analog output on your recorder to capture the audio using Audacity or some other recording software. You'll lose some quality, but at least you'll have it.

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Answer 8

Jun 6, 2010 1:45 PM in response to g4s

Yes, I will use the analog output when there's no other solution available.

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