• Registered: 2024-04-16
  • Posts: 8

Topic: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

I'm a new user of Digiface USB and use it as multiple toslink output device.
When it works as toslink output it's a bit inconvenient because I need to route the channel again when using different sampling rate due to the channel change.

For 44.1/48kHz sampling rate I'll need to use ADAT 1/2 for toslink out 1, ADAT 9/10 for toslink 2 and so on.
But for 88.2/96kHz it'll become ADAT 1/2 for 1st output, ADAT5/6 for 2nd output, ADAT 9/10 for 3rd output
And 176.4/192kHz would be ADAT 1/2 for 1st output, ADAT 3/4 for 2nd output.

This kind of order change makes the device hard to use at different sampling rate.
Is it possible to set SPDIF out for ADAT 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 and map it to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th toslink output no matter what sampling rate I'm using?

Thank you very much.

  • waedi
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

Sorry, no, this is fix, no remapping possible.
Each toslink port can be a SPDIF output, always use the first two channels of the 8 Adat channels.
You have to adapt in Totalmix for this.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2024-04-16
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

Thanks for the reply...I guess the different sampling rate isn't a thing for other users...

4 Reply by MC

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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

This is actually really easy - barely an inconvenience.

You need to route Software Playback 1/2 to Hardware Output channels 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18 and 25/26. If done then no matter the sample rate all four SPDIF outputs will send out Software Playback 1/2.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

5 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-04-17 08:56:25)

  • ramses
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

yys310 wrote:

Thanks for the reply...I guess the different sampling rate isn't a thing for other users...

Higher sample rates require more bandwidth; 2 of the 8 ADAT channels are used for double speed and 4 for quad speed.

With your 4 ADAT ports, this means for ADAT protocol:
- single speed: 4x8=32 channels, ADAT1-8, 9-16, 17-24, 25-32
- double speed: 4x4=16 channels, ADAT1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16
- quad speed: 4x2=8 channels, ADAT1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

When switching to SPDIF only the first two channels of an ADAT port can be used
because SPDIF protocol by definition supports 2 channels, regardless of the sample rate being used:
- single speed: ADAT1/2, 9/10, 17/18, 25/26
- double speed: ADAT1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14
- quad speed: ADAT1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8

An easy solution to cover sample rate changes for SPDIF has been posted by MC a few minutes ago in previous post (#4).
Otherwise, for ADAT, you have to provide the routing as needed because the number of channels changes with single, double, quad speed.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

6 Reply by yys310 (edited by yys310 2024-04-17 13:02:23)

  • Registered: 2024-04-16
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

MC wrote:

This is actually really easy - barely an inconvenience.

You need to route Software Playback 1/2 to Hardware Output channels 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18 and 25/26. If done then no matter the sample rate all four SPDIF outputs will send out Software Playback 1/2.

Thank you for the suggestion.
My playback content are different for the 4 SPDIF output so I cannot directly map the channel like this.
But this does provide a very good way to route it. Thanks!
For SPDIF A: 1/2 for 48, 96,192 would all be 1/2
For SPDIF B: 5/6 for 96 and 192 ; 17/18 for 48
For SPDIF C: 9/10 for 48 and 96 ; 3/4 for 192
For SPDIF D: 25/26 for 48, 13/14 for 96 and 7/8 for 192
That'll route all data to corresponding output no matter which sampling rate I'm using.

Thanks so much for the help!

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

Following this thread out of pure interest.
yys310, I don’t understand what protocol do you use? Is it ADAT or SPDIF?

FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
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  • Registered: 2024-04-16
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

oli77sch wrote:

Following this thread out of pure interest.
yys310, I don’t understand what protocol do you use? Is it ADAT or SPDIF?

SPDIF

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

yys310 wrote:
oli77sch wrote:

Following this thread out of pure interest.
yys310, I don’t understand what protocol do you use? Is it ADAT or SPDIF?

SPDIF

But then you have a maximum of eight output channels in total anyway, two per each toslink port, regardless to the sample rate!

FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2024-04-16
  • Posts: 8

Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

oli77sch wrote:
yys310 wrote:
oli77sch wrote:

Following this thread out of pure interest.
yys310, I don’t understand what protocol do you use? Is it ADAT or SPDIF?

SPDIF

But then you have a maximum of eight output channels in total anyway, two per each toslink port, regardless to the sample rate!

Yes, the problem is I need to route to 1/2, 9/10, 17/18, 25/26 for 44.1/48 kHz;
1/2, 5/6, 9/10, 13/14 for 88.2/96 kHz and
1/2 3/4 5/6 7/8 for 176.4/192 kHz sampling rate.

So my original question is asking how to solve this problem.
My previous reply should work but I haven't test it yet. That should solve my problem.

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

I do have a Digiface USB myself, but I can’t check it at the moment because I’m not at home: how do software playback and hardware output channels in Totalmix behave when switching from ADAT to SPDIF?  Are there still all of the 32 channels visible (at 44.1 or 48 kHz)?

FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2024-04-16
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

oli77sch wrote:

I do have a Digiface USB myself, but I can’t check it at the moment because I’m not at home: how do software playback and hardware output channels in Totalmix behave when switching from ADAT to SPDIF?  Are there still all of the 32 channels visible (at 44.1 or 48 kHz)?

Yes they are.
I'm using ASIO output so I'll see 32+2 ch output @ 44.1/48; 16+2 @ 88.2/96 and 8+2 @ 176.4/192 kHz sampling rate.

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 989

Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

I see…
So your idea in post 6 (after MC's suggestion) is surely the best solution.

FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2022-03-22
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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

Snapshots are very handy.

15 Reply by MC

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Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

Yes, loading different routings for the three sample rate ranges would be easy too.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2024-04-16
  • Posts: 8

Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

yys310 wrote:
MC wrote:

This is actually really easy - barely an inconvenience.

You need to route Software Playback 1/2 to Hardware Output channels 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 13/14, 17/18 and 25/26. If done then no matter the sample rate all four SPDIF outputs will send out Software Playback 1/2.

Thank you for the suggestion.
My playback content are different for the 4 SPDIF output so I cannot directly map the channel like this.
But this does provide a very good way to route it. Thanks!
For SPDIF A: 1/2 for 48, 96,192 would all be 1/2
For SPDIF B: 5/6 for 96 and 192 ; 17/18 for 48
For SPDIF C: 9/10 for 48 and 96 ; 3/4 for 192
For SPDIF D: 25/26 for 48, 13/14 for 96 and 7/8 for 192
That'll route all data to corresponding output no matter which sampling rate I'm using.

Thanks so much for the help!

Oh...what am I thinking...
It's impossible to route all signal to the desired SPDIF output since it'll change the order as sampling rate change...
the ADAT 5/6 would be 2nd SPDIF out for 88.2/96 and 3rd SPDIF out for 176.4/192
So it's impossible not reroute the output...
Save different routing for different sampling rate is the only solution...

  • Registered: 2024-04-16
  • Posts: 8

Re: RME Digiface USB Toslink output channel

waedi wrote:

No, the Adat 5/6 wil not be a SPDIF, always the first two channels of an Adat-8-channel-package will turn into an SPDIF channel.
Channels 1/2 will be the SPDIF on the toslink port 1
Channels 9/10 will be the SPDIF on the toslink port 2
Channels 17/18 will be the SPDIF on the toslink port 3
Channels 25/26 will be the SPDIF on the toslink port 4
Send your signals to those channels, switch all Adat ports to SPDIF, then you can switch sample rates and all signals will stay at the output.

NOT when you're running at 176.4/192kHz sampling rate.