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Trying to sample from the s/pdif out on a Command Station to the s/pdif in on an SP-808. It works for a few seconds but then cuts out and I get a Digital In Unlock! Use Analog In? message, or a Digital In Locked! message on the sampler. The sample rates are both set at 44.1, no midi hooked up on either device. It doesn't happen when playing a sequence, just when playing the pads. I've been able to sample from the digital outs on a cd player into the SP-808 with the same cable. Any ideas?

Are you using an ordinary audio cable, or a proper 75 ohm S/Pdif cable?

madtheory wrote:Are you using an ordinary audio cable, or a proper 75 ohm S/Pdif cable?

it's a Monster S/Pdif cable

The problem might be that you're using a Monster cable, try using a coat-hanger instead.

But seriously folks, check the menus in the SP-808 and make sure it's set to clock from the S/PDIF input rather than internally. Connecting midi or running the sequencer or not shouldn't make any difference to the performance of S/PDIF.

Presumably, the command station can send word clock? Not all units are that usefully spec'd when it comes to S/PDIF, as I have found to my chagrin.

Stab Frenzy wrote:The problem might be that you're using a Monster cable, try using a coat-hanger instead.

Stab Frenzy wrote:But seriously folks, check the menus in the SP-808 and make sure it's set to clock from the S/PDIF input rather than internally. Connecting midi or running the sequencer or not shouldn't make any difference to the performance of S/PDIF.

I went through the menus but couldn't find anything about clocking from S/Pdif, just the input switch which I have set to S/Pdif. It usually works initially but when I start pressing too many pads it seems to throw it off.

nathanscribe wrote:Presumably, the command station can send word clock? Not all units are that usefully spec'd when it comes to S/PDIF, as I have found to my chagrin.

The manual of the Command Station says little about the S/Pdif out and I couldn't find anything referencing "word clock". All that it says is that it can send S/Pdif or AES pro and I have it set to S/Pdif.

No Word Clock on the E-Mu.

Word clock is embedded in the S/Pdif stream. You set the receiving device to slave to it. You set sync to external, or something like that. Wording varies from machine to machine.

Seems like the OP has done this, and there's some kind of bug in the Roland. I'm certain there are no bugs with EMU S/Pdif.

Another thought- if the connections are dirty, damaged, or have dry joints on the board (either in the Roland or the Emu), this will cause a intermittent data stream, creating the problem the OP has.

About wordclock- it's essential if you want to have digital input and output at the same time, or if you're concerned that you DA is not jitter imune.