DigiDesign ADAT Bridge I/O User manual

Digidesign Inc.
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Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA
tel: 650·842·7900
fax: 650·842·7999
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Digidesign
ADAT Bridge I/O Guide

Copyright
This User’s Guide is copyrighted ©2000 by Digidesign, a
division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with
all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this manual may not
be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
All features and specifications subject to change without
notice.
PN 932707969-00 REV A 08/00
Communications & Safety Regulation Information
Compliance Statement
The model ADAT Bridge I/O complies with the following
standards regulating interference and EMC:
• FCC Part 15 Class A
• EN55103 – 1, environment E4
• EN55103 – 2, environment E4
• AS/NZS 3548 Class A
• CISPR 22 Class A
Radio and Television Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
Communications Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device. Changes or modifications to this product
not authorized by Digidesign, Inc., could void the Certification
and negate your authority to operate the product. This product
was tested for CISPR compliance under conditions that
included the use of peripheral devices and shielded cables and
connectors between system components. Digidesign
recommends the use of shielded cables and connectors
between system components to reduce the possibility of
causing interference to radios, television sets, and other
electronic devices.
Safety Statement
This equipment has been tested to comply with USA and
Canadian safety certification in accordance with the
specifications of UL Standards; UL813 and Canadian CSA
standard; CSA C22.2 No.1-M90. Digidesign Inc., has been
authorized to apply the appropriate UL & CUL mark on its
compliant equipment.
Important Safety Instructions
When using electric or electronic equipment, basic precautions
should always be followed, including the following:
• Read all instructions before using this equipment.
• To avoid the risk of shock, keep this equipment away from
rain water, and other moisture. Do not use this equipment
if it is wet.
• The equipment should only be connected to the correct
rating power supply as indicated on the product.
• Do not attempt to service the equipment. There are no
user-serviceable parts inside. Please refer all servicing to
authorized Digidesign personnel.
• Any attempt to service the equipment will expose you to a
risk of electric shock, and will void the manufacturer’s
warranty.
• The product should be connected only to the correct power
supply as indicated on the product.

Contents iii
contents
Chapter 1. Introducing the 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chapter 2. Connecting Your Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About 8-Channel Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Primary Connections (Bridge I/O to Pro Tools and ADAT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Synchronization Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapter 3. Using Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Powering Up Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Basic Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Transferring Audio Between ADAT and Pro Tools (Unsynchronized) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Recording Tracks from Pro Tools to ADAT (Unsynchronized) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Configuring Sync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Transferring Audio Between ADAT and Pro Tools (Synchronized) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Chapter 4. Using the ADAT Bridge I/O in Standalone Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
ADAT Channels Transferred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Using Standalone Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Chapter 5. Synchronizing Pro Tools and ADAT with an Alesis BRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Using MIDI Machine Control (MMC) with a BRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 6. Synchronizing Pro Tools and ADAT Using a JL Cooper DataSync2 . . . . . 41
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

ADAT Bridge I/O iv
Chapter 7. Synchronizing Pro Tools and ADAT using the MTP AV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Chapter 8. Synchronizing Pro Tools and ADAT Using a Digital TimePiece . . . . . . . . 47
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Chapter 9. Synchronizing Pro Tools and ADAT using an Opcode Studio 64XTC . . . 51
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Chapter 10. Connecting Pro Tools to an ADAT-Compatible Digital Mixer . . . . . . . . . 55
Appendix A. ADAT Bridge I/O Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Analog Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Physical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Chapter 1: Introducing the 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O 1
chapter 1
Introducing the 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O
The Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O combines
the power and flexibility of Pro Tools™
disk-based digital audio production system
with the convenience and affordability of
Alesis ADAT®, ADAT-compatible modular
digital multitracks (MDMs), and ADAT op-
tical interface-equipped digital mixing
consoles.
The ADAT Bridge I/O can be used with ei-
ther the Macintosh or Windows version of
Pro Tools TDM. See “System Require-
ments” on page 3 for supported platforms
and hardware.
ADAT Bridge I/O Features
• 16 discrete channels of digital input and
output for transferring digital audio be-
tween Pro Tools and ADAT optical inter-
face-equipped devices.
• 2-channel 24-bit D/A converters for su-
perior analog monitoring.
• S/PDIF and AES/EBU digital inputs and
outputs.
• Slave Clock input and output, and Word
Clock output for synchronizing and re-
solving your Pro Tools/ADAT system to
an external synchronization source us-
ing Digidesign or third-party synchroni-
zation peripherals.
• Up to five ADAT Bridge I/Os can be used
with Pro Tools for a maximum of 72
channels of I/O.
• The ADAT Bridge 24 I/O allows you to
use an ADAT-compatible device as an au-
dio interface for Pro Tools by using its
A/D and D/A converters.
Capabilities
Each ADAT Bridge I/O Interface allows you
to digitally transfer up to 16 tracks/chan-
nels simultaneously from ADAT into Pro
Tools for:
• Non-linear editing
• Plug-In effects processing
• Digital mixing with automation
Each ADAT Bridge I/O allows you to Digi-
tally transfer up to 16 tracks/channels si-
multaneously from Pro Tools to ADAT to:
• Replace original tracks with edited tracks
• Transfer Pro Tools tracks to another
Pro Tools/ADAT system on affordable
S-VHS tape media
• Back up Pro Tools tracks on S-VHS tape

ADAT Bridge I/O 2
With an optional synchronization periph-
eral, you can use the ADAT Bridge I/O to:
• Perform synchronized recording and
playback.
• Combine tape-based tracks and MIDI in-
struments in the Pro Tools TDM envi-
ronment for mix automation and effects
processing.
The ADAT Bridge allows you to interface
with digital mixing consoles equipped with
ADAT lightpipe connections (using the
ADAT Optical standard at up to 24-bit reso-
lution).
The ADAT Bridge I/O can also be used as a
standalone digital converter (S/PDIF or
AES/EBU-to-ADAT optical). This capability
allows you to digitally transfer audio from
DAT or CD to ADAT without having to
power on your computer or launch
Pro Tools.
About This Guide
This guide explains everything you need to
know in order to successfully use your
Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O with Pro Tools
and ADAT-compatible devices.
To get the most out of your hardware, you
should have a basic working knowledge of
your ADAT or ADAT-compatible device,
and know how to format tapes, how to
record and play back audio, and other com-
mon ADAT functions.
ADAT and ADAT-Compatible
Devices
The term “ADAT” describes any ADAT-op-
tical interface equipped device. This in-
cludes ADAT-compatible modular digital
multitrack recorders (MDMs), sound cards,
A/D or D/A converters, and digital consoles
that are equipped with an ADAT optical in-
terface.
Conventions Used in This Guide
Digidesign guides use the following con-
ventions to indicate menu choices and key
commands:
The following symbols are used to high-
light important information:
✽ User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your system.
▲ Important Notices include information that
could affect your session data or the perfor-
mance of your system.
☞ Cross References point to related sections
in other Digidesign Guides.
Convention Action
File > Save Session Choose Save Session
from the File menu
Control+N Hold down the Control
key and press the
N key
Option-click Hold down the Option
key and click the mouse
button

Chapter 1: Introducing the 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O 3
System Requirements
The Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O requires:
• A Pro Tools 24 MIX or MIXplus,
Pro Tools 24 or Pro Tools III system, on
an appropriate Mac OS or Windows NT
CPU.
• Version 4.3 or higher of the Pro Tools
software
and associated versions of DAE
and the DigiSystem INIT.
• An external mixing console and moni-
toring system (amplifier, speakers, head-
phones, etc.).
• One or more ADAT or ADAT-compatible
devices.
ADAT Firmware Requirements
To use your ADAT with the ADAT Bridge
I/O, it must have the following firmware
version. If you are not sure of the firmware
version of your ADAT or ADAT-compatible
recorder, please contact the manufacturer
or your professional audio dealer.
• The original ADAT should be equipped
with firmware version 4.03 or higher.
• The ADAT XT should be equipped with
firmware version 1.04 or higher.
• The ADAT M20 should be equipped with
firmware version 1.0 or higher.
• The ADAT XT20 should be equipped
with firmware version 2.0 or higher.
• The ADAT LX20 should be equipped
with firmware version 2.0 or higher.

ADAT Bridge I/O 4

Chapter 2: Connecting Your Studio 5
chapter 2
Connecting Your Studio
This chapter covers connecting the 24-bit
ADAT Bridge I/O to your Pro Tools system
and to an ADAT-compatible device. There
are two types of connections that can be
made:
Primary System Connections
(all systems)
◆
Connecting the ADAT Bridge I/O to
ADAT or ADAT-compatible devices.
◆
Connecting the ADAT Bridge I/O to the
Pro Tools system.
Synchronization Connections
(optional)
This section includes instructions for mak-
ing synchronization connections.
Before You Begin
• Make sure your Pro Tools system is prop-
erly installed.
• Turn off your computer, hardware inter-
faces, and ADATs. Making connections
while power is on can damage your sys-
tem.
These cables are provided with your
ADAT Bridge I/O:
• One (1) AC power cable
• One (1) 60-pin to 50-pin interface cable
• Two (2) ADAT optical cables
• One (1) BNC slave clock cable
The optical cables included with your
ADAT Bridge I/O are 2 feet in length. Opti-
cal cables of up to 30 feet can be used with
your system as long as they are high-qual-
ity, Alesis-approved cables.
The enclosed BNC cable is the suggested
maximum length for Word Clock connec-
tions to the ADAT Bridge. It is possible to
utilize longer BNC cables, but doing so can
introduce clock problems that will result in
clicks, pops and other digital noise on
channel 1 of your system.
Cables included with ADAT Bridge I/O
Optical cable BNC cable 60-pin to 50-pin
interface cable

ADAT Bridge I/O 6
About 8-Channel Groups
The ADAT Bridge I/O provides 16 channels
of ADAT digital I/O, split into two separate
8-channel groups.
Inputs and outputs from these groups are
assigned in Pro Tools as A1– A8 (for the in-
puts and outputs on Group A), and B1–B8
(for the inputs and outputs on Group B).

Chapter 2: Connecting Your Studio 7
1. Power Switch
This switch applies power to the Digidesign
ADAT Bridge I/O. The “I” position is on.
The “O” position is off.
2. Sync Mode LEDs
These LEDs indicate which master sample
clock reference is currently being used by
the ADAT Bridge I/O. The ADAT Bridge
I/O’s 16 inputs and outputs are divided
into 2 discrete groups: Group A (channels
1–8) and Group B (channels 9–16).
Internal
When lit, this LED indicates that the ADAT
Bridge I/O sample clock reference is its own
internal clock. The internal clock fre-
quency is determined by the Sample Rate
setting in the Pro Tools Hardware dialog or
Session Setup window. Internal sync mode
is used whenever the ADAT Bridge I/O’s
sample rate clock is not being determined
by an external source such as an ADAT,
DAT machine, or synchronization periph-
eral.
ADAT
When continuously lit, the ADAT Bridge
I/O sample rate is being slaved to an ADAT
(the ADAT Bridge I/O is using the ADAT as
its master clock reference). This parameter
is set by choosing ADAT Optical in the
Sync Mode pop-up in the Pro Tools Hard-
ware dialog or Session Setup window. If
this LED is flashing, it indicates that the
ADAT Bridge I/O is either not receiving a
signal from the ADAT or that the signal is
invalid for some reason.
Digital
When continuously lit, the ADAT Bridge
I/O is being slaved to an external AES/EBU
or S/PDIF signal (the ADAT Bridge I/O is us-
ing the signal as its master clock reference).
This parameter is set by choosing Digital in
the Sync Mode pop-up in the Pro Tools
Hardware dialog or Session Setup window.
This is the setting typically used for trans-
ferring material from DAT machines or
other digital devices into Pro Tools. If this
LED is flashing, it indicates that the ADAT
Bridge I/O is either not receiving an
AES/EBU or S/PDIF signal or that the signal
is invalid for some reason. This could occur
Figure 1. ADAT Bridge I/O front panel
12345
ADAT Bridge I/O Front Panel

ADAT Bridge I/O 8
if, for example, you have chosen AES/EBU
as your digital format and are actually re-
ceiving S/PDIF.
Slave
When continuously lit, this LED indicates
that the ADAT Bridge I/O master sample
clock reference is being determined by an
external device connected to the Slave
Clock In port on the ADAT Bridge I/O’s rear
panel, typically another Digidesign Audio
Interface or an eternal sync peripheral. The
ADAT Bridge I/O will automatically switch
to Slave mode when a valid slave clock sig-
nal is connected to its Slave Clock Input
port and the ADAT Bridge I/O is set for in-
ternal sync in the Pro Tools Hardware
Setup dialog or Session Setup window.
3. Channel 1–2 Input
This LED indicates the source of input to
Pro Tools for channels 1–2 of Group A
and/or Group B. When the ADAT LED is lit,
input channels 1–2 in Pro Tools are cur-
rently selected to receive digital input via
the ADAT Bridge I/O’s optical port. When
the Digital LED is lit, it indicates that chan-
nels 1–2 in Pro Tools are currently selected
to receive digital input via its AES/EBU or
S/PDIF ports. When this is set, ADAT opti-
cal channels 3–8 are still sent to Pro Tools.
This parameter is set using the Ch 1–2 In-
put pop-up in the Pro Tools Hardware dia-
log or Session Setup window.
The AES/EBU or S/PDIF inputs can be
routed to Channels 1–2 of either Group A
or Group B. This gives you the flexibility to
set Channel 1–2 to ADAT on Group A, and
Channel 1–2 input to digital on Group B.
This allows you to record eight channels
audio from ADAT on group A, and two
channels of digital input on Group B. If
you wish to record a full 16 channels of au-
dio from ADAT, Channel 1–2 input must
be set to ADAT for both Group A and
Group B.
4. Sample Rate
These LEDs indicate the current sample
rate of Group A and Group B of the ADAT
Bridge I/O. If these LEDs are flashing, it in-
dicates that the currently selected sample
rate does not match the sample rate cur-
rently being received by the ADAT Bridge
I/O.
5. Digital Format
These LEDs indicate which digital port
(AES/EBU or S/PDIF) is currently being used
for digital input on channels 1–2 of Group
A or Group B.

Chapter 2: Connecting Your Studio 9
1. Analog Outputs
These are balanced TRS (tip-ring-sleeve)
connectors that carry audio output on
channels 1–2. By routing a Pro Tools out-
put mix to channels 1–2 you can then
monitor an entire mix via these outputs.
The ADAT Bridge I/O’s analog outputs fea-
ture 24-bit D/A convertors for superior au-
dio quality. These outputs are software-
switchable between –10 dBV and +4 dBu
operation via the Other Options section of
the Pro Tools Hardware dialog. Output lev-
els default to –10 dBV when the ADAT
Bridge I/O is used in standalone mode.
2. Optical In/Out #1
These ports are designed to send and re-
ceive 8 channels of digital audio to and
from an ADAT’s optical ports. The Optical
#1 port carries data for Group A, the first
eight channels (1–8) of the ADAT Bridge
I/O.
▲ Both the optical inputs and optical outputs
must be connected to your ADAT for your sys-
tem to work properly.
3. Optical In/Out #2
Similar to “Optical In/Out #1, except the
Optical #2 port carries data for Group B,
the second eight channels (9–16) of the
ADAT Bridge I/O.
4. Computer A
This port is used to make connections be-
tween the Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O and
a Pro Tools MIX, MIXplus, d24, DSP Farm,
or Disk I/O card installed inside your com-
puter. The Computer A port carries data for
the first eight channels (1–8) of audio be-
tween the ADAT Bridge I/O and Pro Tools.
5. Computer B
Similar to Computer A, except the Com-
puter B port carries data for the second
eight channels (9–16) of audio between the
ADAT Bridge I/O and Pro Tools.
6. AES/EBU In/Out
These are balanced, three-conductor XLR
connectors that accept and output a 24-bit
AES/EBU digital data stream. Output is
Figure 2. ADAT Bridge I/O Back Panel
123 4 5 6 7 789 10
ADAT Bridge I/O Back Panel

ADAT Bridge I/O 10
continuously active on the AES/EBU jacks,
carrying audio routed to outputs 1–2 in
Pro Tools.
7. S/PDIF In/Out
These are unbalanced, two-conductor RCA
jacks that accept and output a 24-bit
S/PDIF digital data stream. Output is con-
tinuously active on the S/PDIF jacks, carry-
ing audio routed to outputs 1–2 in
Pro Tools. To avoid RF interference during
S/PDIF transfers, we recommend that you
use 75 ohm coaxial cable and don’t exceed
a maximum cable length of 10 meters.
8. Slave Clock In/Out
The Slave Clock Out jack is a standard BNC
connector that outputs a 256x Super Clock
signal for slaving additional ADAT Bridge
I/Os, audio interfaces, or synchronization
peripherals.
The Slave Clock In jack is a standard BNC
connector designed to receive a 256x Super
Clock signal from another ADAT Bridge
I/O, another Digidesign audio interface, or
a synchronization peripheral that passes
Slave Clock, such as the USD. Because cru-
cial timing data is passed via these ports,
you should use high-quality, 75 ohm RG-
59 cables for making connections and keep
total cable lengths to less than 3 meters be-
tween all connected devices.
9. Word Clock Out
The Word Clock Out jack is a standard
BNC-type connector that outputs a word
clock signal. This jack is typically used to
connect the ADAT Bridge I/O to a BRC or
other sync device that requires a separate
word clock input for properly resolved
sync.
10. AC Power Input
This connector accepts a modular AC
power cable. The Digidesign ADAT Bridge
I/O is auto power-selecting (100V–240V)
and will work with a standard modular ca-
ble when connected to AC power recepta-
cles in any country.
Primary Connections
(Bridge I/O to Pro Tools
and ADAT)
This section covers the basic connections
between the ADAT Bridge I/O, your
Pro Tools system, and ADAT devices.
Optical Connections
Quick Connections
◆
For One ADAT:
• ADAT Bridge Optical #1 Out to ADAT
#1 Optical Input.
• ADAT Bridge Optical #1 In to ADAT #1
Optical Output.
◆
For Two ADATs:
• Other connections are same as instruc-
tions for one ADAT, but adding ADAT
Bridge Group B Optical In/Out to
ADAT #2 Optical Out/In.

Chapter 2: Connecting Your Studio 11
✽
If you use a BRC or other device to synchro-
nize your ADATs, refer to “Synchronization Con-
nections” on page 15 for additional
instructions on integrating the ADAT Bridge I/O
into your system.
The following sections provide optical con-
nection instructions for systems with one
or two ADATs.
▲ The red light you may see at the end of a
connected ADAT optical cable is not a laser, so
it will not damage your eyes.
To make optical cable connections between
the ADAT Bridge I/O and ADAT devices:
1 Connect one of the provided optical ca-
bles to the jack labeled Optical #1 Out on
the Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O, and con-
nect the other end to the Digital Input on
your primary (master) ADAT. Avoid touch-
ing the ends of the cable to prevent oils
from your skin from getting on the lenses.
2 Connect the second fiber optic cable to
the jack labeled Optical #1 In on the
Digidesign ADAT Bridge I/O and attach the
other end to the Digital Output on your
ADAT.
3 If you are using two ADATs with your
ADAT Bridge I/O (16-channel mode), make
the same In/Out connections from the Op-
tical #2 In/Out ports on the Digidesign
ADAT Bridge I/O to the Digital In/Out ports
on ADAT #2.
About ADAT Sync 9-pin
Also shown in the above diagram is the
ADAT 9-pin sync cable (from the master
ADAT Sync Out to the slave ADAT Sync In),
required for proper clocking between your
ADATs. Your ADAT User’s Guide assumes
that if you have two ADATs you already
have their Sync cables connected in this
manner and operating correctly. Refer to
your ADAT manual if you need more infor-
mation.
Optical connections between a single ADAT Bridge
I/O and a single ADAT
optical cable from ADAT out
to ADAT Bridge in
optical cable from ADAT Bridge out
to ADAT in
Optical connections between anADAT Bridge and two
ADATs (ADAT 9-pin Sync connection also shown)
optical cables
Group A
Alesis 9-pin sync cable
optical cables - Group B
ADAT 1
ADAT 2
ADAT Bridge I/O

ADAT Bridge I/O 12
Pro Tools Interface Connections
Quick Connections
◆
For One ADAT (8-channel mode):
• ADAT Bridge Computer A to interface
port A on primary Pro Tools audio card
(MIX, d24 or Disk I/O), or the I/O port
on the Pro Tools audio card in the
highest available slot.
◆
Two ADATs (16-channel mode):
• Same as for one ADAT, plus additional
50-pin interface cable (not included)
from ADAT Bridge I/O Computer B
port to primary Pro Tools interface
Port B (if using the optional Y-cable),
or to the interface port on the next
highest Pro Tools I/O-capable card.
The following section provides more de-
tailed interface connection instructions for
systems with one or two ADATs.
Single-ADAT systems (8-channel operation)
This basic configuration allows 8-channel
transfer between Pro Tools and ADAT, but
has no provisions for synchronizing play-
back or recording of the two devices. You
will have to manually start and stop record-
ing/playback of Pro Tools and ADAT inde-
pendently. Unsynchronized operation can
be used to make basic backups of your
Pro Tools and/or ADAT tracks, or to
“dump” an 8 or 16-track ADAT session into
Pro Tools for editing, processing, or mix-
ing.
To make basic system connections from the
ADAT Bridge I/O to a single ADAT:
1 Connect the large end of the 50-pin in-
terface cable (provided with your ADAT
Bridge I/O) to the Computer A port on the
ADAT Bridge I/O. To do this, pinch the
metal tabs on either side of the 50-pin con-
nector and push it into the port. Release
pressure on the tabs to lock the connector
into place.
2 Connect the other end of the interface
cable to the Pro Tools MIX, d24 or Disk I/O
card installed inside your computer. Use
the thumbscrews on this connector to se-
cure the cable in place. Whenever possible,
attach the interface cable to the “master”
card (the first Pro Tools MIX, d24 or Disk
I/O card in your system).
◆
If you are adding the ADAT Bridge I/O as
expansion I/O, connect the Bridge to the
appropriate expansion I/O port. This will
be the I/O port on the Pro Tools I/O card in
the next-highest PCI slot in your CPU (or
PCI expansion chassis). Refer to your
Pro Tools System Installation Guide for de-
tails on determining the slot order of your
cards.
Interface connection, 8-channel operation
to primary Pro Tools audio card
(MIX, d24 or Disk I/O)
to “Computer A” port
optical cable from ADAT out
to ADAT Bridge in
optical cable from ADAT Bridge out
to ADAT in
50-pin
interface cable

Chapter 2: Connecting Your Studio 13
Two ADATs (16-channel operation)
The following describes connections for a
single ADAT Bridge I/O and two ADATs.
This basic configuration allows 16-channel
transfer between Pro Tools and ADAT, but
has no provisions for synchronizing play-
back or recording of the two devices
(though the two ADATs will be in sync with
each other by virtue of their 9-pin Sync
connection). You will have to manually
start and stop recording/playback of
Pro Tools and ADAT independently. Un-
synchronized operation can be used to
make basic ADAT backups of your
Pro Tools tracks.
To make basic connections from the ADAT
Bridge I/O to two ADATs:
1 Connect a second 50-pin interface cable
to the port labeled Computer B on the
ADAT Bridge I/O. This cable is available
separately from your dealer.
2 Connecting both computer ports of the
ADAT Bridge I/O to your computer de-
pends upon your Pro Tools system:
• For Pro Tools MIX and 24 owners, if you
have the optional 16-channel peripheral
cable adapter (available separately), con-
nect the non-Y end to your primary Pro
Tools card, as described under “Single-
ADAT systems (8-channel operation)” on
page 12. Be sure to connect the ADAT
Bridge I/O Computer A port to the A
branch of the Y cable and the Computer
B port to the B branch of the Y cable as
shown in the illustration.
– or –
• Connect the second interface cable to
the next available I/O card (MIXPlus,
MIXI/O, d24, or DSP Farm).
Step 3: Clock Connections
If you are only using a single ADAT Bridge
I/O with no other Digidesign Audio Inter-
faces and no external synchronization pe-
ripherals, you can skip this step.
ADAT Bridge I/O connected to two ADATs, using the
optional Y-cable for Pro Tools MIX and d24 cards
16-channel Interface connections between the ADAT
Bridge and an expanded Pro Tools system using a
pair of standard Digidesign interface cables
to MIX or d24 port “A”to “Computer A” port
to MIX or d24 port “B”
optional Y cable
for d24 cards
(available separately)
to “Computer B” port
optical cables
Alesis 9-pin sync cable
optical cables
ADAT 1
ADAT 2
50-pin
interface cables
to primary Pro Tools audio card (MIX, MIXPlus, D24 or Disk I/O card)to “Computer A” port
to MIX I/O, or any Pro Tools "Farm" cardto “Computer B” port
optical cables
Alesis 9-pin sync cable
optical cables
ADAT 1
ADAT 2
50-pin
interface cables

ADAT Bridge I/O14
If you also use a Digidesign 888 24 or
882 20 audio interface, you will most likely
want to use them as your primary audio in-
terface and use the ADAT Bridge as expan-
sion I/O for your system.
▲This section covers clock connections be-
tween Pro Tools audio interfaces only. Many
synchronization peripherals add their own re-
quirements for clock. Refer to “Synchroniza-
tion Connections” on page 15 for more
information.
To make clock connections to other
Digidesign audio interfaces:
1 Connect the Slave Clock Out of your pri-
mary audio interface (such as the 888/24)
to the Slave Clock In of your next audio in-
terface (such as the ADAT Bridge I/O) using
the BNC cable.
2 Connect any other Pro Tools audio inter-
faces by repeating the above instructions
and daisy-chaining the Slave Clock signal
between each interface.
Step 4: Stereo Monitor
Connections (optional)
The ADAT Bridge I/O provides a pair of an-
alog outputs that allow you to monitor au-
dio routed to channels 1 and 2. If the ADAT
Bridge I/O is the primary audio interface,
these will be Pro Tools output channels 1
and 2. If you are using the ADAT Bridge I/O
as expansion I/O, then these outputs will
be channels 1 and 2 in the bank of outputs
represented by the ADAT Bridge I/O’s
Group A channels.
The illustration above shows a setup in
which the ADAT Bridge I/O is the primary
Pro Tools audio interface (in 8-channel
mode). If the ADAT Bridge is installed as
expansion I/O, then its 60-to-50-pin Inter-
face cable would be connected to a differ-
ent interface port than the primary disk
card.
Slave Clock and interface connections with an
888 24 and an ADAT Bridge
Computer 1
ANALOG OUTPUT ANALOG INPUT AES/EBU OUTPUT AES/EBU INPUT
S/PDIF
IN
S/PDIF
OUT
SLAVE CLOCK
IN
SLAVE CLOCK
OUT
7
8
5
6
3
4
1
2
7
8
5
6
3
4
1
2
5/6
7/8
1/2
3/4
5/6
7/8
1/2
3/4
optional Y cable
(available separately)
to primary Pro Tools
audio card port "A"
to “Computer A” port
to MIXI/O or Farm I/O port
to "Computer B" port
optical cables
Alesis 9-pin sync cable
optical cables
ADAT 1
ADAT 2
ADAT Bridge
888|24 or other
additional I/O
to primary Pro Tools
audio card port "B"
Computer 1 port
Slave Clock Out
888 Slave Clock Out
A
B
50-pin
interface cables
Stereo output and instrument input connections
to Pro Tools cardto “Computer A” port
optical cable from ADAT out
to ADAT Bridge in
optical cable from ADAT Bridge out
to ADAT in
mixing console
power amp
and speakers
instruments
50-pin
interface cable

Chapter 2: Connecting Your Studio 15
Synchronization
Connections
For frame-accurate or near-sample-accurate
transfers, you need a third-party synchro-
nization peripheral. Synchronizing the two
systems lets you transfer tracks back and
forth between Pro Tools and your ADATs in
perfect sync. You can then utilize your de-
vices’ combined track capacity for bigger
mixes, fly tracks from tape into Pro Tools
for editing and processing, or use the
ADATs as a backup mechanism for
Pro Tools audio.
The setup requirements for a synchronized
Pro Tools/ADAT system differ slightly de-
pending on the specific device(s) employed
(e.g., BRC, MTP AV, DTP, etc.).
Diagrams are provided for synchronization
connections between your ADAT Bridge
I/O, Pro Tools, and each of the following
devices:
• Alesis BRC with a MIDI interface or with
a Digidesign USD
(see Chapter 5: Synchronizing Pro Tools
and ADAT with an Alesis BRC)
• JL Cooper DataSync 2 and a MIDI inter-
face (see Chapter 6: Synchronizing
Pro Tools and ADAT Using a JL Cooper
DataSync2)
• Mark of the Unicorn MTP AV
(see Chapter 7: Synchronizing Pro Tools
and ADAT using the MTP AV)
• Mark of the Unicorn DTP
(see Chapter 8: Synchronizing Pro Tools
and ADAT Using a Digital TimePiece)
• Opcode Studio 64XTC
(see Chapter 9: Synchronizing Pro Tools
and ADAT using an Opcode Studio 64XTC)
• Other digital devices, including ADAT-
compatible digital mixing consoles
(see Chapter 10: Connecting Pro Tools to an
ADAT-Compatible Digital Mixer)

ADAT Bridge I/O16