[slinkelist] Optical Digital Recording

[Thomas W. Humphrey]

Gentlemen:

I am in the same "DXS is overkill" situation, and am trying to do the
digital switching with the Audio Authority 1177 digital audio multiplexer.
Check the unit out at www.audioauthority.com.  It retails for about $130.
As configured from the factory, the unit can be manually switched between
inputs with a pushbutton, or has a mode where it will automatically select
an active input based on a prioritization.  For it to work automatically
with CDJ it is necessary to turn higher priority players off so that the
lower priority player will be automatically selected, much like what Robert
Kelly describes trying to do with his splitter.  I wrote a complete map file
to do this, which I can share if anyone wants it.  Note, however, it is
necessary to turn off polling of idle players; if you don't CDJ will just
turn them back on.  You also cannot have the players pre-queue since that
would require that the nonselected player be turned on.  And, worst of all,
turning off idle player polling, and switching players on and off with each
player change in a way CDJ was not designed to handle, made CDJ malfunction
regularly, which is unacceptable.  Even if the malfunctions weren't there,
the lack of pre-queuing was a big price to pay for the change from an analog
mux to digital, IMHO.

I am now working on a hardware hack that will send control signals out the
slinke parallel port to manually toggle the input of the 1177 to select the
desired player.  This will allow CDJ to operate normally, with the 1177
doing automatic digital switching corresponding to the player being used.  I
have the slinke to 1177 connection diagrammed, and have written the map
file.  All I have to do now is install is a relay and ribbon cable, that can
be bought at Radio Shack.  The only tools needed are a soldering iron,
solder, and some patience.  When I have it working at my house I will post a
description of the way it is done, along with the map file.

Tom Humphrey

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Kelly" <rkelly@radium.ncsc.mil>
To: <slinkelist@nirvis.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2000 2:18 PM
Subject: [slinkelist] Optical Digital Recording


> Here's one I've been struggling with:
>
> I've only got two players so the DSX at $500+ is overkill
> for what I want to do. Both players have optical outputs
> and I'm using a Hoontech XG sound card with optical input.
> I want to keep things digital, record WAV files on the
> PC, and later burn into compilation CDs of my playlists.
>
> I bought a TOSlink optical spliter ($10 at Radio Shack)
> and I'm using it successfully as an optical combiner.
> Successfully because I understand and can live with only
> one player being on at a time. At least I think I can.
>
> I don't know the details of working with map files such
> that I can coordinate the player power changes with the
> cdjr:using_player responses. Does anyone have any example
> map files for this?
>
> I considered using the map file playlist commands to load
> and run through a playlist myself but couldn't find a way
> to make use of the data returned in a playlist_item[]
> response. Are these parameters somewhere or do you have
> to know all the possible responses and have exactly
> matching map statements?
>
> I'd be interested in seeing anyone's map file if your doing
> something complicated. That could go a long way in helping
> me learn this map file language.
>
> Thanks,
> Bob