Peak, OS X, and recording S/PDIF via MOTU 828

[Everett]

I just got Peak 3.2 for OS X, and I'm using it to transfer DAT tapes onto my computer. I have everything routed through my MOTU 828, and it works beautifully when recording the analogue inputs.

But I'd like to use the S/PDIF connection to make a digital transfer into Peak, but the S/PDIF input does not show up under the CoreAudio menu (in Peak: Audio->Record Settings -> Device and Sample Format). You can set your clock source to S/PDIF, but that seems to be the only reference to the digital input.

Am I missing something? Or does the OS X driver for the 828 lack support for the digital inputs? I have no other recording program that runs in OS X, so I can't test it somewhere else. I noticed that even OS X's Audio MIDI setup does not list the digital inputs for the 828.

Any ideas on how to score a digital transfer?

Everett

[Everett]

Just figured this out, so I thought I'd share. Here's how to record S/PDIF into your MOTU 828 into Peak in OS 9 and X, and also a cool trick on how to use your 828 as a mixer.

In OS 9:

828 Control Panel: Set your sample rate the same as the DAT that you are recording (eg 44100) and select "Analog 1&2" for your Monitor Inputs.

You first must copy the 828 ASIO driver into Peak's ASIO folder (if you need the driver, search your harddrive or go to motu.com). Then open Peak, go to Audio->Sound Out->ASIO (this should be available if you installed the driver correctly). The window should be configured thusly:
Driver: ASIO MOTU Firewire Audio
Clocksource: SPDIF (internal works too)
etc.
PlayThrough: Analog 1-2 1&2

Next go to Audio->Record Settings. Make sure the MONITOR checkbox is checked! Then click on "Device and Sample Format." The forthcoming window should look like this:
Record Through: SPDIF 1 9&10
(the other stuff should match the DAT settings)

Now you should be able to hear the DAT from your monitors even though it's only connected via SPDIF.


In OS X:

The big secret with the CoreAudio control panel is that they did not label their inputs as SPDIF, but if you select "Record Options" you'll get the CoreAudio panel, and make sure that Record Through is set to "Input 8 9&10." Appearantly, inputs 9&10 are equivalent to the SPDIF input, but this isn't at first intuitive. The other windows are almost identical to the OS 9 versions. Just make sure that
#1. you have your 828 set to monitor analog 1-2 and
#2. "Out 0 1&2" is selected as the Audio->Sound Out->CoreAudio: Playthrough. Then you should be able to hear everything.

The mixer trick:
In case you haven't figured this out, you can plug your computer and synth into extra inputs on your 828 (I do this anyway for recording), and if you want to hear your synth while practicing or listen to your computer through your good monitors on your 828, all you have to do is have it turned on and then select the correct input from the control panel: e.g. Monitor Input: Analog 3-4. It's kind of nice so you don't have to keep plugging your monitors into everything around your studio (I know I know... a mixer is forecast in the budget).