Digital X Bus

I/O Cards

You can install the optional I/O cards in any of the slots labeled A, B, or C, in any combination to suit your particular application. You can configure the cards in the I/O Configuration window (Windows > I/O Configuration).

Refer to Appendix B for wiring diagrams of the various connectors used on the I/O Cards.

1. MIC/LINE 4 CARD

This card provides four analog mic/line inputs on female XLR connectors, and four analog line-level inputs on 1/4" TRS connectors, for a total of eight analog inputs. Note that this card does not provide any outputs.

2. MIC/LINE 8 CARD

This card provides eight analog mic- or line-level inputs and eight line-level outputs. Connections are made through two 25-pin D-Sub connectors.

3. LINE CARD

This card provides eight analog line-level inputs and outputs. Connections are made through two 25- pin D-Sub connectors.

4. DIGITAL CARD

This card provides eight digital inputs and eight digital outputs. Connections are provided in both ADAT Multichannel Optical Interface and Tascam T/DIF-1 formats.

The connection for ADAT is made with a fiber optic cable, sometimes referred to as “lightpipe.” This connection provides eight channels of digital audio. You can purchase this cable from your Alesis dealer, Monster Cable, Hosa, or other cable manufacturer.

The connection for T/DIF-1 is made with a 25-pin D-Sub connector. This connection provides eight channels of bidirectional digital audio. This connection requires a 25-pin D-sub cable (Tascam Part Number PW-88D).

5. AES/EBU CARD

This card provides eight digital inputs and eight digital outputs in the AES/EBU standard format. Connection is made through a 25-pin D-Sub connector.

AES/EBU is a standard two-channel digital protocol used for long balanced cable applications. Thus, each conductor actually transmits two channels of digital audio data.

6. FIREWIRE CARD

The FireWire card uses the IEEE-1394 protocol for connecting digital devices. It currently provides 24 inputs and 24 outputs of digital audio at 48 kHz, and 8 inputs and 8 outputs at 96 kHz.

D • SLOT

SYNC

 

 

 

C • SLOTS

 

 

B • SLOTS

 

 

A • SLOTS

 

 

 

 

SYNC CARD

 

MIX OUT CARD

DIGITAL CARD

FIRE CARD

AES CARD

LINE CARD

LINE CARD

MIC/LINE 8 CARD

MIC/LINE 4 CARD

 

MIC/LINE 4 CARD

 

 

 

 

IN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

IN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORD

 

 

AES/EBU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLOCK

OUT

 

TDIF

 

I/O

OUT

OUT

OUT

2

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUT

 

 

 

I/O

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN

 

 

SPDIF

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

3

 

 

 

IN

OUT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMPTE

 

 

 

OPTICAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUT

 

 

SPEAKERS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L

 

R

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A

 

 

 

 

 

IN

4

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

IN B

 

 

IN

IN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L

 

R

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUT A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

PHONES

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

6

5

6

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUT B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L

 

MIX OUT

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

8

7

8

 

 

 

R

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

54 X.200