Optical dropouts

[ogs]

@alandbush this is very nice. Does the Phantom remote volume work when set up like this? I know about the normal splitters, it is the L R splitting that is the problem. If Phantoms can be assigned to L and R via Spark as you describe and the volume control works there is no longer a problem here! Do you find the splitter you use transparent to sample rates and bit depths?

[alandbush]

@alandbush  this is very nice. Does the Phantom remote volume work when set up like this? I know about the normal splitters, it is the L R splitting that is the problem. If Phantoms can be assigned to L and R via Spark as you describe and the volume control works there is no longer a problem here! Do you find the splitter you use transparent to sample rates and bit depths?

I do not have a Phantom remote so cannot answer that question. I simply use Spark to alter the volume.
I use MiniDSP units to apply EQ and they work at 48kHz. So, sorry, I do not know if my splitters can handle higher sampling rates. However, the splitter is passive, so I suspect the signal is passed through as is and I would expect it to be transparent.

[snbeall]

   

[ogs]

I do not have a Phantom remote so cannot answer that question. I simply use Spark to alter the volume.
I use MiniDSP units to apply EQ and they work at 48kHz. So, sorry, I do not know if my splitters can handle higher sampling rates.  However, the splitter is passive, so I suspect the signal is passed through as is and I would expect it to be transparent.

As long as Spark volume works I guess the remote would too. The passive splitters are cheap so I will try this when I get a chance. I'll use the toslink output on my Mutec MC3, split the optical and run fibre to both Phantoms in a 2ch setup - and hope it will work.

@snbeall thanks for the info. I know Amazon is convenient, but I try to avoid Amazon if I can....

[snbeall]

Why is that?! Amazon could not have made my life easier. Do you have some PC agenda? Not take it there (or anywhere, really). Just wanna know why??

[snbeall]

The optical splitter is not a difficult concept as opposed to the digital stuff which is nex gen. It takes a light beam and with a prism splits it into two light beams - something that’s been observable and done since Newton. I can relate to that. It’s in my observable universe. It’s all this other conceptual digital bits stuff that loses me!

[ogs]

@snbeall would you know if there is a signal (strength) loss or sample rate limitation across a split?
As for Amazon... I do not like any of the 'big' players on the internet. They store too much information about us...

[meeotch]

@hydr - a wired connection of any type (ethernet, PLC, whatever) isn't a long term solution for me for the same reason as you. My location is a business, and I can't have cables snaking all over the place. I think the physical limit of toslink cables is like 10m, which is too short for my installation. So my wired options would be ethernet or running a new electrical circuit - both of which would require punching holes in the walls to run cabling.

Also, the system was sold to me as specifically "wireless". Deciding a year later that "wifi isn't meant to be used as the primary connection" is bullshit. I'm primarily letting support send me the splitter just to see what it turns out to be, so I can let people on the forum know. And of course to continue trying to prove to them that their wireless implementation is faulty.

Very interested to know if the Phantoms "do the right thing" in terms of playing only the assigned channel when receiving optical stereo signals. I guess the fact that you can run optical into one Phantom and have the Dialog distribute it wirelessly to the other Phantom in a stereo config is an encouraging sign, as the wired Phantom must have the ability to drop one of the channels.

[snbeall]

I believe the optical in on the Phantom merely serves as a network entrance point to get the raw data stream to the Dialogue. The Dialogue does all the processing of the raw data stream into specific channels, packages and addresses it, then sends it back out through the network to the Phantom who reads only the packet addressed to it. So as in most digital, as long as the digital signal is strong enough to be read it will be read. Let’s leave out jitter, etc for purposes of discussion. Digital is essentially an all or none thing. A split optical signal is merely cut in half light intensity wise, but all there still.

[ogs]

You are most likely right @snbeall if only one of the optical inputs is used, but I think the Toslink input on the Phantom is a direct input if one inputs to both (in a stereo pair) at the same time. Then nothing needs to go back via Dialog. Only L and R assignment remains. According to @alandbush this is done in Spark if the two Phantoms are set up as different rooms even if they are a stereo set.