Looking for ASUS S/PDIF ALL module, substitute, or hack

[Gromit]

I have an ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe, but this applies to several other ASUS MBs (A7V8X, P4B, P4PE, P4G8X, A7S333, A7V333, P4S533, P4T533, P4B533, P4B266, and others with the 6-pin SPDIF header).

I'm looking for ASUS's S/PDIF audio module, the version with all four jacks (Optical In/Out and Coax In/Out).

ASUS sold an older revision, called the "SPDIF ALL" but stopped selling it in early 2003. Part number was C1T615-0100 or possibly C1T61A-0100.

There is still a picture on the ASUS Taiwan web site (middle picture in the "S/PDIF" section):


Above, OLD revision, has a design flaw; see note below.

Today, ASUS has two variations of a new revision on the ASUS US web site...

NEW revision Out Coax+Optical (ASUS part number 90-C1T61U-00XBN):


NEW revision In/Out Coax (ASUS part number 90-C1T6A6-00UBN):


If you look closely at the old and new modules you'll notice that they've added an IC on the new revision (version with the Coax Input). I suspect that this was a change to fix the voltage level problem, mentioned in this other thread.

Basically, "normal" consumer audio equipment that has Coax digital I/O expects to see about 0.5Vpp (a voltage swing between 0 and 0.5 volts), but many PCs and CD-R/W drives use a 0-to-5V TTL voltage range. Generally, the Coax input on the audio equipment can handle the larger voltage swing from the PC's output, but the PC's Coax input won't "hear" the lower voltage output from the audio equipment.

On both the old and new revisions of the ASUS modules, they laid out the little printed circuit board in such a way that they can stuff it with any combination of the four connectors (In/Out Optical/Coax). So they could still easily make an "All" version.

The new revision (with the place for the IC) now says "SPDIF-SA" on the silkscreen; the SA stands for "Slot Adapter."


Aopen has a similar module for their own MBs:
http://usa.aopen.com/products/mb/spdif.htm for sale here http://store.myaopen.com/spdifconnector.html




Here's the pin-out, and a slightly larger picture:
http://usa.aopen.com/tech/techinside/spdif.htm

They use a different connector going to the MB, but that would be easy to adapt to match an ASUS MB. I can't tell from the picture whether the Aopen module has any circuitry to convert the voltage levels, though. Anyone out there know (or could post a larger picture)?


If the Aopen module doesn't work, another option might be to get ASUS's In/Out Coax version, and "hack" in the missing components for the optical jacks. Would need to know the values of any missing resistors, capacitors, etc. Can anyone help here (or at least post a close-up of the In/Out Coax module)?


Here's more than you ever wanted to know about S/PDIF (AKA "SPDIF" and sometimes "S/P-DIF"):
http://www.epanorama.net/documents/audio/spdif.html

(except he doesn't mention that the acronym stands for "Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format")

[Message updated to reflect new information]

[Gromit]

So Question #1 is: Has anyone seen the newer version of the ASUS module with all four jacks?


If not, Question #2 is: Has anyone tried the Aopen module with an ASUS MB?

[Gromit]

I've been told that the Aopen module does not have any ICs on the board. I hope for their sake that there's something on the motherboard to convert the voltage levels.

Found another module here... http://www.saveware.com/p372.htm



Does anyone know who makes it?

[Gromit]

The module at saveware.com (above) is made by PC-Chips, for several of their motherboards with onboard audio. I haven't found a pin-out or know which MBs, though.


Here are a few more modules, made by a German third-party company (not a sound card or MB manufacturer). These are a bit pricey, though (the POCAB is $80, and the POFP is $70 at www.minidisco.com):

http://www.opticompo.com/audio/index.html

There are nice pictures in the manuals, under the "support" link.

[Gromit]

Soyo has a rear S/PDIF module, the AS-SPDIF. It also includes two line out jacks. Here's the link. The PC board doesn't appear to have an IC, but it's hard to tell from their picture. Does anyone out there have one who could post a better picture of the PC board?

This picture may be a newer version:

[rockcola]

I too am looking for a way to get an s/pdif unit to work with my a7n8x delux board. I am wanting a digital input to hook up my xbox to, optical would be prefered. I bought the coax input/output unit, however the input doesnt work, as I tried hooking up my DVD player to it. I just get an occasional crackle. Any word out there of anything that works.

[Gromit]

(Just uploading a picture of the old revision ASUS module, rotated 90 degrees to be like the others. The first picture of my first post, above, uses this now -- i.e., you've already seen this, don't bother downloading it).

[Otis_thick]

I have the chaintech AV515M CMI8738-mx with optical in/out card. I picked up the AOPEN SPDIF connector card NOTE: This it has a 5 pin connector instead of the 5x2 on the Chaintech or the Aopen 850D. It does have an IC onboard but I could not get it to work properly and fried the first AV515m. At work, I have an AOPEN AV850D with both Coax and opt I/O. The SPDIF I/O works with the Chaintech-depending on the drivers installed. Niether AOPEN nor Chaintech would sell the 5x2 daughter card separately. I did check with SOYO, their connector IS for the cmi 8738 and is a 5x2. I ordered it today: $19:95 USD +$5.00 S/H. I would have just ordered an Aopen for $24.00 but the Chaintech was replaced FOC. FWIW, I work at a small TV station and we just started experimenting with Dolby 5.1 encoding-both the Chaintech and AOPEN have been great (bit perfect) for importing and exporting Dolby digital audio streams including embedded timecode. It was that some of the gear is COAX and SOME TOS-Link and for patch pannel style, we orded some fiber kits from MCM electronics and made up cables with different ends.