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Thread: Adat Cada-mod

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Question Adat Cada-mod

    Hello,

    I know this question may seem quite dated, but I'll ask anyway, just for curiousity...

    Along with my laser addiction err, hobby, I also collect audio and video gear... My audio equipment just had two ADAT XT's added to it a few months back. Saw them at a pawn shop for a steal, so I grabbed them up...

    I realize that ADAT's are probably considered an antiquated way to play back laser shows... I imagine most places just play directly from PC's now. I would imagine that there's still a base of ADAT users, but as they fail, I'm sure they are just being replaced with PC's...

    Anyway, to my question... Does anyone here have schematics for a CADA-MOD (or just CADA) type modification for ADAT XT's? I would just go to Pangolin and get the boards myself, but according to their website, they are no longer being sold.

    There are two reasons I am looking for the schematics:

    1) It would be a cheap little project for me to work on. If I had to buy the CADA-MOD boards, I imagine I would not get them for a long time, if at all, since I really have no use for them immediately.

    2) I CANT just buy them since Pangolin doesn't sell them anymore.

    Heck, even if I had the schematics in hand, I'm not sure if I would actually go ahead and build them right now... But I would like to see how it worked and have the option available in case I ever wanted to use my ADAT's for recording laser shows...

    Thanks everyone!

    Regards,
    Brad

  2. #2
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    Default

    Brad, I'm not sure if Pangolin has ever released a schematic of the cada-mod board. I don't think it would be a very easy conversion or modification since the cada-mod replaced quite a bit of parts I think. That absolute, easiest way to do adat recording is with one of the original black-face adats. All that is required is shorting out some caps on a board. 16 in all I think.

    It seems that alot of places still use adats. I think it was great back in the day, but now, really, its just much better to run the shows directly from a QM2K for many, many reasons.

  3. #3
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    Jul 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by DZ
    Brad, I'm not sure if Pangolin has ever released a schematic of the cada-mod board. I don't think it would be a very easy conversion or modification since the cada-mod replaced quite a bit of parts I think. That absolute, easiest way to do adat recording is with one of the original black-face adats. All that is required is shorting out some caps on a board. 16 in all I think.
    Indeed. I don't think Pangolin released it either... From their point of view, I can see why... On the other hand, now that they don't produce the boards, it would be nice if they would at least sell the schematic for the CADA-MOD boards. That way if people had problems with their old boards, they could replace parts, repair, etc. Or new users could purchase the schematic and build a version their selves.

    Quote Originally Posted by DZ
    It seems that alot of places still use adats. I think it was great back in the day, but now, really, its just much better to run the shows directly from a QM2K for many, many reasons.
    I agree... Running from a computer, for most places, would probably be much better... It definitely would allow for flexible creativity and on-the-fly changes. I would guess ADAT's would be great when you run the same shows over and over each weekend (like the local planetarium here)...

    Thanks,
    Brad

  4. #4
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    Get an Echo Layla 24/96 PC sound system. It is totally an ADAT in function but it records and plays directly from the hard drive. It also records and passes through ADAT LightPipe. You have no need to modify the analog electronics in your ADAT machine. You can move the signal to and from the tape via a digital optical loop with the Layla. The Layla could not be easier to modify! All you have to do is jump across some little surface mount caps (one for each channel). Echo was kind enough to tell me how to do it and send me the schematics. They are easy to get to. I only did the first 6 on mine. The output of the Layla is balanced or single ended. It is centered over zero volts, even with no capacitor. It has more than enough voltage swing to make your laser system very happy. Plus you will also be able to play LaserBoy waves!

    James.

  5. #5
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    Cool

    Send a PM to Mixed Gas (AKA Steve Roberts of alt.lasers fame) and ask him about it. He's used ADAT before (still does for some things even) and may be able to help you.

    Adam

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    James: I've read the posts about the Layla and it seems like a good way to go. Unfortunately, I have not the money to buy one.

    I just thought it would be nice to add the capability to record DC on my ADAT's. Just in case I ever needed that functionality.

    Buffo: Good idea... I've been talking to him about some other stuff. I'll ask him if he has any thoughts on the ADAT modifications...

    Thanks,
    Brad

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by buffo View Post
    Send a PM to Mixed Gas (AKA Steve Roberts of alt.lasers fame) and ask him about it. He's used ADAT before (still does for some things even) and may be able to help you.

    Adam
    Steve has a blackface ADAT. At least that's what he had years ago. It had been hacked, but had an issue. It had no negative swing on the Y input channel. Dean fixed it for him. I hacked one of my own blackface ADATs.

    They are fairly easy to do.

    I don't know anything about the later generations of ADAT.

    BTW if you get a Layla, you can transcribe all of your tapes to hard drive. And, with LaserBoy you can reverse engineer those waves back into laser vector art. It's not perfect yet, but it will be!

    James.
    Last edited by James Lehman; 07-18-2008 at 12:01.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Smile

    Brad,

    I still use ADAT.... I beleive I may have been the very last customer to purchased the CADA-MOD (W/DMX) board for an XT.

    I still love ADAT. Since I don't yet have the bank roll for Pangolin I am still able to play shows produced by Mike Dunn of Firstlight. He is always reasonable with his pricing and I am able to get professionally created shows. I still would love to create them my self though =(

    Maybe most know this but Pangolin did release the instructions for the blackface mod for free. I beleive it used to cost $25... I thought that was nice of them to put that out there. I have a link somewhere is you need.

    But that still does not help you XT situation. Not sure why they gave up selling it.

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