Z-Systems z-8.8a User Manual

z-8.8a Digital Detangler Instructions

Thank you for purchasing the z-8.8a Digital Detangler from Z-Systems Audio Engineering. We
are certain that you will find the z-8.8a to be an invaluable part of your digital audio production
system and urge you to take a few minutes to read this manual and familiarize yourself with the z-

8.8a's features and method of operation.
The z-8.8a Digital Detangler is an automated patchbay and distribution amplifier for Lightpipe

format signals. Furthermore, it can carry out format conversion between the ADAT Lightpipe
format and S/PDIF. Let's look at these functions separately.

• Digital Patchbay and Distribution Amplifier

If you have more than a few pieces of gear which utilize the Lightpipe format, you have probably
encountered difficulties in setting things up so they are readily re-configurable. Now all you need
to do is hook all of your Lightpipe sources to the z-8.8a's Lightpipe Source connectors and hook
all of your Lightpipe destinations to the z-8.8a's Lightpipe Destination connectors. This has two
benefits:

1.

Controlling which sources speak to which destinations is as simple as turning a few knobs and

pressing a few buttons. That is, the routing pattern can be changed without having to unplug
and re-plug optical cables. Furthermore, the routing pattern can be saved as one of 99
presets. Any of these presets can be recalled at a later time so that you can effectively store
routing "scenes" or "snapshots."

2.

A single Lightpipe source can drive multiple Lightpipe destinations. This is a function which

is analogous to that of a distribution amplifier. A single source driving multiple destinations
is also known as a "mult."

• Format Converter

ADAT Optical and S/PDIF are similar in purpose but quite different in terms of data formatting.
ADAT Optical format carries eight channels of digital audio on a single plastic optical fiber.
S/PDIF carries a single stereo pair of digital audio on coaxial (or optical) cable. In addition to the
electrical differences and differences in the number of channels carried, the formats also differ in
terms of how the data is encoded within the streams of bits. Consequently, conversion between
ADAT Optical and S/PDIF is quite complicated.

The z-8.8a allows you to convert all eight channels in an ADAT Optical signal to four stereo pairs
of S/PDIF and four stereo pairs of S/PDIF to an ADAT Optical signal. This is a useful function if
you need to maintain compatibility between S/PDIF -equipped gear and ADAT Optical-equipped
gear without leaving the digital domain.

z-8.8a Digital Detangler instruction manual z-systems audio engineering, 2000

2

Front Panel Controls

a) Routing pattern display. The routing pattern display gives a visual indication of which

sources are connected to which destinations. For example, the display shows source 1
connected to destination 1, source 6 connected to destination 2, source 8 connected to
destination 3, and so on. Also note that the same source can be connected to multiple
destinations (this is called a "mult"). The routing pattern display shows that source 2 is
connected to both destinations 5 and 6.

b)

Destination legend. The destination legend shows which destination is being addressed by

the destination and source knobs. Note that destination 8 corresponds to the S/PDIF
outputs from the z-8.8a. Note further that the destination legend is silkscreened on the front
panel because it is not variable. That is, a given destination may have only a single source
connected to it at any given time.

c)

Destination knob. The primary function of the destination knob is to control which

destination is being addressed by the user interface. The routing pattern display will blink
the corresponding source as the destination knob is rotated. A blinking routing pattern
display is an indication that the routing pattern has changed and that the route button needs
to be pressed.

d)

Source knob. The primary function of the source knob is to control which source is being

sent to the corresponding destination, as indicated in the routing pattern display. The source
knob also functions as a preset selection knob in the load and save modes.

Lightpipe and ADAT are trademarks of Alesis Corporation