[Rainbow Randy]

So then should it also support external DACs?

 

[shigzeo]

Might work depending on the voltage they need.

 

[grokit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jalo /img/forum/go_quote.gif This will turn the whole portable world upside down if this usb kit can be used for the ipod/itouch family in addition to the Ipad.

Agreed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jalo /img/forum/go_quote.gif What do you guys think?

I think my 160GB iPod 6g would have new meaning to me

 

[grokit]

No "Sound Preferences" in the iPad OS, that could be a snag:

"The iPad lacks any visual indicator that audio has been moved over to the USB connector, nor does it offer any controls I can find in the Settings app or elsewhere to choose whether the internal mic and speakers or a USB device is used."

And obviously it would have to run off of the battery if either the camera adapter or a LOD were employed

 

[gopack87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grokit /img/forum/go_quote.gif No "Sound Preferences" in the iPad OS, that could be a snag: "The iPad lacks any visual indicator that audio has been moved over to the USB connector, nor does it offer any controls I can find in the Settings app or elsewhere to choose whether the internal mic and speakers or a USB device is used." And obviously it would have to run off of the battery if either the camera adapter or a LOD were employed

that's what I wonder too, how can the Ipad detect an external dac has been connected? Maybe an app?

 

[Mercuttio]

If you're using a USB headset, isn't there a tiny and terrible DAC taking control of the audio in that situation? Wouldn't a connected USB DAC then be doing the same thing?

Oh man, this is pretty exciting. I was already interested in that Camera connection kit so I could sort through my DSLR images without dealing with a keyboard and mouse (or Wacom).

 

[Rumz]

Question:

I don't have a solid understanding of DAC's. What's in the Pico / Predator? What sampling rates does it handle? From what I read, at least initially, the iPad software will only support 16-bit / 48,000.

 

[grokit]

DAC's need a digital signal (USB, optical, etc.), and they convert that binary information into an analog signal (audio left/right, etc.), which then can be amplified into sound that you can hear with your ears. We as humans cannot decode 1's and 0's with just our brain.

Records and various audio tape formats are purely analog, and you would need the opposite, an ADC, to put the music on a computer drive or optical disk.

DAC: digital-to-analog converter
ADC: analog-to-digital converter

A Pico/Predator type of device is just an analog sound amplifier if there's no DAC, and a DAC is just that unless combined with an analog sound amplifier.

 

[The_X]

I read this earlier today and nearly crapped myself. Here's to hoping!

 

[Rumz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grokit /img/forum/go_quote.gif DAC's need a digital signal (USB, optical, etc.), and they convert that binary information into an analog signal (audio left/right, etc.), which then can be amplified into sound that you can hear with your ears. We as humans cannot decode 1's and 0's with just our brain. Records and various audio tape formats are purely analog, and you would need the opposite, an ADC, to put the music on a computer drive or optical disk. DAC: digital-to-analog converter ADC: analog-to-digital converter A Pico/Predator type of device is just an analog sound amplifier if there's no DAC, and a DAC is just that unless combined with an analog sound amplifier.

Well I understand in basic terms what the DAC is-- digital to analog, that much makes sense. I just meant that I don't know much more than that. For example, the head unit I'll eventually put in my car has a 24-bit / 96khz DAC. Does that mean it operates at 24-bit / 96k no matter what? (So, what are those popular portable DAC's sampling at?) My reason in asking is to see what the likelihood is that my Predator in USB DAC mode will work with the iPad if the iPad is only capable of supporting 16-bit / 48khz USB DAC's.

Is the area I'm lacking understanding in apparent yet?

 

[grawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Question: I don't have a solid understanding of DAC's. What's in the Pico / Predator? What sampling rates does it handle? From what I read, at least initially, the iPad software will only support 16-bit / 48,000.

The pico and predator have nothing in common except size and initial letter. The pico has an upsampling dac and the predator has a cheap all in 1 chip dac.

 

[Rumz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif The pico and predator have nothing in common except size and initial letter. The pico has an upsampling dac and the predator has a cheap all in 1 chip dac.

Thanks for the info. I didn't mean to imply they had the same or similar guts-- it was just a poorly worded question, wondering what was in each, which you answered (I knew they both had DAC's). Thanks. So the Pico's DAC is better, eh? (haven't been around for a while, but the fact that I see the Pico mentioned in the relatively few threads I've seen speaks well of it.)

 

[The_X]

Hulu - Saturday Night Live: Digital Short: J*** in My Pants

 

[Ypoknons]

I'm shocked, I actually bought the camera kit years back, for actual photo storage and never used it (flash memory got cheaper when I had time to do real shooting).

 

[Rumz]

For those interested, I picked up an iPad camera connection kit tonight. Plugged in the USB dongle, plugged USB cable into that, mini USB end into the predator, and fired up the iPod app.

It works. Very cool-- digital output from the iPad!