Channel arithmetic and its limits
The planner uses eight slots per base-rate ADAT link, four under documented S/MUX2 and two under documented S/MUX4. Required links = ceiling(target channels ÷ channels per link). Available link pairs = minimum(source usable OUTs, receiver usable INs). The conditional budget is also bounded by entered source/receiver channel ceilings. A zero ceiling is unknown and cannot become a complete fit.
- Audient: two optical links at 88.2/96 kHzDevice-specific example supports the four-channel-per-link explanation, not every product’s channel map.
- PreSonus: S/MUXBase-rate eight channels and multiplexed high-rate channels.
- RME ADI-192 DD manualExplicit S/MUX4 and manual rate-range behavior. This is evidence that some hardware supports the mode, not that all ADAT products do.
Format and timing are different checks
- Focusrite: digital I/O, format and expansionSame optical connection can be used by different formats. We do not derive universal AES3/S/PDIF electrical adapter compatibility from its simplified format discussion.
- Focusrite: clock-source choicesInternal leader and supported incoming ADAT/S/PDIF/word-clock follower routes. Current product/firmware exceptions must be checked rather than encoded as timeless brand rules.
- Apogee: Quartet must be clock leaderReceiving ADAT audio does not establish that an interface can follow its embedded clock.
- Apogee: exact Quartet/Ensemble setupAn example of a source-port limit at 96 kHz; not a generalized current driver or OS compatibility promise.
- RME: single-speed word-clock outputAudio sample rate and BNC clock-frequency mode are not always identical. Exact supported rates and termination remain outside generic inference.
Observations, not automatic diagnosis
- Focusrite: ADAT troubleshootingExternal connection, format, clock, rate and route checks. Our worksheet uses user-read status and does not instruct optical-emitter inspection.
- Focusrite: standalone digital-output routingSource input signal must actually be routed to digital outputs; lock is a separate condition.
Repeated forum questions informed the workflow, but forum answers are not the technical authority. Outputs retain the chosen input record, units, page URL and confidence boundary for copying and printing. Unknown and invalid inputs are never promoted to successful hardware verification.
Scope and maintenance
This reference was reviewed October 26, 2026. Exact product manuals and current support notes override general patterns. No model database, live detection, microphone permission, audio upload, generated tone, multi-device BNC distribution design, asynchronous SRC model or TV codec decoder is included. No universal active-converter, cable-length or sound-quality claim is made.