Sombrero wrote on 2024-02-13, 08:17:

Ever since I started using SPDIF I don't think I've managed to plug the connectors right way around on the first try even once, I've looked for markings on the sound card and the drive, plugged in the cable thinking the pins are right way around, get only silence and then plug the cable the other way around on the sound card to get it working 😀

So it doesn't seem plugging it the wrong way can cause any damage. If you have a multimeter you could try to check the cable for continuity to rule out any fault on it, otherwise I guess you need to test your sound card/dvd drive/SPDIF cable separately on some other PC.

Yeah, I was thinking (and hoping!) that surely it wouldn't be so easy to plug it (even a rubbish cable) in the wrong way round if doing so can damage equipment.

How would I use a multimeter to test it? Surely the cable would need to be plugged into something to receive power?

Unfortunately, I don't think I have another PC that would support a digital cable, or have a need for one.

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 08:29:

How would I use a multimeter to test it? Surely the cable would need to be plugged into something to receive power?

Unfortunately, I don't think I have another PC that would support a digital cable, or have a need for one.

Continuity test sends a tiny bit of current from one port to other to see does it reach through therefore testing is there a good connection between, so you only need to take out the SPDIF cable from the PC and touch the connectors of the SPDIF cable on the opposing sides with the multimeters probes using the continuity test mode.

If you can't test the sound card/drive/cable then your only option is probably to get replacements and hope for the best. I'd personally start with the dvd drive, then the sound card. Kinda doubt the cable is bad but it's possible.

This text from the manual is maybe the explanation for why the digital pins seem to do nothing: The manual implies the digital pins do nothing.

Digital audio comes over the ATA bus. The headphones socket does something, as does the line out.

How to deal with that on 98? Install EAC, rip your CDs using secure mode and encode as preferred, and never worry about fragile plastic again 😀

progman.exe wrote on 2024-02-13, 10:15:

This text from the manual is maybe the explanation for why the digital pins seem to do nothing: The manual implies the digital pins do nothing.

Hmm...

The manual also outright says the digital output pins do output digital audio signals. The unit documentation also implies that it does:

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 08:11:

I've contacted the seller for advice, though I'm not sure if I'll get a reply.

They said it shouldn't matter which way round it goes in (hmm...) and that I should test the cable for continuity.

Just be sure you won't connect Ground with Signal. It is unlikely you will damage the devices, but you'd better try to beep the Ground with a multimeter first.

On a related note, I've checked the SBLive User Guide (help file) and it has pinouts for pretty much all connectors on the card, including CD_SPDIF:

So this confirms what I've inferred before, Pin 1 is ground while Pin 2 is the SPDIF signal.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-02-13, 19:44:

So this confirms what I've inferred before, Pin 1 is ground while Pin 2 is the SPDIF signal.

That's the opposite of what the DVD drive manual says. Does this mean it's supposed to plug into the sound card the opposite way to the DVD drive?

Disruptor wrote on 2024-02-13, 18:48:

Just be sure you won't connect Ground with Signal. It is unlikely you will damage the devices, but you'd better try to beep the Ground with a multimeter first.

I'm a complete noob at using a multimeter. I'll probably get it wrong and break the cable if it isn't already broken.

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 19:58:

That's the opposite of what the DVD drive manual says. Does this mean it's supposed to plug into the sound card the opposite way to the DVD drive?

What I posted was the pin assignment for the SBLive's CD_SPDIF connector.

The manual for your DVD drive is likely correct for its own pin assignment. Now that you know what both are, just make sure to connect ground to ground and signal to signal.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-02-13, 19:44:

So this confirms what I've inferred before, Pin 1 is ground while Pin 2 is the SPDIF signal.

No wonder I've got it wrong on each time, I've blindly assumed pin 1 is signal without actually checking. Saves me having to swap it around again next time.

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 19:59:

I'm a complete noob at using a multimeter. I'll probably get it wrong and break the cable if it isn't already broken.

You literally can't damage the cable with a multimeter, except by going full Conan the Barbarian if the probes are too large to fit in the connectors. In continuity mode the multimeter beeps when there's a connection between the probes, by connecting the probes directly or by something conductive such as a wire in between the probes.

If you don't get a beep that means there's no connection either because you are not touching the connectors with the probes well enough, the cable is faulty or you are accidentally connecting to pin 1 on one end and to pin 2 on other in which case absolutely nothing happens as they aren't connected to each other. Unless the cable is faulty and they are shorted.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-02-13, 20:05:

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 19:58:

That's the opposite of what the DVD drive manual says. Does this mean it's supposed to plug into the sound card the opposite way to the DVD drive?

What I posted was the pin assignment for the SBLive's CD_SPDIF connector.

The manual for your DVD drive is likely correct for its own pin assignment. Now that you know what both are, just make sure to connect ground to ground and signal to signal.

And therein lies the problem: I don't know which is which, as I have a red wire instead of a black one. If the seller is correct in that it doesn't matter which way round they go, then it seems the cable is built so that either wire can be either ground or signal. Is this normal?

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 21:37:

And therein lies the problem: I don't know which is which, as I have a red wire instead of a black one. If the seller is correct in that it doesn't matter which way round they go, then it seems the cable is built so that either wire can be either ground or signal. Is this normal?

Wire color doesn't matter. As long as the cable is functional, it will carry whatever the pin supplies.

To be clear, you can use any wire you like, as long as you connect the ground pin of the CD_SPDIF header to the ground pin of your DVD drive. Same for the signal pins.

This looks correct?

AdamP wrote on 2024-02-13, 22:48:

This looks correct?

Yes.

Still nothing, though 🙁.

I don't have access to a multimeter right now, but shall test the cable for continuity when I can.

Multimeter turned up today. It beeped on both ends of the cable. However, the multimeter cables wouldn't stay in the SPDIF cable holes without being held in manually by holding both the multimeter cable and the SPDIF plug; I had to get someone to help me, as I only have one pair of hands. Could the plugs on the SPDIF cable be too small?