New product idea - simple digital i/o

I have a product line suggestion for Digidesign. How about creating a small digital-only interface that provides ADAT and SPDIF I/O, and make this your PTLE / PTMP dongle? Users can run any high-end Core Audio interface they want with PTLE via ADAT I/O, without having to install a full Digi interface with features they're unlikely to use. The obvious advantage to users is being able to use their high-end interface reliably with other apps through the manufacturer's Core Audio driver, and more cost and space-effectively with PTLE through Digi's driver and the digital-only interface I've suggested. This is also a big plus for Digi, as they can continue to control their own driver to ensure stability within PTLE, while no longer having to field issues from customers currently wanting to use Digi hardware (002R or 1814 for example) reliably with other Core Audio apps. It releases Digi from having to support Core Audio at all if they don't want to. Digi's family of digital-only interfaces could include a small PCI card (Win, PowerMac), PCMCIA or similar (laptop), and perhaps a standalone FW / USB box (iMac, other setups). For M-Powered systems, this strategy would make the iLok unnecessary, while making it much easier for Digi to support M-Audio's full line of interfaces. (In the M-Powered forum some users have reported problems running updated drivers for 1814, etc.) In fact, this could make Digi having to support separate PT M-Power software unnecessary, while giving customers access to Digi's entire i/o product line. It's a big win / win I think. Sky

You should get in on this thread.

Thanks auto - I'll check it out. Sky

Digidesign is a hardware company that want's you to use their hardware not someone else's, so no matter what you think of their hardware, you're stuck with it. It happens that their software is what everyone wants to use, but they don't care, that comes free "WITH" the hardware you buy from them (002/M-Box...) So IMO this will never happen! If you want PT and lot's of I/O, you need TDM

PCI version of what you are talking about: isnt the Audiomedia III card, the PCI version of which you speak? (the only thing is it is unsupported now - AP2496 AP192 are general replacements) SPDIF outs, SPDIF ins... an update to this little gem would be to axe the analog ins and outs (since physical space on a PCI card is limited) depending on what the consensus would be for digital outs... you have basically 12 channels to be ins and outs. 4 outs and 8 ins? 2 outs and 10 ins? or have a break out cable like the delta cards... the real nice-ity would be the PCMIA card for laptop users.. who dont enjoy lugging mbox around.