Site Contents
- Introduction
- Audio Data Format
- Interface Applications
- Hardware Specifications
- Data Transmission
- Digital-Analog Converter
- Resetting & Auto-Switching
- History & Characteristics
- Data & Cabling Details
- Coding Format
- Conversion Circuits
- Internal Connection
- External Connection
- Optical Output Circuit
- Transmission Line
Sponsors
SPDIF: Introduction
What Is It
SPDIF is an acronym for Sony Philips Digital Interface or Sony Philips Digital Interconnect Format. It is a digital audio transfer file format referred in various names like S/PDIF, S/P-DIF and IEC-958 Type II. Audio equipments like DAT (Digital Audio Tape) or other devices processing audio usually have SPDIF. Inter-file audio transfer in analog format often impacts the signal quality adversely. By using SPDIF, audio can be transferred from one file to other without conversion from/to analog format. The name SPDIF is derived from the fact that this format was designed by the two companies Sony and Philips. In SPDIF, two 192 channel data bit blocks is grouped into 12 words of 16 bits each. The control code is the first 6 bits of the first word.
SPDIF: Audio Data Format
Data Transmission
Data in SPDIF is transmitted as 32-bit data word stream. For A and B channels, 192 data words each are transmitted. These 384 words make a data frame.
Specification & Standard
IEC standard 60958-3 defines SPDIF specification. This specification is recorded in German patent EP000000811295B1. The SPDIF audio data format has now become a part of a large standard called IEC-60958. Designated as Type-II IEC-958, this audio data format is also called AES/EBU standard. In fact AES/EBU consumer use standard is the original that uses cheaper hardware and SPDIF audio data format has just been an adaptation of AES/EBU. At the protocol level, both are identical.