Frontier Design Dakota 24-Bit PCI Soundcard (Macintosh and Windows)

Product Description

Many companies offer computer audio products that get you part of the way there. But trying to get separate audio cards, MIDI interfaces, and sync boxes to work together can be a time-consuming and frustrating experience. That's where Dakota comes in. With a full complement of 16 high-performance 24-bit digital audio channels, industry-standard 2x2 MIDI, SMPTE, and ADAT sync, Dakota makes putting together a PC-based studio easier than ever before.

Dakota is a super-integrated PCI soundcard that provides a complete solution for digital audio, MIDI, and synchronization. No other soundcard offers this level of integration, providing computer connections to audio converters (such as our own Tango24 and Zulu multi-channel converters), digital mixers, tape machines, synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, video decks, sound modules, and more. Dakota supports industry standards, including ADAT lightpipe, S/PDIF, SMPTE, MIDI, and ADAT Sync, and is compatible with today's most popular sequencing and audio editing software. Dakota has 2 pairs of ADAT optical ports for 16 audio inputs and 16 audio outputs. Dakota has S/PDIF digital audio I/O on RCA jacks via a breakout cable that also includes an ADAT 9-pin sync input connector. Dakota also has two MIDI inputs and two MIDI outputs on standard DIN-5 connectors, and an internal CD-ROM digital audio cable for direct transfers of audio CDs.

Audio channels on both Dakota and Montana support SoDA (SMPTE on Digital Audio). This unique feature lets you use any digital audio input or output for SMPTE timecode. Standard audio channels, in either ADAT optical or S/PDIF format, can be defined as SMPTE I/O ports using the Dakota control panel. No additional hardware is required. SMPTE signals are detected, decoded, and delivered digitally to external analog converters. Dakota's hardware supports SMPTE and MIDI timecode chase-lock. This is a great advantage over software-based approaches that rely on real-time audio resampling or repositioning. Hardware-based chase-lock eliminates these sources of audio distortion and frees the CPU for other tasks.

Dakota supports a wide range of industry standard interfaces, including:

ADAT optical audio (8 channels per cable, which can be up to 33 feet long)

S/PDIF on electrical coax or optical cables

MIDI using standard MIDI cables

SMPTE using any compatible digital audio converter and its analog I/O

ADAT sync input for sample-accurate, multi-machine sync

Dakota has an ultra-efficient PCI interface, essential for maximizing multi-channel digital audio capabilities. Dakota utilizes a bus-mastering interface, and scatter-gather DMA is implemented to off-load the CPU even further. All digital audio paths support up to 24-bit resolution. Dakota supports sample rates of 44.1 and 48kHz, and dynamically resamples 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, and 32kHz digital audio for playback through high-quality external converters. Initially, Dakota is shipping with Windows 95/98 drivers and a control panel for displaying the status of Dakota and Montana, and for setting options such as input lock, audio routing, and SMPTE levels. Also included with Dakota is a CD-ROM with Cool Edit Pro SE, a multi-channel audio package that lets users set up and record right away. The Dakota CD-ROM also includes demos of several other popular audio applications and sound effects plug-ins. zZounds is an authorized dealer of Frontier Designs products.

Digital Audio
2 ADAT optical inputs (16 channels), expandable to 4 inputs (32 channels) when used with Montana

2 ADAT optical outputs (16 channels), expandable to 4 outputs (32 channels) when used with Montana

S/PDIF stereo input from coax, CD-ROM, or either optical input

S/PDIF stereo output to coax and/or either optical output

All channels support 16-bit, 20-bit, 24-bit audio

44.1 and 48kHz internal sample rate clock generation; locks to digital inputs from 39-51kHz

Dynamically resamples 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, and 32kHz digital audio to 44.1 or 48kHz for output to digital tape machines or external converters

MIDI
2 input ports and 2 output ports (32 channels in and out) on standard MIDI jacks

Expandable to 8 input ports and 8 output ports + SMPTE I/O when used with Sierra

Synchronization
SoDA technology (SMPTE on Digital Audio) lets any audio input or output be used for SMPTE timecode (dedicated SMPTE I/O jacks available when used with Sierra)

True hardware chase-lock to SMPTE; no audio degradation or loss of CPU power due to resampling or repositioning of audio

ADAT 9-pin sync input for direct lock to ADAT machines and compatible gear

Sync format conversion (ADAT Sync to SMPTE, ADAT Sync to MTC, and SMPTE to MTC)

Other
Bus-mastering scatter-gather DMA for ultra-efficient PCI bus operation

System requirements: Pentium processor, one PCI short slot, one IRQ

Comes with drivers for Win 95/98/Me/2000/XP as well as Macintosh (ASIO, OMS). Compatible with PC audio and MIDI applications, including Cakewalk Pro Audio, IQS SAWPro, SEKD Samplitude Studio, Sonic Foundry Sound Forge, Steinberg CuBae VST, and Syntrillium Cool Edit Pro.