SPDIF or AES/Ebu interface

[Michael Buchstaller]

Hello Group,

i am in the process of building a tube-based DAC. First experiments with
a 8-bit-version vonnected to a PC´s parallel ports look promising.

But i want to have a digital input via SPDIF (or the like), so i could connect a
CD player or other gear directly.
Having looked at various data sheets of SPDIF decoder IC´s, i am very
confused. Is there anything out which would allow me to simply convert the
serial data stream into a parallel one ? It seems that all the IC´s are designed
to be interfaced to a MPU or at least to a DAC IC with serial input.

I would really want to avoid a provessor to do this task; any hardware solution
would be preferred.
Does anybody out there have experience in this field ? Specially,which decoders
are working fine, and which ones are better avoided ?

TIA !


-Michael Buchstaller