[LAD] question on ADAT S/MUX using snd-ice1712 and Alesis AI4

Now that I have an ADAT-capable card ($20 ebay ice1712-based terratec ews88d) I'm curious... if I combine it with something like http://www.kellyindustries.com/computer/alesis_ai4.html ( http://www.alesis.com/ai4 ) and use the S/MUX mode built in to the AI4 across eight channels to create four 24/96 channels. //// //// //// //// In order for the AI-4 to operate at the 96 kHz samplerate it has to be run in S/MUX mode or sample split mode which means that you get 4 channels of conversion and not 8. This is standard and perfectly acceptable. The first two channels will be routed out to the ADAT lightpipe outputs 1 through 4 and the 2nd two channels with be routed out ADAT lightpipe outputs 5 through 8. //// //// //// //// Would I be able to "transparently" use these "S/MUX"d channels in a linux DAW, by simply recording/playing-back a higher channel count per track (e.g. 4 for a stereo track, 2 for a mono)? This seems like a good way to achieve "studio quality" 24/96 record&playback at a distance from the computer -- via ADAT cable -- using high quality outboard A/D and D/A or interfacing to external equipment already presenting AES/EBU format I/O. If a device like the AI4 actually does all the bit-splitting and other fu, both for input and output -- wouldn't it not matter that the actual 2-track or 4-track contents are essentially "noise" because nothing in Linux-land would understand the S/MUX format. Next question: to avoid the hack suggested above, is there some kind of ALSA plugin that would reconstitute/create synchronized pairs of S/MUX data on the same soundcard into single 24/96 streams, both for input and output? How is S/Mux handled in Linux & ALSA? Thanks. Niels http://nielsmayer.com PS: The Alesis AI4 seems nicer than the http://www.aphex.com/144.htm -- for one I won't need to make 110 ohm cables with XLR connectors to DB25. The AI4's support for S/MUX mode is especially nice-sounding -- if there was a way for it to work in linux. Any other suggestions for converting ADAT to AES/EBU (or spdif) w/ decent synchronization options for input?