Well, might as well share my findings and reply to my own post :-)
I would like purchase a very simple and straight
forward USB<->SPDIF
converter and do full duplex streaming (i.e. record sound from SPDIF
output
device, process the sound in Linux and play it back to
SPDIF device in
real-time).
http://www.winic.com/2178sp.htm
The model name is:
W-USB2178SP
"USB to S/PDIF Adapter"
The device is described as full duplex compatible (two S/pdif connections
(optical I think) - one for input, one for output - working at the same
time). What is more impressive is that the manufacturer states that the
decice is fully compliant with USB 1.x standard - this combined with the
fact that there really is no advanced features (like mixer controlled
stuff) - just in/out - I should hope that the thing would be firstly working
in Linux (2.4.x) usb standard alsa sound drivers and secondly - the thing
would be rather cheapish...
the device is also linked at this site:
http://www.moretech.com.tw/html/new/new.htm
Now only if I could find a way to buy it - I am in Australia... anyone? :-)
Kind regards,
Leon.
by the way - sorry about rather bad example in previous post about using DAT
machine as AD/DA box (short of DAT machine allowing for independent control
of analogue/digital intput/output on each (left or right) channel and
recodring left channel into Linux then processing and playing back as right
channel - the thing would not work anyways - was brain dead at the time -
not that I am any smarter now... )