Multi-sound card syncing issues

[odsus]

I have a ST Audio DSP 2000 10 channel, (8 in reality), sound card with a breakout box and a lexicon core 2 4 channel card also with a breakout box., (Damn lexicon and their lack of drivers and support.), I am running a pc with windows ME and use cool edit pro 2.0. Both soundcards allow for clock syncing through a spdif connection although I cannot seem to get them to sync properly, this probably is a bad thing, but, I am using a rca cable to link two cards, my lexicon is constantly telling me that my clock source and sample rate have changed. I have tried using the internal clock on both cards individually to no avail, We need all of the inputs in order to mic a drum kit 2 amps and 2 vocals, my goal is to be able to record live shows for us and the other bands that we play with frequently. So please if anybody can help I would love you forever.

[apropos of nothing]

This is kind of a dumb question, but have you got y'r system sounds turned off? If windows is trying to play system sounds it switches the sample rate of the playback device to 22khz.

Aside from that, I presume you've tried each of them as the master clock source and slaving the other to the SPDIF in whatever card control-panels?

[odsus]

I have tried using both cards as a master and a slave alternately, but I am not sure what you mean by system sounds, if you mean the sounds that windows makes when you ,say, maximize a window then yes they are turned off.

[apropos of nothing]

I think I would have the Lexicon be the master clock in the set-up, just based on the relative purported qualities as manufacturers. The ST audio stuf while not bad doesn't have quite the rep that lex does.

Another dumb question: A thread at the CPort beulletin board said that *the CPort is likely to lose synch if any other digital input is physcically connected to the CPort including a (digitally connected) CDR*. Have you checked to make sure this isn't the case?

Just brainstorming.

[odsus]

I'll try setting the lex as the master again and try reconfiguring everything, as for the STA the only thing connected to it is the daughter board which houses the spdif connections, there is an option to connect another device, such as a cd/cdr, to the mother card, but I opted not to do that.
Any Idea if rca can handle the word clock signal at all?

[odsus]

I just tried reconfiguring all of my settings and using the lexicon as the master all seems to be well, I didn't notice any drift or sync issues, however it was only a six minute recording. Thanks a bunch.
By the way I went to your web site and took a listen to your song "the Elephant Experiment", Tits man, I really enjoyed it, never heard nothing quite like it, are you a two piece?

[apropos of nothing]

Glad to hear everything's working.

Glad also to hear that you dug on the mp3. ETS is actually a four-piece -- two keyboardists (doubling on trumpet, accordion, bass and misc perc.), a guitarist and a drummer, all of whom sing.

Cheers.