Word clock

In <a href="/facts/Digital_audio/PgugcLAI">digital audio</a> electronics, a word clock or wordclock (sometimes sample clock, which can have a broader meaning) is a <a href="/facts/Clock_signal/9UfTzGHx">clock signal</a> used to <a href="/facts/Synchronise/L39sYwbr">synchronise</a> other devices, such as <a href="/facts/Digital_audio_tape/n03hG7Jm">digital audio tape</a> machines and <a href="/facts/Compact_disc_players/hp7dWc7l">compact disc players</a>, which interconnect via <a href="/facts/Digital_audio_signal/bCtTHxre">digital audio signals</a>. Word clock is so named because it clocks each <a href="/facts/Audio_sample/QLXy5WbA">audio sample</a>. Samples are represented in <a href="/facts/Data_word/2e5umRaj">data words</a>. 
<a href="/facts/S%2fPDIF/7esUguQA">S/PDIF</a>, <a href="/facts/AES%2fEBU/Il4EdVYj">AES/EBU</a>, <a href="/facts/MADI/DNFq3Xey">MADI</a>, <a href="/facts/ADAT/37VnCxmR">ADAT</a>, and <a href="/facts/TDIF/aRWhyMG0">TDIF</a> are some of the formats that use a word clock. Various <a href="/facts/Audio_over_Ethernet/xHtWmPPL">audio over Ethernet</a> systems use <a href="/facts/Communication_protocol/5uady7cB">communication protocols</a> to distribute word clock. The device which generates the word clock is the clock source for all the other audio devices.
The signal is used for synchronizing <a href="/facts/Digital_audio/PgugcLAI">digital audio</a> signals between devices, such as CD players, audio I/O cards, etc. It allows all the components in the signal path to process the data and remain synchronized with each other.

Word clock open-in-new

Word clock