Optical out from PC into ADAT in on an audio interface? [SOLVED]

What is the on-board PC soundcard?
Is the optical output of this souncard active?  
 
If you put a fiber light pipe cable into it you should see a red light shining out the end to show it is active.
 

What make/model is your sound card?

Does it have ADAT optical out or more likely SPDIF optical out?

Shambler
What make/model is your sound card?

Does it have ADAT optical out or more likely SPDIF optical out?

I think I've found the problem.
As you pointed out, the optical out on my PC's soundcard is probably SPDIF. Not ADAT like on the 18i8.

DeeringAmps
Works here, optical out from the motherboard; you will see it glowing red as described above.
That into the RME Babyface.
Looks like this in SONAR when selecting the optical input.

Notice I'm using "friendly" names for my I\O.
Make sure your optical input is selected in Preferences>Audio>Devices

Did you get it working?
In my case, the optical output of my PC is SPDIF, not ADAT. The optical input of my audio interface is ADAT. That's where the problem is.

I think the issue is as the OP has found. There is both multi channel and stereo digital optical in/out using the same connection. The device has to support one or the other. On board sound cards have that connection to use with a Multi channel as in 5.1 or 7.1 home theatre systems.   There has always been funky ways to use it for DAW recording,,but. I would think that's not the same as ADAT. 
 
It's irrelevant anyways. You access the ADAT in/ out via the USB ( Firewire) connection to the interface using the ASIO driver. 
There's no point in using the connection from your sound card, besides, you can't use ASIO mode and to see the sound card active in Sonar. You would need to swicth to an inferior mode. In Toms Post #8  it clearly shows his Fireface USB output via the Stereo ADAT. That is not using the on board connection. 

In Toms Post #8  it clearly shows his Fireface USB output via the Stereo ADAT.
That is not using the on board connection.
Well meaning, but not accurate. The INPUT to SONAR is the optical signal from the MB;
into the RME via lightpipe.
The screen shot (above) clearly shows I have selected Stereo ADAT as the INPUT.
As always Jim is absolutely correct, and I missed it, the RME recognizes that the input is SPDIF
as illustrated below.

Input Status SPDIF
But again, as always, "why am I not surprised?"
Its an RME; I don't remember having to select SPDIF, evidently the RME just "knows".
'nuff said
T
 

Options just informs you what you "can" do; I'm running ASIO drivers.
The MB Realtek has nothing to do with SONAR.
It is my playback device for Windows (this is my office rig, on the StudioCat I have one of the headphone
outs on the UFX handling Windows, BUT that output is not "active" in SONAR).
IIRC the OP has never let on what he wants to record, I assume YouTube or something.
In the Studio I could lightpipe the 8 inputs on my Tascam 1884 (now just my control surface) into the RME.
I don't record drums, so I don't need the extra inputs.
As Jim stated above, if the Focusrite will recognize the SPDIF the OP is "golden". If not; he's SOL.
Well, he could go RME.
"You use RME, don't you wish everybody did?"
 
T
 

DeeringAmps
Its an RME; I don't remember having to select SPDIF, evidently the RME just "knows".
'nuff said
T
 

That's good on RME!