Diagrams to make your own TDIF-TDIF and Y-Split Ribbon Cable leads.

The TDIF system:

The tdif port socket on the equipment is bi-directional, but each wire is directional. i.e. there are inputs and outputs on the same plug for dig audio, as well as clock (LRCK) & signal attributes data (EMPH, FS0, FS1) inputs and outputs. Tdif is different from AES or spdif (where the single data stream carries audio, clock & data) - in tdif some of the wires carry dig audio and the others carry info about the audio and timing.

As long as the signal, LRclock & other data wires for Inputs are kept together in TDIF they can come from somewhere else than the Output wires.
As in any digital system, you must only have one device = master clock=internal. All other devices in the tdif loop have to be slave therefore have to be set to clock=tdif. (Alternatively, if your equipment supports it, run separate Wordclock/Superclock cables, where the same rule applies.)

All tdif devices have FEMALE sockets on the back.
All standard tdif interconnect leads have 2 MALE plugs, with a "twist" in the cable:

 

Long distances are not recommended for ribbon cables - much over a few metres in ribbon lead can cause problems due to interference from other sources and/or incorrect impedance.

You can daisy-chain loop tdif signals between units quite easily with Insulation Displacement Connectors and Ribbon Cable.
With a bit of mind bending you can also make y-leads with 4-pair screened digital multicore....
TDIF Y-LEAD is Directional, so a good idea is to mark arrows on ribbon cable.

Daisy Chain-Y- leads:

METHOD 1: The "y" lead system I have adopted for maximum flexibility is Method 1, below, and assumes that one end is always connected to a piece of equipment, and ordinary tdif-tdif leads are used to connect further to 2 other pieces of equipment, or to more y-leads. I make the y-lead relatively small, around 300mm each "arm", with 1 Male end, and 2 Female ends. Then I plug the Male into the gear & use ordinary 600mm ribbon tdif-tdif leads to connect between the Female ends and the other equipment if it is close, or use good screened-pair long leads for remote equipment.

- My Preferred Method

METHOD 2: But there's another way .... you can put whatever plugs you like on a y-lead as long as you get the pins around the correct way.... you could make leads with 2 MALE ends (long enough to reach between 2 units close to eachother) with 3rd end a FEMALE, so you could then connect to remote unit with longer ordinary leads (Method 2 below).

METHOD 3: The simplest Y-lead therefore has to have 3 MALE ends if it is to connect directly into the back of equipment, which means it has to be made to fit the job (Method 3 below).

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