20091226 - Christmas presents - hardware - USB audio interface - GEDC1308
An external soundcard. It didn't do what I wanted it to do. Not at first. Then, after a substantial amount of tinkering, I got it to do what I wanted it to do. Howeve, the end results weren't good enough. Sam Watson gave me some more hints, which I may try in the future. But now I'm not so sure I need this thing as much as I thought I did.
I have felt "naked" for the last 2 years, though, for not having RCA audio inputs into my computer. Mini-jack quality really sucks for recording. RCA audio inputs work MUCH better if you are doing an analog conversion. And wrapping that up in a USB-based package means being able to convert cassettes or vinyl to any computer you want -- even on the go. (Why the hell would I be doing that on the go?)
This also could be a way to run multi-room. I could make our bedroom hook to this, and the rest of the house hook the the main soundcard. I could then play games or watch a movie on these speakers with my on-board soundcard, while having Winamp send the music to the bedroom with this USB soundcard.
There's a winamp plugin called "multiple output plugin" [or something to that effect] that lets you have Winamp output to multiple sound cards. So effectively, there's a 2nd output that's only the music, while the 1st output is your windows sounds and such.
The problem I had was they weren't perfectly in sync. There is a latency. Probably under 100ms, but enough to ruin the effect when you walk from zone to zone. What Sam Watson sent me were some utilities to test (and adjust?) soundcard latency. But it's a high amount of effort for a low return, so I have saved these in a folder with his name, and starred his emails about what to do, so that I may tweak this later if these needs come up.
Still a pretty neat device -- I've never really seen (or had, at the very least) external soundcard before.
USB audio interface, present.
upstairs, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
December 26, 2009.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
20091226 - Christmas presents - hardware - USB audio interface - GEDC1308
An external soundcard. It didn't do what I wanted it to do. Not at first. Then, after a substantial amount of tinkering, I got it to do what I wanted it to do. Howeve, the end results weren't good enough. Sam Watson gave me some more hints, which I may try in the future. But now I'm not so sure I need this thing as much as I thought I did.
I have felt "naked" for the last 2 years, though, for not having RCA audio inputs into my computer. Mini-jack quality really sucks for recording. RCA audio inputs work MUCH better if you are doing an analog conversion. And wrapping that up in a USB-based package means being able to convert cassettes or vinyl to any computer you want -- even on the go. (Why the hell would I be doing that on the go?)
This also could be a way to run multi-room. I could make our bedroom hook to this, and the rest of the house hook the the main soundcard. I could then play games or watch a movie on these speakers with my on-board soundcard, while having Winamp send the music to the bedroom with this USB soundcard.
There's a winamp plugin called "multiple output plugin" [or something to that effect] that lets you have Winamp output to multiple sound cards. So effectively, there's a 2nd output that's only the music, while the 1st output is your windows sounds and such.
The problem I had was they weren't perfectly in sync. There is a latency. Probably under 100ms, but enough to ruin the effect when you walk from zone to zone. What Sam Watson sent me were some utilities to test (and adjust?) soundcard latency. But it's a high amount of effort for a low return, so I have saved these in a folder with his name, and starred his emails about what to do, so that I may tweak this later if these needs come up.
Still a pretty neat device -- I've never really seen (or had, at the very least) external soundcard before.
USB audio interface, present.
upstairs, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
December 26, 2009.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com