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Brian Ferrell
New member
Does anyone know of any soundcards that support both pro recording AND PC gaming well? I've read somewhere on this bulletin board that certain pro cards don't work well with certain games.
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Emeric
New member
Don't bother. Get a good sound card for recording, and a $20 SB16 or Ensonic for Gaming. Much less headaches.
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Jesse B. Brown
New member
Try Guillemot. It's cheap and it works well. It's also got a special "gaming mode" that is in true 4 channel surround sound. Cool....
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Brian Ferrell
New member
I visited the Guilemot site. I checked out the Maxi Studio Isis. Is that the one you're referring to? If so, it does look pretty cool- 8 ins and 4 outs plus gaming for $349 list! It sounds too good to be true. It's also listed in J&R Music World catalog for $299.00. Have you actually tried this card?
Thanks!
Brian Ferrell
Thanks!
Brian Ferrell
ola
Newbie
I'm with Emeric. Get two cards and disable the one you're not using in the hardware setup of each of your dual-boot OS (OSes?). You were planning on dual-boot, weren't you...? One OS for gaming (W98) and one for recording (NT seems best at present). Nothing will cripple your recording environment more than running games and recording SW in the same OS.
/Ola
/Ola
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Dingo
New member
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ola:
Nothing will cripple your recording environment more than running games and recording SW in the same OS.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm interested in why you say that. I don't use a dual boot system - I use Win98 for both games and recording. I agree in using seperate sound-cards for each, but I don't see any need for seperate OSs. Everything I've read is that Win98 is great for recording, and I've not experienced anything to the contrary. I can't figure out why I'd have to have a different hardware configuration for each task - I don't disable my gaming card when I'm recording, I just don't use it. And vice versa.
This is a serious question, BTW, and not a dig or anything. I'm sure for you to make a comment like that you've either read or experienced something, and I'd be very interested to hear what.
--Dingo
Nothing will cripple your recording environment more than running games and recording SW in the same OS.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm interested in why you say that. I don't use a dual boot system - I use Win98 for both games and recording. I agree in using seperate sound-cards for each, but I don't see any need for seperate OSs. Everything I've read is that Win98 is great for recording, and I've not experienced anything to the contrary. I can't figure out why I'd have to have a different hardware configuration for each task - I don't disable my gaming card when I'm recording, I just don't use it. And vice versa.
This is a serious question, BTW, and not a dig or anything. I'm sure for you to make a comment like that you've either read or experienced something, and I'd be very interested to hear what.
--Dingo
ola
Newbie
Dingo - Why would I not see your question as serious? If I have written posts that make me look snobbish or intolerant to people who ask questions, I appologise.
Anyway, in my experience, Windows (esp. 95/98) tends to accumulate problems for each SW you install and uninstall. For some reason, when you uninstall a SW, it's not always gone completly and may cause problems in the future. Also, some SW (and HW) share system settings with others and if you install a new SW (or HW) that changes a setting that another uses, you may run into problems.
If you want to read about why 98 isn't the best for recording, search for some of Slackmaster2k's posts. He's written some hundered yards of text about the subject and he knows what he's talking about. My conclusion, from years of use, is that NT is faster and more stable and that's enough for me. I'm new in the recording business but I wouldn't use 95/98 for any other work so why for recording? There's a reason why they call it plug-n-play
If you haven't experienced problems or conflict with your recording soundcard, gaming soundcard and graphics card, you're lucky and should keep doing what you're doing. Maybe you have a very good computer and record fairly few tracks, resulting in that you don't "push" your machine too much. Whatever works for you is of course the best.
Good luck
/Ola
Anyway, in my experience, Windows (esp. 95/98) tends to accumulate problems for each SW you install and uninstall. For some reason, when you uninstall a SW, it's not always gone completly and may cause problems in the future. Also, some SW (and HW) share system settings with others and if you install a new SW (or HW) that changes a setting that another uses, you may run into problems.
If you want to read about why 98 isn't the best for recording, search for some of Slackmaster2k's posts. He's written some hundered yards of text about the subject and he knows what he's talking about. My conclusion, from years of use, is that NT is faster and more stable and that's enough for me. I'm new in the recording business but I wouldn't use 95/98 for any other work so why for recording? There's a reason why they call it plug-n-play
If you haven't experienced problems or conflict with your recording soundcard, gaming soundcard and graphics card, you're lucky and should keep doing what you're doing. Maybe you have a very good computer and record fairly few tracks, resulting in that you don't "push" your machine too much. Whatever works for you is of course the best.
Good luck
/Ola
Slackmaster2K
Gone
If you haven't had a hard time recording in 98 yet....you will. That is, unless you only record a few tracks without DX effects. The difference between 98 and NT is phenomenal when it comes to recording. That's why I also chose to dual boot. I understand where you're coming from though...it sucks when someone tells you that your system sucks for recording when you think everything is fine. Just remember that when you think you've reached your limit...or you're about to kill someone because your machine starts crashing all too frequently...there is another option that doesn't require much extra work and is more than satisfying. I guess you just have to use the two to appreciate the difference. Besides dual booting, Windows 2000 is a great option if all of your hardware is supported (unlikely so far).
But that's kind of off topic. You can look into a card that's great for recording AND games, or you can buy a card that's great for recording and a card that's great for games and stick them in the same machine. Why would you use two cards? 1) You aren't limiting yourself to a choice of 1 card that supports both games and audio. 2) You won't spend any more money unless you want to. 3) You don't have to waste your nice monitoring system on games...or at the least you don't need a switch (e.g. you'd have computer speakers plugged into your game card and your monitor amp plugged into your audio card)
The downside of two soundcards is 1) Lack of resources (IRQ specifically). 2) Lack of room in your case and/or motherboard.
Slackmaster 2000
But that's kind of off topic. You can look into a card that's great for recording AND games, or you can buy a card that's great for recording and a card that's great for games and stick them in the same machine. Why would you use two cards? 1) You aren't limiting yourself to a choice of 1 card that supports both games and audio. 2) You won't spend any more money unless you want to. 3) You don't have to waste your nice monitoring system on games...or at the least you don't need a switch (e.g. you'd have computer speakers plugged into your game card and your monitor amp plugged into your audio card)
The downside of two soundcards is 1) Lack of resources (IRQ specifically). 2) Lack of room in your case and/or motherboard.
Slackmaster 2000
mastahnke
Linux Man...
Well, I agree about the NT or Windows 2000 dual boot thing, I do it. (Well did it)
I got Guillemot MaxiStudio ISIS card in January. It is perfect for what you want to do. It is not the highest end of pro audio, but for games and multimedia it is outstanding. The MIDI options are huge if you are into that.
The only thing I don't like about it, is they have said the Win2000 drivers would be ready when Win2000 hit the shelves, then two weeks after that, then two weeks after that, and now they are just works in progress. I am running everything on 2000 except my stupid pro audio stuff. that sucks. I can surf the net and type thesis papers in win2000, but cant use the power for something meaningful.
Sorry, had to vent
MIKE
I got Guillemot MaxiStudio ISIS card in January. It is perfect for what you want to do. It is not the highest end of pro audio, but for games and multimedia it is outstanding. The MIDI options are huge if you are into that.
The only thing I don't like about it, is they have said the Win2000 drivers would be ready when Win2000 hit the shelves, then two weeks after that, then two weeks after that, and now they are just works in progress. I am running everything on 2000 except my stupid pro audio stuff. that sucks. I can surf the net and type thesis papers in win2000, but cant use the power for something meaningful.
Sorry, had to vent
MIKE
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Brian Ferrell
New member
I gotta vent, too. I got pretty discouraged after reading here that I need 2 OS- one for recording, one for gaming. Also, on another post, someone said that your really should have 256MB of memory for efficient recording. When will this horsepower race ever end?! I'm thinking about just going with a dedicated digital console, now. It just seems like the PC recording realm is so complicated and expensive and it looks like the possibility for screw-ups (human and cyber) is much greater on PC. I think the limitations of a console may be a blessing in disguise, but I'm still intrigued with PC recording; just thinking about it has become an addiction for me. I guess I'm just a geek at heart.
Brian
Brian
ola
Newbie
Captain Kirk once said:"Power, I want more power Scotty!". It pretty much says it all.
As there is no visible limit to the amount of power you can squeeze into a computer and it keeps doubling each year (at least), you will always be able to get a few more tracks and effects in there if you upgrade, again and again and again. Soon 24bit/96kHz will be out of date and we'll need to start counting processor power in GHz etc. You could probably get a couple of more tracks if you got a Kryotech system and over-clocked your processor, RAIDO SCSI cluster racks, you name it. There's always one more tweak you can do. Just make sure that you get a computer that can be upgraded when needed without replacing the entire thing. Make sure the motherboard can handle a faster processor than the one you buy now, that there's room for more RAM and that you have enough PCI slots etc.
A friend of mine spent $10k on his HIFI system. Not because he really _needed_ that great transparency when listening to records but the rule says "if you can, you must". It sounds great though. I want one just like it - except for the DA converter, there is apparently one that's slightly more transparent...
Let go of the thought realistic systems - be a gear slut like the rest of us. If you think you're addicted, you're right. Just live with it.
/Ola
As there is no visible limit to the amount of power you can squeeze into a computer and it keeps doubling each year (at least), you will always be able to get a few more tracks and effects in there if you upgrade, again and again and again. Soon 24bit/96kHz will be out of date and we'll need to start counting processor power in GHz etc. You could probably get a couple of more tracks if you got a Kryotech system and over-clocked your processor, RAIDO SCSI cluster racks, you name it. There's always one more tweak you can do. Just make sure that you get a computer that can be upgraded when needed without replacing the entire thing. Make sure the motherboard can handle a faster processor than the one you buy now, that there's room for more RAM and that you have enough PCI slots etc.
A friend of mine spent $10k on his HIFI system. Not because he really _needed_ that great transparency when listening to records but the rule says "if you can, you must". It sounds great though. I want one just like it - except for the DA converter, there is apparently one that's slightly more transparent...
Let go of the thought realistic systems - be a gear slut like the rest of us
. If you think you're addicted, you're right. Just live with it./Ola
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Brian Ferrell
New member
Yeah, you're right, Ola. In my heart of hearts I know that now that I've been thru the looking glass, there's no turning back.
They oughta rename this site 'G.S.A.com' If you can't figure out what this stands for, scroll down.........
Gear Sluts Anonymous.com
Brian
[This message has been edited by Brian Ferrell (edited 04-13-2000).]
They oughta rename this site 'G.S.A.com' If you can't figure out what this stands for, scroll down.........
Gear Sluts Anonymous.com
Brian
[This message has been edited by Brian Ferrell (edited 04-13-2000).]
Slackmaster2K
Gone
You absolutely do NOT need 256MB for recording unless you're doing some serious looping. Standard audio multitracking is in no way memory intensive.
And you don't need to dual boot...but keep it in mind if things go to hell. Or, you can play your games on NT4 if they don't require DX. OR, you can play most games on Win2000 if your hardware is supported.
Slackmaster 2000
And you don't need to dual boot...but keep it in mind if things go to hell. Or, you can play your games on NT4 if they don't require DX. OR, you can play most games on Win2000 if your hardware is supported.
Slackmaster 2000
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DropD
New member
It's funny how I use a Pentium 166MMX with 64MB for my 24-bit multitracking and people say I need a P-III 800 with Gigs of RAM!
Ok ok I admit, it takes about 40-50 minutes to encode a MP3...
Ok ok I admit, it takes about 40-50 minutes to encode a MP3...