usb or gameport adapters

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hubb_99

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I am in the process of looking for a soundcard and i am doing a little research, but for the time being i would like to find a way of getting my sound in my computer. I have a gatway computer and it doesn't have a pci sound card it some kind of onboard one, therfore there is no line in(only a comp mic input). I am wondering if there is something i could do to get a line level out on my mixer into my computer through the usb or gameport ( or any other way) without spending a lot of money. I need to make some demos and i don't have 400 bucks to spend on the omni setup that i'm looking at.
 
Well... You definetly can't send audio in through the gameport (Midi Only), and you'd need to buy an external card to send it through the USB port, but you could try the mic input with your output gain from the mixer at around -10 dB. Probably won't sound that great...but you get what you pay for.

The audio interface to your computer is definetly not the area to skimp. You can have thousands of dollars in pro audio gear and it's all going to sound like a cheap transiter radio if you funnel it through a low quality sound card.
 
USB interfaces

I'm just a newbie around here, not exactly positive, but i'm not sure I agree with what the last person said.

I don't think you'd need to get another sound card if you used one of the various USB audio interfaces.

I've been using a Roland UA-100 for about two years, and it doesn't have anything to do with my soundcard at all. It runs my midi and my audio. If you check out www.edirol.com, they've got smaller things like a UA-30 (and maybe even a UA-3) that's just the audio interface for like $150 or something like that. I've just recently seen some other little USB devices that are just rca inputs that might even be less than $100. Sorry, I don't remember. I think it was made by the guys that make midiman.

I may have misunderstood MOFO Pro's statement, or I could just be wrong, but there are a lot of things out there that are USB that you could use as an audio interface, and unless I misunderstand it, I don't think you need a sound card to use them.

-shack
 
Hey Shack,

I was using the term "External Card" to speak of a USB audio interface. I understood from his post that he was looking for an inexpensive means to send the line out from his mixer into his computer as an interim solution while he shops for a sound card. The wording of the question led me to believe that he was inquiring about inputting sound to either port without addition interfaces. This, I know we both agree, is impossible.

And don't worry about speaking out of place, or correcting someone, in the same diplomatic manner that you do here. This is a public forum, and opinions are like you-know-whats (everyone’s got ‘em), and anyone who doesn't want to face public scrutiny can always send a private message. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve been corrected out here. You can’t take it personally.

Yeah… it was a misunderstanding. But if you misunderstood, then there’s a good chance that others might do the same, so it’s better to post a correction, and try to avoid the spreading of “misinformation”.

Thanks Shack,

Steve
 
yeh, mofo pretty well summed things up. i was looking for somekind of an adapter. becuz i have seen midi to gameport adapters and i thought maybe there was a way to send a line level in through an adapter on the usb or gameport. i have seen the m audio usb interface and others but if i would spend 200$ on one of those i would go ahead and get the m audio omni studio setup that i'm lookin at for a little under 400$. i was simply looking for a quick fix, when i know you get what you pay for.
 
Firstoff, do you know what model Gateway it is or what motherboard it has.....its strange that it doesnt have a line it.....hopefully it has a pci slot in which case your answer would be to get a pci sound card.....

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=17464&mode=look2_1&ut=1804fea780f498ec

It can be had for as low as $12 and is considered one of the better sounding cards in the consumer type cards...has line in, mic in, and onboard synth......
 
my computer is a gateway 450. it's strange becuase in my system-device manager it says i have a creative soundblaster audio pci 64d, but there are no pci slots that have all the mic inputs and speaker outputs(i have looked a thousand times). all the inputs and stuff are lined up vertically above and to the left of the pci slots. the inputs are up by the printer ports and the rest of that stuff. one is green and thats what my speakers are hooked up to, the other is black and it looks like another speakers output of some sort(maybe analog?) and the next is mic input, and that is all it has. my plan is to get the m audio omni studio and be done with it but that may take awhile. I'm not sure on how to tell what motherboard i have
__________
| |
| |
| |
| o | inputs for soundcard
| o |
| o |
| |
| --------- | pci slots
| --------- |
| --------- |
 
ok, it says you have a mic in, a line out, and an aux in so im assuming that 3rd jack is the auxillary in and is probably line level...try it and see.....plug your mixers line out into it with the volume all the way down and slowly bring it up......also, there may be some software options in the software mixer where you have to select the line in for it to work, maybe.....
 
i belive i'll try it i don't have my mixer here but i am going to try it with my effects procesor. what kind of quality should i expect?
 
all this time i thought the black was another speaker output, thats very good, i appreciate it.
 
so what is the difference between the mic input and the line input??
 
a line input is designed to take a signal that is already at line level (output of a mixer, some effects boxes, stereo, etc)....the mic input has a preamp built in (the crappiestone youve ever heard) that will take a mic signal which is really weak and bring it up to line level....the only thing the mic input is good for is those crappy little computer mics.....

what quality to expect?...not the greatest, but very usable.....just make sure you record at a good hot level, but not clipping and youll be ok.....
 
Good job Gidge!!!

I'm impressed with the time you put into this.

Steve
 
one last question. i know i can adapt a 1/4 phone plug to fit the 1/8, but can a adapt a set of stereo rca jacks to the 1/8 and still have it be stereo? i got an 1/8 adapter than just adapts a single rca plug, but then i wouldn't stereo.
??
 
Radio Shack (or similar electronic stores) have cables that go from 2 RCA's to a 1/8" stereo.....
 
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