Using Two AC97 Inputs with the ProFX ADC

DDRRE · Aug 22, 2006, 09:50 PM

Can such a thing be done?

What I mean is:

2 ADCs: 1 as Mic, 2 as Line. Then plugged into a stereo mix plugin, to WinMM Recording. (To use an external device with a microphone when broadcasting).

Is this possible? or is the card limited to only one AC97 process at a time? I am using SBLive! 5.1. Thanks for your help.

Russ · Aug 22, 2006, 10:05 PM

You can only do one at a time (independantly) with your card, but you can get a Stereo Mix, or a Mono Mix, of all AC97 sources (just select Stereo Mix or Mono Mix as the AC97 source).

BTW: If your sources are both mono, then you can also set it up in such a way that the MIC is in one channel, and Line In is in the other (look at the list of presets in ADC).

DDRRE · Aug 22, 2006, 11:06 PM

Could you by any chance guide me through this? I guess I don't control the DSP as well as I thought.

...
Load Stereo Mix plugin
Assign it to... Raw Channel ##?
I only have In1 Level and In2 Level to assign, or something. :P

Russ · Aug 22, 2006, 11:15 PM

Which method are you trying to use? You do not really need the Stereo Mix plugin at all to do this.

Load ADC and connect it to RecL/RecR pins of epilog.
Choose the AC97 source (stereo mix, mono mix, etc) that you want to use in ADC's GUI window (on the left hand side, or choose a preset at the bottom).

DDRRE · Aug 22, 2006, 11:23 PM

Edit: dude, I'm not that dumb :P you actually told me how to connect ins and outs

What I meant was:
I hoped I could have Line (stereo) and Mic (Mono) mixed on both chans - as in:
AC97 Line L+R --> Stereo Mix L1R1 in,
AC97 Mic L --> Stereo Mix L2R2 in,
Stereo Mix LR out -> epilog RecLR.
Guess that isn't possible (surprise me? :P )

Russ · Aug 22, 2006, 11:28 PM

You cannot use them independantly like that, with your (any 10k1 based) card.
The closest you can get to it, is it to choose Stereo Mix as the AC97 source, and the signal will be mixed at the codec level. It is the same as mixing them yourself using a Stereo Mix plugin, except you cannot control the volume levels (i.e. the amount of mixing) of the individual signals.

DDRRE · Aug 22, 2006, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

You cannot use them independantly like that, with your (any 10k1 based) card.
The closest you can get to it, is it to choose Stereo Mix as the AC97 source, and the signal will be mixed at the codec level. It is the same as mixing them yourself using a Stereo Mix plugin, except you cannot control the volume levels (i.e. the amount of mixing) of the individual signals.

And how can I accomplish that? (though +20dB gain is pretty important, but still, this is interesting

.. Mic needs to be given a ~32dB boost, and the line device at its normal volume)

Russ · Aug 22, 2006, 11:48 PM

On the left hand side of ADC's gui (below the sliders) is where you choose the AC97 source. Click on it and choose StMix from the menu (I have 3538k installed, so I cannot look at it at the moment to be more specific).
The MIC will still use the +20 boost if you have it enabled.

Hmm, there seems to be an issue with my card, that only allows Stereo Mix to work when DOO mode is enabled... I am not sure if it is a bug, or if there is some reason for this behavior... I will have to look into it. Is it like this for anyone else (with a Live! 5.1)?

DDRRE · Aug 22, 2006, 11:55 PM

Well, now I get the wave output directed to the ADC...

Ah, never mind. I guess SBLive! does not function as a physical input mixer.

Downmixing the Line-in to mono and then using the ADC with the L-Mic R-Line setting would rule (then, the output is once again downmixed to mono for broadcasting, possibly expanded later on).

Edit: Currently using L-Mic, R-Line, with Monomix. Thanks for the tip, I didn't think of it :S

Russ · Aug 23, 2006, 12:13 AM

In any case, it is working differently for me than I thought it did (I never really tried it before), so maybe it is not a good solution. It seems to get Stereo Mix to work, you have to enable the individual sliders on the AC97 page (or the right hand side of ADC's gui). The benefit of this is that you can adjust the individual volume levels, but the drawback is that it also goes directly to the speakers. I am not sure if that is how it is supposed to work, or if it is an issue with my card...

(It seems enabling DOO mode automatically unmutes those sliders, that is why I thought DOO mode had something to do with it, but it doesn't).

DDRRE · Aug 23, 2006, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Wave output? That is strange, it should only be AC97 sources (it is a stereo mix of all AC97 sources).

In any case, it is working differently for me than I thought it did (I never really tried it before), so maybe it is not a good solution. It seems to get Stereo Mix to work, you have to enable the individual sliders on the AC97 page) or the right hand side of ADC's gui). The benefit of this is that you can adjust the individual volume levels, but the drawback is that it also goes directly to the speakers. I am not sure if that is how it is supposed to work, or if it is an issue with my card...

The upper button under the sliders in the mixer area control the Mute/Unmute option. All sliders there control output only, they are just the same as the kxmixer. They have no effect on recordings whatsoever.

Russ · Aug 23, 2006, 12:19 AM

Yes, I know that, but it seems that when the AC97 source is set to Stereo Mix, or Mono Mix, that those sliders (on the AC97 page) also control which signals are recorded (at least it does with my card at the moment).

<edit>
I thought I should clarify that when I say recorded above, I mean which signals are routed to the DSP (normally used for recording), as opposed to being routed directly to the analog front speakers (for monitoring). When I select Stereo Mix or Mono Mix as the source, those sliders control both.
</edit>

<edit2>
Eh, never mind, I did some testing and am starting to see how it works with Stereo Mix and Mono Mix. There is a lot you can do with it (probably depending on which codec your card has), but kX Mixer doesn't expose everything, so, for advanced stuff, you would have to change some of the AC97 registers yourself.
</edit2>

Aug 22, 2006, 09:50 PM	#1
DDRRE HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 37 Rep Power: 0	Using Two AC97 Inputs with the ProFX ADC Can such a thing be done? What I mean is: 2 ADCs: 1 as Mic, 2 as Line. Then plugged into a stereo mix plugin, to WinMM Recording. (To use an external device with a microphone when broadcasting). Is this possible? or is the card limited to only one AC97 process at a time? I am using SBLive! 5.1. Thanks for your help.

Aug 22, 2006, 10:05 PM	#2
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	You can only do one at a time (independantly) with your card, but you can get a Stereo Mix, or a Mono Mix, of all AC97 sources (just select Stereo Mix or Mono Mix as the AC97 source). BTW: If your sources are both mono, then you can also set it up in such a way that the MIC is in one channel, and Line In is in the other (look at the list of presets in ADC). Last edited by Russ; Aug 22, 2006 at 10:14 PM.

Aug 22, 2006, 11:15 PM	#4
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Which method are you trying to use? You do not really need the Stereo Mix plugin at all to do this. Load ADC and connect it to RecL/RecR pins of epilog. Choose the AC97 source (stereo mix, mono mix, etc) that you want to use in ADC's GUI window (on the left hand side, or choose a preset at the bottom). Last edited by Russ; Aug 22, 2006 at 11:48 PM.

Aug 22, 2006, 11:55 PM	Thread Starter #9
DDRRE HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 37 Rep Power: 0	Well, now I get the wave output directed to the ADC... Ah, never mind. I guess SBLive! does not function as a physical input mixer. Downmixing the Line-in to mono and then using the ADC with the L-Mic R-Line setting would rule (then, the output is once again downmixed to mono for broadcasting, possibly expanded later on). Edit: Currently using L-Mic, R-Line, with Monomix. Thanks for the tip, I didn't think of it :S Last edited by DDRRE; Aug 23, 2006 at 12:14 AM.

Aug 23, 2006, 12:13 AM	#10
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	In any case, it is working differently for me than I thought it did (I never really tried it before), so maybe it is not a good solution. It seems to get Stereo Mix to work, you have to enable the individual sliders on the AC97 page (or the right hand side of ADC's gui). The benefit of this is that you can adjust the individual volume levels, but the drawback is that it also goes directly to the speakers. I am not sure if that is how it is supposed to work, or if it is an issue with my card... (It seems enabling DOO mode automatically unmutes those sliders, that is why I thought DOO mode had something to do with it, but it doesn't). Last edited by Russ; Aug 23, 2006 at 06:59 PM.

Aug 22, 2006, 11:06 PM	Thread Starter #3
DDRRE HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 37 Rep Power: 0	Could you by any chance guide me through this? I guess I don't control the DSP as well as I thought. ... Load Stereo Mix plugin Assign it to... Raw Channel ##? I only have In1 Level and In2 Level to assign, or something. :P

Aug 22, 2006, 11:23 PM	Thread Starter #5
DDRRE HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 37 Rep Power: 0	Edit: dude, I'm not that dumb :P you actually told me how to connect ins and outs What I meant was: I hoped I could have Line (stereo) and Mic (Mono) mixed on both chans - as in: AC97 Line L+R --> Stereo Mix L1R1 in, AC97 Mic L --> Stereo Mix L2R2 in, Stereo Mix LR out -> epilog RecLR. Guess that isn't possible (surprise me? :P )

Aug 22, 2006, 11:28 PM	#6
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	You cannot use them independantly like that, with your (any 10k1 based) card. The closest you can get to it, is it to choose Stereo Mix as the AC97 source, and the signal will be mixed at the codec level. It is the same as mixing them yourself using a Stereo Mix plugin, except you cannot control the volume levels (i.e. the amount of mixing) of the individual signals.

Aug 22, 2006, 11:48 PM	#8
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	On the left hand side of ADC's gui (below the sliders) is where you choose the AC97 source. Click on it and choose StMix from the menu (I have 3538k installed, so I cannot look at it at the moment to be more specific). The MIC will still use the +20 boost if you have it enabled. Hmm, there seems to be an issue with my card, that only allows Stereo Mix to work when DOO mode is enabled... I am not sure if it is a bug, or if there is some reason for this behavior... I will have to look into it. Is it like this for anyone else (with a Live! 5.1)?

Aug 23, 2006, 12:19 AM	#12
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Yes, I know that, but it seems that when the AC97 source is set to Stereo Mix, or Mono Mix, that those sliders (on the AC97 page) also control which signals are recorded (at least it does with my card at the moment). <edit> I thought I should clarify that when I say recorded above, I mean which signals are routed to the DSP (normally used for recording), as opposed to being routed directly to the analog front speakers (for monitoring). When I select Stereo Mix or Mono Mix as the source, those sliders control both. </edit> <edit2> Eh, never mind, I did some testing and am starting to see how it works with Stereo Mix and Mono Mix. There is a lot you can do with it (probably depending on which codec your card has), but kX Mixer doesn't expose everything, so, for advanced stuff, you would have to change some of the AC97 registers yourself. </edit2> Last edited by Russ; Aug 23, 2006 at 07:06 PM.