CT4870- Got two outputs, where is the third?

btrcp2000 · Mar 15, 2006, 04:23 AM

Hi!

I am attempting to set up a 6 zone whole house audio using two ct4870 cards and kx. According to my DSP setup, I am successfully outputting three different sources. Two of them actually make it to the speakers via the green and black outputs on the card itself, but i can't figure out where the third outputs to? I know the red is a mic in, but is the blue also an input? If so, where do I connect my amp for that third output?

Also, I am neither a musician nor an audiophile, and in the interest of marital harmony, I will not be shaking the neighborhood with premium sound. My only goal is distributed music, which will pretty much always be background music. Do I need to understand or care about anything in the DSP beyond the FxBus and the Epilog (using epilog because i use the mute keys on a multimedia keyboard)

Thanks!

Russ · Mar 15, 2006, 05:51 AM

IIRC, that is a 4.0 model (Blue is Line In).

**dj_stick** · Mar 15, 2006, 11:37 AM

russ is correct, you can only get 2 stereo outputs on your card

btrcp2000 · Mar 15, 2006, 12:28 PM

Well, crap. Now I get to start over because I need six zones. I specifically looked for that model number because it was in the list of supported cards. How do I know for certain which cards will support three outs?

thanks

Doug W · Mar 15, 2006, 01:01 PM

But he has 2 CT4870s. Couldn't the output of card 1 be routed via an S/PDIF cable to card 2, giving 4 possible outputs, but possibly ruining his marriage and kicking him out of the neighborhood. We pay a price for audio satisfaction.

Maddogg6 · Mar 15, 2006, 04:55 PM

@Doug W:
Well, that would only give 4 zones and hes looking for 6...

@OP:
I have no doubts your card is compatable, but obviously its only good for 2 zones. (assuming each zone is stereo)

You need a 5.1 (or better ) capable card. Theres a matrix of KX compatable cards here:
http://kb.kxproject.lugosoft.com/list.html

You should note the 'Notes' (heh, sorry) The '4.0' , '5.1', '6.1' and '7.1' indicates each cards available outputs. Avoide the 4.0 ones.

So I'd imagine youd have to either buy one (er, 2 I mean) of the compatable lives (5.1) used - or buy 2 new A2ZS.

Look at the bottom of that list for 'UNSUPPORTED CARDS' which obviously, if you want to use KX, you should avoid.

btrcp2000 · Mar 16, 2006, 02:49 AM

well, i 'm on the hunt of some new cards, thanks for the clarification!

doug w, just for my education, what did you mean by connecting the two via spdif? how would this change things?

Doug W · Mar 16, 2006, 03:39 AM

kX compatible cards can be hooked together with an S/PDIF cable to provide extra inputs. SBLives with a 10k1 chip have 2 MONO (1 STEREO) inputs. You can hook 2 cards together running from an S/PDIF output on the AUD_EXT connector of one to an S/PDIF input of the other card.

I was talking about running a cable, in your case, to use all the outputs of both cards. I described the process of hooking up 2 kX compatible sound cards in some text files up here even though, as you say, you aren't a musician and you need extra outputs, not inputs:

http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...troduction.txt
http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...t-creative.txt
http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...card-spdif.txt
http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...se-inst-kx.txt
http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...r-settings.txt
[color=#0000ff]http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2sc[/color]/f-n-track-kxsettings.txt
http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...re-pinouts.txt

Here is an example of the S/PDIF cable I was talking about:
http://www.cablesnmor.com/digital-cable.html

But as Maddogg6 pointed out, you are looking for 6 zones out not 4.

Mar 15, 2006, 04:23 AM	#1
btrcp2000 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	CT4870- Got two outputs, where is the third? Hi! I am attempting to set up a 6 zone whole house audio using two ct4870 cards and kx. According to my DSP setup, I am successfully outputting three different sources. Two of them actually make it to the speakers via the green and black outputs on the card itself, but i can't figure out where the third outputs to? I know the red is a mic in, but is the blue also an input? If so, where do I connect my amp for that third output? Also, I am neither a musician nor an audiophile, and in the interest of marital harmony, I will not be shaking the neighborhood with premium sound. My only goal is distributed music, which will pretty much always be background music. Do I need to understand or care about anything in the DSP beyond the FxBus and the Epilog (using epilog because i use the mute keys on a multimedia keyboard) Thanks!

Mar 15, 2006, 05:51 AM	#2
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	IIRC, that is a 4.0 model (Blue is Line In).

Mar 15, 2006, 12:28 PM	Thread Starter #4
btrcp2000 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Well, crap. Now I get to start over because I need six zones. I specifically looked for that model number because it was in the list of supported cards. How do I know for certain which cards will support three outs? thanks

Mar 15, 2006, 01:01 PM	#5
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	But he has 2 CT4870s. Couldn't the output of card 1 be routed via an S/PDIF cable to card 2, giving 4 possible outputs, but possibly ruining his marriage and kicking him out of the neighborhood. We pay a price for audio satisfaction.

Mar 15, 2006, 04:55 PM	#6
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	@Doug W: Well, that would only give 4 zones and hes looking for 6... @OP: I have no doubts your card is compatable, but obviously its only good for 2 zones. (assuming each zone is stereo) You need a 5.1 (or better ) capable card. Theres a matrix of KX compatable cards here: http://kb.kxproject.lugosoft.com/list.html You should note the 'Notes' (heh, sorry) The '4.0' , '5.1', '6.1' and '7.1' indicates each cards available outputs. Avoide the 4.0 ones. So I'd imagine youd have to either buy one (er, 2 I mean) of the compatable lives (5.1) used - or buy 2 new A2ZS. Look at the bottom of that list for 'UNSUPPORTED CARDS' which obviously, if you want to use KX, you should avoid.

Mar 16, 2006, 02:49 AM	Thread Starter #7
btrcp2000 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	well, i 'm on the hunt of some new cards, thanks for the clarification! doug w, just for my education, what did you mean by connecting the two via spdif? how would this change things?

Mar 16, 2006, 03:39 AM	#8
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	kX compatible cards can be hooked together with an S/PDIF cable to provide extra inputs. SBLives with a 10k1 chip have 2 MONO (1 STEREO) inputs. You can hook 2 cards together running from an S/PDIF output on the AUD_EXT connector of one to an S/PDIF input of the other card. I was talking about running a cable, in your case, to use all the outputs of both cards. I described the process of hooking up 2 kX compatible sound cards in some text files up here even though, as you say, you aren't a musician and you need extra outputs, not inputs: http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...troduction.txt http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...t-creative.txt http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...card-spdif.txt http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...se-inst-kx.txt http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...r-settings.txt [color=#0000ff]http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2sc[/color]/f-n-track-kxsettings.txt http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/kx-2s...re-pinouts.txt Here is an example of the S/PDIF cable I was talking about: http://www.cablesnmor.com/digital-cable.html But as Maddogg6 pointed out, you are looking for 6 zones out not 4.