On-Board Digital Audio Output

[landford]

Hello ya'all,

I was wondering how you feel about using the SPDIF or Coaxial digtal on-board audio output?

THanks-
TS

[landford]

I mean my motherboard has a digital audio output.

[T. S.]

Hi landford,

I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. Several years ago I had a Lexicon reverb that had SPDIF ins/outs and I could access that for mixing.

Could you be a little more specific?

T.S.

[landford]

Thanks for repsonding.

What I'm trying to do it use the onboard audio SPDIF output from my Farm PCs. Then of course connect that into my seq computer (mac) via digital in.

Will Kontakt talk to the onboard audio via the digital output on my Farm?

I use a reg MIDI interface for my four farm machines.

Thanks-
Tom (also a T.S.)

PS It's an Asus P4P800 -E Deluxe

[T. S.]

Hi Tom,

He, he I'm still a little confused as to what exactly your trying to do and its not too hard to confuse me. :D

Is this a 2 computer setup (1 Mac, 1 PC) or a 5 computer setup (1 Mac, 4 PCs)? If your want to route the Didgital Audio outputs of 4 PCs to your Mac, your Mac will of course have to have 4 seperate SPDIFs in and you will need to be able to selecet those inputs in your Mac DAW.

That is unless you have the means to monitor all 4 PCs seperately while your building your midi tracks, then all you would need is one SPDIF on the Mac for rendering purposes (assumeing your Mac DAW has audio track capabilities). However, you will have to switch your SPDIF cable from PC to PC.

Of course you can't send any midi via SPDIF so you will have to have 4 seperate midi Port outputs on your Mac to comunicate with the 4 PCs. I'm assumeing Kontakt will be on the 4 PCs.

T.S.

[landford]

Dear Mr. TS:

Hey ok, here it is:

Yes I have 4 PCs and 1 Mac. The Mac has SPDIF inputs and when I'm sequencing I listen thorugh the analog audio outs on the 4 PCs. Then when I mix I use Pro Tools and bring in all my audio (from the 4 PCs) via SPDIF. OK so I've never actually done this yet, hense my question, why is it that I have never read of anyone using the built-in/on-motherboard DIGITAL audio outputs? Is there a potential problem as if one were using the on-motherboard analoge audio outputs?

This probably makes no sense.

btw I AM currently using 4 farms and 1 host but am doing it with the audio coming from analoge outs.

TOTALLy confised yet?

T.S.
btw #2 my daughter is a T.S. as well.

[T. S.]

Yes I have 4 PCs and 1 Mac. The Mac has SPDIF inputs and when I'm sequencing I listen thorugh the analog audio outs on the 4 PCs. Then when I mix I use Pro Tools and bring in all my audio (from the 4 PCs) via SPDIF. OK so I've never actually done this yet, hense my question, why is it that I have never read of anyone using the built-in/on-motherboard DIGITAL audio outputs? Is there a potential problem as if one were using the on-motherboard analoge audio outputs?

btw I AM currently using 4 farms and 1 host but am doing it with the audio coming from analoge outs.

TOTALLy confised yet?

T.S.
btw #2 my daughter is a T.S. as well.

Hello Tom,

Well it looks like we both have two T.S.s in the family. I also have a dauighter (Tasha) who was a T.S. untill she got married. :) :)

Regarding the SPDIF, I think going from SPDIF to SPDIF is basicaly a straight didgital transfere so it should definately be better than going through the converters even if they are very good.

Probably one of the reasons we don't hear a lot about it is that most people with a setup like yours have everything networked and get straght didgital tranferes that way. I think doing it your way is probably just as effective but more time consumeing and work.

I'd say go for it and see what you get. By the way, what are the 4 midi outs yoiur useing on your Mac and what sound cards do you have on the PCs?

T.S.

[landford]

T.S.

I use a MIDI Time Piece AV on my Mac which has 8 MIDI outs then each Farm PCs has an old Opcode Studio 3 attached. The audio is coming from the on-board sound out which is why I am thinking about switching over the the dig outs. I'll post how it goes, hopefully Kontakt will see these on-board digital outs.



TOM

[sinkd]

Landford,

I've been told that you would have major latency issues with the on-board s/pdif... If you get it working, let us know!

DS

[landford]

Ah-HA!

That's the answer I've been looking for! OK well I check it out and see what happens, I'll report back.


Thanks-
Tom

[T. S.]

Hi Tom,

As soon as you find out how it works, let us know. I've got an extra computer sitting around that I could be useing. :)

T.S.