Not-So Real-Time Effects
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Posted on Feb 21, 2006 04:06 pm
igetsoburned
Member Since: Feb 21, 2006
I have an EXTREMLY cheap sound card (as in built in) and am planning to upgrade soon, but before I do I'd like to ask a (hopefully) simple question. When I play music through my line in from my synth, I can here it in real-time through the speakers BUT, when ever I use a simple "real-time" effects piece of software to, lets say, change pitch with a plug in as the sound is being played, I get a delayed reaction from my computer. Same when recording a second track while listening to the first, when I go back to play both to here the "layers", the newer track doesnt start for a second from when I first started recording. Is this normal or is it because my card is so horrid and I'm getting this delay?
Thanks.
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zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Feb 21, 2006 04:40 pm both :)
PC audio technically cannot be realtime as it requires atleast one clock cycle to process which means that it should be fast enough for you to not notice. This is done by DSP on the soundcards themselves... sort of like how video cards work.
Feb 21, 2006 05:54 pm So basically the delay should be like milliseconds and my card needs updating? (Its like a one to one and a half second delay.) And if so, any good cheap cards out there for line-in and midi recording? (Maybe sound blaster live! 5.1? I found one of these cheap, is it any good?)
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Feb 21, 2006 07:58 pm generally 7ms or less is great, 11ms is enough for most real time applications. I strongly suggest a recording soundcard bought from a music instrument store/website as soundblasters are made for gaming and not recording.
Feb 22, 2006 02:00 pm Ok, great. One last thing: I'm basically broke, as in I've yet to obtain a job because I just turned 16 and almost any sound cards I've seen in music stores are hundreds of dollars. Can you give me any ideas of something under $200? $100 is even better to help a budding musician? I thank you for all your help but right now cheap is good until I can afford to buy something nicer. I just can't do almost anything with this crappy built-in piece of trash.
Feb 22, 2006 02:03 pm Look at the audiophile 2496 www.homerecordingconnecti...Audiophile+2496
MIDI, hi rez audio, low latency ASIO and WDM drivers and it's $99.95.
For the record, if you pay less than that for a card it's really not going to be worth the price cuz it'll be close to what you have now...
Feb 22, 2006 08:28 pm Thanks again for all the help, I'm probably going to get that card you recommended, I found some deals on eBay and at a few shops around here. Perfect price and has everything I need and more!
