Looking for a PCI Sound Card with S/PDIF IN and OUT with internal Header for PC Front Panel Audio

[Bill.Canfield]

I'm looking for a PCI Sound Card for my PC that has coax S/PDIF in and
out, and ALSO has an internal header so that I could hook-up my front
panel audio connections (Headphones, Mic In) that are built into my
case.

This would be for my home PC. I would like to use it to dump digital
audio recorded at our live shows from an outside source (like a dat,
adat, etc.) occasionally, but when I'm not transferring I'd still like
it to function like your standard home PC. Nothing too high-end, dig?

Currently I'm using the on-board audio codec on my ASUS P4P800-VM
mobo.

BTW, I have a small form factor Antec case with 2 - 1/8" front panel
audio jacks pre-installed. There isn't any room for your typical B.S.
"5 1/4" Audigy Front Panel" (or whatever else it's called) because my
CD drive is already taking up the only 5 1/4" slot.

I don't want to spend a fortune, but I don't want crap either; so if
anybody knows of a good sound card that has coax S/PDIF in and out, as
well as an internal audio header that can be used for front panel
audio then please help me out.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DanS]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in @q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

BTW, I have a small form factor Antec case with 2 - 1/8" front panel
audio jacks pre-installed. There isn't any room for your typical B.S.
"5 1/4" Audigy Front Panel" (or whatever else it's called) because my
CD drive is already taking up the only 5 1/4" slot.

I don't want to spend a fortune, but I don't want crap either; so if
anybody knows of a good sound card that has coax S/PDIF in and out, as
well as an internal audio header that can be used for front panel
audio then please help me out.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

S/PDIF IN is semi-unusual. As for the small form factor front panel, good
luck on that one.

Start reading......

http://www.google.com/search?q="sound+card"+"s/pdif+in"&start=0
&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial

 

[Bill]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in @q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

<SNIP>









S/PDIF IN is semi-unusual. As for the small form factor front panel, good
luck on that one.

Start reading......

http://www.google.com/search?q="sound+card"+"s/pdif+in"&sta...
&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial

Why do you say that S/PDIF in is unusual? How else would one transfer
a digital audio signal from a digital device to their computer without
having to waste cds?

In fact, most sound blasters are S/PDIF capable; both in and out,
using both optical and coax.

The motherboard is a full sized atx mobo, and the case is an Antec
Aria, maybe I should have specified... that said, fitting a pci card
into any case: ATX, SFF, or whatever, shouldn't be a concern to
anyone.

The front panel audio has a 5x2 pin connector that could be cut off
and pinned out if needed. What I'm looking for is a sound card that
has s/pdif in and out, as well as an internal header for front panel
audio.

DanS: Thanks for "the help" but wouldn't commonsense tell you that I
have already searched google prior to asking people, and waiting for
their sound card suggestions?

There are many cards that have S/PDIF in and out. Many sound blasters,
the Diamond Xtreme Sound 7.1, M-audio... that wasn't the problem. The
problem is using the cards internal header to for the front panel
audio. Has anybody else done this?

 

[DanS]

Why do you say that S/PDIF in is unusual? How else would one transfer
a digital audio signal from a digital device to their computer without
having to waste cds?

I would typically think via USB, IEEE-1394, or by removing a card and
placing it in a card reader. There are a billion devices that use those.

In fact, most sound blasters are S/PDIF capable; both in and out,
using both optical and coax.

Then buy a Soundblaster.

The motherboard is a full sized atx mobo, and the case is an Antec
Aria, maybe I should have specified... that said, fitting a pci card
into any case: ATX, SFF, or whatever, shouldn't be a concern to
anyone.

That was confusion on my part, I thought you were looking for a new front
panel.

The front panel audio has a 5x2 pin connector that could be cut off
and pinned out if needed. What I'm looking for is a sound card thath
has s/pdif in and out, as well as an internal header for front panel
audio.

DanS: Thanks for "the help" but wouldn't commonsense tell you that I
have already searched google prior to asking people, and waiting for
their sound card suggestions?

Actually no, common sense would not tell me you have already searched
with Google. You would have to tell me you already searched.

Experience here on Usenet tells me many, many people post questions w/o
ever searching for an answer first, when the answer will be on the first
page of hits from Google.

But I digress, and no offense intended, you may be better off finding a
more relevant newsgroup than this one to ask about this subject.

Or a web forum somewhere that deals with music/multimedia hardware. Maybe
the sound card section in the TomsHardware forum may do:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Sound-Cards-forum-15.html

 

[Bill]

I would typically think via USB, IEEE-1394, or by removing a card and
placing it in a card reader. There are a billion devices that use those.


Then buy a Soundblaster.


That was confusion on my part, I thought you were looking for a new front
panel.



Actually no, common sense would not tell me you have already searched
with Google. You would have to tell me you already searched.

Experience here on Usenet tells me many, many people post questions w/o
ever searching for an answer first, when the answer will be on the first
page of hits from Google.

But I digress, and no offense intended, you may be better off finding a
more relevant newsgroup than this one to ask about this subject.

Or a web forum somewhere that deals with music/multimedia hardware. Maybe
the sound card section in the TomsHardware forum may do:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Sound-Cards-forum-15.html

Oops, I guess I misjudged the overall intelligence of the internet;
don't worry, it'll never happen again. lol

 

[Bill]

I would typically think via USB, IEEE-1394, or by removing a card and
placing it in a card reader. There are a billion devices that use those.


Then buy a Soundblaster.


That was confusion on my part, I thought you were looking for a new front
panel.



Actually no, common sense would not tell me you have already searched
with Google. You would have to tell me you already searched.

Experience here on Usenet tells me many, many people post questions w/o
ever searching for an answer first, when the answer will be on the first
page of hits from Google.

But I digress, and no offense intended, you may be better off finding a
more relevant newsgroup than this one to ask about this subject.

Or a web forum somewhere that deals with music/multimedia hardware. Maybe
the sound card section in the TomsHardware forum may do:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Sound-Cards-forum-15.html

There's some pretty good information there, most of it is stuff that I
have already read prior to my initial post... thanks for submitting it
though.

 

[Bill]

I would typically think via USB, IEEE-1394, or by removing a card and
placing it in a card reader. There are a billion devices that use those.


Then buy a Soundblaster.


That was confusion on my part, I thought you were looking for a new front
panel.



Actually no, common sense would not tell me you have already searched
with Google. You would have to tell me you already searched.

Experience here on Usenet tells me many, many people post questions w/o
ever searching for an answer first, when the answer will be on the first
page of hits from Google.

But I digress, and no offense intended, you may be better off finding a
more relevant newsgroup than this one to ask about this subject.

Or a web forum somewhere that deals with music/multimedia hardware. Maybe
the sound card section in the TomsHardware forum may do:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Sound-Cards-forum-15.html

Oops, I tend to overestimate the collective intelligence of the
internet. It'll never happen again.

 

[Guest]

Bill,
I too have a similar scenario, I also dump recordings of my band onto the PC.
I have used a Soundblaster Audigy 2 Pro that has an external break out box,
this has, SPDIF, PHONO JACKS, AUX JACKS, MIDI IN/MIDI OUT. I have acheived
favourable results not only from transferring from tape, Vinyl and also using
this to record track by track the instruments into Cubase.
Recently I have changed to the Audigy PRO ZS which has an internal break out
box that sits in the a spare drive bay. Same funcionallity as the above,
reason I changed is that I didnt like disconnecting external breakout box
everytime I moved the PC for a LAN session.
if you want to email me for more info please do so on mgbassace @ hot mail .
co. uk

 

[Bill]

Thanks for the info... but I think I'm just going to use some sort of
fire-wire or usb audio interface because I really don't move my PC
around too much and I think it would be better suited for my needs.

Any suggestions on an USB or Fire Wire audio interface?

 

[Guest]

In that case then, If you dont move your PC around that much and as you have
already stated that you have no spare drive bays, I would seriously consider
one of the Audigy cards with the external breakout box, these have firewire
ports on them as well as the ones i mentioned earlier. You can pick them up
for around £50 - £60 secondhand. Or if you just wanted the firewire then most
of the audigy cards have a firewire port on them, dont qoute me on that tho,
suggest you check the specs before buying.
Martin

 

[Paul]

Thanks for the info... but I think I'm just going to use some sort of
fire-wire or usb audio interface because I really don't move my PC
around too much and I think it would be better suited for my needs.

Any suggestions on an USB or Fire Wire audio interface?

Selecting one at random, how about this ?

ADS Tech RDX-150-EF USB 2.0 Interface Instant Music USB Music Capture Box
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814255005
http://www.adstech.com/products/RDX-150/specifications/RDX-150_spec1.asp?pid=RDX-150

Unfortunately, it uses TOSLink, but it does that so they didn't
need any expensive transformers for a coax interface on the
SPDIF.

It may be using a chip like this hobbyist project - PCM2902

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=595163

For some info on PCM2902, see this doc, and in particular, the bottom
half of PDF page 23 and the top of PDF page 24. I interpret the
top of page 24 to mean the device automatically ignores SPDIF
input which is attempting to copy a commercial source protected
by SCMS. Which should not be a problem for your personal recordings.
But just so you know that function *may* be hiding inside that ADSTech
box.

http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pcm2902.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scms

Paul