PC S/PDIF Input Card?

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

I was wondering if anyone knows of a PCI card of some type that will allow me to record digital PCM signals from a digital coaxial cable. My computer has a digital coaxial output, but no input. I also don't know what kind of software and/or drivers I would need to use such a device. Basically, I want to be able to store PCM signals in a totally uncompressed format; that is, it should be identical to the source.

Also, I'm looking for the cheapest device possible for this. I've seen a soundcard that has what I am looking for as well as several other things and it was way too expensive. I'm looking for a card with only a digital coaxial input and little or nothing else.

[ASSEMbler]

Yes, there are a few that have that, I think I have a pal with one for sale. I will ask him, it will be cheap for sure.

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

Awesome. Thanks, ASSEMbler.

[ASSEMbler]

Ah, sorry man, he threw it out!

Ah well, it was a real nice one with a breakbox too.

[Codeman]

well... if you wanna save a buck then open up your computer and take a look on your soundcard's PCB

most soundcards have S/PDIF input onboard used for connecting to the cdrom drive but lack a normal S/PDIF connector on the back of the card.
(it's the 2 pin connector, the 4 pin is analog)

just hack up a cable from one of those that come with the brand new cdrom drives, as for the recording part just open up your favorite audio recording app and select "CDROM DIGITAL" as your audio source.

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

Actually I don't have a separate soundcard. It's built into my motherboard. Do you think my motherboard should have one? What should it be labeled?

[madhatter256]

Most onboard soundcards don't have SPDIF input. I own the original SB Live! 5.1 and it has that connection Codeman talks about.

[retro]

Get a MOTU. Expensive, though.

Err, most pro audio cards should have S/PDIF in. MOTU, Creamware, M-Audio, Terratec, EMU etc. Expect to be paying at least $100, probably more like $150.

[Alchy]

You should be able to pick up an SB Live of some variety which will do everything you want for less than $20. Onboard sound is to be avoided, anyway.

[retro]

SB Live is a piece of crap. Do everything you want? Not me! Low latency? Not really, no. Fixed sample rate? NO THANKS!

[Alchy]

I was wondering if anyone knows of a PCI card of some type that will allow me to record digital PCM signals from a digital coaxial cable.

If that's all he wants, it'll do it.

[retro]

If the soundblaster is locked at 48Khz and the source he has is 44.1KHz, no it won't ;-)

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

That, and I believe my onboard sound is better than a SB Live. I think I have one somewhere, but I don't want to sacrifice sound-output quality.

I was thinking that I might get a newer sound card, like an Audigy or something. Do those have S/PDIF inputs? (the kind that go to CD-ROM drives, I mean)

[Alchy]

If the soundblaster is locked at 48Khz and the source he has is 44.1KHz, no it won't ;-)

Um. It's been too long since I had to deal with one, but I remember that SB Lives internally scale everything to 48Khz. Surely that they can accept inputs outside of that range on the spdif line?

An Audigy will do what you want, but be aware that they also internally resample; you'd be paying more for something you do already own. What are you recording that is so sensitive to 44-48Khz conversion?

Last I checked onboard sound was all still codecs, in which case you've got a nasty CPU-sapping POS. It's been years since I bothered listening to one but I doubt the sound quality is much better; they're budget components so the sound fidelity is never going to be a priority.

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

What are you recording that is so sensitive to 44-48Khz conversion?

I need to be able to transfer data from a Digital Audio Tape recorder. Do you think converting it would have any negative effects? Actually, I'm not sure but my DAT deck may be capable of recording in 48Khz.

[Codeman]

for reference, check the top right corner of this pcb



I guess the Audigy's still has CD S/PDIF

[Alchy]

Yeah, they do... was anyone doubting that?

Actually, I'm not sure but my DAT deck may be capable of recording in 48Khz.

Your DAT deck will record at 48Khz, DAT standard allows for 32, 44.1 and 48Khz. The issue is that a Live/Audigy card will internally resample from whatever you're working in to 48Khz and back before output, and if you're really audiophilic you can hear it. 99.9% people won't notice, and chances are your source will have some of its own noise and artifacts anyway.

EDIT: apparently the new X-Fi SB cards do a much better job of it. I imagine they cost a fair bit more, though.

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

Just to make sure about something, though this may make me sound like an idiot: shouldn't 48Khz sound better than 44.1Khz? Doesn't that mean that the sound's resolution, so to speak, is higher? That is, if it's originally recorded at that rate anyway. Also, if I were to convert 48Khz sound to Red Book audio (44.1Khz) would I lose sound quality in comparison to initially recording the audio at 44.1Khz?

[ASSEMbler]

The average person won't notice.

If you're the kind that owns several tube amps, and switch
which one you use based on the temperature or weather,
you'll notice :-P

[retro]

Audigy is crap, too! ALL Soundblaster cards lock to one input frequency. Yes, I think it is 48KHz. They resample on-board, trouble is their resampling circuity is shite. Actually, the latest SB cards might not be fixed, as they bought EMU and EMUs are fine, but I think they still are.

As for the question asked, no it isn't going to make it any better resampling from 44.1KHz to 48KHz. You must have heard MP3 files encoded at a poor quality - say 96KHz, or even a lot of 128KHz. You get that funny sound - cymbals sound wishy washy, the hi-hats aren't a crisp "chick" sound. If you try and resample at a higher bitrate or frequency, then you'll be resampling that awful sound. Not a great explanation really, but hopefully you get the point. The point is, more, that the SB will likely INTRODUCE unwanted noise. So yes, your sound quality will be worse than if you recorded at 44.1KHz if you use an SB ;-)

If you're going to buy a card for recording digital music, do it properly. At least get an M-Audio card! You might even be able to pick up a cheap mixer/ext card all-n-one jobby that'd do what you want... although it is going to be more than the cheapest internal card.

this should do the trick. And considering you need an Audigy with Live!Drive to have a proper Co-ax/Toslink S/PDIF, the price is very reasonable, too!