Apologies for the OT question but I'm at my wits end. I just bought a new computer for the shack and find that I can't install my SB Live 24 card that I kept from the old one because it doesn't have PCI Slots. Instead, it has what I've been told are PCI Express slots. Even my local computer shop hadn't heard of a PC without PCI slots, and said PCI EXpress is only for graphics cards. But that can't be right as the computer has 4 of them, 3 short ones which are PCIe x1 and one long one which is PCIe x16.
The built in Realtek sound card has all kinds of controls for special effects, karaoke etc. but I can't find an option for "look, just convert it to digital as accurately as possible and don't mess with it." In any case, I really want to use the internal board for normal audio as it has front panel sockets for headphones etc. which is why I had the second sound card. However when I search for PCI Express sound cards they are all pretty expensive. The cheapest seems to be an Asus Xonar DX 7.1. I admit the DX part sounds promising, but it still has these special effects features and outputs for subwoofers and so on none of which I need. What's a guy who just wants to work digital modes to do? A few years ago you could buy a 16-bit ISA sound card for 15 quid. Surely we don't all have to go out and splash £200 on a RigExpert or MicroHam now? Someone suggested I got a "cheap USB audio device" but how cheap is OK? You can buy these things on eBay for $2, I kid you not, but I bought one once and tossed it after 5 minutes it was so bad. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has had this problem and solved it satisfactorily because I'm getting withdrawal symptoms not being able to work digimodes. Is it just me, or is technology getting way too complicated? ----- Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222. * G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/OT-PCI-Express-sound-card-for-digimodes-tp4485694p4485694.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
