Can't record properly with cmi8738 card

Can't record properly with cmi8738 card

[Tobias Deiminger]

I've posted this to alsa-user, but didn't get a useful response. So I post it 
here again (sorry): 

I've got this card (Anubis Typhoon):
[CMI8738MC6     ]: CMI8738-MC6 - C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6
                     C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6 (model 55) at 0xd400, irq 10

and i'm using alsa 0.9.6.

I want to record something via mic-in using DAP for example. When I tried it 
the first time, i could only record a very low signal (although the signal 
was monitored clean and loud to the speakers). Then I turned off the 
"mic-to-center" switch as described at alsa-project.org. Now the recorded 
signal was higher, but still to low to work properly with it. What's wrong? 
Mic-capture is on, mic and mic-caputre are set to max and mic-boost is on. Is 
this a general problem with this card/driver?

(recording via line-in doesen't work at all, but that's not so bad because I 
only want to record guitar/microphone. CD recording works fine.)




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Re: Can't record properly with cmi8738 card

[Måns Rullgård]

Tobias Deiminger <tobias.deiminger@ngi.de> writes:

> I've got this card (Anubis Typhoon):
> [CMI8738MC6     ]: CMI8738-MC6 - C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6
>                      C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6 (model 55) at 0xd400, irq 10
>
> and i'm using alsa 0.9.6.
>
> I want to record something via mic-in using DAP for example. When I
> tried it the first time, i could only record a very low signal
> (although the signal was monitored clean and loud to the
> speakers). Then I turned off the "mic-to-center" switch as described
> at alsa-project.org. Now the recorded signal was higher, but still
> to low to work properly with it. What's wrong?  Mic-capture is on,
> mic and mic-caputre are set to max and mic-boost is on. Is this a
> general problem with this card/driver?

Mic input works fine with my Hercules Gamesurround DVD 5.1 (or
whatever the name was) based on the same chip, so it can work.  What
type of microphone do you use?

-- 
Måns Rullgård
mru@users.sf.net



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Re: Can't record properly with cmi8738 card

[Tobias Deiminger]

Måns Rullgård wrote:

> Tobias Deiminger <tobias.deiminger@ngi.de> writes:
> 
>> I've got this card (Anubis Typhoon):
>> [CMI8738MC6     ]: CMI8738-MC6 - C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6
>>                      C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6 (model 55) at 0xd400, irq 10
>>
>> and i'm using alsa 0.9.6.
>>
>> I want to record something via mic-in using DAP for example. When I
>> tried it the first time, i could only record a very low signal
>> (although the signal was monitored clean and loud to the
>> speakers). Then I turned off the "mic-to-center" switch as described
>> at alsa-project.org. Now the recorded signal was higher, but still
>> to low to work properly with it. What's wrong?  Mic-capture is on,
>> mic and mic-caputre are set to max and mic-boost is on. Is this a
>> general problem with this card/driver?
> 
> Mic input works fine with my Hercules Gamesurround DVD 5.1 (or
> whatever the name was) based on the same chip, so it can work.  What
> type of microphone do you use?
> 

Maxtone Moving-Coil Mic Imp. 600 Ohm....
but i've got the same problem if I use my guitar instead of a mic. I tried 
also to use my v-amp as preamp for the guitar and this works a little 
better, 
but if I turn the preamp master too loud then the recorded signal gets 
distorted.




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Re: Can't record properly with cmi8738 card

[Måns Rullgård]

Tobias Deiminger <tobias.deiminger@ngi.de> writes:

> Maxtone Moving-Coil Mic Imp. 600 Ohm....  but i've got the same
> problem if I use my guitar instead of a mic. I tried also to use my
> v-amp as preamp for the guitar and this works a little better, but
> if I turn the preamp master too loud then the recorded signal gets
> distorted.

Most sound cards expect a cheap electret microphone.  These have much
higher output levels than coil-based ones.  I suggest you use a
pre-amp with output level suitable for the line-in input. Whatever the
usual hifi stuff uses for interconnection is appropriate.

-- 
Måns Rullgård
mru@users.sf.net



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