VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

melissa eX · Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:00 pm Post subject: Skype as phone patch ... again

I just read through the 'Real phone patch' thread started by Amy and I'm wondering how I can adapt that to my set up. I have to admit a big - huh?? at some parts of the thread. Can you guys help out, pls?
I started to read Corey's blog- post but my recording computer doesn't have a regular PC sound card. When it was built they didn't install one - just installed the emu 1212m I'd ordered - so I don't have that extra audio capability. But I do have a laptop, which basically resides in the kitchen when not on the road and I'm figuring I can probably connect it when I need to use Skype as a phone patch - if I can figure out how to set it up. I'm sure it would somewhat resemble Amy's situation with both computers. But, I have the Mackie Onyx820i - and the ISDN is in Aux 1. There's nothing in Aux 2. Then the ISDN comes back into 7-8, and I have the output from my computer (emu) coming into 5-6. I have 2 mic's connected. The rest of the buttons are a mystery to me. I haven't connected the firewire from the Onyx to my computer because I haven't needed to and figured why complicate matters?
So how would I set this up without messing with the ISDN? I'm not even sure the setup with the ISDN is optimal. It was set up by the person I bought it from and I haven't messed with it. I'm assuming after reading the thread the only way I could use Skype as a phone patch IS with the laptop because of the lack of the extra set of audio inputs/outputs on the computer.
I THINK I understood Kasey's solution, being somewhat simpler, but don't know how that would work taking the ISDN into consideration. Can I just use Aux 2? What would I need?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

cyclometh · Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:38 pm Post subject:

Aux 2 is basically the same thing as Aux 1. The same signal will be sent there, so you can use it to go to the laptop's mic input and take the laptop's audio output back to the mixer into an unused channel and put it on the alt bus to listen to in your headphones.

You said your PC doesn't have a soundcard, but nearly every PC motherboard these days has some kind of sound built into the motherboard, even if it's not very good. What kind of setup is your PC- do you know who made your motherboard?
_________________
Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

melissa eX · Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:55 pm Post subject:

I don't know what the ALT bus is - though I see buttons for it. But I'm not sure where I would connect something to it. Don't know much about mixers. It's frustrating - I was a video editor in a past life and it seems video chains were so much simpler than audio.

My PC was built especially for pro-audio. It's a Carillon. British company - went out of business a few years ago I think and just started up again I think. It's about 5 years old I guess - It's an Intel motherboard - replaced a couple of years ago under warranty. When they were putting it together originally we had the conversation about just leaving out the standard soundblaster or whatever soundcards usually come with computers so there would be less chance of conflicts - so they just installed the emu. If there is audio capability on the motherboard I don't know how that would be accessed.

cyclometh · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:01 am Post subject:

It sounds like you do your recording using the E-MU as the interface in your DAW, right? So you run the output of the mixer to the input on the E-MU?
_________________
Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

georgethetech · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:04 am Post subject:

What a sec.
You have the 820i with built-in Firewire interface. Why aren't you using that?

I would use the Firewire built-in for recording, and 1212 soundcard for Skype duties. Route Aux 2 from your mic channel to an input 1212, return the 1212 on Ch. 4 (just the left channel) for Skype monitoring. Firewire signal return from the computer comes up on 7/8 of the 820i, so you can pot up Aux 2 on that channel for playback of recordings to Skype.
If you want me to hold your hand, happy to do it, I'm for hire...
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

georgethetech · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:05 am Post subject:

What a sec.
You have the 820i with built-in Firewire interface. Why aren't you using that?

I would use the Firewire built-in for recording, and 1212 soundcard for Skype duties. Route Aux 2 from your mic channel to an input 1212, return the 1212 on Ch. 4 (just the left channel) for Skype monitoring. Firewire signal return from the computer comes up on 7/8 of the 820i, so you can pot up Aux 2 on that channel for playback of recordings to Skype.
If you want me to hold your hand, happy to do it, I'm for hire...
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

georgethetech · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:05 am Post subject:

What a sec.
You have the 820i with built-in Firewire interface. Why aren't you using that?

I would use the Firewire built-in for recording, and 1212 soundcard for Skype duties. Route Aux 2 from your mic channel to an input 1212, return the 1212 on Ch. 4 (just the left channel) for Skype monitoring. Firewire signal return from the computer comes up on 7/8 of the 820i, so you can pot up Aux 2 on that channel for playback of recordings to Skype.
If you want me to hold your hand, happy to do it, I'm for hire...
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

melissa eX · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:06 am Post subject:

I don't know what the ALT bus is - though I see buttons for it. But I'm not sure where I would connect something to it. Don't know much about mixers. It's frustrating - I was a video editor in a past life and it seems video chains were so much simpler than audio.

My PC was built especially for pro-audio. It's a Carillon. British company - went out of business a few years ago I think and just started up again I think. It's about 5 years old I guess - It's an Intel motherboard - replaced a couple of years ago under warranty. When they were putting it together originally we had the conversation about just leaving out the standard soundblaster or whatever soundcards usually come with computers so there would be less chance of conflicts - so they just installed the emu. If there is audio capability on the motherboard I don't know how that would be accessed.

melissa eX · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:08 am Post subject:

I don't know what the ALT bus is - though I see buttons for it. But I'm not sure where I would connect something to it. Don't know much about mixers. It's frustrating - I was a video editor in a past life and it seems video chains were so much simpler than audio.

My PC was built especially for pro-audio. It's a Carillon. British company - went out of business a few years ago I think and just started up again I think. It's about 5 years old I guess - It's an Intel motherboard - replaced a couple of years ago under warranty. When they were putting it together originally we had the conversation about just leaving out the standard soundblaster or whatever soundcards usually come with computers so there would be less chance of conflicts - so they just installed the emu. If there is audio capability on the motherboard I don't know how that would be accessed.

melissa eX · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:09 am Post subject:

I don't know what the ALT bus is - though I see buttons for it. But I'm not sure where I would connect something to it. Don't know much about mixers. It's frustrating - I was a video editor in a past life and it seems video chains were so much simpler than audio.

My PC was built especially for pro-audio. It's a Carillon. British company - went out of business a few years ago I think and just started up again I think. It's about 5 years old I guess - It's an Intel motherboard - replaced a couple of years ago under warranty. When they were putting it together originally we had the conversation about just leaving out the standard soundblaster or whatever soundcards usually come with computers so there would be less chance of conflicts - so they just installed the emu. If there is audio capability on the motherboard I don't know how that would be accessed.

cyclometh · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:13 am Post subject:

I did wonder about the FireWire thing, but given that the setup is working it might be daunting to take on a major rewire of it. I can understand how such a setup might have evolved, especially if the mixer was a later addition.

George's suggestion isn't a bad one. Another option, assuming your setup works like I believe it does, with the main outs going to the inputs on the e-mu, then you could patch the laptop's speaker out in to the 3-4 channel. You'd want to put the ALT 3-4 button on so that it's not sending the signal from the laptop to your main outs (or any audio coming in from the laptop gets recorded too). To send from the mixer to Skype you'd run a cable from Aux 2 to the mic input on the laptop, and use the aux 2 pot on the channel with the mic you're using to send part of the signal to Skype.

Then the laptop gets your audio, you hear the audio from the laptop in your headphones, but only your voice is going to the main outs.

I'll be honest though, you're losing a lot of functionality by not using the FireWire capability of the mixer. Getting that working in your DAW is usually pretty simple.
_________________
Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

melissa eX · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:17 am Post subject:

Looks like the board is going nuts - it keeps timing out and then posting multiple times.

Yep, EMU is the interface and that's how it's routed.

Part of the reason I didn't hook up the FW is I have to route it through the ceiling to another room. Not a really big deal - but since I didn't really need it I didn't bother - and I had to get it up and running immediately. I may have to now. But my ISDN comes back on 7/8. well just one channel

cyclometh · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:18 am Post subject:

One nice thing about using the FireWire is that you eliminate a step in the audio chain and free up a component for other uses, in this case being your Skype mule.

However, you can make either option work, you'd need the right cables and such but they're inexpensive.
_________________
Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

Eddie Eagle · M&M Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393

I just bought a DLink DPH50U from George that's a USB interface for Skpe. You just plug your phone line and patch through it and you can do skype sessions.