PLEASE HELP W/ STREAMING/MIX PROBLEMS!!

[1:11]

For those of you who caught The Eleventh Hour this Friday, you can tell i was having a problem with the streaming.

i went back over the recording, and was shocked to hear it was NOTHING like we heard while playing...

We soon figured out that it was an extreme case a Phase Cancelling.
The harder we played, the quieter it became. Only about 1/5 of the performance came through.

The source of the problem was using a new computer (a "lifebook",Win7). There is an internal microphone that can't seem to be shut off. We keep looking for the settings, and can't find them, even in the Audio settings, ect.

-Does anyone possibly know where the hidden settings are to turn off the internal signal?-

i heard Shane was having similar things happening...it might be the same cause.
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We'll be re-doing the show on this Sunday.

[blue hell]

Hmm .. in the windows mixer you should b able to kill the internal mic ... if you have the speaker in the ashtray ... lower right in the taskbar, where the clock is .. right click on it .. select "recording devices" double click on the mic ... go to levels tab and fade the faders all the way left or mute it by clicking the button ... Vista here, but guess its the same in win 7?

[MusicMan11712]

I am wondering if there is some hidden digital rights management crap going on. At one point, what you were playing sounded just like what I heard as Shane's 11-10-11 set (the music swirling in the drain sound).

I have a 64-bit win 7 laptop (HP) and would be willing to join with others to do some streaming on it to try to hone in on the problem.

I do know that when I first got the laptop, the audio routings were all screwed up. I forget the exact problem, but if I recall correctly, was unable to stream using the audio record bus. I believe I could stream via the mic, but that was it.

I researched the problem on the internet. Most of what was written led me to conclude the problem was related to the IDT drivers/software and/or the HP implementation of the IDT drivers software.

I ended up deleting either some of the software or some of the drivers which solved my problem somehow. I am not sure of the exact steps I took. I probably started keeping track, but then in desperation to solve the problem, I just kept doing things without writing them down.

I went back to the store where I got the laptop and took some screen shots of the files that were on there originally.

Both a tech at the store and posts on the internet said it was an intentional attempt by either the sound chip company and/or the pc manufacturer to cripple certain features, probably related to digital copy protection/drm issues. (Disable high quality record/streaming and only allow low quality record streaming [mic].) I don't know if it was intentional or if they just designed the drivers and software for people to use webcam/mic and just overlooked musicians.

I recall with VHS copy protection schemes there was what could be phase distortion--the image would fade in and out [light/dark] there by ruining the copy.

It would be nice to track down the source of problem. As I said, I am willing to try streaming on my laptop to see if I have the same audio distortion.

I am wondering what sound chip you and shane have, the manufacturer, and the OS.

BTW, I also have some third party software that came on the laptop that affects the audio flow. It might be SRS.

Also, it would be nice to have a block diagram of all the various components that go into the audio routing--hardware, user software, drivers [chip, manufacturer, OS, etc.]. I started to do this but realized I don't have enough knowledge to figure out what and how the various sub components interact with each other.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[PHOBoS]

this should turn the internal mic off


what steve said sounds interesting,..

[1:11]

Phobos

i think you're on to something Steve.
There's also the possibility that certain features are disabled because it is a "lifebook"(also called netbook). (HP/Win7), so they'd make it easier for consumers to use....but the more i think about it....more likely the points you mentioned.


i'd be interested in doing a test with you.....if you figured out a way to sidestep this problem it could be very helpful..especially since these types of laptops are very popular.
i'd also like to try out a different computer/different set up.
How about 2 hours before Chez Mosc?

[1:11]

OK, i just checked a different laptop running Win7..and you're able to shut off the microphone just as you should be able to.
So maybe it's something that's brand specific.

BUT...i've also run into this problem using an older Mac laptop using OS9.
Where shutting down the microphone also shuts down the ext signal in, and where theres only one slider to control both.

From now on though....
i'm just sidestepping the whole issue and directly streaming the audio from the MOTU Interfaces via USB or Firewire.

edit: OK.....Steve, you mentioned something that was rolling around in my head...and it helped find the issue in my case.
The laptop i was using has manufacturer bloatware to control the sound/video/etc.
After deleting the program, the normal Windows controls worked properly.
Many thanks!!!!!!

[shanemorris]

I think my streaming problem had to do with the fact that I was using wi-fi on Thursday... and not hard wired. I believe the phasing problem was sort of like a feedback loop that continued to get worse the longer I stayed online streaming. This is just my guess. But things went very smooth on Friday.

I will also mention that I was streaming with a netbook on Thursday and changed to streaming with a regular laptop. I did this only because I couln't easily install the s.w. to hardwire the netbook. So there is a possibility that it could have been the netbook as well. But, I will say I have streamed with the netbook several times in the past successfully so I feel stronger that it was the wi-fi.

Anyway my 2 cents

[1:11]

Hmmm.
Thats an interesting new twist.
i was using wi-fi as well...though all the other shows i've done were also using wifi, thats something to think about.

Your 2 cents much appreciated!!

[[Q]]

mm.. by accident I solved the mic off problem...
I deleted the driver

[audiodef]

[audiodef]

I solved all such problems long ago by removing the virus on my computers that kept messing everything up.

The virus was called "Windows". There's still a standing alert on this virus somewhere...