Sound:Hardware%20

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SoundHardware Connectivity
B.Sc. (Hons) Multimedia Computing
Media Technologies
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Agenda

• Sound capture devices
• Typical set-ups and applications
• Connectivity
• MIDI set-ups
• Portable devices
• Sound modules
• MIDI controllers
• Microphones and speakers

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Media Technologies
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Sound Capture Devices

• Sound cards - Creative Labs de-facto standard on
  PC
• Soundblaster 16, 32, AWE64 (ISA) Live (PCI)
• On-board sound hardware
• External modules - Prodegy
• USB powered modules - e.g. M-Audio

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ISA Sound Card
Line-in
Microphone-in
Line-out
Speaker-out
Game / midi port
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PCI Sound Card
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Line v Speaker Connections

• Speaker output signal has volume and bass/treble
  modifications - poorer quality for recording
• Line connectors provide a flat signal without any
  added amplification (gain) or eq. i.e flat

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Connectivity
phono / RCA
XLR
stereo jack
MIDI
mono jack
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Connecting for Stereo
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Lots of Connector Variations
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External Sound Modules
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External Sound Modules

• Solution for mobile computer
• Superior sound quality
• Distribute system resource loading improving
  performance of overall system
• Better connectivity
• Modules with USB BUS power provide for field
  recording

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Portable DevicesKeyboards
MIDI keyboard controller (61 keys)
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Portable Devices
MIDI keyboard controller (25 keys)
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Portable Devices
MIDI keyboard controller (88 semi - weighted keys
)
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Integrated Devices
Keyboard controller with integrated sound module
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MIDI Setups
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MIDI Setups
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Speakers

• Room acoustics very important
• Reference or monitor speakers - tell it like it
  is i.e. give no coloration from hardware eq.
• Headphones - can be accurate way to monitor sound
  quality - but speakers considered best sound
  monitoring device

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Microphones

• Microphones
• Dynamic or Condenser
• Omni-directional
• Uni-directional

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Microphones
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Dynamic Microphones

• Versatile and ideal for general-purpose use.
• Use a simple design with few moving parts.
• Sturdy and resilient to rough handling.
• Better suited to handling high volume levels,
  such as from certain musical instruments or
  amplifiers.
• No internal amplifier and do not require
  batteries or external power.

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Microphones Dynamic
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Condenser Microphones

• Condenser microphones require power from a
  battery or external source.
• Audio signal is stronger signal than that from a
  dynamic.
• More sensitive and responsive than dynamics
• Good for capturing subtle nuances in a sound.

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MicrophonesCondenser
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Microphones Directional
Omni
Cardioid
Hypercardioid
Bi
Some microphones provide for adjustable
directional qualities - e.g. video cameras
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References

• http//www.mediacollege.com
• http//www.m-audio.com
• http//www.nu-systems.co.uk
• http//www.midi.org

B.Sc. (Hons) Multimedia Computing
Media Technologies