Some Possibilities with PervTalk and KX Drivers

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Some Possibilities with PervTalk and KX Drivers

Postby Marbles_00 on Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:58 pm

So now that ZoneSkin3 is out, and I'm starting to understand PervTalk and kXd a little bit more, I decided to try something out.

First I created a new DSP shown below. Yes there's an error with routing the third EQ directly out, I just didn't fix it for this test. Notice the FXMixers I'm using instead of the Stereo Mixers.

Image

The actual mixer looks like this, you have the possiblitity of 6 inputs to two outputs. You could even use it to control volume, but I did not try that for this test.

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Now to control the each mixer, I added the appropriate names to the .ini file that PervTalk uses. Disregard the naming, you could name them whatever you want.
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And I also added the commands to take each slider either max, or min.
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Below is the actual Xlobby command I used to control each FXMixer slider. When that source is selected, the appropriate mixer goes to max and the others for that particular FXMixer go to min.
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And here is the end result. Excuse the fact that the naming is way out to lunch (I hacked at my ZoneSkin3 I'm using on my system.
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Basically the user can select music for one of the sources, then any one of the outputs can select that source. This opens up a bunch of possibilities as with this setup currently, one can have 4 sources and three zones (great for a back-split or side-split home). Syncing of the zones is achieved by all the zones selecting the same source. I guess it could be considered a varient to using VAC in the setup.

Now you may say that it is only three zones, but if you understand the KX drivers and the full potential of an Audigy card, you could take advantage of all the ASIO inputs and outputs that the card has to offer. This would make the possibilities virtually endless (well, depending on the available GPR's for the card).

*EDIT*
Forgot to add, when bringing in the FXMixer for the first time, the volume slider is defaulted to min. Take it to max before saving the setup.
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Postby lpg on Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:42 pm

This is fantastic. Thanks for showing us how to use the technology.

Larry
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Postby sharp_1 on Sat Mar 03, 2007 10:08 pm

Wow Marbles_00, great work!!! This will really help get me going on this...I was kinda stuck. Thanks!!!
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Postby P3rv3rt B3ar on Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:23 pm

So marbles, does kXd work as well with St vol and FX mixer as stereo mixer? and have u tried with 10 band eq?
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Postby Marbles_00 on Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:02 pm

does kXd work as well with St vol and FX mixer as stereo mixer?


Yeah, that's the way I had it all hooked up, I just replaced the stereo mixers with the FX ones, everthing else remained the same. I think that you could even drop the volume modules (and save a little in GPR's) and use the mixer master control. The list of sliders for the FXMixer are:
Code: Select all
8003 - In0Level
8004 - In1Level
8005 - In2Level
8006 - In3Level
8007 - In4Level
8008 - In5Level
8009 - Master Volume


And 8002 which is for controlling the Mono Level slider, though I don't quite know why you'd want to use that at this time.

Code: Select all
have u tried with 10 band eq?

I've been looking at it, and as scalt pointed out, it looks pretty complicated, but I do think it would be totally doable. I, or anyone, would just have to understand which register is for what slider, and figure out the variables, as I don't think it is as simple as going from 0 to 1000. That will be my next task though.

I also looked at the Mixy 4x2 mixer, but that one was pretty complicated as well, so I ended up dropping it when I found the FXMixer.

I should also note/define that in the final skin image above, where I show the cover art and zone status info, it should technically say insteat of Zone: xxx, it should be Source 1/2/3/4. The "Media" buttons control the sliders to each source. The "Zone" buttons don't really need to be there, as once a source is selected, you'd only need one button to select the music.
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Postby Marbles_00 on Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:18 am

Okay, I've been messing about with the DSP yet again. I found the combination for getting the side surrounds for an additional zone from a 7.1 Audigy. So it is capable of actually being a true 4 stereo zone card.

I also came to realize that I had a bunch of extra connections...even in my original design that really don't need to be there.

So, what does this mean you ask? Following my example above, you can actually have a 4 source/4 zone audio distribution just by using the KX Drivers PervTalk and Xlobby as the front end. Every zone is indepentent of the other and any zone can be synced to any other zone at any given time. Basically using the same structure I outlined above, with additional information to add to the PervTalk .ini files.

Here is the updated DSP:
Image

Here is the pinout of an Audigy 7.1 card:
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Where:
Code: Select all
7.1 channel analog audio 
1. Line Out 1 jack 
2. Line Out 2 jack 
3. Line Out 3 jack 
4. Front Left 
5. Front Right 
6. Ground 
7. Rear Left 
8. Rear Right 
9. Ground 
10. Side Right 
11. Center 
12. Subwoofer 
13. Ground 
14. Side Left 


Basically you could drop the independent volume controls and use the Master within each mixer. You could simpify it even further by dropping the EQ's.

Even More Extras!!!
Now I've posted on the KX forum asking if it is possible to pass signals from one card to another, and it is by using the SPDIF in/outs...only problem is loosing one zone virtually. This I haven't tried yet, but if it holds true, then this is an alternative to using VAC.
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Postby scalt on Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:38 am

Even though my setup is working fine as it is...i'd be very interested to hear about this. It would make things a whole lot easier!
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Postby Marbles_00 on Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:48 am

Yeah, unfortunately that's a spaghetti's mess from the FXBus to the FXmixers...but not much I could do to clean it up.

Also note that the two jack for the side surrounds are a four tip 3.5mm plug. You can get them readily from Digi-Key, I tried it out on the cable that came with my video camera.
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Postby wesblack on Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:19 am

Calrad has 4 conductor plugs, 30-701, 30-701A, 30-702 series, see link below.


Link: http://www.calrad.com/download/Page38_30_Series.pdf

Link: Complete 30 Series, http://www.calrad.com/download/30%20Series.pdf









Wes Black \ Calrad
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Postby sharp_1 on Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:55 am

Hey Wes:

Can you give me an idea what the 4 conductors male 3.5mm will cost? I only need 2.

Image

Thanks!!!
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Postby Marbles_00 on Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:59 am

I ended up getting some Steren cables. They we're competitive in cost with Calrad's, but more readily available up her in the "Great White North".

Steren model #: 255-219

Just waiting for them to arrive.
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Postby P3rv3rt B3ar on Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:06 pm

Marbles,

First that angled plug might end up not to be best possible solution... it might end up covering other input or output. I know cause its the dilemma im having... selection for 4-connector plugs aint really best possible up here north :(

But thats not why i started to write this post... but thing ive been wondering since i got this SB0240 card (i know its officially only "6.1", but in reality input/ouput is just the same as in your example above). But ive been wondering because main channels jack (#1 in your diagram) is (as far as i can tell) also 4 connector thingy. So question is: is that extra connector wired too? and if so what is corresponding connection point in epilog? I have been lazy, not to take card out and try to trace it yet. I dont really believe that it would be connected and would thus give us new channel, since that would make number of outputs odd, but another odd thingy is that in kX speaker test (for these cards) there is subwoofer and 8 speakers (9 channels) which would suggest there could be point in my observation and hidden channel there waiting to be found and utilized :P
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Postby Marbles_00 on Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:27 pm

Yeah I though about the right angled plug too...I'll just have to get creative....or go home....hey!

As for your 240 card, I can't really comment as I don't have experience with them. But the one thing I have learned now that I have two SB0400 cards (Audigy Values) is that the actual analog outputs are only supported through the digital output settings. Not sure if the KX drivers are eventually going to fix that or even if they can. So that makes my output settings in either the Epilog, or the Pro outs rather unique.
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