[GRLUG] sound card questions

[John-Thomas Richards]

On Sun, Oct 27, 2013 at 05:16:49PM -0700, Josh wrote:
> > On Oct 27, 2013, at 4:38 PM, Lord Drachenblut
> > <lord.drachenblut at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> > Depending on your audio recording needs I can recommend this
> > microphone http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001R747SG.  It's has USB
> > and XLR outputs as well as a monitor plug on it for the included
> > headphones
> > 
> >> On Oct 27, 2013 7:30 PM, "Topher" <topher at codeventure.net> wrote: I
> >> have this machine:
> >> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02628226&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=5049513
> >> 
> >> All in all I've been very happy with it, but the audio recording is
> >> very static-ey.  It has an onboard audio card.
> >> 
> >> I'm running Arch Linux, and ALSA.  I've tried OSS and Pulse, no
> >> luck.  I've tried different mics, and both mic ports on the box
> >> (one on the front, one on the back).
> >> 
> >> I've read lots and lots of docs, both on the Arch wiki and the ALSA
> >> pages.
> >> 
> >> You guys are my last hope, any ideas?
> >> 
> >> Related, if I can't make it work, I'll probably just buy a new
> >> soundcard.  How hard is it to make Linux be happy with 2 sound
> >> cards in the box, using the right one for the right things?
> >> 
> Get an external card and disable your  onboard in the bios.
> 
> No reason to mess with two sound cards unless you have a reason and I
> recommend external sounds cards due to electric noise in the computer
> ( it's crazy but hey if you are already buying something it best to
> listen to the crazy people

It is very unlikely that your problem is a software problem (ALSA,
Pulse, etc.).

I have to record audio weekly. Recording via a laptop is noisy, period.
(I suppose high-end hardware is available that is protected from
electrical noise.) In the end we went with an inexpensive (but high
quality) external sound recorder.
-- 
john-thomas
------
The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It
will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.
Robert Maynard Hutchins, educator (1899-1977)