[Kensai]

I'm currently using a Mad Dog Entertainer flashed into thinking its a Prodigy 7.1 (to get ASIO out via spdif) as my sound card. I'm wanting to start capturing some things from VHS/VHS-C to burn out to VCD/SVCD, and this card, in this state won't do any analog in (though I haven't checked to see if it will take digital in yet; Radio Shack sells and inexpensive ADC/video converter unit I could use, or perhaps this will be a good excuse to upgrade to a receiver that has digital out ).


Now I could easily flash it back, but the Entertainer's line in is limited to 20-bit/48khz sampling, and is basically just on the high end of cheap consumer gear in that respect, and I'd like to get as clean sound as possible. I know, garbage in, garbage out, but I'd like to not mess up the garbage in from the VCR anymore than I have to Besides, I'm hoping to use this as an excuse to upgrade to something nicer all around, if I can.


Locally available, I can get an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 ($150), or an E-MU 1212M ($200). The Audiophile is in the realm of "classic" by now, though sturdy with robust drivers (I'll be working under Win98SE for a couple weeks more at least, so it would be nice to have good drivers there). The E-MU is part of the "latest and greatest", and way outspecs the Audiophile in all regards, though it hasn't been put through its paces much around here and I've read about it having certain WDM driver deficiencies at the moment (I'm not a audio recording person yet, so I have no idea if that will really be an issue or not; the limitation is a 48khz sampling cap at the moment, and none of the formats I'll be archiving to will accept greater than that anyway). I've used an M-Audio Revolution, and it sounded good, but I think I'd really miss the ASIO over spdif output now that I've gotten into that with the Entertainer, and I'm not sure any of its cool driver features like CSII, bass management, etc. are of any use to me anymore now that my rig has evolved.


Based on that, any suggestions? One of the two selections above would be nice since I could just drive down and pick one up once I decide to pony up the $$$. Probably on the low end, I wouldn't go less than an actual Prodigy 7.1, though I'm leary of getting anything new that only uses minijacks (my Revo broke at the jacks).


Thanks,

Kensai

 

[Socio]

I just posted about this one on another thread;


If you want to go with a highend card you should check out the RME DIGI96/8 PAD it does analog, digital and, XLR plus you can get an addon board that gives you up to 8 additional analog inputs and will covert them to digital.


Oh and don't let the price scare you, you can find it a lot cheaper else where.

 

[Kensai]

How much cheaper and where? $200 is way on out past what I'm willing to spend already


Kensai

 

[Socio]

Check your PM


There were two available I purchased one of them yesterday and can't wait to put that bad boy through the ringer and see what it can do.

 

[trider]

Is the M-Audio Delta DiO 24/96 not a good choice ?

 

[Kensai]

Not really. I need analog input for capture, so if I'm going to pay a goodly sum for a card, it should provide me with a good ADC for the price. I'm sure that cheap RS ADC/video converter unit I mentioned before is not terribly good


Really looking for opinions, mainly between the ones mentioned above, from folk who do at least some recording or vidcaping with their gear.


Kensai