[jtizzle]

Maybe the worst piece of software I have ever had the bad luck to need to learn how to operate.

112 page (full page) manual?

Sessions?

I've never seen a more counterintuitive, frustrating, user-unfriendly, horrible piece of crap in my life.

The person responsible for this needs to go die in a fire.

k, i'm done.

 

[NightWoundsTime]

LOL. Yeah I felt the same way when I started trying to figure it out. Remember it wasn't intended for us. It was intended for the pros. Imagine my frustration when I started trying to use it with pro music software like Cubase!

The unofficial EMU forums are a good place to get specific answers on how to make something function. http://www.productionforums.com/index.php?f=52

 

[jtizzle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWoundsTime /img/forum/go_quote.gif LOL. Yeah I felt the same way when I started trying to figure it out. Remember it wasn't intended for us. It was intended for the pros. Imagine my frustration when I started trying to use it with pro music software like Cubase! The unofficial EMU forums are a good place to get specific answers on how to make something function. http://www.productionforums.com/index.php?f=52

Silly. In fact, it's beyond silly. There isn't any reason in the world why they don't have a "non-pro" version of the interface that allows people who do not want to immerse themselves in a graduate level crash course on mixing, recording and sound effects to make a few adjustments and then forget all about it.

Thanks for the link to the forums. I predict I will be banned from there by the end of the night.

 

[Ingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtizzle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Silly. In fact, it's beyond silly. There isn't any reason in the world why they don't have a "non-pro" version of the interface that allows people who do not want to immerse themselves in a graduate level crash course on mixing, recording and sound effects to make a few adjustments and then forget all about it. Thanks for the link to the forums. I predict I will be banned from there by the end of the night.

I think you've overcomplicated it. When I got the 1212m it took me about 5 minutes to setup the patchmix dsp for ASIO output and I never even glanced the manual. As a matter of fact, you don't even need to stray from the "Product Default" session. Whether or not you're using ASIO or WAV output it works fine without any adjustments. What exactly do you expect out of it?

 

[Rempert]

I have barely looked at the manual if at all, and find it completely intuitive.

Everything in the E-mu brand is designed for the type of people who would be quite familiar with things like mixers or sequencers. The average computer user who does not create music is meant to buy a Soundblaster.

 

[Fing]

The price point for EMU 1212m's is pretty good now at just a little bit more than a proper X-Fi card. In fact it's cheaper than some of the more expensive versions.

Of course, I was warned about Patchmix when researching my purchase and found it quite fustrating too, but I'm quite willing to work a bit for my music pleasure

 

[jtizzle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think you've overcomplicated it.

*sigh*

I'll bite my tongue, just this once.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingo /img/forum/go_quote.gif What exactly do you expect out of it?

I expect to be able to switch the digital output of the card without having to first familiarize myself with the "Patchmix DSP Session(tm)" concept in a 117 page manual. I expect to be able to make adjustments to my card's output without having to fiddle with a silly virtual mixer. I expect to be able to make adjustments to my card's digital output without having to call up, open and save a new Patchmix DSP Session(tm). I expect that the digital output options that are provided in the Patchmix DSP Session(tm) template to match *exactly* the digital output options that are discussed in the 117 page manual on the subject. I expect to find *somewhere* -- either in the Patchmix software itself, or, at a minimum, in the 117 manual discussing same -- a complete and meaningful description of the 8 (yes, count'em 8!) different digital output options that are offered for each *pair* of digital sample rates (being: 44k/48k, 88k/96k, 176k/192k) in the Patchmix DSP Session(tm) template.

For starters...among other things...off the top of my head.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fing /img/forum/go_quote.gif Of course, I was warned about Patchmix when researching my purchase and found it quite fustrating too, but I'm quite willing to work a bit for my music pleasure

Apparently the people you talked to didn't have the natural talent of some of the other people in this thread. Shame on them for not buying a Soundblaster!

 

[lator]

I think Patchmix is wonderful as it lets you configure everything as you like. The interface is a bit strange at first though but you'll get a hang of it.

 

[JSTpt1022]

I was in this boat when I first got mine. Give it some time and you will come to appreciate the no bs approach, as opposed to the soundblaster 90% bs approach. With patchmix I don't have to guess what's going on with my sound based on some selected options, I know what's going on with my sound because I can see exactly what it's doing.

 

[CSMR]

Patchmix is not that complicated.
The digital output format you want is almost certainly s/pdif. If you needed another format you would know about it.
There have been several simple guides and explanations of patchmix on head-fi. Unfortunately the head-fi search function is not well documented so I can't find any of them (even though I've written some of these explanations myself lol).

 

[jtizzle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSMR /img/forum/go_quote.gif Patchmix is not that complicated. The digital output format you want is almost certainly s/pdif. If you needed another format you would know about it. There have been several simple guides and explanations of patchmix on head-fi. Unfortunately the head-fi search function is not well documented so I can't find any of them (even though I've written some of these explanations myself lol).

Oh yes, please, that is exactly what I need. If you can find me a link to some guides I would greatly appreciate it. I looked for something like that here, and elsewhere, and didn't find much that was useful (the effin' 117 page manual certainly isn't).

I promise I won't even make any wise-cracks about why people are feeling the need to make and post guides if this thing is such a piece of cake.

:thesmiliethatsaysI'mfunny:

BTW, you are correct, the digital output I care about, and, for that matter, all I care about, is the coaxial S/PDIF output.

 

[CSMR]

The 1212m just has optical not coaxial.

Assuming what you want is bit-perfect output from a program that supports ASIO (a common use of the card) all you do is choose a session with the right frequency, select spdif, and insert a SEND into the ASIO OUT strip to whichever physical outputs you want: optical output and analog out 1/2 for example.

Alternatively if you just want wave out (windows sounds), you can SEND that to your outputs.
If you want to use windows sounds and ASIO, you can mix them. This is the default behaviour of the card. SEND the mix to the outputs if necessary.

Basically SEND sends whatever is in a strip to the output you want. (Or even the software input you want). It takes control of whatever you are sending it to so nothing else interferes with it. (And if there is nothing being SENT to the main output the mix (of ASIO and wav and possibly other stuff) gets sent there. You can control the mix with the various knobs on patchmix.)

(PS I think you can simplyfy your setup and take out the DAC because the E-MU I think has better analog output.)

 

[CSMR]

I would say it's not overly complex. For what it does it is very simple. It is a pro card. Try using professional audio software and you will see what complex means

. It is recommended here because it has very good quality output. Yes it is more complex than onboard sound for example but with a bit of help from us you shouldn't find it too much trouble.

 

[jtizzle]

Thank you. I will try to see if I can't make some sense out of those instructions when I get home with it tonight.

I will be stopping by the ammo store on the way home from work because I am going to shoot it if I can't.

Also, the 1212m has a coaxial S/PDIF out, as well as the optical. FYI.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Yeah, it's a little strange that the tray icon is really a complete routing solution... They should at least have a basic / advanced option toggle. Apparently, they've replaced the PatchMix-style drivers with easier-to-use stuff on the newer USB interfaces.