Connecting a EDM LCD FM Transmitter to PC

[Oscar]

Hello,

I would like to know if there are special types of cables to connect an EDM LCD FM transmitter to the PC. Currently my PC has a on board Sound Card that supports RealTek HD Audio (AC'97 audio). The output of my sound card are "Line-Out" and "S/PDIF-Out". The "Line-Out" is already being used for my PC speakers. The computer OS I'm using is Vista Ultimate X64.

One more question - do I need a radio broadcasting program to operate the transmitter?

[iresq]

You should get a Y adapter (rat shack, wally world). Line out, Y adapter, one to speakers, one to transmitter. Not sure what inputs the transmitter uses but I am sure someone will chime in.

No need for anything else. Just plug and play.

[Oscar]

iresq wrote:

You should get a Y adapter (rat shack, wally world). Line out, Y adapter, one to speakers, one to transmitter. Not sure what inputs the transmitter uses but I am sure someone will chime in.

No need for anything else. Just plug and play.

Thanks Dave for your info.

[taybrynn]

You just need a 1/8" male (headphone, mini jack) to dual RCA male cable. The longer the better, since a longer cable will give you flexibility in where the transmitter and antenna can be placed.

Some people do this with two cables ... (1) the mini headphone card, and then the mini to RCA y cable ... just because you can get a longer mini headphone cable.

If possible, avoid running the cable past any potential sources of interference ... so avoid power strips, computers, monitor, printers, fax machines, etc.

You don't need any radio station program to run the transmitter with. Just be aware that any sounds produced on your PC will also come through during the show.

I was out filming the other week, and then I heard all these silly sounds during the show. My daughter was playing a webkinz game ... so I laughed and had to go in an ask her to stop playing games on that computer.

[garyfunk]

taybrynn wrote:

I was out filming the other week, and then I heard all these silly sounds during the show. My daughter was playing a webkinz game ... so I laughed and had to go in an ask her to stop playing games on that computer.

You let the kids touch your computer? I'd rather share my toothbrush than my computer.

[Oscar]

taybrynn wrote:

You just need a 1/8" male (headphone, mini jack) to dual RCA male cable. The longer the better, since a longer cable will give you flexibility in where the transmitter and antenna can be placed.

Some people do this with two cables ... (1) the mini headphone card, and then the mini to RCA y cable ... just because you can get a longer mini headphone cable.

If possible, avoid running the cable past any potential sources of interference ... so avoid power strips, computers, monitor, printers, fax machines, etc.

You don't need any radio station program to run the transmitter with. Just be aware that any sounds produced on your PC will also come through during the show.

I was out filming the other week, and then I heard all these silly sounds during the show. My daughter was playing a webkinz game ... so I laughed and had to go in an ask her to stop playing games on that computer.

Thanks Taybrynn for the information you had given me. I am planning to start a light show for next year christmas. Right now, I am gathering all the information I need before I start purchasing my components, sometime early next year.

What happens if its your WIFE on the computer? Better watch out for that Broom Stick!

[-klb-]

My show PC is the laptop that my wife decided was too slow for wireless web browsing, so I won't have that problem..

One comment on audio cables. I'm seeing that an awful high percentage do not seem to be shielded, but rather just the two signal wires running in parallel with a ground wire.. If you can find them, shielded audio cables may be of benefit in keeping some of the noise out.

- Kevin

[Dad02]

The "Y" splitter works well for me. One thing though, the sound level may be to high and distorted when listening from the radio. Have to turn the master down on the computer until you find the right level.

[Oscar]

Thanks Kevin about the shielded cables. I reckon I will visit Fry's to check out the cables and "Y" connectors. I checked out your web site and found out that we do not live that far apart. I live on the west side of 45 in "Westover Park" subdivision in League City.

Thanks Brian about the "Y" connectors and volume setting level of the computer.

Guys, here's a question and I would like your opinion. It has to do with ripping songs off CD to wav files to create a musical sequence. There are music that are not at the same volume. This will effect the output of music off the FM transmitter - a volume change will need to be done on the computer. I know about the "Audacity Sound Editor" and I have it installed on my machine. Do you guys run "Audacity" on your wav and normalise it once or normalise several times.? The reason I ask, some people mentions thats it is not required. I believe that it may be require, for example the "Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker" CD I own. It contains several music that are at low volume and requires increase of volume in order to hear it. That means that I will always have to adjust the volume on my computer to broadcast it. I did one song from the Nutcracker CD, and I had to normalise it several times. I just want your thoughts about it since you all have experience in broadcasting your shows.

[iresq]

Well Oscar, the simple answer is yes. Run your WAVs through audacity to normalize (normalize in the effect menu). If you use MP3, you can adjust the volumes using a free program called MP3 gain.

The more technical answer is that CD's are engineered with a large dynamic range (the difference between the soft sections and loud sections). This range is desirable for critical listen in a good environment. The problem is that this translates poorly to FM broadcast. For proper transmission, the signal should be compressed (and equalized) to properly match the characteristics of FM. That is why some people use additional software or outboard processors. Audacity has a compression function but I have never used it. You could always experiment with it.

[taybrynn]

I prefer mp3gain to using a traditional normalize (say via. audacity) ... why? Because it only changes header information and not the entire mp3 file. You can adjust files quickly per file and always revert back to the way the file was originally ripped.

So I like mp3gain because its a totally loss-less way to tweak each song to have matching volumes ... using your own ear, or the input level meter on a mixer or similar ...

And mp3gain is free ...

Just create a folder under Program Files, called mp3gain ... then install this into it, then created a shortcut (if necessary) for it.

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/mp3gain/mp3gain-win-1_2_5.exe?download

[iresq]

True except MP3 gain only works with MP3's. Oscar is using WAV.

Technically, you cannot normalize a MP3, but that a whole other conversation.

[Oscar]

Thanks taybann in pointing out to me where to get "MP3gain".

Thanks Dave for the info about "MP3gain" and other aspect that deals with broadcasing sound.

Guys, I had tried out "Audacity" and "MP3gain". It looks like I am leaning towards "MP3Gain". One reason as Taybann quoated "I like mp3gain because its a totally loss-less way to tweak each song to have matching volumes". Second, its easy to use and not time consuming. I did one music, that was wav format, using "Audacity" to normalize. This particular music had several lows than high. I had normalise it but still needed work to raise the volume up in the low sections of the music. It was tedious and time consuming. It worked, but time consuming. In using "MP3gain" it was a lot easier and not time consuming. I liked that it could do multiple files. Before using "MP3Gain", I set Window Media Player to rip music to MP3 at 192 kb. I reckon it depends on the user preferences to which program to use.

[taybrynn]

I've been using 256k fixed bitrate mp3 files with LOR just fine. I have had problems with mp3 files with higher bitrates (from amazon), but after I re-coded them with LAME encoder to 256k fixed, they were fine in LOR.

[Oscar]

taybrynn wrote:

I've been using 256k fixed bitrate mp3 files with LOR just fine. I have had problems with mp3 files with higher bitrates (from amazon), but after I re-coded them with LAME encoder to 256k fixed, they were fine in LOR.

When ripping songs from CD at 256kb, is it necessary to run each of the song through "Audicity" LAME encoder to 256kb and then run it through "MP3Gain"?

What track volume do you normally set in MP3gain?