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dazco
Posts: 452
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 Posted - Tue Nov 19, 2002 7:10 pm
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How typical (or not) is it for any of the in's/out's on most soundcards to be switching jacks? I would assume they generally would NOT be, but i was thinking of making a breakout box i could use with any card i have or aquire in the future that uses mini jacks. It would just be a box with mini jacks and cables with mini plugs that go to the card's jacks. But if any of them are of the switching variety, that would ruin my plans for obvious reasons.
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zeitgeist
Location: Slovenia
Posts: 367
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Posted - Tue Nov 19, 2002 8:38 pm
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Do you mean switching as in selectable for line in/line out etc?
The card I have has one "versajack" (santa cruz) in addition to 2 stereo line outs and the normal stereo line in and mic in channels. It can be analogue line in, analogue line out, or digital out.
The breakout box you describe was like the first box I built. (I have not progressed a whole lot further at this point ha.) It's pretty simple to do. Had lines with mini jacks for the various input/outputs, switches for selecting line sources, 1/4" inputs all around (did not know about XLR then) and RCA banks for stereo lines in and out. It also had a little amp scavenged from a lowgrade PC speaker set installed for headphone monitoring. It was all a bit redundant, but was good practice. It didn't do anything that a basic mixer would not do and do better, and for less $$. By the time I had gathered all the necessary hardware, including about $15 for the metal box blank, I had sunk about $75 US into it. I have just bought the smallest behringer mini for $59 and it does all that and more.
As far as the "switching jack," just have a switching (corresponding) channel on your breakout box.
Really, though, after my experience along the same line, I have to suggest you buy a mixer and skip the headaches. 
If I misunderstood what you mean by "switching," please disregard the previous blah de blah
TY ~zeit~
_________________
"Can I have your autograph," he said to the fat blonde actress. |
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dazco
Posts: 452
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Posted - Tue Nov 19, 2002 11:57 pm
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A switching jack has a "switching" contact that is made when a plug is inserted. So if there are switching jacks, a breakout box can't be done without a lot of extra wiring. Hard to explain quickly, but thats the sitch....
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Havoc
Posts: 735
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Posted - Wed Nov 20, 2002 12:25 am
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I very much doubt it. What would they switch? Most have dedicated in/out so a break out box would not be hard work. On the other hans, why put mini-jacks in the box? Would it not be better to use full size jacks or cinch or xlr? Dependent on what you want to connect.
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zeitgeist
Location: Slovenia
Posts: 367
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Posted - Wed Nov 20, 2002 12:30 am
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| Havoc wrote: |
| Would it not be better to use full size jacks or cinch or xlr? Dependent on what you want to connect. |
I think that is dazco's idea or goal or whatever you want to call it.
_________________
"Can I have your autograph," he said to the fat blonde actress. |
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dazco
Posts: 452
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Posted - Wed Nov 20, 2002 8:17 am
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| Quote: |
| why put mini-jacks in the box? Would it not be better to use full size jacks or cinch or xlr? Dependent on what you want to connect. |
What i meant is to have mini jacks at the box going to the card so that the cables could be easily replacable and for ease of storage, transport, etc. In other words, the cables would be seperate and would go from the card to mini jacks on the box, which would also make it easier to replace the cables and make the physical size of the box smaller. Or i may even use a single connector such as a "D" connector like a serial port uses with minis on the other end. I wasn't being exact, just trying to get the idea across. As for the jacks i would be attaching mics, speakers, outboard gear to, they would be mostly or1/4", but definatly a mini for the speakers.
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Switching jacks?