Can a soundcard use line-in and mic at the same time?

[drthrd]

I have been trying to use line-in and the mic at the same time but I can't. I have onboard sound VIA VT1708B. Is this a limitation for just that card or is most sound cards like that?

What started all this is me trying to stream music to TeamSpeak and messengers. I wanted a hardware solution. I have seen where people say they can use 2 sound cards for it. I had the Logitech Gaming Headset G330 and it came with a USB adapter. You can see it here http://support.logitech.com/en_us/product/gaming-headset-g330 or here http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Gaming-Headset-G330-Black/dp/B002I3OZB2. I tried to hook the stereo out on the Logitech USB adapter to my sound card line-in. I haven't had much luck so far lol.

 

[piasabird]

The answer is probably yes and no. Probably also depends on the operating system and recording software you are using. I am sure some people are using mixer boards and what not and using multiple sound sources.

Integrated sound may have some limitations. Sometimes problems are caused trying to use both front and back jacks at the same time.

Just because something is possible doesn't mean every motherboard is implemented with a chipset or sound chip in the same way or even the right way. For extra premium features you may have to pay more.

 

[corkyg]

What you are asking for is really a mixer. For best quality, a hardware mixer is preferred. If you Google Sound Mixer for PC you will find many choices. Some sound cards do provide for this capability.

 

[drthrd]

The answer is probably yes and no. Probably also depends on the operating system and recording software you are using. I am sure some people are using mixer boards and what not and using multiple sound sources.

Integrated sound may have some limitations. Sometimes problems are caused trying to use both front and back jacks at the same time.

Just because something is possible doesn't mean every motherboard is implemented with a chipset or sound chip in the same way or even the right way. For extra premium features you may have to pay more.

Right now Windows. Sometimes I run Linux though. I am only use the back jacks.

 

[piasabird]

Before windows 7 (if you use Microsoft windows) the operating system tended to be simpler. However, with software like Skype and USB microphones, and cameras with built in microphones for video chat, you should both need and expect to record from multiple sources.

I mainly wanted to point out on some motherboards if you plug in a microphone in the front of the case it might keep the jacks in the rear from working. For some reason some motherboards are designed this way.

I was working on a multimedia class once and I recorded sound off of a VCR using the Line-in jack. RadioShack use to sell a nice connector that went from the RCA right and left on one end to the mini stereo jack like on a computer microphone on the other end. They also made a Y splitter to hook up things like both a pair of speakers and a TV or speakers and headphones so you don't have to plug and unplug things all the time.

A lot of the modern digital mixing boards are using USB.

My daughter has a microphone like this one:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Yeti
She uses it for Skype mostly, but it is USB so works digitally and produces really clear sound.

 

[Cerb]

https://support.xsplit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17914
http://www.amarectv.com/english/amarectv_e.htm

The AmaMix tool looks like it might do what you're looking for.

Mixing separate inputs well is hard (asynchronous clocks, not the actual mixing of the data), so when MS updated their audio stack, they left it out, for applications/drivers to handle, if they want, instead. All going through the same codec, it shouldn't be a problem, as long as the driver supports it (since the codec's ins/outs all run off the same clock, except maybe S/PDIF-in), but I don't know what codecs and drivers do and don't.