|
Rockit can be used with a single sound card, or with
multiple cards for better sound and cueing ability.
Most desktop and laptop computers, come
with low quality internal sound cards, and are only
useful for home applications, such as Windows sounds,
etc. By utilizing an external USB or FIREWIRE sound
card, you will increase your sound quality, and be able
to utilize the cueing facilities built in to Rockit, or
even run each deck to separate mixer channels for the
ultimate in sound. Here are a few sample setups, and
below you will find a small listing of sound cards that
our users recommend, and instructions on how to map
Rockit's deck outputs to the cards.
Basic
Single Laptop Output
Here we would employ a
laptop computer with a single sound output. No cueing is
available with this configuration, but it is well
suitable for the startup digital DJ. Simply pick up a
cable at Radio Shack (part # 42-2551), that has an 1/8"
stereo to dual RCA jacks, connect to the headphone
output (this laptop has no speaker or line out - line
out would be preferred if available), then connect to
your mixer device, or powered speakers.
One
Internal, one External Output
In this configuration, we
would use the internal sound of the laptop for cue
monitoring on the computer, and an external USB sound
device for the mains output to the mixer or speakers.
Please note, the sound card picture is a representation,
and not necessarily the card of choice.
Two
External Split Main Deck Output
This is the preferred laptop
setup for optimum fidelity and monitoring capability.
You would actually be doing the mixing and monitoring
off your mixer, and each deck in RockIt is mapped to a
separate sound device running to a separate mixer
channel. You will get much finer control of your
monitoring this way, and since each deck has a dedicated
sound device, the sound will be much cleaner.
Two
Main Deck Outputs to Dual USB Mixer
This is the easiest laptop
setup for optimum fidelity and monitoring capability.
New USB enabled mixers have two sound cards built in,
and you simply connect the USB cables to your computer.
No software drivers are needed with most of these mixers
(when running on Windows XP), so it's easy plug and
play! In this particular setup, a Numark CM200USB mixer,
with 2 USB inputs, is connected via two USB cables to
the computer, and each deck is mapped to a separate
channel on the mixer.
Sound Cards and Links
These are in no
particular order, but this is a small sampling of
external sound cards available, and links to more
information. We do not recommend any hardware
specifically, so read the reviews, ask other DJs on the
DJ message boards, etc.
Most of these sound cards can be purchased from
our Amazon Store, and you can also purchase high quality
DRM free MP3 downloads!
Hardware and MP3 Music Store
Setting up Rockit's Deck
Mappings
Rockit can accommodate any number of
sound cards, that is only limited by Windows itself.
Each main deck, the jukebox and the effects player, can
all be mapped to separate sound cards if desired. To map
a main deck's output, go to Config->Audio Decks. You will see the following screen:
In this example, we have the Mains output
set to an external USB sound card, and the monitor
output set to the internal sound card. Note that choice
0 is always Microsoft Sound Mapper, and is a virtual
output, meaning it is whatever Windows has set as the
default sound card. So, it actually points to one of the
others in the list. That will vary depending on your
setup, so it's best to choose the actual card itself
from the list, and not the mapper.
To set the desired sound card mapping,
double click the card using the left mouse button, this
will stop any music playing, set the mapping, and save
the changes.
To set a card on-the-fly (temporarily),
you can right double click, and the output will change,
but only for the immediate Rockit session, and will not
be saved. The music will not stop playing, and will just
switch to the chosen sound card.
|
