Audio input

ETC
1

hai there!

I have just bought an ETC, and I have started turning the knobs a lot. I am a graphic media designer myself and I can go all out on the images and programing them. I have already endured some difficult situation, like for example transferring the ntsc to PAL. but now I have some problems with good audio input. Can someone help me with a setup so that I can create visuals without making real music myself? just a number on the jack does not really have a good effect.

2

my thoughts are, you need to:

get gain level right into the etc, then the etc audio input gain and trigger levels right.

if you’ve got a sound source with lots going on (e.g. its premixed), then you need something like an EQ, and/or filter before it gets to the ETC so you can focus in on the bit of the sound you want to ‘visualise’.
(this is because there is no frequency analysis on the ETC)

also, its a good idea to know what your working with.
the audio input on etc is quite limited, its mono, and basically a simple amplitude average at 300 samples/second (iirc) (it averages this down from a 8000 sample rate).

this might sound quite limiting, but in practice it can be pretty effective if the audio input is ‘focused’.

3
  • Radio source; small pocket radio AM/FM (as long as it has an audio output)
  • old iPod/iphone, usb stick player: what to load into devices?
  • sound effects (clock ticking, sonar, morse code, rhythmics things, many doors slamming… just ideas; be creative here.

To check on “levels” and other info you have the OSD button :wink: (On Screen Display)

4

Just to be clear, the ETC is not NTSC - its video format is 720p60.

If you are using a trigger mode (starts ‘T - …’) you can use MIDI notes to trigger the motion/change/etc. in the mode. Something like Garageband or Audacity can play MIDI tracks/files and send notes out of your computer…