Didn't expect a problem, but I thought I could get sound out of an AM /FM tuner and patch it into a PC. Doesn't appear to work. RCA cable on one end and USB on the other is patched into PC#2. Might it work if I has RCA on one end and a audio jack for a microphone plugged into the microphone port?
Everything I pull up on the web wants the audio flow to go the other direction, from PC to tuner. I am not trying to play audio from the PC and hear it on the AM tuner.
Goal: broadcast audio off a transmitter and capture it on an AM/FM tuner. Tuner then places the audio into a PC #2.
Best I can come up with doing a search is some kind of SDR capture card installed on PC #2 where the AM signal is captured by antenna, processed and dumped into Icecast.
Suggestions please on the best way to proceed or where to look for a solution.
There are special cables with audio on one end, USB on the other (and chips on the USB end to convert the analog audio to digital). Unfortunately, there are many counterfeit and bogus chips out there, particularly on cheap cables, and a lot have issues (Windows should automatically recognize the real chips). The good cables are rather expensive - $20 to $30.
In the past, I've done what you want to do and have just used an audio cable into the line in/microphone jack on the audio card. Based on my experiences with SDR's, I'd stay away. I find both proprietary and open source software associated with them rather dicey. It would also be a bit of overkill, particularly when you can just patch audio.
I'm a little confused what the problem is, it should be cut and dry to do just as Artesian said:
In the past, I've done what you want to do and have just used an audio cable into the line in/microphone jack on the audio card.
There are special cables with audio on one end, USB on the other (and chips on the USB end to convert the analog audio to digital). Unfortunately, there are many counterfeit and bogus chips out there, particularly on cheap cables, and a lot have issues (Windows should automatically recognize the real chips). The good cables are rather expensive - $20 to $30.
This is the way I'd prefer. Do you have a link to something you think would work? The cable I have is a mcsper.com wire. "USB to RCA audio cable 6.6ft"
Doesn't your "AM/FM tuner" have an earphone jack or something?
I don't understand why using a radio as an input should be any more difficult than using an cd or mp3 player, tape deck, turntable or whatever.. a tv!
What am I missing?
@richpowers I ended up buying, just now, the RCA to 1/8" jack.
@centinel Well I still feel like I missed some key aspect in the discussion. I hope that adapter works for you.
I found this interesting video about some new-old-stock 1990s pc cards that caught this guys interest because it featured not only FM, but AM reception too which is rare.
Anyway he goes onto deep detail, even exploring the patent of this USA made device. He opens the box and see how it really works
Most of my experience using these cables is with amateur radio, in programming radios. These have specialized speaker/microphone adapters on one end, and the USB connector (with built in DAC) on the other. I learned the hard way not to just get a cheap cable; I finally got one to work (it was a lot more expensive) on the third try.
I think you said you just purchased a standard analog cable. If you do decide to experiment with the USB solution again, you can look for such keywords as external soundcard (which is really what this is) or microphone support (but often they only support the headset type of microphone, with a 3 pole connector).
Most USB to audio cables, unless they say otherwise, only support a one way connection, out from the computer to a headphone, and that is likely what you first purchased.
If I ever decide to stream my station, I wouldn't need any other that. I can just take the audio from the program interrupt unit on the EAS ENDEC and use it. It has has 4 outputs. Only one in use, that's feeding the processor to transmitter.