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ETF5 setup (1 Viewer)

Rick Radford

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Joined
May 12, 2001
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642
BruceD,
Let me start a new thread specifically for ETF.
I don't know if my SBLive value card is full or half duplex. I've looked all over for any booklet that might have come with my computer, but can't find anything on it.
If your sound card is half-duplex, then you can burn the CD image for test signals that ETF also provides on their website and play it through your CD player, recording with the input from your RS SPL meter.
Is it a safe assumption that I could use any test CD if I choose the CD/half-duplex option regardless of the sound card involved? OTOH, no point in turning down free test tones since I've been unable to burn any from NCHtone generator without annoying pops.
I picked up a 50 ft. RCA to RCA speaker cable and a 1/8 to RCA adapter (part # 274-330b) at RS today. This will allow me to set the SPL meter on a tripod in my HT and run the cable back to my PC to record the data.
However, when I ran the setup test: file/new measurement/normal transfer function (with no connection to the sound card .. just the unconnected cable going to line in), I got info that said -1 dB in green... ??? I figured there should be nothing coming in. If I used the Low freq bandwidth test, I get Overload! +5 dB in red. ???
And that's about as far as I've gotten for now.
Do I need to get a 1/8 to stereo RCA so as to try both left and right channels? My 1/8 adapter says shielded audio adapter on the front and monaural on the back of the package.
BTW, I tried to use the ratshack calibration file I got from Terry's site (ratshackcorrection.mic) but it wouldn't load.. even after renaming to rs.cal).
Thanks for the help! Looks like I have lots of work ahead of me. (I still think the manual method will be faster.. just not as cool). :D
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
I noticed this msg about ETF5 over on Delphi.
Dear users,
ETF (and all other audio programs) have a problem in Windows 2000. Windows does not return the correct maximum sampling frequency when queried by the program.
We hope to have a fix in place for this problem sometime in early March.
It runs in Win98/95/ME & in NT4 without this problem.
This was dated 2/26/2001. Anyone know if this was fixed?
Naturally, I run W2k. :D
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
I did get the calibration file to load (ratshack). I had to modify it so that ALL numbers were in the format x.y ... ie, 20 could not be 20.(decimal) .. it had to be 20.0.
 

ThomasW

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 6, 1999
Messages
2,282
The SB Live Value is full duplex.

Why didn't use use the RS cal file from the ETF site instead of modifying the old RS corrections?
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
Why didn't use use the RS cal file from the ETF site instead of modifying the old RS corrections?
Umm, because I haven't found that part of the ETF site yet. :D
Thanks for the info, Thomas. I'll look around the site some more.
Greg, thanks for the link to Brinkster. I'll search for the thread about Step by Step Sub Equalization using BFD and ETF.
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
Yeah.. I saw them in the brinkster site that was mentioned. I noticed that the numbers are the same as the RS file I found.. but the signs are opposite. Oh well.

On the sound card... I know I must have the specs somewhere.. just can't lay my hands on them right now.
 

BruceD

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 12, 1999
Messages
1,220
Rick,
The key to understanding this signal capture is getting the cables connected correctly, getting your PC Audio Mixer setup correctly, and getting a level check.
The cables connections:
RS-mic -> SBlive LINE-IN right channel (NOT mic-in)
(full-duplex) SBlive LINE-OUT right channel -> amp LINE-IN channel being tested
SBlive LINE-OUT left channel -> SBlive LINE-IN left channel
To use the CD in half-duplex mode on ETF you need to select the CD-half-duplex in the ETF menu.
Then you put the CD in a repeat loop play on the pink noise signal and start getting a level check and testing away.
BruceD
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
Bruce,
SBlive LINE-IN left channel
My understanding is that these connections are predicated on using the internal tone generator of RTF.
If I'm planning on using a calibration disc and not the ETF tone generator, I should be able to just connect the SPL meter to the SBLive's line in via the 1/8 adapter, right?
However, on the thread in the Advanced section, I see you question whether a 50 ft mic cable will even work (which I've also wondered about).
Rats. I think I'll just do this manually. I can create a test tone CD with NCH tone generator and just live with the pops. It's just an annoyance anyway.
I'll map out my sub's response from 10 Hz to 100 Hz in 1 Hz increments. That'll keep me busy for a while. ;)
Should I run this based on 75 dB at, oh, 40 Hz and just change the meter's range to keep the needle above the zero point? (I think I read it's more accurate that way).
I'll post the results when I have time to do this.
 

BruceD

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 12, 1999
Messages
1,220
Rick,
Here is actual info on the CD half-duplex method.
Please see the help menu in the ETF program for an exact step by step walk-thru including diagrams of cable setups and example windows
Here is a brief part of it:
CD player (Left LINE-OUT) -> stereo Y connector on PC (LINE-IN)
try both left and right connections on the Y connector to see which one works.
1) Select "New Measurement" , then "Normal Transfer Function"
2) Check the text box labeled "Test CD"
3) Play the test signal on the CD player
4) the PC audio mixer may need to be set to the sound card for correct input
5) Click level check to see if the input is strong enough
6) repeat level check while CD track 1 "MLS signal" is playing on the CD and adjust levels with mixer if necessary
7) when levels are properly set, the calibartion window will show a new instruction
. . . . . . .
Also, the Radio Shack SPL meter mic-correction files typically don't work with the free version of the ETF5 program.
I haven't tested the CD half-duplex method of using the software, but hope to try it out this weekend and report back.
I'd ask the 50' cable question in the "DIY and Advanced" section of this forum, as I just don't know the answer. But as I said, it should be real cheap to try it out (50' of satellite type RG-6 coax cable with f-connectors on each end and 2 F-connector to RCA adapters on each end -from radio shack).
BruceD
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
the only connection I labeled as necessary for doing the test tone generated by the ETF PC software is the one with the RCA cable to the amp channel marked with a (full-duplex) prefex.

That means the other 2 connections are necessary.
I see. I didn't note the distinction before.

I'll be curious how your half-duplex test turns out. Oh, I see you edited your post since I began the response.

I emailed ETF between posts and already have a reply. I'll post it in the advanced section on the existing thread.

Thanks.
 

Rick Radford

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
642
Quick update:

According to Doug at ETF, a demo copy of ETF cannot save or print files and can only take two measurements at a time. (you have to restart ETF demo to take more).

Mic calibration files can be used in the demo.

Hth.
 

BruceD

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 12, 1999
Messages
1,220
Thanks for the update Rick.

When I first bought the program ETF4, mic calibration files couldn't be used in the demo.

BruceD
 

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