Hi,
In order for me to be able to use my MIC, KEYBOARDS and also record CUBASE (on my Win7 PC) when making a video with CAMTASIA, it was suggested that it might be a good option to purchase a MIXING DESK which has a GROUP OUT facility. I can then feed in the MIC and (say) 3 or 4 x KEYBOARDS, which then, via the GROUP CHANNEL option, run into the INPUT of my CI2+ STEINBERG soundcard, and then (via USB) into my PC/CUBASE/CAMTASIA.
Otherwise, I am not able, due to ASIO limitations in CAMTASIA, to have all 3 x audio’s recorded by CAMTASIA (as it will only record either my MIC and KEYBOARDS, or CUBASE on it’s own). Yes, a right massive pain for sure and I am learning that so many people are complaining about this very same issue/limitation!
Anyway, if I was to go down the route of purchasing a DESK with GROUP OUT’s, then would this be suffice please:
And there is one for sale on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-mixer-MG-16-4-/221818829127?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item33a56eb947
There are also a couple of SOFTWARE options I could take to try and be able to RECORD my CUBASE and everything else in CAMTASIA, but I will discuss these at a later point. I just wanted to get an opinion on this possible hardware solution first please (as at the moment I can RECORD only CUBASE with CAMTASIA).
Thanks a lot,
Paul
(EDIT: Some extra info from the seller I just received:
Paul, let me just a little background on the GROUP option on this mixer.
It is called “4” GROUP buses, but these is really two stereo outputs. The mixer has the main stereo ‘mixed’ output, and you can add channels to that output using the ST button.
It also has a single GROUP 1-2 button each channel. This allows you to select a bunch of channels (irrespective of the ST settings) and output them to the GROUP 1-2 buses. You can use the pan L-R setting to control how much of each channel goes to bus 1 or 2.
There is a separate slider to control the overall output level of the GROUP 1-2, and your can either
a) take the 1-2 output directly from a socket on the back the mixer OR
b) Feed it back into the main stereo output by pressing the TO ST button.
Snazzy desks have squillions of groups, while my mixer basically has one stereo group, which combined with the stereo main output they call ‘4 groups’. This is sort of true, if you use the Pan L-R control, but it’s perhaps grander sounding than it is. Most channels only have one Pan L-R, so you can’t select this independently for the GROUP 1-2 versus the main stereo output. Channels 9/10 and 11/12 have Pan / Balance option put the difference is limited, frankly).