sndwv wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:20:

Is it possible to add a line-in port to a laptop or mini-PC that doesn't have one, while maintaining the ability to mix it's audio with the audio of the internal sound card? As I understand it, all line-in-to-usb 'adapters' are actually external sound cards, which in Windows requires switching to, disabling the internal sound card.

Use case: an external MIDI module where the MIDI audio output must be mixed with sound from the PC before going to (internal!) speakers.

If it doesn't have one then it would entirely depend on if the motherboard originally had support for one and its simply not populated. If it never had support or never had an unpopulated place for one then I doubt its possible to do as you ask.

If you can get a spec sheet for the motherboard then perhaps you could hack one in but again its doubtful.

Perhaps it might be possible using the mic in line ? it shouldn't be too different from a dedicated line in port.

Trashbytes wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:26:

If it doesn't have one then it would entirely depend on if the motherboard originally had support for one and its simply not pop […]
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sndwv wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:20:

Is it possible to add a line-in port to a laptop or mini-PC that doesn't have one, while maintaining the ability to mix it's audio with the audio of the internal sound card? As I understand it, all line-in-to-usb 'adapters' are actually external sound cards, which in Windows requires switching to, disabling the internal sound card.

Use case: an external MIDI module where the MIDI audio output must be mixed with sound from the PC before going to (internal!) speakers.

If it doesn't have one then it would entirely depend on if the motherboard originally had support for one and its simply not populated. If it never had support or never had an unpopulated place for one then I doubt its possible to do as you ask.

If you can get a spec sheet for the motherboard then perhaps you could hack one in but again its doubtful.

Perhaps it might be possible using the mic in line ? it shouldn't be too different from a dedicated line in port.

Thanks. In my case it's one of those Optiplex 3050 MFF and a really old HP laptop (so I doubt it), but I'd need to look up the exact audio hardware.

There is a headset port on the Dell, which I assume is a 4 ring minijack, and with the right splitter it should be possible to route line-in to the mic-in part of that, but mic inputs are (usually) mono, while the line audio is stereo. Also I read that the specs of such a port vary, and it might be necessary to electrically limit the input from a line-in as to not blow out a mic-in.

An alternative nightmarish scenario I could think of is doing the mixing externally and routing the combined audio to the internal speakers of a PC monitor, but in my scenario that would entail routing the line-outs of both the MIDI module and the PC to an external mixer and combining the output of that with the video signal with a hdmi audio inserter. And at that point I'm throwing in the towel.

sndwv wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:37:

Trashbytes wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:26:

If it doesn't have one then it would entirely depend on if the motherboard originally had support for one and its simply not pop […]
Show full quote

sndwv wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:20:

Is it possible to add a line-in port to a laptop or mini-PC that doesn't have one, while maintaining the ability to mix it's audio with the audio of the internal sound card? As I understand it, all line-in-to-usb 'adapters' are actually external sound cards, which in Windows requires switching to, disabling the internal sound card.

Use case: an external MIDI module where the MIDI audio output must be mixed with sound from the PC before going to (internal!) speakers.

If it doesn't have one then it would entirely depend on if the motherboard originally had support for one and its simply not populated. If it never had support or never had an unpopulated place for one then I doubt its possible to do as you ask.

If you can get a spec sheet for the motherboard then perhaps you could hack one in but again its doubtful.

Perhaps it might be possible using the mic in line ? it shouldn't be too different from a dedicated line in port.

Thanks. In my case it's one of those Optiplex 3050 MFF and a really old HP laptop (so I doubt it), but I'd need to look up the exact audio hardware.

There is a headset port on the Dell, which I assume is a 4 ring minijack, and with the right splitter it should be possible to route line-in to the mic-in part of that, but mic inputs are (usually) mono, while the line audio is stereo. Also I read that the specs of such a port vary, and it might be necessary to electrically limit the input from a line-in as to not blow out a mic-in.

Hmmm is Midi output Stereo or Mono ? If you are mixing it back on the laptop then it may not matter a huge amount, mono midi is better than no midi.

Trashbytes wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:56:

sndwv wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:37:

Trashbytes wrote on 2024-01-19, 15:26:

If it doesn't have one then it would entirely depend on if the motherboard originally had support for one and its simply not populated. If it never had support or never had an unpopulated place for one then I doubt its possible to do as you ask.

If you can get a spec sheet for the motherboard then perhaps you could hack one in but again its doubtful.

Perhaps it might be possible using the mic in line ? it shouldn't be too different from a dedicated line in port.

Thanks. In my case it's one of those Optiplex 3050 MFF and a really old HP laptop (so I doubt it), but I'd need to look up the exact audio hardware.

There is a headset port on the Dell, which I assume is a 4 ring minijack, and with the right splitter it should be possible to route line-in to the mic-in part of that, but mic inputs are (usually) mono, while the line audio is stereo. Also I read that the specs of such a port vary, and it might be necessary to electrically limit the input from a line-in as to not blow out a mic-in.

Hmmm is Midi output Stereo or Mono ? If you are mixing it back on the laptop then it may not matter a huge amount, mono midi is better than no midi.

It is stereo, but I agree sacrificing a channel makes it more feasible.