Computer as a Signal Generator?

[yano]

I got this program called Real Time Analyzer. Its a combination signal generator, oscilliscope, and FFT Analyzer.

It seems to do all of these things just fine, but apparently the signal output by it has a 60Hz hum!

My computer must be passing this along, but I hardly believe it, it seem like computers should have filtered power, right?

I notice this, because while I'm feeding signal through my pedals and then looking at the output on the oscilliscope, there is a peak around 60Hz. I have this box on my workbench that has two jacks. One jack is an audio probe, it has a .1uF cap on the "hot" line. The other jack is for input. Can i put like a 1000uF cap here to get rid of the 60Hz hum, or will that block out all the instruments around 60Hz as well?

[Jonas H]

It's problematic sitting with your guitar on lap, trying to play and work with the box at the same time. What if you recorded some clean guitar into a wav file in your computer, wouldn't it be perfect to play it through the line out into your box being tested? Provided you have the computer next to your work bench of course. You can change the input level, you can record different kind of playing... Has anyone tried it?

/Jonas H

[smoguzbenjamin]

It could be that the noise of fans and whatever inside your PC are being passed onto it, some internal microphone or something. I remember trying to record with a laptop a while back. Even when I had the internal microphone disabled, I still got the fan noise on the recording.

[Lonehdrider]

I also get noise from the monitor if I'm recording using Pro Audio, turning the guitar a certain way away from it does help a bit, but its there. I know I could back off of it and get a longer mouse extension that'd help cue up the 'band' as it were... :p
I'm using a USB input for direct recording, thats noticibly cleaner than the sound card input I was using before, its all just for fun though, if I got serious I'd probably get a better input card with multiple channels.

Regards,

Lone

Ps: I know its not the beloved 'analog' recording, but digital does have its good points, looping a rythymn part for one thing instead of playing a boring set of chords for the tune.