A lot of good information in this
active thread about software-based processors. I've tried to answer your questions below.
Quote: Originally Posted by RPM_VR4
Isn't that type of stuff better performed with a real car electronics EQ/Pre-Amp (like a high-end headunit or a hide away box)?
Traditionally, yes but the landscape is changing. Processor/RAM have always been limiting factors. These become cheaper by the day and they're at a point where a typical, reasonably-priced setup is going to have adequate power to handle it. So, software options are becoming more practical and their flexibility is just about limitless.
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I've never liked the idea of connecting a PC sound card directly to a car amplifier. Can a good PC sound card really get you 4V (or higher) pre-outs like a headunit/pre-amp can do? Is the volume range on the PC as good or better than out-putting line-level to a head unit and using it for volume?
Soundcards are getting there. Most are still 2V, but 4V are starting to appear. Excellent sound quality is pretty easy to find nowadays.
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I hate software controlled volume anyway... you never know when a "bug" in some program is going to blast your head off. I like my system to be able to go that loud at max, but only when I want it to, not when real-player or quick-time decide to randomly set the windows mixer to max.
Also, most OEM setups do not have volume controls on the touch-screen. Those are always steering wheel-controls and/or buttons/knobs near the screen. It is easy to add a nice car IR remote (pioneer/alpine/sony/etc) to your PC system for up/down/left/right/enter navigation as well as using it for head-unit only volume control. I have my OEM steering wheel controls wired to send the same IR as my remote for volume control on the HU and next/prev track on the PC as well.
This is personal preference, but I would definitely rather have all the system controls on the TS interface than having an extra DIN-sized unit in the dash or fiddling with a remote.
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Plus, with hardware only volume/mixer/eq control, that leaves more space on your front-end for navigational buttons instead of having those damn vol+/-/mute buttons that David still hasn't made optional (hint, hint
).
I would imagine that the front end would have a separate screen for the EQ/time-alignment functions since the functions are fairly complex and may require a lot of screen real-estate. Plus, they're typically set-and-forget...you wouldn't want to accidently change the time alignment of your front-left tweeter when you miss hitting the volume button by a hair.