Audio Stream Input/Output

ASIO (Audio Stream Input Output) is a low latency audio application programming interface designed by Steinberg (developers of software Cubase and VST technology) for high speed communications between audio hardware and software, such as the the interaction between MIDI Controllers and MIDI Sequencers needed by musicians and studio engineers. ASIO can be used to access multiple sound I/O simultanously.

Description

In order to create a more direct path to the hardware, and also make the hardware more responsive to the software's needs, Steinberg of Germany (developer of the popular Cubase digital sequencer and Nuendo digital audio workstation) developed Audio Stream In/Out (ASIO) technology. ASIO has made its mark as the driver standard for delivering low-latency transfer of digital audio. This means that hardware supporting an ASIO driver is able to deliver low-latency recording and monitoring to hard disk.

The low latency made possible by ASIO, for example, allows you to sing into a Microphone and hear your voice going through software and hardware effects with virtually no delay in the signal. The effects of a low-latency ASIO driver make it ideal for use with Virtual Studio Technology (VST) instruments, plug-ins, and all other software-based synthesizers. Many of these devices can be played back in real time from MIDI output devicesThe low latency made possible by ASIO, for example, allows you to sing into a Microphone and hear your voice going through software and hardware effects with virtually no delay in the signal. The effects of a low-latency ASIO driver make it ideal for use with Virtual Studio Technology (VST) instruments, plug-ins, and all other software-based synthesizers. Many of these devices can be played back in real time from MIDI output devices

After Steinberg was bought by a seperate company, they released the SDK (Developement Kit) to the public free of charge on their website. There have been several attempts made by 3rd party developers to write drivers in order to bring ASIO to all consumer grade soundcards (see asio4all). There has been a seperate plugin written for Foobar2000 allowing users with access to ASIO to use it for other purposes, mainly low-latency kernel streaming (see foo_out_asio).

See also

• MIDI

Notes and references

1. All You Need To Know About ASIO. Article from Creative.

External links

• ASIO SDK official Steinberg website of the SDK developement package
• asio4all website of the German 3rd party developement effort and universal WDM drivers.
• ASIO in Wikipedia