nocable patch vs. Realtone cable experience

[norulz]

Hello everyone, I’d like to share my experience on using nocable patch and realtone cable. Maybe it’s going to be helpful for people who are wondering whether it’s worth saving some money and use a nocable patch.
I started to play Rocksmith with a nocable fix, because I wanted to learn how to play guitar without spending huge amount of money (for example I bought my used Ibanez gax30 for 50$ + Rocksmith 2014 during steam winter sale), so buying an extra guitar cable + shipping cost = almost the price of the guitar, which seemed a bit irrational to me.
I downloaded the patch and got huge problems with guitar buzzing and latency right away. It took some time for me to figure out how to set it up properly.
The patch runs decently only on 1 out of 4 PCs. On the other PCs, I couldn’t even get the proper tone.
The RTC was finally purchased, and I compared it to nocable fix:
1. First and foremost, I didn’t have to set up the cable or change properties in Rocksmith.ini. I just plugged it into a usb port (as for my PC, it works with usb 3.0 port too), windows updated the driver. It works like a charm.
2. Both windows 7 and windows 10 recognize the device.
3. It works on 4 out of 4 pcs which I’ve tested.
4. I have no guitar buzz or latency issues whatsoever whilst playing the game at default settings.
5. The ingame guitar tone became better, the signal from guitar doesn’t falter.

Though a lot of people say they have problems with their RTCs I didn’t experience any of them. Maybe I will have to replace the 6.3 jack in the future because they seem to tear, but it’s not of a big deal.

Moral of the story: don’t try to save up money using nonauthentic cables, or third party patches. Save you time and nerves, buy the RTC for the best experience. I wish I bought it since the beginning... :/

[Cataleya22 (⁠ᵔ⁠ᴥ⁠ᵔ)]

Yeah, tried it in the past, didn't really work even with a lot of tweaking.

If you convert the time to put into that with the RTC, its simply the best choice and money wel spent, even more if you can score it cheap somewhere.

But i see a guide still exist on this forum regarding this. Would it be possible to remove it since it puts people on the wrong track......?

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by norulz:

don’t try to save up money using nonauthentic cables

Correct.

Originally posted by norulz:

buy the RTC for the best experience.

Wrong. For example, my Line6 PODxt multi-effects processor not only sends the signal to the game but also works as a tuner and AB/Y pedals. Isn't this a better experience than you received with RTC?

[Barabajagal]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by norulz:

don’t try to save up money using nonauthentic cables

Correct.

Originally posted by norulz:

buy the RTC for the best experience.

Wrong. For example, my Line6 PODxt multi-effects processor not only sends the signal to the game but also works as a tuner and AB/Y pedals. Isn't this a better experience than you received with RTC?

But you'll recall, the op was trying to get by on-the-cheap. I'm certain your Line6 PODxt multi-effects processor costs a whole lot more than a mere RTC. For myself personally, I have two PCs on opposite ends of the house plus an Xbox in-between so the RTC is the best solution for a quick no-fuss-no-muss-plug-in and practice. Glad your setup works for you though.

[grimlog]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by norulz:

don’t try to save up money using nonauthentic cables

Correct.

Originally posted by norulz:

buy the RTC for the best experience.

Wrong. For example, my Line6 PODxt multi-effects processor not only sends the signal to the game but also works as a tuner and AB/Y pedals. Isn't this a better experience than you received with RTC?

You get no automatic tone switches and must switch manually after programming fitting sounds for your Line6 for every single song. Not a good experience in my opinion. My RTC sends the signal to the game and the sounds are processed there. No need for an AB/Y-box with this setup. My effects-processor on the other hand sends its signal to my tube amp which is connected to a 4x12. Isn't this a better experience than yours?

[Alan]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've been saving up to buy my cable this month, hopefully no unexpected events will occur and can finally enjoy Rocksmith 100% like you

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by Barabajagal:

But you'll recall, the op was trying to get by on-the-cheap.

Yes, but a lot of people buying decent interfaces for recording their guitar, so claiming that cheap RTC would be the best solution is a wrong statement anyway.

Originally posted by grimlog:

You get no automatic tone switches and must switch manually after programming fitting sounds for your Line6 for every single song.

Nop, it works exactly as RTC. There are at least two solutions for this issue, and it's a shame for Ubisoft not to support them officially. I have nothing against RTC, it's a cheap and good way to get into Rocksmith, but it must be optional.

[grimlog]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by grimlog:

You get no automatic tone switches and must switch manually after programming fitting sounds for your Line6 for every single song.

Nop, it works exactly as RTC. There are at least two solutions for this issue, and it's a shame for Ubisoft not to support them officially. I have nothing against RTC, it's a cheap and good way to get into Rocksmith, but it must be optional.

If it works like RTC you use unofficial, unsupported patches to the program. Which is exactly what the OP described. If it works well for you: ok so, but that does not render the answer given by norulz "wrong". The RTC is the best solution for RS: It works out of the box, needs no patches and does not affect support.

[Fyodor Rand]

Patch worked ok but the RTC is a dream, until it starts crapping out on you.
When will someone make a cheap third party version? im already on RTC no.2.
I will have to start giving away the xbox version on disc to my mates who prefer the pc version just so they have a legit copy.

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by grimlog:

If it works like RTC you use unofficial, unsupported patches to the program.

That's not a patch. Launcher doesn't modify the game or interact with it in any way. It's modifying the environment for supplying the game with expected VID/PID and Name for the selected interface. And yes, that's exactly my concern. I believe Ubisoft must release an official and supported solution for connecting guitars via third-party interfaces. Every other teaching software does this.

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by Fyodor Rand:

When will someone make a cheap third party version? im already on RTC no.2.

Someone already did this, you need flash and solder EEPROM chip on CM108 based interface, but it works quite bad :)

[Fyodor Rand]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by Fyodor Rand:

When will someone make a cheap third party version? im already on RTC no.2.

Someone already did this, you need flash and solder EEPROM chip on CM108 based interface, but it works quite bad :)

so they havn't then...... just badly attempted to. wheres the chinese knock off's when you need them.

[grimlog]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by grimlog:

If it works like RTC you use unofficial, unsupported patches to the program.

That's not a patch. Launcher doesn't modify the game or interact with it in any way. It's modifying the environment for supplying the game with expected VID/PID and Name for the selected interface. And yes, that's exactly my concern. I believe Ubisoft must release an official and supported solution for connecting guitars via third-party interfaces. Every other teaching software does this.

Well, I read the source (github, NoCableLauncher, Program.cs). It waits until the program is running (Method HookProcess) and modifies its memory at specific offsets (Method Patch) to fake the RTC. Basically you use some random 3rd party program without knowing what it does at all.

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by grimlog:

Well, I read the source (github, NoCableLauncher, Program.cs).

Believe or not, I did the same. But I have to admit, I was wrong. I thought it was Hook on Device Enumerator because I would do it in this way. But I still disagree naming it patch, because in-memory modifications exactly what launchers do in general.

[grimlog]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

But I still disagree naming it patch, because in-memory modifications exactly what launchers do in general.

You can call it "gorlizukl" or anything else, whatever you prefer. It's still a patch. It's patching the memory of the process at runtime. Of course it's not a source patch. Last time I looked RS wasn't open-source. But there are many ways to apply patches to some program. One of them is doing modifications at runtime. Just what this thing does.
Besides, no matter how you call it:
- it's unsupported
- it's messing with the game
- it does not work out of the box
So, in the end, RTC is still the best option for playing RS. Your Line6 is just a waste of resources when used this way. You don't use any of the features it has to offer. Why would you need the AB/Y-Box it has built-in when you use it like a simple adapter? You want the tuner? A simple, dedicated, good tuner, plugged between guitar and RTC, is a much better and cheaper solution to this.

[alexcustos]

@grimlog It's almost 10 years already since I bought my PODxt, and I own the game for less than a year. So believe me, I know how to use it, and I'm using it with 100% efficiency from time to time. But while you are still here, can you answer why I would need RTC having this interface in my collection?