Sound card problems constitute a large percentage of our calls for assistance. Usually, the problems are very simple to resolve. It is good to know sound cards work, what some of the considerations behind installing them are, and some of the newer technologies out there.

How sound cards work
components | sound card chipsets


Non-integrated sound cards


Integrated sound and motherboard chipsets
integrated sound countrollers | a primer on motherboard chipsets


Upgrading sound cards

How sound cards work

PCTech.com has a good discussion on sound card technologies

- Components

Generally, sound cards consist of the following components:

- A digital signal processor (DSP) for instruction processing
- a digital to analog converter (DAC) for speaker output
- an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for inputs such as microphones, and tape players
- read-only memory (ROM) for storing data
- musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) for connecting to external music equipment
- a game port for connecting a joystick or gamepad
- For many cards, the game port is also used to connect an external MIDI adapter
- jacks for connecting speakers and microphones, as well as line in and line out


- Sound Card Chipsets

Just as motherboards have chipsets, so do sound cards ( and all other types of expansion cards). The chipset processes the digital information that eventually becomes sound. Sound cards from different vendors can actually use the same chipset. Other bundled features and software then serve to distinguish one card from the other.

At the bare minimum, sound cards are considered "Sound Blaster Pro compatible", and will work with a Sound Blaster pro driver. However, advanced features will not necessarily be available. Examples of chipsets on the market include:

Cirrus Logic
CMedia
Yamaha Drivers

A good example is Turtle Beach's chart showing which of its cards have which kinds of chipsets.
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Non-integrated sound cards

The two most popular sound card vendors are Creative, which produces the Soundblaster line, and Turtle Beach.

Soundblaster: This was the original sound card, produced in 1989, and it dominates the market. The current models include:

Soundblaster Live!
Soundblaster Audigy
Soundblaster Audigy 2
Soundblaster Extigy (external, usb connection)

Turtle Beach produces the following cards:

Santa Cruz

Please note that with the exception of the Soundblaster Extigy, all sound cards mentioned here are internal PCI expansion cards.

Integrated sound cards and motherboard chipsets

- Integrated sound controllers

Many motherboards, especially the lower end variety, have sound capabilitites built in as 'integrated audio'. The digital controller for integrated m/b sound is located in the m/b chipset, and the enabled/disabled status of the controller can be toggled in the BIOS.

The fact that the sound controller is integrated into the m/b doesn't mean that the sound is low quality. If the system has a lot of memory and a decently strong cpu, the sound is very good. The difference is that the cpu is burdened with more processing than in a system with a non-integrated card.

To find drivers for integrated sound cards, you find the page for the computer vendor/model or m/b vendor/model.

Asus
Abit
Gigabyte
Intel
MSI
Soyo

In order to download the right driver, you have to be able to recognize the motherboard. Click here for the training on recognizing motherboards.


- A primer on motherboard chipsets
A tutorial discussion on chipset technology from hardwarecentral.com

Every motherboard has a 'chipset'. The chipset controls the flow of data on the m/b bus, and dictates how the indivicual devices on the m/m talk to each other. Each chipset has two components: the northbridge (positioned higher on the m/b) and the southbridge (positioned lower on the m/b).
screenshot


You may download audio drivers specific to the chipset on the m/b to get the integrated audio to work. This is especially important for mom and pop systems with motherboards that are difficult to recognize. Since the chipset is always labeled, you may go to the chipset vendor's website and download the appropriate driver.

Here are some motherboard chipset websites:

Via
Intel Chipsets

Motherboards.org has a 'chipset' database you may refer to as well.
go >>

Upgrading sound cards

Upgrading sound cards is no different from upgrading any other type of card. The basic process for installing a new card is as follows:

- Go to the device manager.
- Expand 'sound, video, and game controllers'.
- Remove all sound components.
- Shut the computer off. Remove the sound card.
- Restart the computer without the card in it.
- Shut the computer off and insert the new card.
- Make sure you have the drivers, and install the them.

If the student needs help in upgrading the software for an already installed card, you need to identify the current card, and go to the card's vendor sute to download and install an updated driver.

If the student has a major vendor comuter, go to the major vendor site and download the driver for the particular model.

If the student has a mom and pop computer with integrated sound, and you can recognize the motherboard, go to the m/b site, and download the sound driver for the appropriate board.

If the student has a mom and pop computer with integrated sound, and you cannot recognize the m/b, look at the chipset. Then, go to the website for the chipset and download the sound driver.

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