 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sound Cards
| Some high-end computers now arrive with a PCI Sound Card fitted as an extra piece of hardware attached to the Motherboard. In the early days of computing, sound cards were not required as the only sound a computer made was the 'beep' when it was first switched on. Nobody really considered the computer as a form of entertainment(!), as opposed to a practical tool.
How times have changed! The computer is now considered a multi-media source of entertainment, as well as an essential household and work tool. To play music, or to hear the soundtrack of a film, you will need a sound card, without it, all you will hear is the BIOS beep! The example of the right is an Audigy Soundblaster, a very good all-round sound card. You don't have to fork out shed loads of dosh to get one of these, but if you are serious about your sounds, it sure will help! |
 |
All computers have some form of sound card fitted these days. A lot of the lower-middle spec computers have one built into the motherboard, and can be identified by up to three circular coloured ports at the back of the case. The 'audio out' is the green input, whilst your microphone goes into the pink port. To attach external speakers to your computer, all you have to do is plug the green tipped jack plug into the green audio-out port, and that's it. There is no configuration needed, it just works.
That's all very well for day-to-day listening, what happens if you want something a bit special? Let's fit a PCI sound card!
Fitting Your Sound Card
 |
The example on this page is one of the best you can get, but as I said, you don't need to go to extremes if the budget won't play along with your aspirations. On the other hand, don't be tempted to buy the bargain basement versions either, you WILL be disappointed, in fact the sound quality will be no better than the standard one it is intended to replace.
Open the computer case and have a look inside. You will need at least one spare PCI slot (that's probably one of the white horizontal slots in the bottom left-hand corner of the motherboard - see the picture below). Try to keep the sound card away from the graphics card (if you have one) because both cards generate heat, and heat is not good inside a computer (hence fans). |
 |
Remove the silver blanking plate held in by one screw in the back panel of the computer opposite the intended PCI slot. The sound card will only go in one way, so fitting it is easy, carefully offer the sound card into the slot and make sure it is a firm fit. The screw hole in the sound card should match up with the screw hole in the computer case. Now tighten it in place with the screw you took out from the blanking plate earlier.
There will be a thin cable that came with the sound card which you can use to join the card with the CD/DVD ROM to aid sound transmission from your CD or DVD, although with Windows XP this isn't always required. Now close up the case and re-boot the computer. |
Sometimes BIOS requires you to tell it that a sound card has been fitted, but in most computers this is again not always required as the card is detected automatically. When Windows has re-booted you will have a 'bubble' window informing you that new hardware has been detected. At this stage, do not allow windows to install the software automatically, but put the driver disc that came with the card into your CD ROM. The disc should auto-run and you will be presented with various options about installing software.
Follow the guidelines on the disc and install the PCI drivers and any other bits of software that you want, which depends upon the manufacturer.
No Sound?
Okay, so you have installed the software, plugged in your speakers in the green port on your new sound card and nothing happens. First thing to try is to re-boot your computer. Still no sound? You would be amazed at the number of calls we get with this problem and the simple answer is to make sure the speakers are powered up and switched on with the volume level set at about 35%!
Still No Sound?
Is the speakers power light on? Put the audio jack plug back into the original sound port in the back of the computer. How you got sound now? If the answer is yes, then BIOS will have to be informed that the sound card is installed. Re-boot the computer, but this time when it starts to boot up again, press the 'Delete' key repeatedly until a blue screen appears with your BIOS settings. If you are unsure what a BIOS screen looks like, click here and a new window will open with a typical BIOS screen image.
You are looking for the section called 'Integrated Peripherals', scroll down to this part and hit 'enter' on your keyboard. In the list in front of you should be something like 'AC97 Audio', it will also say either 'Auto' or 'Enabled' (probably Auto). Scroll down to AC97 Audio and hit the '+' key on your keyboard, 'Auto' will changed to 'Disabled'.
Now exit BIOS by hitting the f10 key on your keyboard and confirming that you want to save the changes and exit. The computer will continue to boot up into Windows normally, this time with your new soundcard working!
I know the above sounds a bit scary, especially if you have never been into your BIOS settings before, but it is the only way to get your cards to work if all else fails.