adding a sound card

8/3/2019 Adding a Sound Card

1/10

51ADDING A

SOUND CARD

1406

CONTENTS AT A GLANCE

Of all the expansion devices developed for the PC, the sound board is certainly one ofthe fastest-growing and most exciting. Only a few years ago, sound boards were little

more than high-end replacements for the PCs internal speaker. But today, the sound

board represents a sophisticated piece of audio engineering and digital signal processing

that is capable of reproducing sound and MIDI files with a startling fidelity. Current soundboards offer many extra features, such as rudimentary speech recognition and sophisti-

cated MIDI ports capable of recording and synthesizing orchestra-quality music. Even

CD audio can be mixed and played through current sound boards.

Although the sound board has become a vital element of most modern games, it has also

become a staple of business presentations and multimedia displays. Practically speaking,

the sound board is standard equipment for todays PCs. You will probably find yourself

Considering a Sound Board UpgradeThe pros and cons of sound boards

Performing the UpgradeStatic precautionsPrepare the system

Removing the old board

Install the new board

Connect the cables

Install the DOS software

Install the Windows 3.1x software

Install the Windows 95 software

Test the sound board

Troubleshooting the Upgrade

Further Study


2/10

adding sound boards to older systems (Fig. 51-1), or recommending and replacing the

sound boards in current systems to take advantage of newer features. This chapter is in-

tended to explain the important points to keep in mind when planning an upgrade, illus-

trate a typical upgrade procedure, and show you how to deal with upgrade problems.

Considering a Sound Board UpgradeChoosing a sound board is not always an easy task. The many different models available

cover a wide range of price and performance levels. Although virtually all sound boards

exhibit similar basic functions, their noise and distortion levels can be noticeably different,

as well as their performance in the bass and treble frequency regions. Sound boards also

compete, based on added functionality, such as a MIDI port, joystick port, CD-ROM

adapter, and add-on software utilities. As with all upgrades, advance planning is important

for success (and a vendor with liberal return or exchange policies is often your greatest ally):

s Check your customers requirements Selecting an appropriate sound board is largely dri-

ven by your customers preferences. For example, a customer looking for a basic sound

board to support game play is probably looking to spend as little as possible, and will likely

be satisfied by a simple, low-cost board. On the other hand, an audiophile who plans to

connect a MIDI organ and compose music needs a very wide response, low-noise, low-dis-tortion sound board and a MIDI port with a large selection of voices. If youre replacing

a defective sound board, the replacement should have features and performance specifica-

tions similar to the original board (unless the customer specifies something different).

s Consider the PC system resources needed by the board This is an important (and often

neglected) consideration because sound boards are often the single greatest resource

CONSIDERING A SOUND BOARD UPGRADE 1407

3SYSTEMMAINTENANCEAND

SUPPORT

FIGURE 51-1 Inserting a sound board into an available

expansion slot. Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.


3/10

load in a PC. Table 51-1 lists the typical resource assignments for a Creative Lab

AWE32. Most sound boards are built as 16-bit expansion boards, so the host PC must

have a full ISA slot available. A sound board will require at least one IRQ line, one

DMA channel, and one I/O port address (an extra I/O area might be needed for a joystick

port). However, most of the current general-purpose sound boards are being built with

integrated CD-ROM drive controllers. That drive controller will also require its own

IRQ line and I/O port. A MIDI port and WaveEffects options (when enabled) demand

additional I/O ranges for a base address and advanced synthesizer operation. Thus, one

sound board (such as the Creative Labs AWE32) might demand up to two IRQ lines,

two DMA channels, and up to eight I/O port ranges to support all of the boards features.

s Consider the sound cards MPC compatibility Although MPC support is not manda-

tory for a working sound board, it might complicate operations under Windows or Win-

dows 95, but virtually all sound boards manufactured today are compatible with the

Multimedia PC (MPC) standards supported by Microsoft Corporation and other MPCmembers. Sound boards that are MPC-compatible will often bear the MPC logo some-

where on the box or manuals. Sound boards made by companies that are not members

of the MPC council might carry markings on the box such as MPC-compliant (you

can find MPC specifications in Appendix A).

s Choose new speakers carefully No matter how good your sound board is, the output

quality that you hear is largely influenced by your speakers (Fig. 51-2). Using a set of

cheap, unshielded $20 speakers with a high-end $200 sound board is a serious waste of

money and performance. Similarly, feeding the signal from a $70 Sound Blaster into a

$200 to $300 amplified speaker system will not improve the sound cards output. For

best results, match the quality of the speakers with the quality of the board. If the cus-

tomer does not want to spend extra money on an appropriate speaker setup, they can run

the sound cards line output to the auxiliary (AUX) input of a stereo system.

s Choose the appropriate microphone for recording As with speakers, the sound record-ings made by even the best sound board are only as good as the microphone itself. A

good-quality, sensitive (-47dB or better) microphone with a wide frequency response,

a low impedance (about 680 ohms), and a high signal-to-noise ratio (60 dB or better),

and shielded cabling will yield a better recording than low-end microphones. Once

again, match the microphone with the application.

1408 ADDING A SOUND CARD

TABLE 51-1 RESOURCES USED BY A TYPICALSOUND BOARD

FEATURE IRQ DMA I/O

Game port 200h-207h

Sound port 5 1 or 5 220h233h

MPU-401/MIDI port 330h331h

FM music synthesizer 388h38Bh

WAV effects 620h623h

WAV effects A20hA23h

WAV effects E20hE23h

CD-ROM interface 11 340h343h


4/10

s Check for motherboard sound systems In addition to drive and video controller features,

new motherboards now sometimes include a Sound Blaster-compatible sound system.If you choose to install a stand-alone sound card to take advantage of superior features,

youll need to DISABLE the motherboards sound system before installing the sound

board. On-board sound systems are typically disabled through a jumper on the mother-

board or through the systems CMOS setup. You might also need to remove the refer-

ences to the motherboards sound system through the Windows 95 Device manager.

s Consider the package deals seriously Sound boards are typically available as stand-

alone products, but the explosive growth of multimedia applications has resulted in the

trend toward multimedia kitshardware and software bundles including a CD-ROM,

integrated sound board/drive controller, interconnecting cables, matching microphone,

and piles of software titles. Such kits are just a bit more expensive than sound cards

alone, but provide several upgrade options in the same purchase. The sound board con-

tained in a kit is also a bit lower-end. Audiophiles might be disappointed, but is often

satisfactory for casual and business use. General-purpose users who need a CD-ROMdrive and sound board might find a multimedia kit to be an unbeatable value.

s Check the cost and availability The prices for sound boards are dropping quickly and

older models are rapidly being outdated by newer, more powerful designs. As a result, the

sound board installed in a system today will likely not be available in 18 to 24 months

this makes direct replacement of failed sound boards very difficult. On the other hand, it

offers the customer an interesting choice: replace the board with a similar model that will

probably be much less expensive than the original or buy a new card for about the same

money as the original and take advantage of the new features that are available.

THE PROS AND CONS OF SOUND BOARDS

There are very few negative aspects of having a sound boardeven a low-end sound

board is generally better than no sound board at all. However, the playback of sound and

CONSIDERING A SOUND BOARD UPGRADE 1409


SUPPORT

FIGURE 51-2 Connecting speakers to the sound board.

Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.


5/10

voice files requires a substantial amount of data (especially at high sampling rates). All of

this data must be moved across the expansion bus, which is almost always ISA. The prob-lem is that older systems (usually i286 and many i386 systems) could not process data fast

enough to keep up, and still handle all of the systems other processing demands (e.g.,

timers, drives, video, etc.). The net result was invariably problems with the playback, such

as clicks, pops, hiccups, and outright sound interruptions. Ultimately, sound boards are

well-suited for most i486 and all Pentium-based systems with plenty or processing power.

But in older systems, sound boards are sometimes a less-than-ideal choice.

Performing the UpgradeFortunately, adding a sound card to a system is a remarkably straightforward procedure.

The only real problem areas are in hardware conflicts and software installation. This partof the chapter covers the essential steps and precautions that you will need to remember

when installing a sound card. Although the chances of a system failure during the upgrade

are extremely remote, it is always wise to backup any vital files or programs before open-

ing the system.

STATIC PRECAUTIONS

Most of the ICs used in todays expansion boards are fabricated with technologies that

make them extremely sensitive toElectroStatic Discharge (ESD). To ensure the safe han-

dling of sound boards and other system components during the upgrade, take the following

precautions. First, use an anti-static wrist strap whenever handling components or tools in-

side the PC. Cable the wrist strap to another reliable earth ground. Next, always try to han-

dle expansion boards by their edgesavoid touching the individual IC pins or printedwiring. Third, if you will be removing an old sound board, have a good-quality anti-static

bag on hand to store it in. Under no circumstances should you allow a sound board (or any

expansion board) to rest on a synthetic or static-prone surface. Finally, excessively dry en-

vironments tend to allow substantial buildups of static charges in objects, clothing, and

bodies. If it is possible, try to work in an environment with at least 40% humidity.

PREPARE THE SYSTEM

At this point, you can prepare the system for its upgrade. Be especially careful of screw-

driver blades when working inside the PC. If you should slip, the blade can easily gouge

the motherboard (or an expansion board) and result in broken traces. It pays to be careful

and gentle when upgrading a expansion device. Before you even consider opening the PC

cover, turn the system off, and unplug it from the ac receptacle. This helps to ensure your

safety by preventing the PC from being powered accidentally while you are working on it.

Remove the screws that hold down the outer cover and place them in a safe place. Gen-

tly remove the PCs outer cover and set it aside (out of the path of normal floor traffic).

You should now be able to look into the PC and observe the motherboard, along with any

expansion boards and drives that are installed. If you will be replacing an existing sound



6/10

board, now is the time for you to label any cables connected to it. Labels need not be

fancya roll of masking tape and an indelible marker are all that is required.

REMOVING THE OLD BOARD

If no sound board is in the PC, feel free to skip right down and continue with the next step.

Otherwise, start by disconnecting any cables that are attached to the current sound board

(be sure each cable is labeled). You can then remove the screw that attaches the board

bracket to the chassis, then gently ease the board from its expansion slot. Be sure to han-

dle the board by its edges. When the old board is removed, seal it in an anti-static bag and

set it aside. Look for several important cables:

s The speaker output cable.

s The microphone input cable (if a microphone is attached).

s The line input cable (if youre mixing in a source from outside of the sound board).s The CD audio cable (between the CD-ROM drive and sound board).

s The CD-ROM drive interface cable (if theres a CD-ROM in the system using that in-

terface).

s The 15-pin joystick or MIDI interface cable.

INSTALL THE NEW BOARD

Find an open expansion slot for the new sound board. Virtually all sound boards today are

16-bit devices, so you will need a full ISA slot. The card slot should also accommodate a

full-length board. For legacy-type sound boards, check each jumper on the new sound

board and see that none of the IRQ, DMA, or I/O settings conflict with other devices in the

system. Use the PC Configuration Form in the Appendix to record the sound boards set-

tings and tape the form inside the PC enclosure. If problems arise, this list will help iso-late conflict problems. Ease the new board into its expansion slot (Fig. 51-1) and be

careful to avoid flexing the motherboard too much in the process. Once the board is in-

stalled properly, secure the board bracket to the PC chassis with the single screw.

CONNECT THE CABLES

Now that the new sound board is in place, re-connect the cables as required. As a mini-

mum, you will need to connect speakers, but you might also have to connect a CD-audio

cable, CD-ROM drive interface cable, microphone, MIDI or joystick cable, etc. After each

of the cables are secured, you can re-connect ac to the computer and reboot the system.

INSTALL THE DOS SOFTWARE

Sound boards require the installation of DOS driver software to set up and configure the

board each time the PC is initialized. Other sound-board specific software is usually

needed to operate the CD-ROM drive (if the sound board contains a drive controller).

Where configuration utilities are loaded, executed, then discarded during initialization,

drive controller software typically takes the form of device drivers that stay resident in

PERFORMING THE UPGRADE 1411


SUPPORT


7/10

memory after initialization. If you are installing a CD-ROM also, you will need the DOS

extension: MSCDEX.EXE.When installing a new sound board to replace an old board, you will need to replace the

software already configured in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Before installing

the new software, open CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT into a text editor and place

a REM statement before each command line that references any old sound board soft-

warethis effectively disables those lines without removing them. Be sure to save each

of the changes you make. You can then proceed to install the new sound boards software

(usually from an installation diskette). Most current installation routines will automati-

cally add the new command line references to CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.

INSTALL THE WINDOWS 3.1X SOFTWARE

To support the sound board in Windows 3.1x, you will have to see that any necessary

sound board drivers are loaded under the Windows 3.1x Control panel. Add any necessary

drivers. If you have a CD-ROM drive and CD-audio cable attached to the sound board, be

sure to include the MCI CD audio driver, which allows CD audio to be played through the

sound board. If youre using a Windows 95 system, refer to the step below.

INSTALL THE WINDOWS 95 SOFTWARE

Once Windows 95 starts, youll need to install the proper drivers and utilities for the sound

card. If the sound card is Plug-and-Play ready, Windows 95 will probably identify the new

sound hardware automatically, and attempt to install drivers for it. If your sound board has

a Windows 95 driver diskette, be sure to use the driver diskette as the source for the new

drivers (otherwise, Windows 95 might install older or incompatible drivers).

If the sound card is an older legacy device (or does not fully support Plug and Play),

Windows 95 will not identify the new sound card automatically. Instead, you will need to

remove the old sound-board references in the Windows 95 Device manager, and use the

Add new hardware wizard under the Windows 95 Control panel to identify the sound

board and install its drivers. Once again, you should have a Windows 95 driver diskette

handy to ensure that the latest drivers are installed for your specific sound board.


Be sure to make a backup copy of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files before

you attempt to edit them.

These alterations to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files are only needed if

youre using the sound board under DOS or Windows 3.1x. If you work exclusively un-

der Windows 95, you do not have to provide DOS support.

Even if Windows 95 correctly identifies and installs the new sound card, you might need

to manually remove the old sound card (if one was installed) from the Windows 95 De-

vice manager yourself before the new sound card will function.


8/10

TEST THE SOUND BOARD

Many different sound boards include a small test routine on the accompanying softwaredisk. You can usually run such a routine directly from the floppy disk or install it on the

hard drive and run it from there. Typically, the test routine will check sound (i.e., a .WAV

file) and MIDI (music) operation. If both features work as expected, you can be confident

that the speakers are connected and that the sound board is installed properly. If either (or

both) features fail to work, re-examine the installation, check that all necessary software

was installed correctly and check for any hardware conflicts between the sound board and

other devices in the system.

Troubleshooting the UpgradeSound boards are modular devices that are interconnected by relatively few cables. As a

result, sound boards are reasonably easy to troubleshoot. The most difficult part of trou-

bleshooting is the inconvenience of removing and re-installing a legacy sound board to

check jumper settings. The following symptoms are intended to help guide you through

some of the more difficult installation problems.

Symptom 51-1. After a new sound board is installed, the system locks up

when trying to play sound and/or MIDI files This is typical of a system hardware

conflict between a legacy sound board and one or more other devices in the PC. Unfor-

tunately, the only real way to resolve this type of problem is to remove the sound board

and check its IRQ, DMA, and I/O settings against other boards in the PC. This is often a

cumbersome and time-consuming process. As an alternative, try a diagnostic (such as

MSD or one of the shareware diagnostic tools included with this book). If the diagnostic

results prove inconclusive, try a hardware diagnostic, such as The Discovery Card by

AllMicro, which reveals active IRQ lines and DMA channels. You can compare the ac-

tive resources against the sound-board settings, then adjust any settings that overlap.

Also check the sound-board software that is called by CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.

If you have replaced an older sound board, be sure that any command-line references to the

older software has been properly disabled with the REM statement. If you need assistance

with conflict troubleshooting, refer to Chapter 10.

If youre trying to use a PnP sound board under DOS, youll need to add a DOS PnP con-

figuration utility to your CONFIG.SYS file. The driver diskette that accompanied the PnP

sound board should include an appropriate version of this driver. You might need to use

this configuration utility to reserve the IRQ, DMA, and I/O resources being used by

other legacy devices in the systemthis will prevent the PnP BIOS from accidentally as-signing the sound board to resources that are in use elsewhere.

Symptom 51-2. The system does not lock up during use, but there is no

sound provided by the board Start with the basics. Be sure that the speakers are

turned on and powered properly, then check that the speaker cable is properly plugged into

the speaker out jackspeakers inadvertently plugged into the microphone in jack will not

TROUBLESHOOTING THE UPGRADE 1413


SUPPORT


9/10

produce any sound. Next, check the sound boards volume control and be sure it is turned

up at least 75%.Under DOS, check the sound-board software that is called by CONFIG.SYS and AU-

TOEXEC.BAT. See that the sound-board software is installed properly. If you have re-

placed an older sound board, be sure that any command-line references to the older

software has been properly disabled with the REM statement. Under Windows 95, see that

no conflicts are listed in the Device manager and verify that the correct sound board drivers

are installed.

If problems persist, a hardware conflict might occur between the sound board and PC.

Remove the sound board and check its IRQ, DMA, and I/O settings against other boards

in the PCthis is often a cumbersome and time-consuming process. As an alternative, try

a diagnostic, such as MSD or one of the shareware diagnostic tools included with this

book. If the diagnostic results prove inconclusive, try a hardware diagnostic, such as The

Discovery Card by AllMicro, which reveals active IRQ lines and DMA channels. You can

compare the active resources against the sound board settings, then adjust any settingsthat overlap. If all else fails, try another sound board.

Symptom 51-3. The sound board works, but there is no CD audio under

DOS In almost all cases, no audio cable is between the CD-ROM drive and the sound

board, or the cable is damaged. Check the cable and try a new one. Some CD audio ca-

bles are wired a bit differently and will not work with generic CD-ROM and sound-board

combinations. Also verify that the correct complement of DOS sound card and CD-ROM

drivers are installed to support CD audio playback (check to see if a patch or update driver

is available).

Symptom 51-4. The sound board works, but there is no CD audio under

Windows 95 First, suspect that the audio cable between the CD-ROM and sound boardis absent, disconnected, or damaged. Check the cable and try a new one. If the cable

checks properly, check the Device manager to verify that the correct complement of Win-

dows 95 sound card and CD-ROM drivers are installed to support CD audio playback

(check to see if a patch or update driver is available).

Symptom 51-5. There is no sound during Windows events Windows sounds

are selected through the Sounds dialog under the Control panel. If no sounds are assigned,

no sounds will be generated during Windows events. Check the Sounds dialog and be sure

the desired sounds are assigned. If the proper sounds are assigned (but there are still no

event sounds), check for the presence of sound-board drivers in the Device manager.

Symptom 51-6. The sound board appears to work properly after instal-

lation, but now there is not enough conventional memory to run DOS ap-

plications This problem is typical with current systemsthe many drivers and

TSRs used to support advanced features each demand their own area of memory.

Eventually, there will no longer be enough memory for running applications. Use

memory optimization techniques to load as many drivers and TSRs as possible into the

Upper Memory Area (UMA).



10/10

Further StudyThat concludes Chapter 51. Be sure to review the glossary and chapter questions on theaccompanying CD. If you have access to the Internet, take some time to review these

sound upgrade resources:

Creative Labs: http://www.creaf.com

Altec-Lansing: http://www.altecmm.com

Aztech Labs: http://www.aztechca.com

Diamond Multimedia: http:/www.diamondmm.com

Sony Multimedia: http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/ccpg/index.html

FURTHER STUDY 1415


SUPPORT

adding a sound card

Documents