How to tell if your Motherboard supports HD Audio or PC97?

[Habibrobert]

Hello,

Up until now I've only been using my computer's back panel audio connections. Ive decided to try and connect the front panel audio wires into the motherboard and see if I can use those instead.

I'm using an MSI P45-C53 motherboard in an Antec case. The case has two types of audio connections, which I took a picture of. There is one connecter that is the form of a block (for lack of a better word), and the other one is little individual pin connectors which are directly attached to the block audio connector. The block audio connector doesn't have anything labeled, but the individual connectors are labeled Mic, Mic bias etc... which makes me think it is a PC97 connector. Since the wires are not otherwise labeled, I'm wondering what the purpose of the block connector is? It it the HD audio cable? I'm confide as to why it is directly connected to the PC97 connector.

Now my motherboard's manual shows that there is only one location for the audio ports- a 10 pin heading... It does not mention whether or not if it accept an HD audio connection or a PC97 connection. When I look at the connections from the motherboard wire, I count 7 wires, not 10, so I'm wondering why that is? When I plug in the block connector to the motherboard, I do not get any sound coming through the front panel, so I'm starting to get really confused, can anyone clear things up for me? I'm wondering if I need to rearrange the wires in the block connector? The problem is, none of the wires are labeled!

Sorry for the long message!

Many Thanks!

[lakedude]

Originally Posted by Habibrobert

Hello,

Up until now I've only been using my computer's back panel audio connections. Ive decided to try and connect the front panel audio wires into the motherboard and see if I can use those instead.

I'm using an MSI P45-C53 motherboard in an Antec case. The case has two types of audio connections, which I took a picture of. There is one connecter that is the form of a block (for lack of a better word), and the other one is little individual pin connectors which are directly attached to the block audio connector. The block audio connector doesn't have anything labeled, but the individual connectors are labeled Mic, Mic bias etc... which makes me think it is a PC97 connector. Since the wires are not otherwise labeled, I'm wondering what the purpose of the block connector is? It it the HD audio cable? I'm confide as to why it is directly connected to the PC97 connector.

Now my motherboard's manual shows that there is only one location for the audio ports- a 10 pin heading... It does not mention whether or not if it accept an HD audio connection or a PC97 connection. When I look at the connections from the motherboard wire, I count 7 wires, not 10, so I'm wondering why that is? When I plug in the block connector to the motherboard, I do not get any sound coming through the front panel, so I'm starting to get really confused, can anyone clear things up for me? I'm wondering if I need to rearrange the wires in the block connector? The problem is, none of the wires are labeled!

Sorry for the long message!

Many Thanks!

Don't hook it up wrong! I did that once and stuff got really hot. Didn't realize about the 2 different standards. Checking for you now...

[lakedude]

I'm finding p45-c51 or p43c53 but not P45-C53??

[lakedude]

Use this along with your manual to compare pinouts:

http://support.creative.com/kb/showa...aspx?sid=14133

If your MB is the 43 53 it seems to have HD style pinouts.

Pins 4 and 7 are either ground and 5v if PC97 or PRESENCE# and SENSE_SEND if HD.

The loose wires are Azalia which is evidently the same as HD.

I suspect you will need to get your good glasses on and wire each little connector individually...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_H...finition_Audio

[Smoblikat]

Ive always used HD audio, I thought AC-97 was just some dumb thing manufacturers put on because they could....................

[Habibrobert]

Hello lakedude,

Thanks very much for the link! I will give that a try and let you guys know if I run into any issues.

Thanks again for the help!

[lamedude]

Originally Posted by Smoblikat

Ive always used HD audio, I thought AC-97 was just some dumb thing manufacturers put on because they could....................

AC-97 was the old standard. HD Audio replaced it in 04 with the 9xx series and most nForce5 chipsets. I guess there is a big market for 8 year old mobo's that case makers don't want to lose.

[Jstn7477]

Should likely be HD Audio. Like others said, AC '97 went away around when AGP did more or less.

[mikopiko]

Originally Posted by Jstn7477

Should likely be HD Audio. Like others said, AC '97 went away around when AGP did more or less.

I concur.