Question high definition(hd) audio in motherboards? why is there 3 auio port in some mother boards

[alexy]

what do you meant by high definition(hd) audio in some motherboards? why is there 3 audio port in some mother boards and 6-7 in other motherboards? can you explain these????

 

[VirtualLarry]

Each 3.5mm audio jack generally carries two signals. Back in the early days, it was just "Stereo".

But now, computers have "5.1 Audio" and "7.1 Audio". 5.1 has three jacks, each carrying two of the signals. (Generally, Left Front, Right Front, Left Rear, Right Rear, and then Center/Subwoofer.) 7.1 has an additional jack for two more signals.

Some motherboards claim 7.1, but require you to use your front-panel (stereo) header, to the headphone jack up front, to use as the additional dual channels to make up the 7.1, along with the three jacks in back.

Note also, that in "Stereo Mode", the three jacks in back, are Blue, Green, and Pink. The Blue is line-in (I think), Green is Headphone/Speaker (stereo) (out), and the pink is "Mic in" (mic/bias).

So you have to change between Stereo mode, 5.1 Mode, and 7.1 Mode, in software. (Generally, the RealTek Audio control panel tray widget.)

 

[paperfist]

That is a lot of cables for audio! Are any games even able to produce true 7.1?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Generally, no. Games are still stuck in "Stereo Mode". 5.1 and 7.1 "Decoding" is only for "Pre-recorded content" (aka movies, DVD and BR).

I wish that we had more multi-output audio for gaming on PC. The Aureal Vortex sound card could do it, but Creative bought the company, and killed the product.

Edit: I may be wrong. The issue that I am remembering, is with people with "Receivers", that DECODE "Dolby Digital 5.1", etc., to send to their 5.1 setup, connected over SPDIF or Optical.

I now remember, that Windows, when set to 5.1 mode, AND, with multiple speakers with ANALOG output connections, DOES allow for "positional audio".

But that doesn't mean that I don't wish Aureal would come back.

 

[paperfist]

Wow Creative is still around? I can't remember the last eon I read anything about their sound cards.

 

[killster1]

Generally, no. Games are still stuck in "Stereo Mode". 5.1 and 7.1 "Decoding" is only for "Pre-recorded content" (aka movies, DVD and BR).

I wish that we had more multi-output audio for gaming on PC. The Aureal Vortex sound card could do it, but Creative bought the company, and killed the product.

rubbed my eyes when i saw you say games are in stereo mode.. you never listen for footsteps behind you? WTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry my friend you are mistaken they have 7.1!

 

[Iron Woode]

Generally, no. Games are still stuck in "Stereo Mode". 5.1 and 7.1 "Decoding" is only for "Pre-recorded content" (aka movies, DVD and BR).

I wish that we had more multi-output audio for gaming on PC. The Aureal Vortex sound card could do it, but Creative bought the company, and killed the product.

I am not sure about that.

Doom 3 has a 5.1 option which I used with my Z640 system. It worked perfectly.

 

[alexy]

Each 3.5mm audio jack generally carries two signals. Back in the early days, it was just "Stereo".

But now, computers have "5.1 Audio" and "7.1 Audio". 5.1 has three jacks, each carrying two of the signals. (Generally, Left Front, Right Front, Left Rear, Right Rear, and then Center/Subwoofer.) 7.1 has an additional jack for two more signals.

Some motherboards claim 7.1, but require you to use your front-panel (stereo) header, to the headphone jack up front, to use as the additional dual channels to make up the 7.1, along with the three jacks in back.

Note also, that in "Stereo Mode", the three jacks in back, are Blue, Green, and Pink. The Blue is line-in (I think), Green is Headphone/Speaker (stereo) (out), and the pink is "Mic in" (mic/bias).

So you have to change between Stereo mode, 5.1 Mode, and 7.1 Mode, in software. (Generally, the RealTek Audio control panel tray widget.)

so which one is better?

 

[mv2devnull]

The "HD" is an Intel specification: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_High_Definition_Audio

The boards tend to have digital S/PDIF connector too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF

Most audio sources are digital. The signal is eventually converted into analog with a DAC for speakers.


Discrete audio cards claim to have "better quality" components than the integrated.

External (connected to USB) audio cards claim to suffer less from "electric noise" than anything inside the computer.

One can transfer digital signal to "HiFi" AV Receiver, which presumably has "good" DAC and speakers.


Which one is better, Stereo mode, 5.1 Mode, or 7.1 Mode ? Bah humbug.

The source material has some number of channels. Not all are the same.
You have speakers/headphones for some channels.

Logic states that the less conversions, the better.
That extrapolating something from nothing is futile.