What is the benefit of installing separate sound card?

H.Lalnunmawia · 19-02-2006, 11:46 PM

I'am a newbie. My Computer has an onboard sound and display card. Will installing a new sound card and graphic card
improve the quality of the sound and video/pictures? I'am not into heavy gaming.
My computer configuration is P4, 3 ghz with 512 Mb DDR Ram and 120 GB HDD on MSI-7131 motherboard. The OS is
Windows XP Pro. sp-1, I also have a Tv turner card installed and a Philips 5.1 Multimedia Home Theater Speaker. Please advise whether I should buy sound and graphic cards.

FatBeing · 20-02-2006, 12:42 AM

A separate sound-card will be of no use unless you're heavily into audio editing and such.
Your on-board sound card should support the 5.1 system, and considering that you aren't into heavy gaming either, the on-board graphics should do just fine. You don't need much more for good video.

Hold onto your cash for now.

readermaniax · 20-02-2006, 01:43 AM

yaa ...buy a grafix card instead of a sound card ......unless you onboard card supports 5.1 surr.

grinning_devil · 20-02-2006, 01:58 AM

MSI-7131 is again based on intel 915,and as u said that ur not into high end gaming,then i dont think even buying a graphics card is necessary..it has
"Integrated Intel Grapchics Media Accelerator 900"...almost all the games will run except "bells and whistles" !!

incase ur hand is itching for spending sum cash,go for another chip of 512MB RAM... thats the best upgrade!!

EDIT....just thought of one thing..iam facing some issues regarding my tv tuner card and its connections...can u pls post a picture of the back side of ur PC showing all the physical connections.. ??

Kniwor · 20-02-2006, 03:16 PM

I dont think u need either of the 2....
as grinning_devil pointed out, u have good integrated graphics...

Even if u add an exellent graphics card it is NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.... in ur video playback.... NOT AT ALL

a soundcard might improve the sound playback quality but is not worth the money, u will not be able to differentiate between the 2....

H.Lalnunmawia · 20-02-2006, 11:59 PM

Thank u all guys. You gave me the advice I needed. As for grinning devil's request, well, I still don't have a digital camera ( I think buying this would be the next best upgrade apart from the RAM). Anyway, if I may be of any help to you in other ways I would be very glad to do it.

grinning_devil · 21-02-2006, 01:59 AM

ohh...u dont have a cam...
hey visit this thread...i have posted sum pics frm the bak of my pc...
tell me is this how u connect...

http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37667

H.Lalnunmawia · 22-02-2006, 01:09 AM

Have opened the thread but image no 3 can't be viewed (my dial-up connection is slow). It seems we have the same problem. I use Intex Tv tuner/capture card and I have no problem with the display and recording. Refer to image no 4, one end of the jack is connected to the Tv turner card and the other end to the line-in port of audio. So, when I watch the Tv I have to do without the rear speakers and when I play music or games I switch the rear speaker jack to the line-in again. I think u r right in saying " No one who has 5.1/6.1 speakers use Tv tuner card"!!! There should be some way of solving this problem.

grinning_devil · 22-02-2006, 02:50 AM

ya...ur right...
and the only solution other than removing the cable everytime we wish to swap can be...

>> connecting a seperate speaker set to TV Tuner card..which i have done(have used old 2.1 speakers )

>> purchasing a seperate sound card which has 4 ports in total...
Sound Blaster Audigy value edition 7.1 24 bit for Rs 1600 nd normal 7.1 sb for rs 1350

H.Lalnunmawia · 22-02-2006, 11:56 PM

Thanks for the information. If the soundcard will not improve the sound quality then I think its better to save the money and bear the inconvenience.

siriusb · 23-02-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.Lalnunmawia

I'am a newbie. My Computer has an onboard sound and display card. Will installing a new sound card and graphic card
improve the quality of the sound and video/pictures? I'am not into heavy gaming.
My computer configuration is P4, 3 ghz with 512 Mb DDR Ram and 120 GB HDD on MSI-7131 motherboard. The OS is
Windows XP Pro. sp-1, I also have a Tv turner card installed and a Philips 5.1 Multimedia Home Theater Speaker. Please advise whether I should buy sound and graphic cards.

Actually, sound management can steal more cpu cycles with onboard sound than with a seperate sound card. This may result in performance loss of upto 15% in some games, depending upon the amount of audio processing done in the game. The performance loss may be just around 5 fps but that may be crucial with onboard graphics.

But instead of salvaging 10 or 15%, buy a video card to see real improvement. After that you can buy the sound card.

grinning_devil · 23-02-2006, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.Lalnunmawia

Thanks for the information. If the soundcard will not improve the sound quality then I think its better to save the money and bear the inconvenience.

buying a soundcard will not be to increase the sound performance,it is
just because te sound card has 4 ports at its bak,in which even if we plug in 3 leads frm our 5.1/6.1 speakers,1 lead will remain free for TV Tuner card to use!

killerz · 23-02-2006, 01:41 PM

if u really want sound clarity and excellent quality u should get a sound card .
i also have creative sound blaster 5.1 24 bit ,i tell u it rocks,the difference is easy in options u can change between 24 bit and 16 bit and frequency alo to 96kHz and 48kHz listen to both and u ll be amazzed.....!

vast sound quality difference man

H.Lalnunmawia · 24-02-2006, 11:24 AM

The need for soundcard referred by grinning devil pertains to what he just said - fixing the problem of Tv tuner card and the 5.1 speakers. The question is - is the sound quality improvement referred by Killerz really due to hi soundcard. All others said soundcard doesn't appreciably improve the sound quality.

24-02-2006, 12:38 PM

if u r going to use stereo 2.1 channel speakers, then stick to onboard sound, that is better

no use going for a soundcard, if u don't use 5.1 channel speakers, reason, onboard sound cards (intel HD Audio, nforce, realtek) are mature enough to support very good sound output, even simulated 24bit audio, (down sampled)

even 5.1 sound great on Intel HD audio or such similar codecs, although if it is gaming, onboard sound only support upto EAX 2.0, which is enough for 2.1 channel though, but not for real headphone gaming or 5.1 channel

so it compleately depends on your choice of speakers & headphones

in most cased, onboard audio only taken 5% CPU usage, at max, when 3D Surround is not simulated, if it is used, even the CPU usage doesn't go beyond 8%, which still leaves a lot of CPU for gaming

::vicky:: · 24-02-2006, 12:40 PM

buy speakers instead of sound card

abhinavrakesh · 26-02-2006, 01:02 AM

Connect That Lead with both ends stereo pin to intex tv tuner AUDIO OUT and SOUNDCARDS Line IN. Uncheck the mute option from Volume Properties, speaker icon in system Tray. and DONE

teknoPhobia · 26-02-2006, 07:42 PM

My experience with a SB Live!

When I coonect My speakers to the onboard sound card and turn it to about 60% volume, I can hear a noticeable hiss

On the other hand, on my Live! the hiss is only audible at about 95% volume

Draw your own conclusions..........