steal cpu power?Have much will it effect the speed?

Dude, your nearing spammer level I'm sure, all be it these are valid questions, your using a new thread for each one, when a single thread with updates will surfice. I highly recomend you pick one of your threads and post new questions in there, the next one you do, I might be forced to delete for sheer space wasting, when theres a hardly used one in another thread.

Just call the thread n00b problems or osmthing and post all your questions in there. Pretty simple..oh yeh and dont do the read topic thing...explain what you want.

To answer your question, no it doesnt really use up CPU power....and theres not a noticable difference in speed...usually onboards react quicker because the data isnt sent through the PCI bus...instead directly to the SB and visa versa

Integrated sound on mobo's is usually crappy. Do yourself a favor and pick up a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 series sound card.

moved thread - try to read the topic titles next time...

Quote: Originally Posted by Ator Integrated sound on mobo's is usually crappy. Do yourself a favor and pick up a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 series sound card.

not everyone has that much money kickin around man, nor do many peopel need the performance of one it would probably just go unused.

As far as I can tell there is nothing wrong with it.
Mobo companies wouldnt make them with OB audio if it hurt the rest of the board... lil sumthin called R&D

(Insert another thread burn of me screaming at our lil buddy here)

Actually I found the opposite of nev. I moved from onboard sound to a PCI card and saw a pretty good increase in 3dmark03 score. I got an extra 600 points.....

If the soundcard your adding has a sound processor on the card then you are taking the processing power off the CPU - onboard sound require the processor to do the work.

Quote: Originally Posted by Ator Integrated sound on mobo's is usually crappy. Do yourself a favor and pick up a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 series sound card.

I disagree.

Several onboard sound solutions have had performance equal to seperate sound cards. While eliminating the waste of a PCI slot, and eliminating the need to ever even contemplate messing around with the hideously awful drivers from Creative labs.

The Nvidia Soundstorm audio stands out as such an example.

Just my humble opinion. I will never own another Creative product unless they regain significant advantages over onboard, and hire software engineers that can write stable bug free drivers.

Quote: Originally Posted by putwig I disagree. Several onboard sound solutions have had performance equal to seperate sound cards. While eliminating the waste of a PCI slot, and eliminating the need to ever even contemplate messing around with the hideously awful drivers from Creative labs. The Nvidia Soundstorm audio stands out as such an example. Just my humble opinion. I will never own another Creative product unless they regain significant advantages over onboard, and hire software engineers that can write stable bug free drivers.

That's understandable. Being an audiophile as well, I noticed a big difference when jumping to my Audigy 2. I haven't had problems with the drivers/software either (MediaSource is unstable, but I don't use it).

Maybe it's just the Realtek onboard that doesn't sound that great.

Quote: Originally Posted by Ator That's understandable. Being an audiophile as well, I noticed a big difference when jumping to my Audigy 2. I haven't had problems with the drivers/software either (MediaSource is unstable, but I don't use it). Maybe it's just the Realtek onboard that doesn't sound that great.

Yeah Realtek sucks the big one - SoundStorm is a great sounding onboard setup. I have heard its superior to all but the best PCI cards. I would also agree Creative sucks the big one as well. I had an Audigy that I NEVER got to work for a lady. Ended up selling her a cheapy $15 sound card because atleast IT worked.

I actually like my onboard sound, as long as I can hear footsteps in CS:S, I'm good.

Personally, I think sound cards are a waste. Just my $.02.

then i think we have a counterfit change ring running out of pr cuz alot of us have the same .02

I have onboard sound right now off my Abit NF7-S. It's not bad but an actual card would be better. Onboard cant play many multiple sounds at once. I had an Audigy 2 value card and it stunk a big one. I'm gonna try a Audigy 2 ZS card.

Quote: Originally Posted by JimsZR2 I have onboard sound right now off my Abit NF7-S. It's not bad but an actual card would be better. Onboard cant play many multiple sounds at once. I had an Audigy 2 value card and it stunk a big one. I'm gonna try a Audigy 2 ZS card.

Thats the exact model I never could get to work - crappy drivers would be an understatement.

FYI for those that hate Creative drivers. The kX Audio Project has developed drivers that will work with both the Audigy and Live! series cards from Creative and add more control over your sound as well.
As for onboard sound, yes the Soundstorm sounds decent and even better than some sound cards but you DO take a slight performance hit, however negligible (unless you are a benchmarking fiend). Since the sound is controlled by the southbridge, freeing it up even slightly by adding a PCI (or USB for that matter) card would gain you slightly better scores in some benchmarks.
In case I haven't credited him before for this, since he turned me on to these drivers, Fu3lman is the one that pointed me to them.

I like them drivers too, godfoot. The Creative drivers are the among the crappiest Ive ever used. The kX drivers took care of all the problems I was having with my SBlive! card. Ive heard good things about using them with the Audigy series cards as well.

Love the kX drivers, but for some reason, my mic won't work with them? Any suggestions?

Quote: Originally Posted by putwig I disagree. Several onboard sound solutions have had performance equal to seperate sound cards. While eliminating the waste of a PCI slot, and eliminating the need to ever even contemplate messing around with the hideously awful drivers from Creative labs. The Nvidia Soundstorm audio stands out as such an example. Just my humble opinion. I will never own another Creative product unless they regain significant advantages over onboard, and hire software engineers that can write stable bug free drivers.

Couldn't agree more, as I stand with the mere $15 CMI 6-channel AV512 myself.. PS. had a Creative
Live soundcard on a 600MHz machine in 2002 and loved it tho..

True, the NVidia soundstorm audio is awesome. Honestly I can't see paying 200 dollars for a sound card. I have a car, and I listen to a lo of music in it. I'l worry about my audio in that.

The AC 97' Audio in my DFI AZ-30 TL serves its purpose and works fine. I mean, why pay another 200 dollars just so your D3 AU-1 or Kreig 550 commando sounds a little bit better?

Hahaha, good call on the CS reference. Thats about all I play anyway.