How and When to Upgrade Your Sound Card
by Otis Cooper
Have you seen or even heard of a new computer without a sound card today? Yet
many PC users, even owners of new systems upgrade their sound card. Why you ask?
Many new computers come with an integrated sound card. This means that the sound
card is really a chip mounted right onto the motherboard. This type of sound
card is of poor quality and sound.
Installing a new dedicated sound card in an empty expansion bay will greatly
improve the quality and sound of anything you listen to on your computer,
especially those awesome in depth games you play.
Before deciding to upgrade your sound card, you should know the type of sound
card you have and its capability. You should know if your current sound card is
integrated or if it's inserted into an adapter slot in the system unit.
It's rather easy to find this information from your PC by clicking on Start,
Control Panel, click on Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices. Now Click on Sounds
and Audio Devices and click on the Hardware Tab. Whew, that's a lot of clicking
isn't it.
But you can find this information without going through the hassle of opening
your computer or its owner's manual. If you see a device with the phrase
"Integrated Digital Audio" then you have an integrated sound chip on your motherboard.
Games are no doubt the first reason for sound card upgrades. Nearly all games
support 3D audio APIs or Application Program Interface. This technology use
surround sound through your sound card.
Two of the most popular APIs are Microsoft's DirectX and Creative Lab's EAX.
When upgrading don't overlook the type of speakers you have. You will cripple
that awesome new sound card if your speakers are the pits.
The Second thing you need to do in upgrading is to remove any and all software
concerning your current card. And you need to disable your old card if it is
integrated onto the motherboard. To perform this task, boot up your computer and
as it goes through the POST or Power On Self Test, press the key combination
that will allow you to access your BIOS.
Your BIOS is your Basic Input Output System which tells the computer to check
itself for operation. There are various key combinations and sometimes just one
key such as F1 to access the BIOS. Check your owner's manual to be sure of the
right key.
Once inside the BIOS, look for references such as "Onboard" or "Integrated"
devices. Click this reference and find the "Sound Device. Next change the
settings to off or disabled. The Integrated sound chip is now off.
To remove any software and device drivers related to the old card, Click on
Start, Control Panel, and click the System Icon. Then click the Hardware tab of
the System properties windows.
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