Meet the computer is not equipped with sound system, these days is quite difficult. Media firm grows in our lives. The computer becomes combine to play sounds. Indeed, it is foolish not to take advantage of all the power of modern PC to play music. Yes, and that the cunning, the music is getting closer to the selected digital technology and digital standards. There is a limit to the merger and the increase in sound quality in this area?Certainly, in terms of digital standard ceiling is not visible, but here in the speakers is much easier. The human ear can detect a limited frequency range, above and below which, it is meaningless to digitize and play back sound.
There is another important parameter of the human perception of sound. This surround sound. Take, for example, such a case.You came to the Philharmonic and comfortably in a chair. Now break out the music. Although, wait a minute ... First, musicians have to sit down in their places. They do not randomly, guided by the principle - "who first came in, he sat closer to the conductor."Not at all. They are located in a special way so as to convey to the listener to music, conceived by the author. Serious speakers "stationed" in this complicated way. Interference of sound waves to repeat the effect of the hall Philharmonic. The role of the audio processor in it - right to convey to the instructions of each column in the amplitude and frequency of the signal.
Great achievement of modern audio systems developers is that they are able to create a sound card that can offer you great opportunities at a reasonable price. Today I will tell you about the sound card from Creative Audigy and its three variants. Also, how words will be said about the connection of such systems and a small test analysis done this short article.
Familiarity
Here's how the company presented its new Creative sound cards:
"New Sound Card Sound Blaster ® Audigy ™ has produced a revolution in computer processing power and set a new standard for realistic sound for fans of the PC. The card used multi-channel 24-bit analog-digital converter that provides an incredible signal / noise ratio 100 dB .. . and crystal clear, devoid of any extraneous noise sound. Ideal for music or games. And thanks to new technology, EAX ® ADVANCED HD ™ card provides many new and amazing transformation effects sound positioning and sound environment. Sound Blaster ® Audigy ™ will forever change your relation to computer games! In addition, the map interface is used SB1394 ™ for high-speed connection to external storage devices, digital video cameras and even other PCs. "
Sounds tempting, does not it? The main culprit is a triumph of sound chip Audigy. It looks like this:
Now let's move on to direct acquaintance with the cards on this chip. We turn first - Sound Blaster Audigy Player / X-Gamer.
Suite Sound Blaster Audigy Player / X-Gamer includes:
Sound Blaster Audigy PCI sound card
Port for joystick / MIDI separate
Audio cable to connect a CD player (CD drive)
Detailed description
Short description of the installation.
In addition, Creative delivers the following software:
Creative Diagnostic 2
Creative PlayCenter (version 3)
Creative Recorder
Creative Task Bar
Creative WaveStudio (version 4.12)
Dolby Digital Music Samples
EAX ADVANCED HD (tm) Gold Mine Demo
MiniDisc Center (Version 2)
Oozic Player
Vienna SF Studio 2.3
Sound Blaster Audigy Experience
Sound Blaster Audigy Quick Start
"IM Tuner" from iM Networks Inc. (Radio online)
"MixMiester" 3.03 from MixMiester Technology
"FireNet" 3.03 from Unibrain S.A.
Storm "Player Edition" from Arturia
Game "Giants" by Interplay.
Features:
Multi-channel audio to 5.1 with 24-bit processing and the level of S / N 100dB
Realism in games thanks to four times more powerful effects processor technology and EAX ® ADVANCED HD ™
The ability to connect SB1394 ™ compatible devices or other PC to transfer digital data at 400 MB / sec
Gold-plated connectors provide high-quality connection.
32-bit effects engine supports a variety of manipulations with the sound of professional quality.
Its characteristics Sound Blaster Audigy Player / X-Gamer has no competitors in its price range.
Next in line Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum:
Delivery Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum includes:
Sound Blaster Audigy PCI sound card
5 1 / 4 "Sound Blaster Audigy rack (with IR Sensor)
Remote control with batteries
SB 1394 cable
Audio cable to connect a CD player (CD drive)
Port for joystick / MIDI separate
External power cable to the rack
Ribbon cable from the Sound Blaster card to the rack
1 / 4 to 3.5 mm adapter
Bolts to install Audigy Drive Rack
Adapter cable (standard MIDI DIN)
Detailed description
Short description of the installation
Software that is included in the kit:
Creative Diagnostic 2
Creative PlayCenter (version 3)
Creative Recorder
Creative Remote Center
Creative Task Bar
Dolby Digital Music Samples
EAX ADVANCED HD (tm) Gold Mine Demo
MiniDisc Center (Version 2)
Oozic Reactor
Vienna SF Studio 2.3
Sound Blaster Audigy Experience
Sound Blaster Audigy Quick Start
"IM Tuner" from iM Networks Inc. (Via interent radio)
"MixMiester" 3.03 from MixMiester Technology
"FireNet" 2.0 from Unibrain S.A.
"Storm Platinum Edition" from Arturia
Suite Steinberg "Cubasis VST Creative Edition) (includes iReCycle WaveLab Lite Lite)
"SoundFont Collection" from E-Mu
"Sample Rate Converter" on the E-Mu
"Video Studio" from Ulead 4.0 SE Basic
Booklet "Sound Blaster Audigy - The Definitive Music Creation Guide" by Paul White
Map specifications:
Input-output S / PDIF format to 24bit/96kGts for connecting professional audio equipment.
24-bit signal processing and signal / noise ratio 100dB provide multi-channel sound quality.
realism in games thanks to four times more powerful effects processor technology and EAX ADVANCED HD.
Ability to connect two devices simultaneously on standard SB1394 ™ for high-speed data transfer between compatible devices.
The possibility of combining to 63 computers networked tournaments or high-speed data exchange.
All you need for your home digital recording studio with advanced connectivity and a set of inputs / outputs.
Technology, low-latency ASIO, SoundFont support, and a set of software for creating professional music.
And finally, in front of us - Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum eX:
Delivery Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum eX includes:
Sound Blaster Audigy PCI Sound Card
Audigy external cable with MIDI / joystick interface
Sound Blaster Audigy rack (with IR Sensor)
Remote control with batteries
SB 1394 cable
Optional 15-pin cable to the Audigy MIDI / joystick interface
Audio cable to connect a CD player (CD drive)
External rack power cable
1 / 4 to 3.5 mm adapter
Bolts to install Audigy Drive Rack
Adapter (Standard MIDI DIN)
Detailed description
Short description of the installation
In addition, included the following software:
Creative Diagnostic 2
Creative PlayCenter (version 3)
Creative Recorder
Creative Remote Center
Creative Task Bar
Dolby Digital Music Samples
EAX ADVANCED HD (tm) Gold Mine Demo
MiniDisc Center (Version 2)
Oozic Reactor
Vienna SF Studio 2.3
Sound Blaster Audigy Experience
Sound Blaster Audigy Quick Start
"IM Tuner" from iM Networks Inc. (Via interent radio)
"MixMiester" 3.03 from MixMiester Technology
"FireNet" 2.0 from Unibrain S.A.
"Storm Platinum Edition" from Arturia
Suite Steinberg "Cubasis VST Creative Edition) (includes iReCycle WaveLab Lite Lite)
"SoundFont Collection" from E-Mu
"Sample Rate Converter" on the E-Mu
"Video Studio" from Ulead 4.0 SE Basic
Booklet "Sound Blaster Audigy - The Definitive Music Creation * * Guide" by Paul White
"Fruity Loops - Creative Edition" from Image Line
ACID DJ "from Sonic Foundry
Features:
Input-output S / PDIF format to 24bit/96kGts for connecting professional audio equipment.
24-bit multichannel audio processing.
The level of signal / noise - 100 dB.
Rich set of software technologies ASIO support with low latency and SoundFont technology can store up to 4GB of its own samples.
The newest technology EAX ADVANCED HD supports high-quality audio algorithms for a variety of musical effects and all sorts of manipulations with sound.
Fully integrated SB1394 interface allows you to combine a PC on the network and transmit data to external devices with ultra-high speed (up to 400 MB / sec)
Enhanced external devices provide even higher quality audio recording and flexibility in the studio.
In a word, is a professional solution that will satisfy the most demanding musician.
Connection
Wiring and installation of new sound cards from Creative does not require any special training and knowledge. It is rather simple. However, I want to strongly recommend that before you begin installation of new equipment in the system, carefully consider the attached instructions. Especially since the company Creative has always been at the height at their preparation.
A few tips. Brackets, which are shown below, you can install in any available slot. Guided by the layout of your card and free slots in the system unit.
Conclusion This small survey we begin a series of articles about sound cards. At the moment there has been on the market of audio "stagnation," it is time to calmly and carefully assess the capabilities of the equipment that we are the giants of the industry.
In this review we have deliberately not talked about the prices of three options for audio cards based on the Audigy. The fact that this variation is up to 60 depending on the region of our country.Such wonderful things will soon change (the market will get the required number of audio cards).
The choice will depend on your sound card the sound quality on your computer. Sound cards come in several types: built into the motherboard installed in a PCI slot or connected via USB. You need to decide whether you are satisfied with an ordinary sound card, or you need a professional and expensive model. Most users will approach built into the motherboard option, because many of these cards even support 7.1 channel system sound system. However, if you are fond of writing music or just like to listen to lossless albums through headphones expensive, then perhaps you should purchase a separate sound card.
Answer to the question "how to select the sound card" if you are fond of games, and recordings.
Sound Card Creative Audigy 2 Platinum EX
Games.
It has long since become a tradition that new games are used for the implementation of surround sound with DirectSound3D interface add EAX from Creative. Therefore, the most relevant and high quality support for gaming applications, there is a product Creative. This is evident in the fact that selling now sound cards support EAX 3.0, and some - EAX 4.0 Advanced HD, which is a "new word" in articulating games. If you want to get the most out of today's toys and have a high-quality acoustics, then you should pay attention to the models of the firm:
* Sound card with appartnym Live DSP (Digital Signal Processor - DSP) and good compatibility with games, is a budget option for a gaming system. However, the lack of EAX 4.0, a limited number of playback channels and the number of threads appartno mikshiruemyh DirectSound forced to look at new products Creative.
* Fees Audigy, Audigy 2 and Audigy4 (excluding Value and-LS, about them later) are the latest in sound play, both on objective indicators: power DSP, EAX 4.0 Advanced HD, the maximum number of appartno mikshiruemyh flows - andsubjective: positive feedback of gamers.
* In the next group of sound cards is not a hardware firm Creative DSP, so their effects are processed at the program level, which leads to high CPU utilization and poor performance in games. Also, they pretty poor implementation EAX 3.0.
So, as a budget solution for the gamer can select the sound card of a family of Live 5.1, and configurations for modern games are good sound card Audigy or Audigy2.
Sound recording and music.
To listen to music from Creative sound cards fit worse than for the games. The first reason - because the device Audigy and Audigy2 audio stream frequency 44 KHz (mp3 or wma files) while playing converted to 48 kHz. In theory, this should not cause any noticeable reduction in quality, but many music lovers complain about the other, in comparison with high-quality Audio CD, sound. The second feature is the absence of such cards in the drivers qualified support ASIO. Therefore, serious work on a multi-channel audio, these cards are not too consistent. Formal support for ASIO 2.0 in some models of sound cards Creative (for example, Audigy2 Platinum EX) is the claim of many users.The above-mentioned shortcomings are absent in the professional cards DTMP (DeskTop Music Production), but they are quite expensive.
Not so long ago appeared on the market a new class of sound cards based on chips made by the company VIA - Envy24.These cards have no problems with drivers and professional audio applications. They allow you to comfortably work with audio or without delay to play the midi-keyboard, taking advantage of new software synthesizers.
Compared with professional cards, they have a good set of 6-8 analog outputs (sold better than Creative), so for those who want an inexpensive home theater system that supports DTS (7.1) without the decoder, it will be a good choice.
These sound cards present the implementation of EAX 2.0, which formally makes the board suitable for gaming, but in modern toys they lag models Creative (Audigy2).
Sound cards allow the computer to play music and sounds through the speakers. Almost all new computers come with built-in sound cards. However, if the sound card is not installed or need to improve the quality of the playback or recording, you can install a new sound card.
There are three types of sound cards: sound cards built into the motherboard, and internal and external sound cards. This section describes how to install the internal sound card into an expansion slot inside your computer. Sound cards built into motherboards that can not be removed, although you can install an internal or external sound card and disable the built-in.External sound cards typically connect via USB. For more information on installing external sound cards and other USB-devices, see Install a USB-device.
Before installing the sound card, consult its documentation. The guidance given here is general, and in the documentation for your sound card may contain important information specific only to set a specific fee. It is necessary to consult the documentation and the computer to find out whether the discovery will affect the body in the warranty.
To install the sound card will need the following.
Installed sound card.
Perhaps the Phillips screwdriver to open the computer case.
CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other media with drivers and other software bundled with a sound card.
Sound Blaster
Sound Blaster - a family of sound cards produced by Creative Technology, for IBM PC-compatible computers. Sound Blaster cards have long been the de facto standard.Sound Blaster cards predecessor was Creative Music System (C / MS), released in August 1987. Since 1988, the card is distributed through a network of Radio Shack stores under the name Game Blaster. 12-voice stereo FM synthesizer.Sound Cards Family Sound Blaster:
- Sound Blaster - November 1989. The card was compatible with its competitor AdLib. Supports 11-voice FM-synthesis chips with Yamaha YM3812, also known as OPL2. Also supports recording and playback of monaural sound with sampling frequencies 12 kHz and 23 kHz respectively.
- Sound Blaster 1.5 - 1990. Produced without the chips C / MS, required for compatibility with the previous sound card Creative - Creative Music System (Game Blaster).
- Sound Blaster 2.0. Added support for continuous audio output from the double-buffered in the Sound Blaster 2.01 - playing a sound with a frequency of 44.1 kHz.
- Sound Blaster Pro - May 1991, the main advantage was the stereo sound with a frequency of 22 kHz. Also been revised and expanded FM synthesizer frequency mono signal to 44 kHz.
- Sound Blaster Pro 2
- Sound Blaster 16 - June 1992, this board was first to market with an interface for CD-ROM, and with the possibility of upgrading.She became the first 16-bit card with built-in effects processor ASP (ASP - Advanced Sound Processor). ASP allows you to change the depth and timbre of sound, creating the effect of Surround sound. Creative also has provided a new board connector for CD-ROM. Improved FM-stereo synthesizer OPL 3 and possible improvements through the installation of the module board Wave-table synthesis MIDI (Music Instruments Digital Interface). The first edition of the standard General MIDI MIDI device includes the ability to reproduce 128 different instruments, as well as about 50 drummers from a standard set of percussion instruments. The main purpose of MIDI - to ensure compatibility and coherence of different sounding songs on synthesizers. The sound card's synthesizer is more or less compatible with the specification General MIDI.
- Sound Blaster AWE32 - March 1994, the first board with the wave synthesizer of "family" AWE (AWE - Advanced Wave Effects). Figure 32 corresponds to the number of hardware voices. The heart is a processor AWE32 EMU8000, allows you to use when playing MIDI tracks with 32 votes rate 44,1 kHz, and to assign sound effects, a whole set of Chorus and Reverberation. Architecture chip allowed him to address up to 28 MB of memory. In the standard sample used tools from General MIDI ROM at 1 megabyte. The board also found 512 kilobytes of memory that is compatible with the standard GS.Memory were grown by standard 30-pin modules. AWE32 has captivated the hearts of professionals and casual users.
- Sound Blaster AWE64 - November 1996, and AWE64 Gold for professionals - almost studio quality, and 4 megabytes of memory to store samples (originally 512 KB).
- Sound Blaster PCI64 - April 1998, or Sound Blaster AWE64D - transfer beautifully to the bus proved AWE64 PCI, the only difference - the use of system memory for storing samples.
- Sound Blaster PCI128 - July 1998,
- Sound Blaster PCI512
- Sound Blaster 16 PCI
- Sound Blaster Ensoniq Audio PCI
- Sound Blaster Vibra128
- Sound Blaster 4.1 Digital
- Sound Blaster Live! - August 1998, EAX 1.0 - the first professional card available to ordinary consumers. 64-voice hardware MIDI synthesizer, with the possibility of using the library of samples up to 32 megabytes, 128 independent hardware accelerated flows Direct Sound 3D, full emulation Sound Blaster 16 and DOS applications support and EAX API.
- Sound Blaster Audigy - August 2001, EAX 3.0
- Sound Blaster Audigy 2 - September 2002, EAX 4.0 (software)
- Sound Blaster Audigy 4, EAX 4.0 (software)
- Sound Blaster X-Fi - August 2005. EAX 5.0
Sound Card
Sound card (sound card, sound card, Eng. Sound card) - PC accessories, ability to handle audio (speaker output system and / or write). At the time of appearance of sound cards were a separate expansion card installed in the correct slot. Modern computers often presented in the form of an onboard hardware codec (according to the specifications of Intel AC'97 or Intel HD Audio).Fortunately, the time when the work was accompanied by the squeak of a computer built-in speaker, has long ended. Modern sound cards can provide solid opportunities for signal processing and transform even an ordinary home computer in a very good and functional audiokompleksa. We also can not mention the fact that progress in this area will significantly reduce the price of sound cards - what was once considered the prerogative of the studio and it cost thousands of dollars, can now be purchased at any store for a fairly reasonable price.
Sound card converts the sound from analog to digital. To enter information using sound microphone that plugs into the sound card. Sound card has the ability to synthesize the sound (in its memory stores the sounds of various musical instruments that she can play).
Audio card (Sound Blaster sound card or) - a special electronic card that allows you to record sound, play it and create software with a microphone, headphones, speakers, built-in synthesizers and other equipment.
Audio card contains two transmitters of information:
• analog to digital, which converts the continuous (ie, analog) sound signals (speech, music, noise) in digital binary code and stores it on magnetic media;
• digital to analog, performing the inverse transformation is stored in digital form of sound into an analog signal, which is then reproduced by the speaker, synthesizer sound or headphones.
Professional sound cards allow you to perform complex processing of audio, with stereo, have their own ROM with data stored in it hundreds of timbre of different musical instruments.Sound files are usually very large. For example, a three-minute sound file with stereo sound takes about 30 MB of memory.Therefore, board Sound Blaster, in addition to its core functions, provide automatic file compression. Scope sound cards - computer games (many sound cards have a special Game-port to connect game pads), educational software systems, marketing presentation, "Voice Mail" (voice mail) between computers, sound different processes occurring in the computerequipment, such as lack of paper in the printer, etc. But the main, and often used the possibility of a modern sound cards - is the ability to play audio and video files stored on your computer.
What is the sound card?
On a typical sound card may be the following connectors:
Exterior:
1. Game, or MIDI-port. The largest and most significant 15-pin jack, for connecting the joystick, MIDI-keyboard or anything else that runs through the MIDI-interface: write a synthesizer. Recently, Microsoft c Intel and several other companies are actively attacking the port and say that in a modern computer it is not the place, but it obviously is not going to die.
2. Line input
3. Microphone input
4. Line out for connection to active speakers or an amplifier. It may not be one if the board is designed to connect more than two speakers.
5. Audio, which is supplied via the built-in past low-power card (2-4 watts per channel) stereo amplifier signal. As the quality of this amp, even on expensive boards leaves much to be desired, it is only suitable for small to connect headphones. Often this output is not present separately, and is chosen by changing the mode line out through the appropriate jumper on the motherboard. In this case you have not changed anything, the default output port is usually set corresponds to the line-out. More about this should be explained in the documentation to the board.
6. Digital output - it is designed for use with external digital devices such as digital receiver. Occurs only at a fairly expensive cards.
7. Digital input - even rarer than the digital output.
Domestic:
1. Internal input - typically used to connect CD-ROM.
2. Internal Output
3. Digital Input SPDIF. Typically used for digital connection with CD-ROM. If a connector is then connected to CD (DVD) only need to use it as a DAC drive usually has a very poor quality and sound card will cope with playing sound much better. True, this jack is only good boards.
4. Additional connectors for internal connection of devices such as modems, video editing card or TV-tuner, and more.
If you want to get a decent CD sound quality on your computer, this requires a sound card with digital input for connecting readers CD / DVD, and that should be used as part of the sound quality of CD-and DVD-ROM rather low. Usually (though not necessarily) supplied sound card is included for connecting cord CD-ROM. Unfortunately, almost always it is analog, so you (if the card is, of course, has a connector SPDIF) will have to buy digital cable separately. However, you can do without the cable and the respective input: you can take advantage of some players read CD-audio on the bus. Poor sound quality CD / DVD drive is well supported by the fact that even fairly cheap and shirpotrebnye card decode digital audio is much better than yourself drives. But with this method a little loaded processor and the bus itself, as compared to the fully independent reading is not very good, so it is still better to buy a more advanced card with the required connector, which in itself will sound better, although it will cost considerably more expensive.
What is the sound card?
Any sound card is ultimately cost ADC / DAC. In the simplest form of analog electric sound looks like a variable signal (sine wave). The main difference between the actual sound is only in that it is the result of blending and interaction of a large number of oscillations of different frequency, phase and amplitude. So there are overtones that characterize, for example, voice. The digital representation of the analog signal changes its amplitude is a discrete and seemingly frozen in a fixed time duration, during which the measurements. That is, the measured values describe analog (continuous) process, defining its state at fixed sequence of numbers.
In the analog-digital converter - ADC - after normalization by the amplitude of the analog signal is quantized and encoded in terms of (play performed in the same way, but in the opposite direction, so anything that refers to the record, it makes sense and in digital-analog conversion). That is, each point of measurement on the time scale is assigned a numeric value of instantaneous signal amplitude. Thus, the sound is now represented by a sequence of digital codes. Obviously, the shorter the time intervals between individual measurements, that is, the higher the sampling rate (Sampling Rate), the more accurately described, and then plays a beep. It is equally clear that the required frequency of measurements (sample) depends on the frequency range of the transformed signal.
It should be noted that some cheap sound card sampling rate during playback and recording may be different: as a rule, in which case it is respectively 44.1 and 22.05 KHz. Although if you're not going to write anything down, it is not so important.Especially the quality of the recording path in such unpretentious Chinese craft so it does not matter, except that the noise record still does not succeed.
The resolving power of sound cards
It is clear that the conversion of analog to digital code can only be made with a certain degree of accuracy. The accuracy or resolution, understanding the smallest change in analog signal, which will change the digital code. This is determined by the bit (bit depth) ADC (or DAC, when it comes to playing). Thus, 8-bit converter can quantize the signal amplitude by 256 (28) levels, and 16-bit to 65536 (216) levels, which leads to a very noticeable increase in quality. With the increase in ADC (DAC) increases its dynamic range. Each bit corresponds to about 6 Db. Sound cards may have a bit 8, 12, 16 and sometimes 20 bits (although the latter has practically no result, the quality has improved). Then the 8-bit conversion can provide a dynamic range of 48 Db, 12-bit 72 Db,
16-bit 96 Db (corresponds to CD) and 20-bit 120 Db. All modern cards are 16-bit. But it certainly does not mean that all sound cards have "CD Quality", because the quality depends on many other parameters.
At present, widely used applications (especially games) that use methods to create surround sound. These techniques are beyond the simple separation of channels and panning include things such as, for example, consideration of sound reflection from surfaces, uptake by various objects, passing through
obstacles and other effects. As in the case of three-dimensional graphics were created by the various programming interfaces (API). The most popular are created A3D and Creative EAX. In principle, all the necessary calculations can be executed by the CPU using software emulation, but even better, if your sound card supports hardware acceleration. True, the cards are not compatible with the 3D-sound, almost gone.
All calculations are located on the motherboard manufactures audio processor, called DSP (Digital Surround Processor). Of its capabilities and performance directly affects the quality and accuracy of sound effects.
Sometimes you can find sound cards with the promise inscribed on the package type of "Dolby Digital 5.1", "AC-3", etc. In the proof of the validity of this board has six outputs, as well as the accompanying software DVD-player that reproduces sound for six columns. And although nowhere does it say that decoding AC-3 hardware will be the map itself, the customer legitimately formed that impression. Indeed, a powerful DSP, six outputs, beautiful labels, and the price of such piece of iron, as a rule, no less beautiful ... It is already possible with all that rely on a hardware decoder surround sound. In fact, these cards do not exist (as if somewhere you can find them, it would be unrealistic to professional equipment cost), and decoding AC-3 by the supplied fully software player. Also, some manufacturers promised to reduce the load on the CPU when playing MP3. It also bears little resemblance to reality, the more so in the performance of modern processors to decode the MP3 hardware makes absolutely no sense.
Sound card can be used not only for the processing of sounds, but also for their generation. The need for this arose at the time of the first games with music. Since the performance of computers and the amount of media then was not allowed to use ready-made samples, had to assign the task to the music entirely on the sound card. Thus was created the standard MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), which is quite popular to this day. MIDI commands contain no record of music as such, and links to music, or rather their lektronny analog. When the card receives MIDI-command, she interpreted her synthesizer, and as a result, we hear a note. In fact the sound card that supports MIDI, is a common musical synthesizer. There are a lot of software for playing and to create MIDI-tethers. In the latter case is commonly used MIDI-keyboard, in appearance very similar to a keyboard synthesizer.
History of sound cards for IBM PC
Since the IBM PC was designed not as a multimedia machine, but a tool for scientific and business problems, sound card, it was not foreseen and not even planned. The only sound that issued computer, there was a sound built-in speaker, who reported malfunctions. (On computers with Apple's audio was present initially.)
In 1986, the company selling the device has received Covox Inc.It was attached to the printer port IBM PC and allows you to play monophonic digital audio. Perhaps, Covox can be considered as the first external sound card. Covox was very simple and inexpensive device for (almost simple resistive DAC) and remained popular during the 90s. A large number of modifications, including - for playback of stereo sound.
In 1988, the company Creative Labs has released a device Creative Music System (C / MS, later also sold under the name Game Blaster) based on two chips sound generator Philips SAA 1099, each of which could play in 6 colors at once. Around the same time, the company released its AdLib card of the same name with the name of the company, based on chip YM3812 firm Yamaha. This synthesizer for generating sound using the principle of frequency modulation (FM, frequency modulation).This principle provides a more natural-sounding instruments than the Game Blaster.
Soon, Creative released a card on the same chip, fully compatible with AdLib, but its superior sound quality. This fee was based on the standards Sound Blaster, which in 1991 included in the standard Microsoft Multimedia PC (MPC).However, these cards have several disadvantages: the artificial sounding instruments, and large amounts of files, one moment of quality AUDIO-CD took about 10 Megabytes.
One method of reducing the volume occupied by the music is MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) - a way to write commands sent to instruments. MIDI-file (usually a file with a mid) contains references to notes. When MIDI-compatible sound card receives this link, it looks for its sound in the table (Wave Table).General MIDI standard describes about 200 sounds. Cards that support this standard, usually memory, which stores the sounds, or use this computer's memory. One of the first card was wavetables-Gravis Ultrasound, which received a Russian nickname "Goose" (an abbreviation of GUS). Creative, seeking to consolidate its position in the market, has released its own sound processor EMU8000 (EMU8K) and the musical charge on the basis of its Sound Blaster AWE32, which was undoubtedly the best card at that time. "32" - the number of votes MIDI-synth on the card.
With the increasing power of processors, gradually became a die bus ISA, which employed all previous sound cards, and many manufacturers have switched to issue cards for bus PCI. In 1998, the company makes a wide Creative again step in the development and production of sound cards Sound Blaster Live!Audio Processor for EMU10K, which supports EAX, mustache
Integrated audio system
AC'97
AC'97 (short for English. Audio codec '97) - a standard for audio codecs developed by Intel Architecture Labs division of Intel in 1997, this standard is used mainly in motherboards, modems, sound cards and packages with front panel audio solution.AC'97 supports 96 kHz sampling rate using 20-bit stereo resolution and 48 kHz using 20-bit stereo for multichannel recording and playback.
AC'97 consists of built-in chipset South Bridge and a host controller located on board audio codec. The host controller (also known as the digital controller, DC'97; Engl. Digit controller) is responsible for the exchange of digital data between the system bus and an analog codec. Analog codec - it is a small chip (4 × 4 mm, case TSOP, 48 pins), which has analogotsifrovoe and DAC in the mode of program transmission, or DMA. It consists of a node, directly performing conversion - ADC / DAC (analogovotsifrovoy converter / analog converter; Engl. Analog digital converter / digital analog converter, abbr. ADC / DAC). From the quality of used ADC / DAC depends largely on the quality of digitization and digital audio decoding.
HD Audio
HD Audio (from the English. High definition audio - High Definition Audio) is an evolutionary extension of the specification AC'97, proposed by Intel in 2004, providing more channels playback with higher sound quality than using the integrated audio codec AC'97. Hardware-based HD Audio, supports 24-bit sound quality (up to 192 kHz in stereo, 96 kHz multi-channel mode - up to 8 channels).
The form factor of codecs and transmission of information between elements remained the same. Only changed the quality of chips and an approach to sound processing.
The main producers of
Creative Labs,
Diamond Multimedia System, Inc.,
ESS Technology (now only chip ADC / DAC)
KYE Systems (Genius),
M-Audio,
Turtle Beach Systems,
Yamaha Media Technology.
