I bought a sound card, how to set it up. Setting up the sound card. Game mode - surround sound in games

PC owners often need to upgrade or repair the sound subsystem, and they wonder how to connect a sound card. The reasons may be different: failure of the old one, the goal of getting more high quality sound, replacing the motherboard's integrated card with a modern audio device.

Let's look at the existing equipment before buying a sound card. If you own a PC, there are several connection options. For laptop owners, due to the platform features, it is possible to connect sound card only via USB connector. Before purchasing a card, you need to research motherboard PC. On older models, you can use the PCI connector for connection. Manufacturers of modern motherboards and sound cards suggest using a PCI Express x1 connector for connection. Newer models may not have a PCI slot. Therefore, you need to carefully read the description technical characteristics your motherboard by finding out which of the presented connectors are available on your model. Disable the built-in one or remove the old discrete card. To avoid conflicts and possible malfunctions, you need to go into the BIOS of your PC or laptop, alternately pressing the DEL and F2 keys during boot. Next, you need to go to the tab or item called “Advanced”. Here, in the “Integrated Peripherals” operating parameter for integrated devices, disable the built-in card: Onboard Audio or High Definition Audio


Set Driver to Enabled to Disabled. How to install a sound card. So, select the desired card, and depending on the type of connector, insert it into the corresponding slot on the motherboard - PCI Express x1 or PCI. Insert carefully until you hear a click. Before doing this, make sure that the PC's power is completely turned off, including unplugging the plug from the outlet. From the rear panel of the PC case, the plug opposite the slot in which you plan to install the card must first be removed. Instead of a plug on the rear panel, all outputs of the card will be displayed for subsequent connection of various. The plugs are usually secured with bolts or snaps. Installing a sound card that works via USB takes just a few minutes. Simply connect the device to any USB port.


How to set up a sound card. After installing the card into the motherboard or connecting it via USB, you need to restore power to the PC. After turning it on, you need to install the driver for the new device. Windows may try to do automatic setup. But in order to fully unleash the potential of the new device, you need to install drivers from the disk that comes with the sound card. In addition, the developer offers the installation of proprietary software that helps fine-tune the sound card, saving the settings and using them for specific purposes (games, listening to music, watching movies). In USB sound cards software and drivers may already be in the device’s memory, which makes installation and configuration even easier. It is likely that after all the manipulations you will need to restart your computer.


Thus, after this you will be able to fully enjoy all the benefits that your new model sound card. Replacement is a fairly simple matter if you approach the process responsibly and prepare, backed up by theoretical knowledge.

If your computer runs on Windows XP, Vista or 7, and is also equipped with an audio chip from Realtek, then you need to have a special driver for sound to work. To activate it, type “Realtek” in the Start search. When you find in the results Realtek Manager HD - launch it. If this program is not in the search, then this driver is missing on the computer or is installed too old version. This article will tell you how to install and configure the Realtek driver.

Installing the Realtek driver

Follow this step by step instructions, if the computer does not have a driver or it is outdated.

  1. Download current version required driver from the Realtek website or from our website using the following link: .
  2. Start the installation by running the downloaded file in “.exe” format.
  3. To continue the installation, click “Next”.

    Attention: if during installation there is a warning that Windows does not know about the driver publisher, then simply click on “Install” to continue the installer.

  4. After installing the driver, restart your computer for all changes to take effect.
    Signal about correct installation software there will be a Realtek HD Audio Manager sign on the taskbar. To go to the Realtek manager, simply double-click on the sign.

Realtek High Definition Audio Features and Settings

The Realtek audio codec supports 8-channel audio, Jack-Sensing, and many other features. In addition, it works successfully with Universal Audio Jack, making it easy to troubleshoot cable connection errors.

Realtek Audio Manager supports motherboards, which work with the audio processor from Realtek.

Note: All menus are listed below for reference and their names may differ greatly from what will be on your computer. In the environment indicated above Windows versions, Realtek HD Manager will automatically find devices connected to the ports. And depending on them, tabs with settings will already be shown. Also, the program interface may differ depending on the driver version or the model of the sound card installed on your computer.

For example:

Speakers Menu

First, a slider will open in front of you to adjust the volume of all devices. The panel on the right will contain parameters related to the operation of audio output devices.

Digital output

To configure the digital audio input, do the following:

  1. In the “Advanced device settings” tab, you can configure the input jack separation parameters.
  2. After that, four more submenus will become available to you.

To set up speaker systems:

1. Select the "Speakers" menu.
2. To set the analog output port as the default device, click on “Set Default Device”.
3. Select the "Speaker Configuration" menu located under "Speakers". The configuration options will be there. There you can also configure surround sound and specify the speaker configuration.

4. In the Sound Effect menu, you can set up karaoke, select the environment around you, and also choose one of several modes for the equalizer.

5. To adjust the speakers, you need to go to the “Room Correction” menu. There you can adjust the distance and angles based on your location. This is very useful feature useful when you are not directly in front of the speakers, but stand in an asymmetrical position from them. But its operation is possible only in 5.1 and 7.1 modes.
6. Menu " Standard format» is responsible for the mixer parameters. More specifically, for the sampling frequency and bit depth with which the OS will process outgoing sounds.

Microphone settings

You can configure your microphone in the last menu, which is called “Microphone”. At the top there will be sliders for adjusting the microphone volume and balance. Adjust them until you reach the desired volume.

This section is divided into two tabs: Microphone Effect and Standard Format.

In the “Microphone Effect” tab, you can change the conference mode parameters, as well as enable echo and noise suppression mode.

Information menu

By clicking on the information icon, which looks like the letter “i,” you can find out the program version, audio controller, DirectX, codec and select the program language.

Thank you for your attention! Write your clarifications on setting up Realtek High Definition Audio. 🙂

7 or Windows 10, many users face problems with sound. Usually the sound works at all, but. In such situations, the question arises of how to configure sound on a computer running Windows 7 or Windows 10.

Step No. 1. Search and install drivers for the sound card.

To set up sound on a computer with Windows 7 or Windows 10, you need to start by installing the sound card. Since without a driver the sound does not work in most cases. Even if suitable drivers were found in Windows 7 or Windows 10 and the sound worked, without installing drivers from the manufacturer you will not have the Sound Card Control Panel. And without it, you will not be able to access all sound settings.

It is best to download drivers from the manufacturer's official website. Because the drivers that come on the disk are often outdated and may contain errors that have already been fixed in drivers distributed over the Internet.

If you have a desktop computer with an integrated sound card, then you need to look for drivers on the motherboard manufacturer's website. Find your motherboard's page on its manufacturer's website and go to the "Drivers" section. There you can download all the drivers related to your motherboard. Among other things, there will also be drivers for built-in audio.

If you have a laptop, then you need to look for drivers for the sound card on the laptop manufacturer's website. In the same way, go to the laptop page, go to the section with drivers and download the latest version of drivers for the built-in sound. If you have a discrete sound card (a separate board connected via PCI or an external unit connected via USB), then you need to look for drivers on the official website of the sound card manufacturer.

The process of installing sound card drivers is not difficult. Drivers are installed using the installer as a normal program. After installing the drivers, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Step No. 2. Adjust the sound using the tools built into Windows.

After installing the drivers for your sound card and restarting your computer, you should see sound. If there is a need to make any changes to the sound settings on your computer, this can be done using the tools built into Windows 7 and Windows 10.

To access these settings, open the “Windows Control Panel” and go to the “Hardware and Sound – Sound” section.


After this, the “Sound” window will appear in front of you. There are several tabs available in this window. The first tab is “Playback”. This is where the settings related to audio playback are concentrated. For example, here you can select which speakers should be used to reproduce sound. This setting is useful if you have several sound cards (for example, built-in and discrete) or if you connect a TV to your computer via HDMI and want to play sound through the TV's speakers.


The second tab is “Recording”. Settings related to audio recording are available here. For example, here you can select which microphone should be turned on and which should be disabled. And if you select “Properties” of the microphone, you can access the audio recording settings. You can read more about this in our article “”.


The Sounds and Communications tabs aren't that interesting. Settings are available there system sounds Windows, as well as sound settings when using a computer to talk on the phone.

Step No. 3. Setting up sound on your computer using the Sound Card Control Panel.

Most sound card manufacturers, along with drivers, install a special panel to control the sound card. Typically this panel can be found in the "Panel Windows management" in the "Hardware and Sound" section.


Depending on the manufacturer, this Panel may look different. For example, in the screenshot below you can see what the control panel for the built-in sound card from VIA looks like.


This is what the Discrete Sound Control Panel looks like Creative card Sound Blaster Audigy Fx.


The settings that are available in the Sound Card Control Panel usually duplicate what is available in the Sound window, which we described above. But, if the sound card has any unique functions (for example, functions to improve sound), then access to the settings for these functions will only be possible through the Sound Card Control Panel.

The release of new operating systems also brings unpleasant innovations: some people don’t like it new design and the lack of familiar buttons, some find it difficult to find new ways to interact with the system and configure it. Let's get started with Windows 7. How to set up sound and make it high quality - you will learn about this in this article.

Setting up sound in Windows 7 is done through the control panel and allows you to configure the microphone, speakers, and sound effects. The sound settings are different from those in Windows XP. Some changes have been added to the Control Panel that may seem unusual to users of other operating systems. But, in fact, there is nothing complicated about setting up sound in Windows 7.

Let's go to the control panel. In order to access the sound settings, you need to select the “Hardware and Sound” -> “Sound” section - quite logical, in general. A settings window will open, the interaction with which we will study.

The audio settings window is divided into several tabs: playback, recording, sounds and communication. Let's take a closer look at them.

Audio playback settings

The “Playback” tab shows us a list of devices that can play sound. Used in this moment devices are marked with a green checkmark, and disabled ones are marked with a red arrow pointing down. Here devices are not only those physically connected to the computer, but also those that can be connected in principle - i.e. sound adapters for which drivers are installed. Let's choose active device and click the “Configure” button. Here we can configure the playback device.

First, we configure the speakers depending on the number of audio channels. If you are using headphones or regular speakers, then our choice is “Stereo”. If you have a more advanced audio system connected, then you can select “Quadrophonic” or “Surround Sound 5.1” or the same, but in the “7.1” option. When we click the “Next” button, we can specify the location of the speakers, which ones are full-range and other useful things.

If on the "Playback" tab we click the "Properties" button, we will see a window with additional settings audio devices. Here we can turn the device on or off; change its icon and specify the sound format, configure sound playback effects.

Sound recording

Let's return to the general settings window of Windows 7. How to configure the recording sound? This is also easy. The Recording tab provides similar settings, but now for audio recording devices. If you select a microphone and click the “Configure” button, the speech recognition window will open. Unfortunately, Windows will tell us that speech recognition is not supported for the Russian language. The Properties button can bring us more benefit, clicking on it opens a window with tabs. Setting up sound in Windows 7 is not the most difficult task, is it? The General tab in the microphone properties displays brief information about the device. The “Listen” tab allows you to connect a player or other devices to listen to music; on the “Levels” tab we can change the microphone volume and gain, and on the “Levels” page there are bit depth and bitrate settings. The Enhancements tab gives us the opportunity to enable various sound effects.

Other tabs general settings Sound in Windows 7 is also useful. In the Sounds tab we can change the used sound scheme, and the “Communication” tab allows you to reduce the volume of sounds during conversations - convenient and understandable! We hope this article helped you get acquainted with Windows 7. How to adjust sound? It's simple, because now you can share your experience yourself!

The multimedia capabilities of a PC are used not only by fans of computer games and connoisseurs of high-quality cinema, but even by those users who, for example, keep accounting records, print documentation or retouch photographs. Many people don’t mind being distracted and listening to good quality music or watching videos on the Internet during their lunch break. One way or another, playing multimedia content first of all requires proper operation and proper configuration of audio equipment.

Sound settings in Windows 7 have undergone some changes compared to previous versions OS. Usually, during installation, the system selects the most suitable drivers for each device, including the sound card, but there are times when audio playback becomes impossible. The problem in this case can be either software or hardware in nature. Hardware problems are associated with the breakdown of speakers or a sound card and can only be solved by repairing or replacing damaged components; software failures are much easier to eliminate.

In order to figure out what type of problem you are dealing with in each specific case, it would be nice to have a basic understanding of how sound is actually generated in your computer or laptop:

  1. Initially, information recorded on a digital medium, such as a flash drive or DVD, goes directly to the computer’s motherboard.
  2. Next, using a built-in chip or a separate card, the received information is processed and decoded into an analog format, which is fed to speakers or headphones.

Method 1: mechanical

Many users who are accustomed to working on a laptop, but “forced” to master navigation on a desktop computer in the office or at home, experience some confusion associated with the abundance of connected wired devices such as a keyboard, mouse, webcam and speakers. Therefore, if the sound disappears (especially suddenly), first of all you need to make sure that the connection has not been broken and the wires do not have strong kinks. Next, you need to make sure that the speakers are connected to the appropriate connector (“Output”) located on the motherboard or audio board. If the sound card is multi-channel and you are connecting a system of six speakers with a subwoofer, then you should carefully (according to the instructions or the colors of the connectors) connect all the plugs in pairs. After all the switching has been done, you need to go to the “Control Panel” through the menu quick access“Start” and in the settings enable the “Surround Sound” function.

What else is worth knowing?

  • Typically, the connector into which the speakers are connected is green and has the inscription Out directly above the socket.
  • If you are using a special hdmi cable, then it is worth remembering that not all devices support this type of switching. In the Windows Control Panel, you can configure the synchronization of the hardware with the cable by clicking on “Set as default.”
  • If you are using USB devices that reproduce sound, you can try plugging them into another slot, after which you must restart the computer.


The volume of the speakers is controlled by a knob called Volume. If you have connected the speakers correctly, turned the volume control to maximum, but no sound appears on the computer, then you can move on to further search for the cause of the problem.

Method 2: Sound card drivers

Method 3: Checking Settings

The problem of sound disappearing in Windows 7 may also be due to incorrect operation of the system, which, of course, can be properly configured.

Method 4: neutralize Win audio failures

Absolutely all versions of the Windows 7 operating system can be subject to glitches, as a result of which the correct operation of sound on a computer or laptop is disrupted. Sometimes the sound disappears directly during operation, and in order to “get it back” you need to restart the OS. Of course, this is by no means a solution, so it is best to configure and restore normal sound functioning on your own computer.

Method 5: Fixing an Incorrectly Configured BIOS

Method 6: Installing Codecs

If there is sound when loading the Windows operating system, but immediately disappears while playing games or watching multimedia content, then the problem most likely lies in hopelessly outdated codecs, or in their complete absence.

Method 7: Look at the "Taskbar"

If the sound on the device disappears completely or is very low level volume, you can adjust it by clicking on the image of the speaker near the clock icon in the “Taskbar”. Once pressed, you will have access to an adjustment menu called “Mixer”. If the speaker image is crossed out in red, it means it needs to be removed manually. If the volume slider is at the bottom, then it needs to be raised to maximum. Here, in the “Mixer,” you can also adjust the frequency and bit depth of the audio, as well as all sorts of “tricks” like surround sound.

Method 8: Using Additional Software

When you can’t independently adjust the sound on your computer, you can use special programs that can diagnose the problems that have arisen and, accordingly, eliminate the cause of the failure. Some manufacturers of audio components accompany their devices with similar utilities, or they can be downloaded from the official website of the developer.

In contact with

The initial sound setup on a personal computer or laptop begins with installing drivers for the sound card. Of course, the latest modern operating systems, such as Windows 7, are themselves able to determine the model of the sound device, regardless of whether it is built-in or separate, and install the necessary supporting software. Of course, this option is not suitable for owners of sound cards that were released recently.

If the OS does not install the drivers automatically, then do not despair. We need to start from the very beginning, namely, to understand exactly what sound card is installed on your personal computer. They exist in three types: 2.1, 5.1, 7.1. At the very beginning, when installing special drivers, you can easily determine this using pop-up tips. And depending on the type of sound card, you can start setting up the sound on your computer, knowing what sound you should get as a result.


How to set up speakers on a computer: step-by-step instructions

First, you need to turn off the computer, completely disconnecting it from power. Then connect the speakers to the connectors that match the colors of the cords (usually these are green color). Also, Line Out may be written on the connector.

After you connect the cords, you need to turn on the computer. Then, regardless of whether you have Windows 7 or Windows XP installed, you select “Start” - “Control Panel” - “Sound”.

In the “Sound” menu, you need to find the “Audio Speaker Settings” tab. There you can select the correct speaker placement (left, right), and also confirm that their appearance matches the type of sound card. All these parameters are also easy to configure using video tutorials:

The speakers on the computer do not work - what to do?

If there is no sound on your personal computer, this is quite bleak. Tips on how to set up speakers on a computer will no longer help you here. You need to carefully understand the nature of the problem.


First, you need to exclude the possibility of damage to the equipment itself - headphones, speakers. To do this, you can connect them to another audio source. Then you should pay attention to the software (since hardware faults are best left to a specialist). In the “Control Panel” you need to select “Administrative Tools” and find the Windows Audio service there. It should be in the "Running" state. If everything is in order, but there is no sound, you should contact a specialist. Setting up sound on a computer is a fairly simple and intuitive procedure. However, if you are not confident in your knowledge, then you may need to seek help from a more experienced friend who will help you set up the speakers.

It happens that after reboot Windows 7 The sound from the computer speakers suddenly disappears. Setting up sound on a Windows 7 computer is different from earlier Windows. They have become more convenient, but the necessary steps to configure have undergone changes.

There may be a whole list of reasons why it is not possible to reproduce them on a PC or laptop. This note provides detailed information on how to configure sound in Windows 7.

Reasons for no sound

The reasons may vary depending on the type of device. For example, if there is no playback on a laptop, then the following is necessary:

If lost on a desktop computer, then in addition to the above, the following is required:


Analysis of speaker performance

If you are using stereo systems, you must make sure that there is power supply and the position of the volume control on the speakers.


Checking drivers on a computer with Windows 7

During installation, “Seven” automatically adjusts the sound. If there is no sound, you need to log in and see if drivers are installed for all equipment (the “!” icon should not be displayed), and the display of a red cross indicates that the device is disabled.


If this is the case, then by calling the context menu, you need to click on “Enable”. A positive criterion will be the appearance of the speaker image in the tray.

Incorrect operation of the sound card

On a PC or laptop with Windows 7, you need to go to Start "Control Panel", then open "Equipment and Sound" and find it here. Select the line from the list that appears "Sound, video and gaming devices» and click on it. If the sound card appears, it means it is installed normally, otherwise it will need to be activated. If a yellow question mark is displayed next to the inscription, then you need to context menu Click on “Properties” and reinstall the driver.

How to install sound card software on Windows 7 PC?

If the causes are identified in the hardware drivers, first of all it is necessary to rid the computer of the old sound card driver, and it is also recommended to clean the registry.

Next, install the software by copying them from Windows resources 7 or the equipment manufacturer. Then the operating system will automatically adjust the sound after rebooting the laptop or computer. To check, click on the speaker image in the system tray. You will be able to set the volume and sound effects.

Configuration using programs

Equipment manufacturers also develop various programs for configuring sound cards. For example, there is an application "Realtek"

A complete description of the parameters, as well as instructions for setting up built-in Realtek sound cards. Setting up playback, recording, 3D sound. Windows Vista/7/8

2012-02-17T18:19

2012-02-17T18:19

Audiophile's Software

Copyright 2017, Taras Kovrijenko

Full or partial copying of the text is allowed only with the written permission of the author.

Prologue

This time I will touch on a topic that is relevant, so to speak, for beginner enthusiasts - that is, for those who have not yet acquired a discrete sound card and want to get the most out of an integrated one.

1. Educational program

To begin with, a short educational program. Who doesn’t know or doesn’t fully understand what it is hardware audio codec, carefully read the relevant Wikipedia pages:

Have you read it? Great! And now it would be very nice if you read my two articles:

Well, now we can start.

2. What we have

So, I have at my disposal the Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate x64 OS (the setting described in the article is suitable for all operating systems starting with Vista), the ALC887 codec built into the motherboard (ASUS P7H55-V) (there is a datasheet), an external amplifier connected to the rear connectors and microphone (green and pink sockets, respectively). Please note that we will configure the card for withdrawal stereo sound by analog interface.

3. Software installation

First of all, you need to install the drivers. Of course, most likely the OS Windows already I found and installed the drivers for the sound device myself, but to gain access to all the functionality, as well as for peace of mind, we will install the driver package directly from Realtek, latest version which you can download on the corresponding page of my website. By the way, the settings specified here were tested on driver version R2.67.

Download the drivers and perform a simple installation procedure (by running HD_Audio/Setup.exe), reboot the computer.

After loading the OS, a brown speaker icon should appear in the system tray:

4. Driver setup

First of all, let's go to Windows Control Panel->Hardware and Sound->Sound and, making sure that our headphones or speakers are connected to the green socket of the sound card, we disconnect all unnecessary devices, and make our connected device the default device:

At the same time, let's do the same with recording devices:

Now double-click on the tray icon. If there is no icon, look for it in hidden icons; if it’s not there either, go to Control Panel->Hardware and Sound->. One way or another, the dispatcher window should open:


Here we immediately set the speaker configuration (stereo), set our analog device as the default device (after which the corresponding button will go out), turn off surround sound if, God forbid, it’s turned on.


Using the button in the form of a yellow folder, you can configure to disable detection of front panel connectors:

Also note that the connected connectors are displayed bright color- in our case, speakers are connected to the green output, and a microphone is connected to the pink input. There is one very important detail here: by double-clicking on the connector icon, you will see a window with a choice of the type of connected device. This is important because if you choose "headphones", then the codec will use a special additional amplifier (otherwise the sound in the headphones will be too quiet), for the connected active speakers or external amplifiers should be selected "Front Speaker Output". Here you can enable the automatic pop-up of this window when you connect a device to any of the card connectors:

Using the “i” button, you can open a window with information about the driver version, DirectX, audio controller and codec version, and you can also turn on/off the display of the icon in the system tray:


Now let's turn off the effects:


The “Room Correction” settings for the stereo configuration are not available, which is strange - in the same console from THX (which is included, for example, in the Creative X-Fi driver package) you can adjust the distance and angle of direction of the speakers relative to your location, which It can be very useful when you are not sitting directly in front of the speakers, or they are located asymmetrically relative to you. Well, okay, let it be on the conscience of the developers.

The last tab duplicates the control panel settings (however, most of the settings from the Manager are also in the control panel):


Here you can set the parameters of the system mixer - with what sampling frequency and depth Windows bit will mix all played sounds. Let's set it to 24 bit, 96 kHz. I’ll tell you why later.

Since I am constantly bombarded with questions about how to set up a microphone (which, in my opinion, should cause a minimum of confusion), I will still focus on setting up recording devices. Their settings, by the way, as well as playback devices, are located on separate tabs at the top of the window. Let's start with the stereo mixer:


Everything here is elementary. This device records everything you hear through the speakers, i.e., the finished audio stream that Windows transmits to the sound card. It is reduced to the specified form (since the mixer operates with a sampling frequency of 96 kHz, then we will set the same here).

But our main recording device is, of course, the microphone:

So, set the recording volume to maximum and turn off the microphone gain (then, if necessary, you can turn it on). Also, very often people complain that they reproduce the sound picked up by the microphone; to prevent this from happening, we turn off the playback. To your taste - noise filtering, echo suppression. On the tab , again, the recording format is set:

Considering the characteristics of the sound recording path, the standard 16 bit/44.1 kHz will suffice here.

5. Setting up foobar2000

In principle, the work done is enough to ensure the highest (for this card) sound quality in any player. But for the truly paranoid, I will provide foobar2000 settings. We will need, in fact, the player itself and several plugins for it - WASAPI output support And SoX Resampler. Well, or you can download my assembly, which already has everything.

So, in the player output settings (File->Preferences->Playback->Output) select WASAPI:<наше устройство> , set the bit depth 24 bit:

When outputting through WASAPI Exclusive, all sound card effects (if enabled) are bypassed, as well as the Windows mixer (for which we specified the sample rate).

Now let's move on to the DSP settings:


Here we add the resampler SOund eXchange and Advanced Limiter to the chain. In the resampler settings, set the frequency to 96 kHz.

And now - why 96 kHz. I conducted a series of experiments and this is what I found out. In Front Output mode, if the volume control is set to more than 90%, when playing the test tone udial(sampling frequency - 44.1 kHz) strong distortion is heard. The distortion disappears if you either lower the volume, switch to headphone mode, or resample the audio to 96 kHz.

It is difficult to judge the reasons for this phenomenon based on the available data, but you can draw conclusions and play it safe twice: output all audio at a sampling rate of 96 kHz, and do not increase the volume to more than 90%.

And a few words about the need to configure foobar2000. In principle, it is possible to output audio to the device "DS: Primary sound driver" In this case, resampling will be performed using Windows(the resampler there is not the worst), besides, all other sounds will not be turned off (as when playing through WASAPI Exclusive). Additionally, by selecting this device, Windows will output sound to the device that is set by default in the Control Panel, which can be convenient (for example, when you turn off one of the devices, the sound automatically switches to another). So the choice is yours - convenience, or confidence in quality.

6. Resurrecting 3D Audio and Hardware Mixing

And of course I haven’t forgotten about gamers. Since in Windows, starting with Vista, there is no access to hardware mixing of streams (all operations are performed by Windows, and then one single stream is output to the sound card), the developers came up with special program, analogous to Creative ALchemy, but for Realtek - 3D SoundBack. It connects to hardware resources via the OpenAL interface, emulating for the specified Windows programs emulates a DirectSound device (as in Windows XP), and then simply converts DirectSound (or DirectSound 3D) commands to OpenAL commands, resulting in true EAX 2.0 in games, as well as the ability to convert multi-channel audio to stereo with surround effects.

To launch the program, open the folder .../Program Files/Realtek/3D Sound Back Beta0.1, in file properties 3DSoundBack.exe on the tab "Compatibility" install Windows Vista SP2 compatibility mode:

Now run this file. To add an application - click Add Game, enter the name and address of the folder that contains the executable file of the program. For example:


After adding, do not forget to highlight the added application and click the button Enable.

Now the specified application will by default use the DirectSound emulated device and will have access to the hardware resources of the sound card:

Epilogue

Well, another great article is completed. By the way, I was thinking: in a good way, this article should have been written one of the first... However, at that time I still would not have had enough knowledge to describe everything in such detail, so it may be to the best.

If something is unclear, or you have any questions, please ask or comment. Good luck!

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Typically, the desire to change a sound card arises if the user is dissatisfied with the quality of audio playback or recording. Sometimes the culprit is a broken board. In any case, the new equipment must be connected correctly, and then the system must be configured accordingly.

The sound card is installed in PCI connector or PCI Express. Therefore, before purchasing a device, check that the motherboard has a corresponding free slot. Another option is to connect via a USB interface. This method is relevant if you need to connect an external sound card to a laptop.


Installation

The connection process is the same, regardless of whether you are installing a professional or budget model. The first step is to remove the plug on the case system unit to bring the board connectors out through the resulting hole. The equipment is attached to the housing using a screw, which is included in the kit.

Disabling an integrated card

Some motherboard models require you to disable the integrated sound card in the BIOS. Without performing this procedure, the installed board refuses to work correctly.

Depending on the BIOS version Names of points and their locations may change. If you do not see the names listed below, then look for wording that is similar in meaning.

  1. Go to BIOS.
  2. On the "Advanced" tab, find the "Integrated Peripherals" item.
  3. Find the line "Onboard Audio Controller".
  4. Go to its settings by pressing Enter and select “Disabled”.

If you need to enable the sound card integrated into the motherboard, select “Enabled” in the settings.

This is basic information that shows you how to connect a sound card and then configure your computer to work with it. Finally, a few important recommendations.

Make sure that the system supports the drivers for the selected hardware. Carefully study how to install the sound driver so that the installed board works correctly.

If the video card interferes with installation, it must be carefully removed from the slot. After connecting the sound card, do not forget to return the video card to its place.

The sound card, especially if it is large, can block the video card fan. There is nothing terrible here: practice shows that this does not affect the temperature of the equipment and its performance.

After completing the connection process, find out how to connect the speakers to your computer in order to use the functionality of the sound card to its full potential. Do you want to speak and record your voice, not just listen? Then find out how to connect a microphone to your computer.

To install additional cards (audio and video), watch the following video.


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