Sound Cards

Overview

Sound cards enable computers to record or playback sound. They are either built into the computer as chips, or they connect to the computer as a card. Either a chip or a card will connect to the motherboard.

Nearly all sound cards support Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), which is a standard that enables electronic music instruments to control, communicate, and synchronize with each other. Sound cards have polyphony of 32 or 64 voices and can play several sounds at once. A sound card has a line-in plug for listening and another port for a microphone. The speaker can be directly plugged-in to the back of the sound card.

It is recommended that you install your sound devices away from other devices like modems and graphics cards. Also, keep the sound cards away from the power supply and the wiring inside the computer. There are of two kinds of sound cards - full duplex and enhanced full duplex. With full duplex sound cards, you can record and play back sounds at the same time. Enhanced full duplex sound cards let you record and play a variety of sampling rates simultaneously.

The price of a sound card can range from $8 to $280 on an average. The cost depends on your sound card's quality and brand.

Benefits

Sound cards enable audio on your computer. Without a sound card, you could not listen to music or play multimedia files. If you enjoy playing games on your system, sound cards help you get the right sound effects. By plugging in the microphone to the computer, you can record your notes, lectures, or audio blogs. Getting a sound card can allow you to fix a surround system to your computer. You can even use your computer as your primary entertainment center.

You can select a sound card that matches your needs. You can select from basic to sophisticated features, depending on your needs. Most computers come with a sound device preinstalled. If you don't like your sound card, you can easily upgrade it.

How It Works

Sound cards use two methods to translate digital data in to analog sounds: FM Synthesis and Wavetable Synthesis. FM synthesis copies different musical instruments according to in-built formulas, while Wavetable synthesis relies on the recording of the actual instrument to produce sound.

A sound card functions by controlling sound output, digital sound processing, and receiving the sound input from external sources. When the computer plays music, these functions take place. The input is sent to the Application Program Interface (API), which carries the signal to the processor. The Digital Signal Processor (DSP) present in the sound card processes the request for the sound to be played. The sound card then determines the location of the sound in the computer memory. After the sound is located, it is modified and sent through the Digital-to-Analog Convertor (DAC) to the speaker or headphones.