[NTLUG:Discuss] Re: Intel motherboards/ built in sound/ PCI soundcards

[Chris Cox]

Fred James wrote:
> 
> (This message from the Fred mentioned below)
> 
> Short story - go with the SB 16 PCI card - it is fine.
> 
> For the long version, continue reading.
> 
> Please allow me to clarify the "reduction in sound quality" I spoke of
> in my installation, as well as a couple of other points.
> 
> (1) The loss in sound quality I spoke of was as heard in the "guest OS"
> inside of VMWare installed on Linux.
>      (a) The sound was fine in Linux itself

Sound quality in VMWare is a known issue.  Not likely to be fixed for 
a while if ever.  My SB 16 and my AC97 both have quality issues
when accessed via VMWare.

> (2) The AC'97 chipset I spoke of is onboard (built into the motherboard)
>      (a) I have heard from folks who have had success in Linux with
> AC'97 PCI cards
>      (b) I have not heard as yet from anyone who has had success in
> Linux with an onboard sound device of any kind

The Cappuccino G1 I have brought to NTLUG is an AC97 using the 810
chipset...works fine (using Alan Cox's i810 driver).... of course,
sound quality on this chipset will never be THAT good, but it is
working as well as what can reasonably be expected.

>          (  i) So far, no response from the author of the Linux Sound
> HowTo - but I'm not complaining - whenever he gets to it is just fine
> with me
> (3) I am not having any problem with the SB 16 PCI card, either in Linux
> or Windows.
> 
> Could I recommend the SB 16 PCI card?  Seems good to me.

As the original poster points out (I think it was the original poster?)...
the SB 16 will definitely have better sound than any of the onboard
AC97 components.  However, depending upon the chipset, there is pretty
good support for AC97 on board audio... however, I have NOT found
the alsa drivers to be workable, I prefer the Alan Cox i810 driver
instead (works a treat, I think is what Alan would say).  Not sure
about other AC97 implementations.

Sound is evil of course... so is the X Window System... so just
get rid of them both and everything will be fine :-)
(I'm joking, since most of you know that I love to get all the
bells and whistles working)

Regards,
Chris