Add a new sound board


Tip
Great sound is no longer just for games. It has become an essential part of the PC experience, and the latest sound boards are very different from yesterday's low-fidelity, limited-feature versions. CD-quality recording and playback, full MIDI capabilities, and professional-quality synthesiser chips can deliver sound equal to that produced by the best stereo equipment.
Meanwhile, prices have fallen dramatically. You can get a decent entry-level board for under $150 and a top-of-the-line model for $400 to $450.
The sound board has a well-deserved reputation as one of the trickiest add-ins to install, but jumperless cards with automatic installation software (for Windows 3.1 users) and Plug and Play (for Win 95) have made getting great sound less of a chore.
Here are the basic installation steps.
1. Out with the old. If your PC already has a sound board, remove the board's software. In Windows 3.x, open Control Panel's Drivers icon. In Windows 95, start up in Safe Mode, then use Device Manager. Shut down your PC. Remove the cover and the old board.
2. Check the jumpers. Some sound boards still make you set jumpers manually before connecting CD-ROM drives -- check your manual for details. If your CD-ROM drive is connected elsewhere or you don't have one, set the IDE jumper to Off.
3. In with the new. Find a free slot (most sound boards use standard ISA slots). If you're connecting a CD-ROM drive to the sound board, use the slot closest to the drive. Carefully insert the board in the slot, and tighten the screw that holds the board in.
4. Connect the CD-ROM and audio cables. Attach a CD-ROM drive to the sound board by connecting the ribbon cable to the board's connector (top). Connect the audio cable to the CD-ROM drive and the sound board. (Some drives need special audio cables.)
5. Connect the peripherals. Connect the speaker cable to the rear of the sound board. Then connect your microphone (if any). Most sound boards also have jacks for connecting audio-in, MIDI and other specialised devices -- check your sound board's manual.
6. Install the software. Turn your PC on. With Windows 3.x, install the software manually. (You may need your original Windows disks.) Win 95 should sense the new board and ask you for the installation disks. If everything works, put the PC's cover back on.
- Stan Miastkowski


Category: Hardware
Issue: May 1997
Pages: 158

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