Processing units on the motherboard

Aside from the obvious... CPU, what other processing units are on the motherboard if any?

I know there is the I/O controller hub, network, and audio chips. Do these actually do processing?

What about on other devices that go into a typical PC like the disk controller and audio out on an ATI/Nvidia GPU?

The audio codec does sound processing.

Any chip that has any code is a processor. Some really do a lotta work in our PC's.

Methinks the answer can be found. But I'm not taking the time to answer questions that really don't help the community on OC Forums. Too obtuse.

Anything with an FPU or ALU is a processor right?

Anything that has the capability of data manipulation.

Why can't everything be done on the CPU? Why is there a need for special processing chips for network and audio? Wouldn't it be more efficient on modern CPUs?

Firestrider said:

Why can't everything be done on the CPU? Why is there a need for special processing chips for network and audio? Wouldn't it be more efficient on modern CPUs?

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I believe older CPUs used to take more of the processing load (Sound, graphics, etc.), but they've offloaded that now to the video cards and sound cards to take the load off the processor. At least that's how I understand it.

TehNate said:

I believe older CPUs used to take more of the processing load (Sound, graphics, etc.), but they've offloaded that now to the video cards and sound cards to take the load off the processor. At least that's how I understand it.

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Not only to offload it from the processor, but also because a general processor is designed to.. do general tasks. While there are architectures that do the specific tasks much more efficiently (Best example still is a GPU).

Firestrider said:

Why can't everything be done on the CPU? Why is there a need for special processing chips for network and audio? Wouldn't it be more efficient on modern CPUs?

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The short answer is no.
The long answer is every time the CPU is used for system management tasks and emulation\thinking for dumb controllers performance takes a hit. Imagine direct 3d using software mode that is the easiest example. If you are using integrated audio your cpu is taking a hit, a soft modem causes a cpu hit. You want the cpu to be free of menial tasks as every dumb interface and controller as well as all emulation kills the cpu. That is why ISA and the ilk are dead.

Rinne said:

Not only to offload it from the processor, but also because a general processor is designed to.. do general tasks. While there are architectures that do the specific tasks much more efficiently (Best example still is a GPU).

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Ok where is the line drawn between specialized and general, I mean can't multiple specialized tasks be general? I consider the CPU good at multiple specialized tasks.

The short answer is no.
The long answer is every time the CPU is used for system management tasks and emulation\thinking for dumb controllers performance takes a hit. Imagine direct 3d using software mode that is the easiest example. If you are using integrated audio your cpu is taking a hit, a soft modem causes a cpu hit. You want the cpu to be free of menial tasks as every dumb interface and controller as well as all emulation kills the cpu. That is why ISA and the ilk are dead.

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I'm using integrated audio and my CPU is not even using 1% when music is playing. I would think that all these menial tasks would mean nothing to a modern processor.

Firestrider said:

Ok where is the line drawn between specialized and general, I mean can't multiple specialized tasks be general? I consider the CPU good at multiple specialized tasks.



I'm using integrated audio and my CPU is not even using 1% when music is playing. I would think that all these menial tasks would mean nothing to a modern processor.

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Music is easy 3d spacial sound effects in games do take a toll EAX and the like. CPU controlled network interface and pretty much any controller-less interface sucks cpu cycles kills frame rates in games and any other intensive applications suffer a hit.

What processing does a sound card do that onboard sound does not?

wingman99 said:

What processing does a sound card do that onboard sound does not?

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Thats not really the point of one. It does take some load off the CPU, yes, but its primary function is superior quality. The s/n ratio is much higher on most add in cards compared to onboard solutions.

wingman99 said:

What processing does a sound card do that onboard sound does not?

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Also it allows advanced EAX and other effects that can not be rendered by the integrated system. I have tested in games and video play back and it does affect frame rates in games and decrease cpu load in video play back. Same applies in gaming with integrated nic as to a high dollar add in nic latency from cpu lag can cause network lag.

Caligula420 said:

Thats not really the point of one. It does take some load off the CPU, yes, but its primary function is superior quality. The s/n ratio is much higher on most add in cards compared to onboard solutions.

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That's not true anymore.

LINK http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/...d=1&PNid=24&PFid=28&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=173

The ALC889 supports host audio from the Intel chipsets, and also from any other HDA compatible audio controller. With various software utilities like environment sound emulation, multiple-band and independent software equalizer, dynamic range compressor and expander, optional Dolby® Digital Live, Dolby® PCEE program and DTS® CONNECT™, the ALC889 provides the highest sound quality, providing an excellent entertainment package and game experience for PC users.


Features
Hardware Features
High performance DACs with 108dB signal-to-noise ratio (A-weighting)
High performance ADCs with 104dB signal-to-noise ratio (A-weighting).
Meets Microsoft WLP3.10 and future WLP audio requirements
Ten DAC channels support 16/20/24-bit PCM format for 7.1 sound playback, plus 2 channels of concurrent independent stereo sound output (multiple streaming) through the front panel output
Three stereo ADCs support 16/20/24-bit PCM format, multiple stereo recording
All DACs supports 44.1k/48k/88.2k/96k/176.4k/192kHz sample rate
All ADCs supports 44.1k/48k/88.2k/96k/176.4k/192kHz sample rate
Primary 16/20/24-bit SPDIF-OUT supports 32k/44.1k/48k/88.2k/96k/192kHz sample rate
Secondary 16/20/24-bit SPDIF-OUT supports 32k/44.1k/48k/88.2k/96k/192kHz sample rate
16/20/24-bit SPDIF-IN supports 32k/44.1k/48k/96k/192kHz sample rate
All analog jacks (port-A to port-G) are stereo input and output re-tasking
Port-A/B/C/D/E/F built in headphone amplifiers
Port-B/C/E/F with software selectable boost gain (+10/+20/+30dB) for analog microphone input
High-quality analog differential CD input
Supports external PCBEEP input and built-in digital BEEP generator
Software selectable 2.5V/3.2V/4.0V VREFOUT
Up to four channels of microphone array input are supported for AEC/BF applications
Two jack detection pins each designed to detect up to 4 jacks
Supports analog GPIO2 to be jack detection for CD input which is used as 9th analog port
Supports legacy analog mixer architecture
Up to 3 GPIOs (General Purpose Input and Output) for customized applications. GPIO0 and GPIO1 share pin with DMIC-CLK and DMIC-DATA.
Supports mono and stereo digital microphone interface (pins shared with GPIO0 and GPIO1)
Supports anti-pop mode when analog power AVDD is on and digital power is off.
Content Protection for Full Rate loss-less DVD Audio, Blue-Ray DVD and HD-DVD audio content playback (with selected versions of WinDVD/PowerDVD)
Hardware Zero-Detect output volume control
1dB per step output volume and input volume control
Supports 3.3V digital core power, 1.5V or 3.3V digital I/O power for HD Audio link, and 5.0V analog power
48-pin LQFP ‘Green’ package
Software Features
Compatible with Windows Vista Premium (complies with Microsoft WLP requirements)
WaveRT-based audio function driver for Windows Vista
EAX™ 1.0 & 2.0 compatible
Direct Sound 3D™ compatible
A3D™ compatible
I3DL2 compatible
HRTF 3D Positional Audio (Windows XP only)
7.1+2 channel multi-streaming enables concurrent gaming/VoIP
Emulation of 26 sound environments to enhance gaming experience
Multi bands of software equalizer and tool are provided
Voice Cancellation and Key Shifting effect
Dynamic range control (expander, compressor and limiter) with adjustable parameters
Intuitive Configuration Panel (Realtek Audio Manager) to enhance user experience
Provides 10-foot GUI for Windows Media Center
Microphone Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), Noise Suppression (NS), and Beam Forming (BF) technology for voice application
Smart multiple streaming operation
HDMI audio driver for AMD platform
Dolby® PCEE program™ (optional software feature)
DTS® CONNECT™ (optional software feature)
SRS® TrueSurround HD (optional software feature)
Fortemedia® SAM™ technology for voice processing (Beam Forming and Acoustic Echo Cancellation) (optional software feature)
Creative® Host Audio program (optional software feature)
Voice recognition and Realtek proprietary API (SkyTel) is supported (Optional software feature)

1. I said "most"
2. If you knew, why did you ask?????????? LOL

It is true that integrated has come a long way though..

As A3D is dead and we are at eax 5 it is still a little lacking but as far as quality yes there have been major improvements. As far as frame rates in games integrated is still lacking.

Caligula420 said:

1. I said "most"
2. If you knew, why did you ask?????????? LOL

It is true that integrated has come a long way though..

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I was asking for more tech information, like what are the components on a sound card that onboard does not have, I know the simple things.

wingman99 said:

I was asking for more tech information, like what are the components on a sound card that onboard does not have, I know the simple things.

Click to expand...

March 09 maximumpc pg 65 nice little breakdown.

Archer0915 said:

March 09 maximumpc pg 65 nice little breakdown.

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Can you post a link to that page.