I am curious why everyone bags on this sound chip. Does it work fine for just stereo mode and noone uses stereo mode anymore? I have a SB Live but am curious. I only use headphones to play games and only need stereo sound. Just wondering if there are any differences in those two sound choices?
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AC97 onboard sound
- Thread starter Froggy1
- Start date
- Joined
- May 9, 2001
- Location
- portland,or
i use my simtel codec and it sounds great besides its just another card i wont have to worry about frying in the pci bus
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2000
- Location
- Pretoria, RSA
the sound quality from my ac97 is terrible! all crackly... plus it uses more processing power than a proper soundcard! maybe not much, but it'll make a difference to my seti crunching! ;-)
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
I use my AC97 and as soon as the equaliser for my PC comes in the mail I will be switching back to my sound blaster. the AC97 just dosn't have the same sound quality or high volume capabilities as a good sound card. Sure it works for the adverage user. But an avid gamer and mp3 listener will notice the difference. My .02c
Because it is horrible. My AC97 dies on me when playing wave files all the time, I tried the latest drives and listened to what everyone had to say for advise. The advise that I wish I had gotten would have been to save the $10 and buy the motherboard without the AC97 sound. Even when it works it works horribly. Need for Speed 4 sounds like crap with it, all I hear is screaming engine roars when other cars are right beside mine but my engine barely whispers, all the background sounds and the voiceover is severely muted. I'd rip the sh:t out of my motherboard if I could.
- Joined
- May 9, 2001
- Location
- portland,or
strange am i the onlyone satisfied with my ac97? it is a Simtel codec and it sound awesome no cracks pops or anything ive got some pioneer's and a 12inch fosgate powered by two kenwood amps wired in and it shakes my house and its clear as a bell
ive used ac97 for 2 years now and ive had no problems with it. sound really isnt that important to me though. all i use is 2 shxtty gateway speakers that i got 5 years ago. obviously the quality isnt gonna match that of a sb, but ive been able to hear sound in every game and application i run with out pops, hisses, or crackles. and id rather use my stereo than my computer to play cds and i only download mp3s when i want to make a cd. i just really dont have a reason to buy an 80$ soundcard when i have no problems with the one im using.
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2000
- Location
- Pretoria, RSA
i guess it also depends on the motherboard the ac97 is integrated into.
if it was my primary system, i would have replaced the ac97 aaaaaaages ago. a sb 128 vibra is so cheap, it's definitely worth the money to upgrade.
if it was my primary system, i would have replaced the ac97 aaaaaaages ago. a sb 128 vibra is so cheap, it's definitely worth the money to upgrade.
- Joined
- May 9, 2001
- Location
- portland,or
well there are lots of manufactures that make ac97 compliant codecs perhaps some work well and other are crap like i said my Simtel codec sounds great maybe some dont sound good
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Location
- Auburn California
Ive had absolutly no problems with mine, no hisses pops or any other malfunction, When gaming everything is just fine and for CD's I have a sweet home stereo 4 feet from my PC so theres no reason at all to spend even 5 bucks on a upgrade, if a person wants yo use his PC for his or her primary sound system then more power to them for dumping the AC97. All in all i'm happy with mine and when i do play CD's on it they sound pretty good for 10 dollar speakers and cheap onboard sound.
my 2 cents
my 2 cents
- Thread Starter
- #15
Ok people now your confusing me 
The reason why I was asking was when I build another system, I was polling to see if AC97 sound would work for my Headphone only, Stereo only, Gaming only uses. Or if I needed to occupy a PCI Slot with a sound card. Could someone school me on what a "Simtel codec" or just a codec is. TY
The reason why I was asking was when I build another system, I was polling to see if AC97 sound would work for my Headphone only, Stereo only, Gaming only uses. Or if I needed to occupy a PCI Slot with a sound card. Could someone school me on what a "Simtel codec" or just a codec is. TY
- Joined
- May 9, 2001
- Location
- portland,or
sorry froggy the codec is the little ac97 chip on your mobo there are different brands.. and yes the onboard ac97 codec is in stereo and is fine for games and whatever elseFroggy (Jul 21, 2001 12:10 a.m.):
Ok people now your confusing me
It depends on the motherboard. Just because you had a bad experience with AC97 doesn't mean everyone else will. That's like if your Ford Festiva breaks down, and so you assume that all Fords are bad cars and you never buy a Ford again.
My computer has onboard AC97 and the sound is crystal clear and the bass is awesome. And I didn't spend $100 on it, it came free with the motherboard.
Besides, will you really be able to appreciate the extra quality you get from a $200 sound card on your shitty $20 speakers? On the other hand if you have a really expensive speaker system then an expensive sound card might be worth it but for the average person AC97 is more than good enough.
The only problem associated with AC97 that I can think of is that you have no sound when playing dos games in dos mode. Apparently, programs in dos mode aren't able to detect the presence of the AC97 onboard sound card.
My computer has onboard AC97 and the sound is crystal clear and the bass is awesome. And I didn't spend $100 on it, it came free with the motherboard.
Besides, will you really be able to appreciate the extra quality you get from a $200 sound card on your shitty $20 speakers? On the other hand if you have a really expensive speaker system then an expensive sound card might be worth it but for the average person AC97 is more than good enough.
The only problem associated with AC97 that I can think of is that you have no sound when playing dos games in dos mode. Apparently, programs in dos mode aren't able to detect the presence of the AC97 onboard sound card.
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2001
- Location
- perth, Australia
im using ac97 right now on my epox mobo
i have no need for 4 channels or fancy stuff like that
i dont play many games and my hifi is only stereo
ive never had a problem with my ac97
its been clear as a bell and never crackly
and yes people i have used a SB live,and there was no noticeable difference between the two
and scratch is right,you gotta have good speakers before a good sound card
my 0.005% thd amp and 240w tower speakers may only be stereo,but running of my good old ac97 they rock
i have no need for 4 channels or fancy stuff like that
i dont play many games and my hifi is only stereo
ive never had a problem with my ac97
its been clear as a bell and never crackly
and yes people i have used a SB live,and there was no noticeable difference between the two
and scratch is right,you gotta have good speakers before a good sound card
my 0.005% thd amp and 240w tower speakers may only be stereo,but running of my good old ac97 they rock
