crackling, muffled sound

[larry]

Hi!

This is basically a continuation of this thread
http://www.pctechbytes.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1613

Win98se, 64Mb ram, PII 233Mhz, Dell Optiplex Gxa(Integrated Sound and Speaker are off), 'eDio Live Theater 4' PCI 4 channel sound card. (my system met all requirements)
I'm a first-time sound card installer. It went ok, but the sound is muffled and crackly, goes away, comes back. Some of you probably know right away what it is. If I mess with the cable in the back, it has an effect, but not for long. The cable is new, high quality, connected from the 'F-out' (front sound source output for connecting 1 set of active speakers or headphone) connector on the card to the Aux-in on my stereo tuner. Probably have it set up wrong. Any Ideas??

[raven]

i would start by checking if your soundcard is confilicting with other hardware on its resources like irq and dma. Good way to check this is on System Information - Hardware category.

[Dave@Bytes]

I'm trying to picture how you have this set up.

You're running the cable out of the front of the PC?

If what raven suggests doesn't help, consider redoing your connections. Run the cable from the back, if possible. The thin wires running to the front for audio might be subject to interferrance.

[larry]

Hi Raven and Davpurc!

Raven;
You are correct, it is conflicting, but how do I change it?

This is the default IRQ setup for the Dell Optiplex GXa.
-------
IRQ Line System Resource
IRQ0 System timer
IRQ1 Keyboard port
IRQ2 Enables IRQ8 through IRQ15
IRQ3 1* Available
IRQ4 Serial port
IRQ5 Audio controller
IRQ6 Diskette/tape drive controller
IRQ7 Parallel port
IRQ8 RTC
IRQ9 Available
IRQ10 Available
IRQ11 2* NIC/default PCI IRQ
IRQ12 Mouse port
IRQ13 Math coprocessor
IRQ14 Primary EIDE channel
IRQ15 Secondary EIDE channel

1* IRQ3 is available provided that no other device in the computer (such as a modem) is using COM2 or COM4.
2* If an ISA expansion card is configured for IRQ11, the NIC or PCI IRQ is assigned to another available IRQ line.
------

This is my current IRQ set up from Microsoft System Information:
0 System timer
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2 Programmable interrupt controller
3 Communications Port (COM2)
4 Communications Port (COM1)
5 (free)
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7 ECP Printer Port (LPT1)
8 System CMOS/real time clock
9 (free)
10 CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device
10 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11 3Com Fast EtherLink XL 10/100Mb TX Ethernet NIC (3C905-TX)
11 Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13 Numeric data processor
14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
14 Intel 82371AB/EB PCI Bus Master IDE Controller
15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
15 Intel 82371AB/EB PCI Bus Master IDE Controller

There's conflicts at 10 and 11. I'm not using COM1, COM2, LPT1.
BIOS: (APM) Auto Power Management is off. ACPI is off. If I turn ACPI on, it just puts something called 'Motherboard resources' at IRQ 9. It looks like the card should be at IRQ 5.

DMA is:
0 (free)
1 (free)
2 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
3 (free)
4 Direct memory access controller
5 (free)
6 (free)
7 (free)

While we're in MSI, in Hardware Resources\Memory, I have 4 entries named 'System board extension for PNP BIOS'. Are these entries normal or a characteristic of my motherboard? I'm trying to relate these words to actual Hardware in my computer. Is it the riser board?


Davpurc;
The cable is connected to card at the back of the computer. Connections on the card are;
'F-out' - Front sound source output (for the front speakers)
'R-out' - Rear sound (back speakers)
Line-in
Mic
Game/Midi
Aux in
CD-In

After plugging the card into the PCI slot, the next instruction was "Connect the audio cable to the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive."
There were no cables included in the package and I couldn't see any cable with connectors that would fit. Just muti-colored wires from the power supply going everywhere and ribbon cable. I left this step out figuring I should still hear sound, but not from my DVD-ROM.

Thanks all![/i]

[raven]

Looks to me your system resources are good and without conflicts. PCI IRQ Steering is available in Win 98 to dynamically assign a specific IRQ number to PCI devices, allowing it to share this same IRQ number to other PCI devices.It's purpose is to reserve other IRQ number (in your case IRQ5 and 9) for non PnP devices.
If you want to disable PCI IRQ Steering, go to Device Manager, expand System Devices, right click PCI Bus and select properties, and go to IRQ Steering tab. If this is disable, your BIOS will assign IRQ to PCI Devices.

Did you try to update your audio driver? It might help solve your problem.

One thing that bother me also is you might be running low on your system resources, i mean cpu speed and RAM, which can definitely affect your soundcard performance. You might want to add additional RAM chips or at least disable some processes like startup programs.
Also try to use normal desktop speaker or headphone to eliminate the possiblity that your stereo tuner is causing this

[larry]

I Can Hear!!!

Now I know that my daughter ran off with my old headphones..again!.....
so I got a pair of those Microphone/HeadPhone sets, plugged it direct into the card and I have good sound! Stereo even!!
I think it was the connector on the cable. This went in a bit more solid. Now I really got to get a new cable & hook up some big, big speakers.

Just for your info. Thought someone might like to know;

If anyone's looking for a Dell Optiplex Compatible (my experience) 4-channel PCI Sound card,
'eDio Live Theater 4' sound card cost me 19.55 $CAD or about 14.50 $USD.
HEY! some places have it for only $8.50 US, That's only 11.50 CAD!
http://www.jellybean.biz/P_182.htm

'Radioshack' Mic/Headset combo cost 22.99 $CAD or only about 17.00 $USD & its pretty good!
http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Prod...log=RadioShack
(Us Canadians got stuff too, eh?)madeinchina

It wasn't expensive all around. Only about $43.00 CAD or $31.50 USD.

I'm on the Internet via DSL, I'm running AntiVir Personal Edition, Sygate Personal Firewall, Opera Web Browser, my Mixer, Explorer, and Notepad, and my system resources are 80% free. I keep the printer out of the whole picture unless I really need it. I do need more memory, though.

I turned off the IRQ steering in the PCI bus in Device Manager. When I re-booted, I got 'New Hardware Found' IRQ Holder For PCI Steering. Windows completed what it needed, and I got the same IRQ's from MSI that I had before. I think this old clunker has a mind of it's own, and it isn't anything near what I'd call artificial intelligence. Is there anything I can get rid of?


Thanks for your help!

ps..sure is hard to edit this using opera.