A7N8X audio out question (SB Live)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tyrone Jackson
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Tyrone Jackson

I'm using a Soundblaster live card and obviously have the onboard audio
disabled. On my InWin 10-1 internal card reader there are also microphone
and speaker jacks included on the front of the panel. The card reader has an
audio cable that plugs into the motherboard somewhere to get microphone and
speakers. My question is, while I am not using the onboard audio where do I
plug this cable into on my motherboard to get my microphone and speakers
jacks to work on the front of the InWin panel? I thought about using the
audio header on the motherboard to do this, but isn't that header only to be
used when using the onboard sound? The reason I'm asking is because
sometimes I would like to use my headphones instead of the speakers but I
don't want to have to go behind the case and plug them into the soundblaster
when I want to use them.

Thank You,

Ty
 
"Tyrone said:
I'm using a Soundblaster live card and obviously have the onboard audio
disabled. On my InWin 10-1 internal card reader there are also microphone
and speaker jacks included on the front of the panel. The card reader has an
audio cable that plugs into the motherboard somewhere to get microphone and
speakers. My question is, while I am not using the onboard audio where do I
plug this cable into on my motherboard to get my microphone and speakers
jacks to work on the front of the InWin panel? I thought about using the
audio header on the motherboard to do this, but isn't that header only to be
used when using the onboard sound? The reason I'm asking is because
sometimes I would like to use my headphones instead of the speakers but I
don't want to have to go behind the case and plug them into the soundblaster
when I want to use them.

Thank You,

Ty
Click to expand...

The closest I can get you to a front mounted jack, is to visit
FrontX.com and get one of their drive bay accessories. These have
a 1/8" plug on one end, and poke through an open PCI slot, to access
the jacks on the SBlive (on the back of the computer). You would then
be able to plug either the speakers or the headphone, via a jack
mounted on the front of your case.

A second solution, would be to visit Radio Shack or equiv, looking
for a solution there. Here is an example device:

http://support.radioshack.com/support_accessories/doc70/70815.pdf

There are probably quite a few variants of the SBlive card, and
while there are some 1x4 headers along the top edge of the card,
a lineout header probably isn't one of the provided connections.

Generally speaking, the chances of finding two pieces of hardware
with compatible connection methods on it, is slim to none. I could
probably make a small fortune for myself making custom cables :-)

If you are handy with a soldering iron, flip the SBlive over, and
notice how the pins from the connectors, show on the solder side
of the card. You could solder four wires to get the left and right
channels from the lime colored, lineout connector of the SBLive
from there. You have to solder very quickly, as it is easy to
melt and deform the plastic on the connectors if you aren't careful.
The other end of the cable would terminate in a mating device for
whatever your front panel accessory offers for a connector. This
would give you simultaneous headphone/speaker operation (as muting
would not be an option), or again, you could plug headphone or
speaker into the front of the computer.

HTH,
Paul
 
Bunch of great info Paul! I appreciate your time. I like your idea about the
soldering trick, piggy back off the line out on the SB card and just wire it
to the correct wires on the InWin.

Thanks again Paul, I'm going to do it!

Ty
 
Bunch of great info Paul! I appreciate your time. I like your idea about the
soldering trick, piggy back off the line out on the SB card and just wire it
to the correct wires on the InWin.

Thanks again Paul, I'm going to do it!

Ty
Click to expand...

If your SB Live card has a header block for connecting to the optional
LiveDrive (front panel) then there will be a plug-in connection just
waiting for you. Now, finding which of the header pins to use is a bit
more tricky! (I'm going to look because I'd like to do this myself).

ChrisH
 
Same applies to my SB Live????

Ty
Click to expand...

Yes, but it's really tough finding the pin-outs for that header block!
Apparently, from what I've read, Creative are reluctant to provide the
pin-out on the basis that users were 'constructing their own
interfaces' and thus damaging their cards - resulting in more returns.
So they don't make the information readily available.

It requires some enterprising soul to trace the connections, but given
that information it would be easy to connect up the front panel.

ChrisH
 
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