Which is better onboard sound or PCI?

[Wiggo]

Posted by [b]{PoSeIdOnAs}
PCI is far better because the onboard chipsets can caus conflicts with the system if you put another sound card on there.......plus....... dont the onboard stuff automatically and permanently occupy IRQ and DMA request inputs (BIOS or otherwise)???? If I am correct about that last line....then I would say that it takes up necessary IRQ / DMA needed for adding other PCI cards onto the system.

I'm sorry but you couldn't be more wrong there. :(

Adding a soundcard to the board is much more likely to cause conflicts and a lot of boards only really have one or two PCI slots that can function properly with a SoundBlaster in them due to sharings with other onboard components (LAN, USB, etc).

Onboard sound can be disabled in BIOS but when used uses the settings that the boards manufacturer set in order for hassle free and issue free operation no matter whether it's AC97 or a dedicated onboard chip taking into account the other onboard components. : peace2:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Gilad]

In the old days of DOS the IRQ's and DMA's were important. With new OS's (Plug and Pray ;)) it is not that important. Usually if conflicts arise you can change the IRQ's and DMA's through the control panel (in old hardware you have to set it up using jumpers). Most of the time onboard chips will not cause conflicts. In any case most of the manufacturers are adding functionality to the boards including sound so it is only a matter of whether you want to use it or override it :).