Sound card
Alternatively referred to as a sound board or an audio card, a sound card is an expansion card or integrated circuit that provides a computer with the ability to produce sounds that can be heard by the user either over speakers or headphones. Below is an image of the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio sound card and an example of what a sound card may look like.
In
the picture to the right, is an example of what a sound card may look like from the back of your computer and the connector symbols usually found next to each of the connections. With almost every sound card you'll have four connections: sound out or line out, sound in or line in, Microphone, and MIDI (Joystick).
In the case of this picture, the first white connection is the digital in
connection. Next, the generic blue sound in connection, found on every sound
card and represented by an arrow pointing into sound waves. Next, the
microphone connection is a pink connection with a symbol of a microphone and
sound waves. Finally, this sound card has three sound out connections:
green, black, and orange. Most generic sound cards will only have one sound
out that is colored green and will be represented with an arrow pointing out
of the sound waves as shown in the picture to the right.
Tip: Usually the cables connecting to the devices are also color-coded and will match or be close to the colors the cables connect into. For example, the end of the speakers cord may have a green line or be completely green.
Uses of a computer sound card
- Games
- Audio CDs and listening to music
- Watch movies
- Audio conferencing
- Creating and playing Midi
- Educational software
- Business presentations
- Record dictations
- Voice recognition
The computer sound card is considered a peripheral, although the computer does not need to have one the majority of today's computers will have a sound card in the expansion slot or a on the motherboard (onboard).
Also see: Connection, Output device, Line in, Line out, MIDI, Sound, Speakers, Sound definitions