Sound card

[bayern]

I am putting in a new cd burner in my comp, there is a sound out put wire, according to the manual, I should plug it to the sound card, but what is it for ? The old cd-rom was working just fine without this wire plug into the sound card.

[GX1_Man]

You do not need this on a newer computer. Just a leftover from the past before PCI based sound.  

[panboy]

It used to allow for your CD Rom to Out Put Decoded Sound, with out your Computer Having to Bother processing it.

It Sent sound Straight to the Speakers.

[Raptor]

You do not need this on a newer computer. Just a leftover from the past before PCI based sound.  

I thought it was the Pre-Windows XP period.. Windows XP doesn't need the audio cable, but Windows 98 and the like do?

[GX1_Man]

I've had Win98 machines that did not need the cable IF they had PCI sound cards.

[Raptor]

Ah, so it's a myth!

[bayern]

So it's pretty useless? Oh, on the cd drive, it also has a digital out slot, do I need a different sound card or something to use it or it's another useless slot?
I am puzzled, doesn't digital sound also gp through a D/A converter in order to play on the speakers?

[GX1_Man]

Leave the cable off and play a CD, play a game, etc. and see what happens.