I have a general question about the 4-pin audio cable that is connected
between a DVD/CD drive and one of the CD-In connectors on my motherboard on
a recent (my first) build. What is its purpose? I did not have this
installed until recently and the drive appeared played DVDs and music CDs
fine without it. I suspect its useful for something. Could someone please
enlighten me?

--
John

analog vs digital the 4 /3 wire cable is an analog source...there is a digital connector also and the Rom will use the ribbon
cable for digital also


"John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a general question about the 4-pin audio cable that is connected
> between a DVD/CD drive and one of the CD-In connectors on my motherboard on
> a recent (my first) build. What is its purpose? I did not have this
> installed until recently and the drive appeared played DVDs and music CDs
> fine without it. I suspect its useful for something. Could someone please
> enlighten me?
>
> --
> John
>
>

Ok, I did read the analog vs digitial previously , but I still don't
understand when it is used. When I put in a music CD, thats analog right?
Why could I play music CDs just fine without the cable? I guess players
(e.g. Windows Media Player ) convert to digital and deal with it digitally.
If this is the case, when would the analog path ever be taken?

"JAD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:MJCdb.7555$(E-Mail Removed)...
> analog vs digital the 4 /3 wire cable is an analog source...there is a
digital connector also and the Rom will use the ribbon
> cable for digital also
>
>
> "John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I have a general question about the 4-pin audio cable that is connected
> > between a DVD/CD drive and one of the CD-In connectors on my motherboard
on
> > a recent (my first) build. What is its purpose? I did not have this
> > installed until recently and the drive appeared played DVDs and music
CDs
> > fine without it. I suspect its useful for something. Could someone
please
> > enlighten me?
> >
> > --
> > John
> >
> >
>
>

As digital CD inputs are still a relatively new way to connect the CD-ROM (or DVD-ROM) drives to the sound card, Manufacterers have
thoughtfully included a digital CD audio cable. Most CD-ROM drives do have the 2-pin digital outputs, but still come bundled with an
analog cable because nearly every other sound card out there still uses analog. A standard analog CD audio cable is also included
for older drives.

Go with the digital cable if your drive supports it as this reduces the possibility of interference, as audio from the disc is
passed digitally to the digital soundcard before being converted to analog. Many users said that connecting digitally is a world of
difference from the crappy analog outputs from many CD-ROM drives.





"John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok, I did read the analog vs digitial previously , but I still don't
> understand when it is used. When I put in a music CD, thats analog right?
> Why could I play music CDs just fine without the cable? I guess players
> (e.g. Windows Media Player ) convert to digital and deal with it digitally.
> If this is the case, when would the analog path ever be taken?
>
> "JAD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:MJCdb.7555$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > analog vs digital the 4 /3 wire cable is an analog source...there is a
> digital connector also and the Rom will use the ribbon
> > cable for digital also
> >
> >
> > "John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I have a general question about the 4-pin audio cable that is connected
> > > between a DVD/CD drive and one of the CD-In connectors on my motherboard
> on
> > > a recent (my first) build. What is its purpose? I did not have this
> > > installed until recently and the drive appeared played DVDs and music
> CDs
> > > fine without it. I suspect its useful for something. Could someone
> please
> > > enlighten me?
> > >
> > > --
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Great info. Thanks. However, I still have questions. My drive (Liteon
DVD+R/+RW) does have both a 4/3 analog connector and a 2-pin digital. My
motherboard, AN35N Ultra, has integrated sound with two analog CD-in
sockets. Originally I did NOT have the 4/3 analog OR the 2-pin digital cable
and I could play music CD's fine. This is what is puzzling me. I now have
put on the analog cable but I don't know what functionality I now have that
I didn't have before.

"JAD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:53Ddb.7577$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> As digital CD inputs are still a relatively new way to connect the CD-ROM
(or DVD-ROM) drives to the sound card, Manufacterers have
> thoughtfully included a digital CD audio cable. Most CD-ROM drives do have
the 2-pin digital outputs, but still come bundled with an
> analog cable because nearly every other sound card out there still uses
analog. A standard analog CD audio cable is also included
> for older drives.
>
> Go with the digital cable if your drive supports it as this reduces the
possibility of interference, as audio from the disc is
> passed digitally to the digital soundcard before being converted to
analog. Many users said that connecting digitally is a world of
> difference from the crappy analog outputs from many CD-ROM drives.
>
>
>
>
>
> "John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Ok, I did read the analog vs digitial previously , but I still don't
> > understand when it is used. When I put in a music CD, thats analog
right?
> > Why could I play music CDs just fine without the cable? I guess players
> > (e.g. Windows Media Player ) convert to digital and deal with it
digitally.
> > If this is the case, when would the analog path ever be taken?
> >
> > "JAD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:MJCdb.7555$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > analog vs digital the 4 /3 wire cable is an analog source...there is
a
> > digital connector also and the Rom will use the ribbon
> > > cable for digital also
> > >
> > >
> > > "John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > I have a general question about the 4-pin audio cable that is
connected
> > > > between a DVD/CD drive and one of the CD-In connectors on my
motherboard
> > on
> > > > a recent (my first) build. What is its purpose? I did not have this
> > > > installed until recently and the drive appeared played DVDs and
music
> > CDs
> > > > fine without it. I suspect its useful for something. Could someone
> > please
> > > > enlighten me?
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > John
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 10:53:38 -0500, "John A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Great info. Thanks. However, I still have questions. My drive (Liteon
>DVD+R/+RW) does have both a 4/3 analog connector and a 2-pin digital. My
>motherboard, AN35N Ultra, has integrated sound with two analog CD-in
>sockets. Originally I did NOT have the 4/3 analog OR the 2-pin digital cable
>and I could play music CD's fine. This is what is puzzling me. I now have
>put on the analog cable but I don't know what functionality I now have that
>I didn't have before.
>
You don't need either cable as current OS's and CD Drives can extract the
audio digitally over the IDE channel. All CD/DVD information is stored
digitally. Reading it directly as bits over the IDE channel eliminates a
D/A conversion in the drive before it goes to the sound card, and
eliminates the A/D conversion in the sound card before it is mixed and D/A
converted to something you can feed speakers. Eliminating the 2 conversion
steps and the cable can improve quality and reduce noise.

JT

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 09:56:35 -0500, In this world we created "John A"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote :

>I have a general question about the 4-pin audio cable that is connected
>between a DVD/CD drive and one of the CD-In connectors on my motherboard on
>a recent (my first) build. What is its purpose? I did not have this
>installed until recently and the drive appeared played DVDs and music CDs
>fine without it. I suspect its useful for something. Could someone please
>enlighten me?

As per other posts it's the analogue output from a Cdrom/DVD drive.
Later versions of WMP(windows media player" and the version installed
with winXP by default set to,"Digital" output from the CDrom/DVD
drives but this then means that the Cd music volume is controlled by
the same.wav fader and the sound data comes down the IDE cable.
I prefer the analogue out when playing audio Cds as this
then allows me to set the volume via the windows mixer Cdrom fader
separate from the window's .wav .mp3 etc volumes.
I have noticed no difference in quality with either.
Note:
If you choose the digital option the error correction should be on.
HTH





--
Free Windows/PC help,
It's a G not a J in jmx to reply
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/trouble.html
Free songs download,
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/17/sheppard.html

Thanks, that makes sense.

"JT" <datacare@localhost> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 10:53:38 -0500, "John A" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:
>
> >Great info. Thanks. However, I still have questions. My drive (Liteon
> >DVD+R/+RW) does have both a 4/3 analog connector and a 2-pin digital. My
> >motherboard, AN35N Ultra, has integrated sound with two analog CD-in
> >sockets. Originally I did NOT have the 4/3 analog OR the 2-pin digital
cable
> >and I could play music CD's fine. This is what is puzzling me. I now have
> >put on the analog cable but I don't know what functionality I now have
that
> >I didn't have before.
> >
> You don't need either cable as current OS's and CD Drives can extract the
> audio digitally over the IDE channel. All CD/DVD information is stored
> digitally. Reading it directly as bits over the IDE channel eliminates a
> D/A conversion in the drive before it goes to the sound card, and
> eliminates the A/D conversion in the sound card before it is mixed and D/A
> converted to something you can feed speakers. Eliminating the 2 conversion
> steps and the cable can improve quality and reduce noise.
>
> JT