Do I need analog/digital cables to connect my CD-ROM to a Sound Blaster?

[Flor]

Hi,

I'm ordering parts for my first homebuilt and was wondering if I'll
need to get the cables that connect the sound output (analog and/or
digital) from my CD-ROM and DVD-ROM to the SB Audigy 2 card. I have
the OEM Audigy 2 so it didn't come with any cables.

According to MaximumPC's "Build the Perfect PC" magazine, the CD_IN
and CD_SPDIF connectors on the sound card are obsolete as the digital
sound is now channeled through the IDE connection. Is this correct?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Harry]

Certainly I dont have any cable from my CD to the Sound card. I do
have one from my CD player to my MB though.

Perhaps someone else here can elaborate more

cheers

Harry

 

[Muttley]

AFAIK, this is correct for Windows XP, and possibly Win2k and WinMe. Not
sure about the earlier 9x incarnations of Windows.

John S.

 

[Muttley]

Oh yeah, I forgot - the cables are not totally obsolete, as you can still
configure Windows to play CD audio via the Analog cable if you wish.
The XP default is to play CD audio using digital extraction via the IDE
cable.
I personally prefer the old analog method for audio CDs, as the CD drive
then only turns the CD at the standard audio speed of 1X. Nice and quiet.
I dislike the amount of mechanical noise and vibration created by the CD
drive when playing an Audio CD using the Digital method, as the CD is
rotated at speeds of up to 52X while playing.
You can connect them up, but in the default Windows XP configuration they
will be unused.

John S.

 

[Gary Tait]

Whereas On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 00:37:47 +1000, "Muttley"

AFAIK, this is correct for Windows XP, and possibly Win2k and WinMe. Not
sure about the earlier 9x incarnations of Windows.

John S.

You can get drivers/plugins for that.

 

[Flor]

Thanks for the input, especially the insight about the CD spinning
faster and louder if using digital over IDE. I'll stick with either
the analog or digital output on the CD-ROM.

 

[DaveW]

Maximum PC is correct.

 

[tomcas]

Hi,

I'm ordering parts for my first homebuilt and was wondering if I'll
need to get the cables that connect the sound output (analog and/or
digital) from my CD-ROM and DVD-ROM to the SB Audigy 2 card. I have
the OEM Audigy 2 so it didn't come with any cables.

According to MaximumPC's "Build the Perfect PC" magazine, the CD_IN
and CD_SPDIF connectors on the sound card are obsolete as the digital
sound is now channeled through the IDE connection. Is this correct?

Thanks for your help!

Yes with one exception. You will need to use the cables if you want to
leave the capability of connecting your headphones to the CD-ROM drive
panel jack.