Line-In and Mic for Line-out (4 or 6 Channels)

[Red Cloud]

Wow! I just discovered that Line-In and Mic can be used for
another Line-out (speak out).
I did not know mobo was design to switch Line-In port or another
Line-out port.
I'm using Line-In as another Line-out that means I no longer need 4-
channel Soundblaster PCI card. The mobo manual has written in small
note: "line-in port can be set as another line-out..."
I missed to read that and did not further check it out. But the
reason I did not know was that
the function to change Lint-out is not included in BIOS utility
setup.

What is the reason not included in BIOS setup?
Did BIOS programmer missed that?

 

[Nobody > (Revisited)]

Wow! I just discovered that Line-In and Mic can be used for
another Line-out (speak out).
I did not know mobo was design to switch Line-In port or another
Line-out port.
I'm using Line-In as another Line-out that means I no longer need 4-
channel Soundblaster PCI card. The mobo manual has written in small
note: "line-in port can be set as another line-out..."
I missed to read that and did not further check it out. But the
reason I did not know was that
the function to change Lint-out is not included in BIOS utility
setup.

What is the reason not included in BIOS setup?
Did BIOS programmer missed that?

Would you share the make/model of the mobo?

Some have this, others don't. It depends on what audio hardware is on
the muddaboad.

As for the 'jack use change'; it's not a BIOS issue, it's part of the
vendor's Windows driver package. I haven't seen all of the recent mobo
audio packages, but from the few I have, you won't get that
functionality with the M$ drivers, you have to have the vendor's version.

--
"Shit this is it, all the pieces do fit.
We're like that crazy old man jumping
out of the alleyway with a baseball bat,
saying, "Remember me motherfucker?"
Jim “Dandy” Mangrum

 

[Paul]

Wow! I just discovered that Line-In and Mic can be used for
another Line-out (speak out).
I did not know mobo was design to switch Line-In port or another
Line-out port.
I'm using Line-In as another Line-out that means I no longer need 4-
channel Soundblaster PCI card. The mobo manual has written in small
note: "line-in port can be set as another line-out..."
I missed to read that and did not further check it out. But the
reason I did not know was that
the function to change Lint-out is not included in BIOS utility
setup.

What is the reason not included in BIOS setup?
Did BIOS programmer missed that?

If the audio CODEC chip has 5.1 or higher output mode, it provides
the potential to multiplex signals on the same jack. They can wire
"Microphone In" to the same jack as a "Line Out". If is up to the
driver to select which function is being used. If you put the outputs
in higher than stereo mode (4.0, 5.1), you lose some input functions.

That scheme is used to reduce the number of audio jacks in the
I/O plate area of the motherboard. You can buy jacks in 1x3 and
2x3 configurations. A 2x3 configuration means no multiplexing is
used. A 1x3 configuration means the signals can be multiplexed, as
they were in your case.

If the CODEC chip is a simple stereo chip, and not 5.1, then there
aren't enough ports on the chip, to support all those functions.
An example of a low end chip, might be ALC202A.

So possible configurations would be:

5.1 CODEC plus 2x3 stack = full input possible, 5.1 output possible, all
at the same time.

5.1 CODEC plus 1x3 stack = shared jacks, 5.1 output possible only if jacks
can't be used for input any more. Using stereo
mode (2.0) allows full input functions to work.

2.0 CODEC plus 1x3 stack = full input possible, stereo output only on LineOut

A stereo codec plus a 2x3 stack wouldn't make sense, because the chip
simply doesn't have enough ports/channels for that.

If you look at the audio driver INF file, you can see a huge amount of
lines of text, documenting the custom controls for many different motherboards.
Audio drivers have some of the biggest INF files you'll ever see. And part of
that, helps support things like jack multiplexing when it exists or is an option.

Paul

 

[Flasherly]

What is the reason not included in BIOS setup?
Did BIOS programmer missed that?

AWARD or AMI, when a MB manufacturer designs the board, they contract
them with their specs for the BIOS. All I've seen in the way of BIOS
is a link to the surface-mounted soundchip for booting through the
connects, instead of the SPKR pins on the MB.

The MB's SoundChip (not the MB SPKR pin block) also has a name on it
and is selected along the SoundChip's utilities included on the CD and
shipped with the MB (as a "feature" packages are other utilities
specific to chips the MB manufacturer includes). Lots of chips and
lots of features in lots of MB prices for $2-300. Or something like
that.

Almost the same thing as buying what you want in a PCI card, except
for the BIOS, which, if well implemented and without "issues" plagued
and problematic, will turn off optionally anything featured on the MB
for such as a PCI installation purpose.

 

[GMAN]

Wow! I just discovered that Line-In and Mic can be used for
another Line-out (speak out).
I did not know mobo was design to switch Line-In port or another
Line-out port.

Welcome to the the last decade!!!! This have been possible on motherboard and
sound chipsets for over a decade now. Actually since the AC97 spec came out.

I'm using Line-In as another Line-out that means I no longer need 4-
channel Soundblaster PCI card. The mobo manual has written in small
note: "line-in port can be set as another line-out..."
I missed to read that and did not further check it out. But the
reason I did not know was that
the function to change Lint-out is not included in BIOS utility
setup.

What is the reason not included in BIOS setup?
Did BIOS programmer missed that?

Its not a hardware function so the bios is not in the picture here. It the
chipset that is software programmable.

 

[Red Cloud]

 Wow! I just discovered that  Line-In and Mic can be used for
another Line-out (speak out).
I did not know mobo was design to switch Line-In port or  another
Line-out port.

Welcome to the the last decade!!!! This have been possible on motherboardand
sound chipsets for over a decade now. Actually since the AC97 spec came out.
[/QUOTE]

You are right on that... AC97 thing... Another reason I didn't know is
nobody
every spoke about this.

Its not a hardware function so the bios is not in the picture here. It the
chipset that is software programmable.

You mean that digital (audio) data to Line-out can be sent to Line-In
so
it can be used as another Line-out?