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==A Short History of PC Sound==
==A Short History of PC Sound==
(削除) {{Stub}} (削除ここまで)
(追記) The original sound device on PCs (追記ここまで)was the [[PC Speaker]](追記) , available as far back as the IBM PC (introduced in 1981) (追記ここまで). (追記) In the late 1980s several manufacturers started producing add-in sound devices, notably (追記ここまで)Creative (追記) (the Game Blaster) (追記ここまで)and (追記) AdLib (the AdLib Music Synthesizer Card) (追記ここまで). (追記) Of these, Creative was far more successful, and the [[Sound Blaster 16]] became a de-facto standard for more than half a decade (追記ここまで). (追記) Almost all cards today still have some backwards compatibility with the Sound Blaster 16 (追記ここまで).
(削除) In the beginning, there (削除ここまで)was the [[PC Speaker]]. (削除) Next came (削除ここまで)Creative and (削除) Ad Lib (削除ここまで). (削除) Then came AC'97 (削除ここまで). (削除) Then HDA. And finally cheap Realtek chipsets to be found everywhere. And we should talk about professional recording sound as well. And guess what? These are going to be their own sections (削除ここまで).
(削除) ===The Sound Blaster=== (削除ここまで)
In (追記) 1997 Intel specificed a new standard (追記ここまで), (追記) [[AC97]] (追記ここまで)((追記) short for ''Audio Codec 1997'' (追記ここまで))(追記) , (追記ここまで)that (追記) virtually replaced (追記ここまで)the Sound Blaster (追記) standard by specifying higher quality sampling. In 2004 Intel produced yet another standard (追記ここまで), (追記) this time (追記ここまで)the (追記) [[Intel High Definition Audio]] standard (追記ここまで)((追記) codenamed ''Azalia' (追記ここまで)')(追記) , which specifies yet another improvement on previous standards' audio quality (追記ここまで).
In (削除) terms of simple standards (削除ここまで), (削除) the Sound Blaster Pro (削除ここまで)((削除) from Creative (削除ここまで)) (削除) is the original de facto standard for audio on PCs. It was an ISA card (削除ここまで)that (削除) descended from (削除ここまで)the Sound Blaster, the (削除) first card to support both the Game Blaster (削除ここまで)((削除) Creative (削除ここまで)'(削除) s original card (削除ここまで)) (削除) and the AdLib sound card. The majority of cards today still have some backwards compatibility with the Sound Blaster Pro (削除ここまで).
(削除) ===AC '97=== (削除ここまで)
(追記) Sound cards and standards for the professional (and audiophile) markets have evolved seperately from (追記ここまで)the (追記) mainstream cards (追記ここまで). (追記) The important feature in these cards (追記ここまで)is (追記) not fancy features (追記ここまで), (追記) but very low latency (<5ms) and high quality sampling (24 bit sampling at 96KHz not being uncommon). [[MIDI]] is an important (追記ここまで)part of (追記) professional audio today, and has been since (追記ここまで)the (追記) early 1990s. Cards can be from 2 channels through to 32 and more (追記ここまで).
(削除) Since then has come (削除ここまで)the (削除) Intel standard AC'97 (削除ここまで). (削除) This (削除ここまで)is (削除) more difficult to implement (削除ここまで), (削除) due to the fact that some of it may be implemented in software as (削除ここまで)part of the (削除) 'chipset driver' (削除ここまで).
==The Sound Heirachy==
==The Sound Heirachy==
Revision as of 11:06, 6 June 2008
An example of an older-style PCI sound card
Sound is never noticed by users, until it isn't there. It forms an integral part of the user feedback experience. For example, the beeps produced by Windows Explorer, KDE and other desktop environments when users click on the wrong thing. It is also becoming a far more dominant part of the gaming and multimedia experience; with many games and movies now featuring 5.1 channel soundtracks. As such, it is becoming more important for hobby operating systems to support sound playback, at the very least.
A Short History of PC Sound
The original sound device on PCs was the PC Speaker, available as far back as the IBM PC (introduced in 1981). In the late 1980s several manufacturers started producing add-in sound devices, notably Creative (the Game Blaster) and AdLib (the AdLib Music Synthesizer Card). Of these, Creative was far more successful, and the Sound Blaster 16 became a de-facto standard for more than half a decade. Almost all cards today still have some backwards compatibility with the Sound Blaster 16.
In 1997 Intel specificed a new standard, AC97 (short for Audio Codec 1997), that virtually replaced the Sound Blaster standard by specifying higher quality sampling. In 2004 Intel produced yet another standard, this time the Intel High Definition Audio standard (codenamed Azalia), which specifies yet another improvement on previous standards' audio quality.
Sound cards and standards for the professional (and audiophile) markets have evolved seperately from the mainstream cards. The important feature in these cards is not fancy features, but very low latency (<5ms) and high quality sampling (24 bit sampling at 96KHz not being uncommon). MIDI is an important part of professional audio today, and has been since the early 1990s. Cards can be from 2 channels through to 32 and more.
The Sound Heirachy
