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Mac computers include built-in sound capability that can knock your socks off! Therefore, Mac users can skip this article. For PC users, the sound card is the core of your computer's audio power. The sound card processes audio information and then sends it out through your speakers. Whether you know it or not, you almost certainly have a 16-bit sound card already inside your computer. The only reasons you may need to install a new sound card are:
- You want a better card with more features.
- You need to replace the card.
- You're adding a sound card to an older PC.
- You're building your own PC.
Choosing a sound card
Sound cards come in several different lengths and standards. Be sure that you buy the right type of card for your computer. Usually the choice runs between PCI (Peripheral Component Interface) and ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) cards. PCI slots are always shorter than ISA slots and usually white; ISA slots are always longer than PCI slots and usually black. Check your computer's manual to be sure.
A basic sound card, like the popular series of Sound Blaster cards from Creative Labs, can do you fine. Some companies offer 3-D audio sound cards that are made especially for computer games. 3-D sound cards can handle music as well. You can also pick up a card that's capable of Dolby Surround sound, but you'll need the corresponding surround sound speaker system to take full advantage of your music.
Many multimedia computers come with four to six speakers, ready to play back surround sound. Although four speakers may sound cool for a while, surround sound was really designed for DVD players that play back movies recorded with surround sound technology. Although it's great for computer games, the technology doesn't really make MP3 songs sound any better.
Installing a sound card
Sound cards are easy to install. They're self-contained units — you don't need to plug special power cables into them. (A wire from some CD players connects to some sound cards, however, to route the sound directly to the card.) Some cards are longer and thicker than others. You may need to rearrange some of your existing cards to accommodate new cards of different lengths and thicknesses.
 | Sound cards are particularly susceptible to static electricity. Handle them only by their edges. Tap your computer's case to ground yourself before touching the card. Also, be careful not to bend the card while installing it. Doing so can damage its circuitry. |
To install a card, follow these steps:
1. Turn off your computer, unplug it, and remove the cover.
2. Find the slot that's the right size for your card.
Examine the slots closely; then examine the slots along the bottom of your card. Slots vary in size; you need one that will fit your card exactly. Don't confuse your computer's expansion slots — the ones where the cards plug in — with its much-smaller memory slots, where the RAM chips slide in.
 | If you have a lot of room, keep your cards spaced as far apart as possible. Doing so keeps them a little cooler. |
3. Remove the slot's cover.
Unused slots usually have a little cover to keep dust from flying in through the back of your computer. With a small screwdriver, remove the screw that holds the cover in place. Don't lose the screw! You need it to secure the card in place.
4. Push the card into its slot.
To spare yourself some possible aggravation, first check your card's manual to see whether you need to flip any of the card's switches or move any of its jumpers — little prongs with a movable bar. Then you won't have to take the card back out if it's not working right.
Holding the card by its edges, position it over the slot. The shiny silver edge with the ports and plugs in it should face toward the back of your computer.
Push the card slowly into the slot. You may need to rock it back and forth gently. When it pops in, you can feel it come to rest. Don't force it!
5. Secure the card in the slot with the screw.
Make sure that you use a screw; don't just leave the card sitting there. Cards should be grounded to the computer's case. Without a secure connection, they may not work.
6. Plug the computer back in and turn it on. The Windows Plug and Play feature recognizes and installs the card.
7. If everything works, carefully put the cover back on — you're done!
Troubleshooting sound cards
If the sound card doesn't work, you probably have to run the card's installation software. Still doesn't work? Then try the following:
- Check the manual to make sure that the card's switches and jumpers are set correctly.
- You may have to run the card's software and restart your computer before it will work. That's because the software puts a driver in one of your computer's special areas. Your computer reads that file only when it's first turned on or when it's restarted.
- Make sure that the card is seated securely in its slot and screwed in reasonably tight.
- Make sure that the card is in the right slot and that each of its copper-colored tabs fits firmly into a slot.
| - Nine times out of ten, the problem lies with the software. The card is sitting in the slot correctly, but the software is conflicting with some other software or not talking with the card. Check the card's manual for possible software troubleshooting information, or visit the manufacturer's Web site to read online documentation.
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