AC97 Stereo sound problem from second-hand K7T266 mobo

[Roger]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.msi-microstar (More info?)

Can anyone help please with this apparently simple problem? I recently
bought a second-hand K7T266 on e-bay which works fine except I can only
get one channel out of the line audio out no matter what the sound
source - CD, wav audio file, internet-radio etc and no matter what
player software I use. (WM9, Real Player, LP Recorder, Total Recorder
etc) All the settings seem ok and I have tried re-loading the AC97
driver but still no stereo. I think the previous owner must have had a
sound card as when I received the board I had to switch on the AC97 in
the BIOS.

When I use Total Recorder (which grabs the sound from the AC97)to edit
and burn a CD, the CD produced is in good stereo. Everything points
towards an electrical problem with the motherboard line-out socket but
surely that is just about impossible?

many thanks for any help - Roger

 

[Don]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.msi-microstar (More info?)

roger wrote:
> When I use Total Recorder (which grabs the sound from the AC97)to edit
> and burn a CD, the CD produced is in good stereo.

Total recorder actually intercepts the audio at the sound driver level
and not through the hardware. It would be better to try recording
through the line-in jack on the board which is also stereo.

You could try recording through MIC and LINE-IN to confirm everything
else is working properly.

> Everything points
> towards an electrical problem with the motherboard line-out socket but
> surely that is just about impossible?

The socket is mechanical and subject to failing just like any other
mechanical device. Simply inserting and removing a plug from the socket
wears down the spring mechanism inside every time its done. Considering
this is a second-hand board, it's possible it may have been damaged at
some time and the previous owner simply plugged in a sound card to get
it working again.

If you know someone skilled with a soldering iron, they could check the
solder connections on the underside of the board. Sometimes it's that
simple. Replacing the receptacle on the board is not all that difficult
to do either.

Don

 

[Roger]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.msi-microstar (More info?)

Many thanks for your suggestions Don. I can record stereo via the line
in no problem so it probably is the jack electrical connection. Rather
than play arround with the jack I think i will buy a 'USB sound box'
which will give me easier access for line in/out and by-pass the AC97
on-board. It's a real bind playing around at the back of the PC.

Roger.


Don wrote:
> roger wrote:
> > When I use Total Recorder (which grabs the sound from the AC97)to
edit
> > and burn a CD, the CD produced is in good stereo.
>
> Total recorder actually intercepts the audio at the sound driver
level
> and not through the hardware. It would be better to try recording
> through the line-in jack on the board which is also stereo.
>
> You could try recording through MIC and LINE-IN to confirm everything

> else is working properly.
>
> > Everything points
> > towards an electrical problem with the motherboard line-out socket
but
> > surely that is just about impossible?
>
> The socket is mechanical and subject to failing just like any other
> mechanical device. Simply inserting and removing a plug from the
socket
> wears down the spring mechanism inside every time its done.
Considering
> this is a second-hand board, it's possible it may have been damaged
at
> some time and the previous owner simply plugged in a sound card to
get
> it working again.
>
> If you know someone skilled with a soldering iron, they could check
the
> solder connections on the underside of the board. Sometimes it's that

> simple. Replacing the receptacle on the board is not all that
difficult
> to do either.
>
> Don