Sound card - with WAV Table

Sound cards are used to connect speakers to the computer to allow for audio output.

The sound card uses a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) sound translation table called a WAV table.  This makes MIDI music sound alive and real, by using actual sampled (pre-recorded) instrument sounds.  Therefore, each sound is authentic and accurate.  Older sound cards used FM synthesis involving sine waves and synthesizer effects to approximate the sound of instruments such as drums and piano.  These sounds were OK as a stepping stone in technology yet primitive by today's standards.   You will hear the difference if you play games or MIDI music files.  Most games utilize MIDI for background music.

Another feature that you may want to consider on wave tables is called DSP (digital signal processing) which can add a variety of tasks to your card, and a task that this chip performs means less of a burden on the machine's CPU. Some of these chips are even software-programmable. 3-D sound effects are also included on some cards. Whether the system used is SRS (Sound Retrieval System), Q-Sound, or Spatializer, it is designed to improve the perceived stereo effect of your speakers. They work by delaying the timing of certain portions of the audio signal so that different frequencies hit your ear as slightly different times. The down side is that some of the cards equipped with 3-D sound add a noticeable amount of noise to the card's output.

Another big feature is compatibility. DOS games are written almost exclusively for the Creative Labs specification. You will need a card that is 100% Sound Blaster compatible.   Many vendors do not license the Creative Labs specification but claim that their cards are 100% game compatible. This means that the sound will work, but not all sounds that you hear will be the ones that the game programmers intended. If you play many DOS games, it would be best to buy a Sound Blaster.

Analogy - The sound card acts as the translator between your computer and your speakers.  The sound card receives electronic digital sound and converts it into an analog output that your speakers are equipped to receive.

History - Most computers did not have sound cards as a standard feature until about 1995.  It was almost considere a luxury if you had a computer with sound.  Either you were showing off your money, or your expertise in your ability to install it yourself, after all, it wasn't available any other way!

Manufacturers - Creative Labs is the company that set the standard on sound cards.  Stick with any manufacturer that is truely Sound Blaster compatible.

What You Are Looking For - Make sure that your sound card is WAV table compatible.  Check to insure that you have microphone inputs, line outputs and if you will be using a joystick, most sound cards include a game port for joysticks.  Dell, Compaq, Gateway and most other manufacturers are shipping new systems with sound cards that meet the above mentioned specifications.