New SuperMicro Mobo

Quantumstate · 01-04-2014, 06:38 PM

How can this be? There doesn't seem to be any audio on the X10SLH-F?

None of the headers is for audio. No audio output jacks in the back. It does have onboard VGA, a Aspeed "AST2400".

Apparently there is sound on my video card, an AMD HD 7990:

Code:

multimedia
                      description: Audio device
                      product: Tahiti XT HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 7970 Series]
                      vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
                      physical id: 0.1
                      bus info: pci@0000:03:00.1
                      version: 00
                      width: 64 bits
                      clock: 33MHz
                      capabilities: pm pciexpress msi bus_master cap_list
                      configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
                      resources: irq:63 memory:f7560000-f7563fff

There also seems to be a:

Code:

           *-multimedia
                description: Multimedia video controller
                product: CX23885 PCI Video and Audio Decoder
                vendor: Conexant Systems, Inc.
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:0a:00.0
                version: 03
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pciexpress pm vpd msi bus_master cap_list
                configuration: driver=cx23885 latency=0
                resources: irq:16 memory:f7200000-f73fffff

Is this on the mobo or the AMD card? If on the mobo why would they also have the ASpeed?

If there's no hope of getting audio off the mobo, how would I tap it off of hdmi? My hdmi goes to a projector, so I need to intercept it somehow.

jlinkels · 01-04-2014, 08:28 PM

My only experience with Supermicro mainboard is that I ordered one last week to build a low-power server.

But yes, it seems that there is no audio output available. Only after ordering I realized that I did use my server to produce sound, it plays internet radio streams into my FM transmitter.

So I will be ordering a USB-to-audio converter. They come cheap.

jlinkels

Quantumstate · 01-04-2014, 09:10 PM

USB to audio converter? Where is that audio coming from? At least on my mobo there is absolutely no audio processing; it's a work truck of a board. The VGA port is strictly for a bare console.

My CPU (Xeon E3-1625L v3) can hardware-decode video, but again where am I going to tap that stream? There's no provision for it.

I've found that my Conexant chip is actually a Hauppauge card I have plugged in. And of course my other audio device is on the AMD video card. The AMD card doesn't have any audio plugs, either. So my only option is to tap the audio off HDMI, so I've just bought this. There are lots of HDMI audio breakouts I've found, but few support HDMI 1.3 or 1.4; those that do typically use USB for power.

jlinkels · 01-05-2014, 05:02 AM

The USB device acts as audio device. It will show up among your audio devices. Exactly the same as an USB headset.

jlinkels

cascade9 · 01-05-2014, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

How can this be? There doesn't seem to be any audio on the X10SLH-F?

None of the headers is for audio. No audio output jacks in the back. It does have onboard VGA, a Aspeed "AST2400".

Apparently there is sound on my video card, an AMD HD 7990:

Code:

multimedia
                      description: Audio device
                      product: Tahiti XT HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 7970 Series]
                      vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
                      physical id: 0.1
                      bus info: pci@0000:03:00.1
                      version: 00
                      width: 64 bits
                      clock: 33MHz
                      capabilities: pm pciexpress msi bus_master cap_list
                      configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
                      resources: irq:63 memory:f7560000-f7563fff

There also seems to be a:

Code:

           *-multimedia
                description: Multimedia video controller
                product: CX23885 PCI Video and Audio Decoder
                vendor: Conexant Systems, Inc.
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:0a:00.0
                version: 03
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pciexpress pm vpd msi bus_master cap_list
                configuration: driver=cx23885 latency=0
                resources: irq:16 memory:f7200000-f73fffff

Is this on the mobo or the AMD card? If on the mobo why would they also have the ASpeed?

If there's no hope of getting audio off the mobo, how would I tap it off of hdmi? My hdmi goes to a projector, so I need to intercept it somehow.

The HD7XXX cards dont have a sound card, just a sound controller for passing the sound data to HDMI.

You will not get sound from via the HD7XXX card HDMI output without a sound card.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlinkels

So I will be ordering a USB-to-audio converter. They come cheap.

A USB sound card you mean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlinkels

The USB device acts as audio device. It will show up among your audio devices. Exactly the same as an USB headset.

As far as I know, there are some USB headsets that have a sound chip built in. However, almost all those that do are software controlled (and have rather awful sopund quality, and a bit of a performance hit to go with it). Some are just 'sound controllers' that will pass the audio information decoded on the sound card to USB.

IMO you would be better off with a cheapish sound card.

jlinkels · 01-05-2014, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

A USB sound card you mean.

No, I mean really a USB-to-3.5 mm converter.
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAU...usb+sound+card

I can't review it because I have not installed it yet.

As for the bad quality of USB headsets, I am using the Logitech USB headset for some years now, and I don't have anything to complain about audio quality. And I am pretty critical about audio quality I can assure you. It might not be HiFi, but definitely acceptable.

And why not? An audio card converts an audio stream into analog sound. D/A conversion. I don't see why a USB converter works differently. I expect such a converter to contain a similar D/A converter.

jlinkels

cascade9 · 01-05-2014, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlinkels

No, I mean really a USB-to-3.5 mm converter.
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAU...usb+sound+card

LMAO...you did see the URL? "keywords=usb+sound+card".

Its a USB sound card.

'USB to 3.5mm converter' can mean far to much to be a good wording. It could mean a USB sound card, or it could mean something like this-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5mm-Male-A...-/300987288974

As for your Logitech USB headset, it could be using a built in sound chip, or it could be passing the signal from a sound card.

What one person might feel is 'awful sound quality' another might think is more than fine. It depends on your ears, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlinkels

And why not? An audio card converts an audio stream into analog sound. D/A conversion. I don't see why a USB converter works differently. I expect such a converter to contain a similar D/A converter.

Yes, you can put a sound card/chip into a USB enclosure. But here are all different quality sound cards/chips, and the inexpensive USB sound cards tend to use very cheap and low quality components and sound chips like the Cmedia CM108 and CM119.

jlinkels · 01-05-2014, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

LMAO...you did see the URL? "keywords=usb+sound+card".
Its a USB sound card.

Hehe I didn't even realize that I entered this search key.
But anyway, this is the device I mean.

What you show on eBay looks like a wire with different plugs at each end. No A/D or D/A conversion. That was not what I meant.

jlinkels

Quantumstate · 01-05-2014, 09:14 AM

Oh man. I wish you guys had spoken up before I'd placed my order. I'll just return it.

I'd like to put the sound card in my case, but there are no slots left. Putting a usb sound card inside the case means running the 3.5mm jack inside somehow. I'll look around for options.

Maybe this means I don't have to use the AMD card for video decoding? (it will be busy with other things) Is there a way I can use the CPU to decode video, and somehow get it to the projector?

rokytnji · 01-05-2014, 10:22 AM

Quote:

I'd like to put the sound card in my case, but there are no slots left. Putting a usb sound card inside the case means running the 3.5mm jack inside somehow. I'll look around for options.

http://www.lifeproof.com/shop/media/...-whitebg_4.jpg

Super glue socket to case housing/drill bit?

http://www.lifeproof.com/shop/us_en/...phone-adapter/

You will need 2. One for mic and one for external sound. Not necessarily
a iphone part. That is just a example idea.

I use http://sgcdn.startech.com/005329/med...MMRCA.Main.jpg

one of these and plug in the rca jacks to my 200 watt per channel amplifier and run
http://loudcity.com/ through xmms or mocp in my motorcycle shop computer via a downloaded .pls file.

Quantumstate · 01-05-2014, 11:46 PM

OK I was going to get the ODAC, which is the most advanced audio available, but it turns out it is only stereo. This is for my home theater, so I need digital audio 5.1/7.1, THX decoding, etc.

So I bought this. I think it will fit in my case, which is already wired with panel jacks. (Silverstone GD02) I may remove the sound card from its case to save space, as my computer case is pretty packed with video cards and water-cooling.

cascade9 · 01-06-2014, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

I'd like to put the sound card in my case, but there are no slots left. Putting a usb sound card inside the case means running the 3.5mm jack inside somehow. I'll look around for options.

Why put a USB sound card inside the case? One of the reasons why some professional level sound cards etc. are USB is because it removes the chip from the EMI noise inside the case.

If you really want, it can be done, even if it takes some zipties and a hole drilled in one of the PCI/PCIe slot covers, or punching out a serial port, or half a dozen other tricks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

OK I was going to get the ODAC, which is the most advanced audio available, but it turns out it is only stereo. This is for my home theater, so I need digital audio 5.1/7.1, THX decoding, etc.

So I bought this. I think it will fit in my case, which is already wired with panel jacks. (Silverstone GD02) I may remove the sound card from its case to save space, as my computer case is pretty packed with video cards and water-cooling.

I doubt that ODAC is 'the most advanced audio available', though its got quite a few fans.

Removing the case from a USB sound card to use it internally could well create more EMI issues than running it internally with the case, I wouldnt do it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

Maybe this means I don't have to use the AMD card for video decoding? (it will be busy with other things) Is there a way I can use the CPU to decode video, and somehow get it to the projector?

I cant say for sure....but I doubt it. But it depends on what you mean by 'CPU decoding'. I guess you mean using hardware video decoding, using VAAPI with intel video.

The Aspeed AST2400 (AFAIK) isnt using the intergrated intel video, and I doubt it has any hardware video decoding.

If you used that, your CPU will still be doing the decoding, but not using the intel video, just the usual x86 cores.

It would be interesting to see how much load just doing hardware decoding would put onto the 7970....I'd guess it would be minimal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlinkels

Hehe I didn't even realize that I entered this search key.
But anyway, this is the device I mean.

What you show on eBay looks like a wire with different plugs at each end. No A/D or D/A conversion. That was not what I meant.

You possibly didnt use "keywords=usb+sound+card", its just the way that amazon can do things.

Yeah, I know its not what you meant, I'm just being pedantic. In my defence, I've found that 'fuzzy' terms like 'converter' are best avoided if there is a more technically exact term

Quantumstate · 01-06-2014, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

Why put a USB sound card inside the case? One of the reasons why some professional level sound cards etc. are USB is because it removes the chip from the EMI noise inside the case.

Well, this is my home theater computer, and I don't want all kinds of gadgets hanging off of it. It's a beautiful Silverstone MD02 case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

I doubt that ODAC is 'the most advanced audio available', though its got quite a few fans.

Did you actually understand the specs? Nothing comes close anywhere near this price-universe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

Removing the case from a USB sound card to use it internally could well create more EMI issues than running it internally with the case, I wouldnt do it.

Didn't realize this. Maybe I'll try it with/without the case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

I cant say for sure....but I doubt it. But it depends on what you mean by 'CPU decoding'. I guess you mean using hardware video decoding, using VAAPI with intel video.

The Aspeed AST2400 (AFAIK) isnt using the intergrated intel video, and I doubt it has any hardware video decoding.

You must not be paying attention. Of course, I meant hardware decoding of video; would I aspire to achieve software decoding? Don't know what the AST2400 has to do with this. As I noted above when I said, "My CPU (Xeon E3-1625L v3) can hardware-decode video" I am trying to get off the AMD card to leave it dedicated to number-crunching. As the CPU natively supports decoding I'd like to harness that, is what I'm saying.

I've discovered that the C226 chipset (which my mobo has) supports WiDi (Intel Wireless Display) for video-slinging. This would be ideal to use the CPU to decode video and get it off the board to the projector, but unfortunately this requires a large software app, and will not work from boot. (the projector is my console) And there is no software for Linux yet (although a project has now started).

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

It would be interesting to see how much load just doing hardware decoding would put onto the 7970....I'd guess it would be minimal.

I've seen CPU use of 20%-30% while VaAPI-decoding HD on another machine. Ought to be less yet.

cascade9 · 01-07-2014, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

Did you actually understand the specs? Nothing comes close anywhere near this price-universe.

You must not be paying attention. Of course, I meant hardware decoding of video; would I aspire to achieve software decoding? Don't know what the AST2400 has to do with this. As I noted above when I said, "My CPU (Xeon E3-1625L v3) can hardware-decode video" I am trying to get off the AMD card to leave it dedicated to number-crunching. As the CPU natively supports decoding I'd like to harness that, is what I'm saying.

I've discovered that the C226 chipset (which my mobo has) supports WiDi (Intel Wireless Display) for video-slinging. This would be ideal to use the CPU to decode video and get it off the board to the projector, but unfortunately this requires a large software app, and will not work from boot. (the projector is my console) And there is no software for Linux yet (although a project has now started).

LMAO.

You've started a thread on how your motherboard has no audio......but I'm the one who doesnt 'understand the specs' and isnt 'paying attention'.

*edit- While creative doesnt make it clear when you look at the specs page for the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD USB, that is typical creative. Which is one reason why I _never_ buy creative stuff anymore. But to give you the bad news....its not 5.1/7.1 capable.

http://us.store.creative.com/Creativ...B004275EO4.htm

Quote:

This card is not capable of 5.1 playback like its cheaper USB sibling, the X-Fi 5.1 Surround Pro.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/..._card_review/2

Even on 2 channel/44.1kHz/16bit playback, its got the age old creative 'upsampling' issue-

Quote:

For the digital inputs and outputs, the product offers stereo playback and recording formats of 16 bit, 44.1, 48, and 96 kHz and 24 bit, 44.1, 48, and 96 kHz.

The majority of MP3 downloads available for sale are encoded at 16 bit, 44.1 kHz. If you are looking for this bit-depth and sample rate in the X-Fi HD USB's software or Windows' sound properties to prevent up-sampling during analog audio playback, you will simply not find it when using this product.

The specifications for the product's chipset can be found on Creative's OEM website. Although the capability for 16 bit, 44.1 kHz analog playback and recording is listed in the chipset's specifications, Creative chose not to implement that bit depth and sample rate when using the same chipset in the X-Fi HD USB. The sound card would have required a second crystal oscillator to provide clock frequencies for 44.1 kHz and its multiples, 88.2 and 176.4.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/..._card_review/2

Using the intel HD video to decode will only work _if_ there is an output for it. Since it appears that your board doesnt have any output for the intel HD video, its not going to work AFAIK.

That is why I brought up the Aspeed AST2400....supermicro has put it into the system for people that are using xeons with no onboard video (which is most of them, and pretty much all the 6 or more core models).

Maybe there is some BIOS option to use the intel HD video, but I'd doubt it. See this page-

http://www.supermicro.com/products/n...SELECT&type=EM

If the X10SLH-F could use intel HD video, I'd expect it to be listed like it is for the X10SLQ.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

Well, this is my home theater computer, and I don't want all kinds of gadgets hanging off of it. It's a beautiful Silverstone MD02 case.

If you want to call it that, fine. But a water cooled system, with an i5 rebranded to xeon, and a HD 7970 that you dont want to use for video at all sounds more like some number crunching/bitcoin mining system, not a HTPC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantumstate

I've seen CPU use of 20%-30% while VaAPI-decoding HD on another machine. Ought to be less yet.

Well, I meant 'load on the HD 7970', not CPU load. Using a HD7970 for video decoding shouldnt use that much of the capibilites of the card.

Since I dont use VAAPI apart from the very odd test, and I dont know what system specs it was under, I have no idea if the CPU load number is typical.