Sound Keeps Cutting Out

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Right, pictures are attached. (I didn't know which one was best so I just did all of them :p, sorry if I'm gonna clog up your server ;))

 

Sorry that they aren't very good, as I said, the components are a bit squashed.

 

Just to orient you, the fan is nearer the top than the GPU (the thing with to copper wire) and at the very top is the new PSU. Behind the PSU's wires it is just the RAM. There is nothing below the GPU, just a few of the motherboard's wires, no PCIs or PCIEs, nothin.

 

Also occasionally when I start my computer the CPU fan sound very violent, as if it was growling or having a hard time with itself, then it dies off after a while. Just thought I'd let you know.

 

Would the fact that the inside of my computer is quite squashed affect the airflow inside? It seems like a fairly obvious question, but I'm not sure. Those wires were quite warm when I took the side off. The computer itself goes in a little alcove in my desk, would that affect the airflow too? (I have attached picture of desk + alcove)

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, you do still have one PCIe slot left it is the one between the graphics cards and the case wall, it is only a small slot as it is the PCIe x1 type, Yellow arrow is pointing at the socket, blue is pointing out the blanking plate which needs to be removed to fit a card. there just may be a sound card available to fit it.

Nev.

 

 

http://i28.servimg.com/u/f28/14/68/69/96/pcie_s10.jpg

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Oh I didn't see that...

 

It's so small I must have missed it...

 

Would a new sound card help my problem then?

 

By the way I have attached closer-up pictures of the slot you saw so you can get a closer look.

[Plastic Nev]

Well a sound card should bypass what is looking like a faulty sound chip on the motherboard, so could be the answer to the problem. We won't know for sure though till one is tried. I always say, if possible, better to borrow one if you can before spending money when it is like this.

Nev.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

OK, I will aquire one and try it out.

 

Would the right card just be called PCIE card, or PCIE x1, or x1, or are they all fine? PCIE ones seem quite hard to find.

 

This would be useful in case I get the wrong one, and inconvenience my friend by unnecessarily dismantling his computer.

 

Also are there any recommended brands if I do have to buy one? (And I'd like to keep my budget under £30/$50)

Edited May 29, 2011 by MrLAFLAFLAF

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

It turns out my friend has a PCIE x16 sound card, not x1, which sucks.

 

I tried looking online for some, but they are really hard to find, and the ones that I do find are like £80+! Is a PCIE x1 sound card revolutionary technology or something? Crikey... i could build one myself for cheaper...

 

Anyone know some cheap PCIE x1 sound cards that don't cost too much to return to in case it doesn't work, i.e. not USA or Hong Kong (no offense :p), preferably UK or Europe?

 

Any money-saving advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Edited May 31, 2011 by MrLAFLAFLAF

[Jelly Bean]

Can I just add to this?

 

The sound issue happens while your playing online games?

 

This may not be an issue with your sound card.This could be the site you are using and there server or your speed of internet.Could be while playing PC games via disk I would point to it could be a DVD/CD drive issue.....Lack of RAM,gosh I could add a few things to the list that could cause the sound to freeze.

 

How much RAM do you have?

What speed is your internet?

Does the game freeze as well as sound?

 

Have you tried leaving the logitechs switched on and connected,then via device manager uninstall the sound card then reboot the computer?

Have you tried an uninstall of software and driver and downloaded a fresh copy of software and the driver?

Have you tested the speakers on another computer,not a laptop?

 

Yup I am butting in but I see there could be another issue here.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Hi Jelly Bean, thanks for you suggestions, they are warmly welcomed :)

 

Yes, the issue mainly happens when I play online games, but then again, that is what i spend most of my time doing on this computer :p (Also I don't have a sound card (as of yet anyway), it is a sound chip on the motherboard, according to Plastic Nev anyway)

 

I have 4GB of DDR3 RAM

According to http://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk/ my internet speed is around 4.7 mbps

The game goes through a momentary lapse visually, just before the sound cuts out, then peaks as the sound cuts out, then returns to normal after the sound has cut out

 

I have done every possible combination of driver updating/replacement/uninstallation + reinstallation known to man, including the ones you have suggested.

 

The speakers where working fine on my old computer, and I have no other computers that aren't laptops on which to test them.

 

As I have mentioned, and as Plastic Nev and I have decided, we have ruled out anything that isn't hardware anyway.

 

Thanks again for your input Jelly Bean, much appreciated :D

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Would any of these cards be suitable? (they are the cheapest ones I can find, vast majority of others are £80+):

 

Card 1

 

Card 2

 

Card 3

[Plastic Nev]

No problem with you butting in JB, However I doubt a connection problem as not just the sound would freeze, remember also the sound stays off until the machine is rebooted. Once the sound has cut out, no sound from anything else either, not just the game.

Doubt a memory or RAM issue, but it could be explored perhaps.

I am only asking for a sound card install to bypass the mother boards Realtek chip, hence trying for something cheap just to prove or disprove the on board chip.

Buying from E Bay could be risky as possibly no guarantee of it working, however, card 1 is supposedly new and with the buy it now at around £30, the other two are used, so you takes your chances with those.

Nev.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Yeah, you're right about the used ones, plus I can't return them if it doesn't solve the problem.

 

It's weird though, because I can find hundreds of PCIE x16 ones (or the ones with longer sized slots, I don't know what they're called) that are under £10. How come the PCIE x1 are so expensive?

 

Thanks for your advice, I will probably disregard the eBay ones now.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Hi everyone,

 

Ordered this sound card

 

I'll get back to you this weekend, tell you if it has worked.

 

Thanks

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Hi everyone,

 

Successfully installed the sound card and drivers, etc, and everything is working fine.

 

Tried a game on friday night, and the sound was awesome, detail and 3D is astonishing, never thought it would make such a difference.

 

Sound has not cut out yet, but, as I say, it doesn't always cut out, so I will need to carry out a few more test-runs before I have a definitive answer for you.

 

Thanks,

MrLAFLAFLAF

[Plastic Nev]

OK thanks for the update, fingers crossed as they say, and hope all is well for you.

Nev.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Cheers Nev, appreciate it.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Hi everyone,

 

Delighted to report that everything is running smoothly, with no problems of any sort.

 

I am now confident enough to say that the problem is solved.

 

I am so grateful to you guys for all the help you have given me (apart from the fact you cost me over £120 in the process - jks :p), especially you Plastic Nev, you have been awesome :D.

 

It was such a debilitating and frustrating issue, and I am so glad that is is finally over.

 

I cannot stress enough how great you guys have been to me, and I will strongly recommend you to anyone with the vaguest technologically-related problem.

 

Thanks again, see you around,

MrLAFLAFLAF

[Plastic Nev]

Thanks very much for the update and very glad we did get there in the end. Just unfortunate that it meant installing the sound card, and now pretty obvious something has gone wrong with the on board sound chip. Being on board it would possibly have meant a complete new mother board otherwise.

Nev.

[MrLAFLAFLAF]

Yes, a new mother board aint cheap, and it would have been messy.

 

Good thing it didn't come to that.

 

Thanks again.

 

(btw I am happy for this to be marked as solved)