factory sound card VS SoundBlaster USB sound card

[carputer93]

hello in my present setup i have a factory soundcard thats installed in my intel atom mini pc and i have a usb soundblaster laying around.. my question is it worth to swapp in the usb sound card or its not much of a difference using the built in sound card

my PC
Cheap Intel Atom Mini Pc Hi10c - Buy Cheap Mini Desktop Pc,Mini Pc,Intel Atom Mini Pc Product on Alibaba.com

sound card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102020

 

[fireberd]

As you have a USB connected SoundBlaster, disable the internal sound "card" in the BIOS and then connect and install the SoundBlaster and try it.

 

[Dagens]

Depends on your needs. If you want good sound quality - USB Soundblaster will be much better choice of course.

 

[carputer93]

Well the reasoning is I have my PC connected to a 4 channel amp and usually after a hour of continued play my PC stops playing audio but wmp is still playing and I'm thinking if I add the sound blaster it might stop that from happening

 

[fireberd]

Possibly. May be some other issue, but if the SoundBlaster does not cut out then that proves its a problem with the internal sound chip. However, if the SoundBlaster also cuts out, its back to the "drawing board" as its a PC problem (hardware or software).

 

[carputer93]

Yes true the think is it will cut out I will close WMP open it back up again and it works ....the reason I asking rather than just plugging it up it. Is that the PC is installed under the dashboard and I have to get another screen (I already ) have because my main screen is a USB driven touch screen.I just wanted a would Anwser or personal reviews on what people think about the sound blaster before I take the car apart again

 

[fireberd]

There are opinions both ways on whether the SoundBlaster's (mostly PC cards not USB) are better than the built in sound "cards" (chips). In the past the SB's were better. Modern built in sound has come a long ways and many equal the SB's.

My own opinion the USB SB is probably better than the built in, in the small Atom based mini laptops, but it may not fix the dropout problem.

 

[carputer93]

So your saying in general because of how the computer was built I can't put a band aid on how it cuts off after a hour..

 

[fireberd]

No, I'm not saying its the way it was built - the problem could happen in any PC. Just that a different sound "card" may not make a difference and there could be some other reason it cuts off (If it still does with the SoundBlaster I would look at the other programs that are loaded at start up and running, as potential causes).

I had a Samsung Netbook with an Atom CPU. It had limited memory (I think 2GB) which doesn't leave much memory for mutiple applications to run at the same time.

 

[carputer93]

Well I Dont have any programs loaded. It has 1gb of ram. The usual function for this computer is just to play music .if its not turn all the way up it won't cut off . It may have programs running in the background that aren't being used but just load on start up.