It's easy to build a PC home audio system. Follow the steps listed below to create a home audio system on your PC.
Instructions
Making Your PC a Home Audio Center
1. Decide how many speakers you want. You can use anywhere from two speakers up to seven, plus a subwoofer.
2. Purchase a sound card. In order to purchase a sound card, you must know the slot type your PC uses. Most newer computers will have PCI-Express. AGP, on the other hand, has largely been phased out. The sound card you purchase should be able to handle the number of speakers you want. You will want to check the specifications of the sound card. You want to make sure that the sound card has a digital input jack so that you can connect sound from a DVD player or other device to the audio system you are creating and maintain surround quality.
3. Purchase a speaker system. Unlike regular surround sound systems, those for PCs have amplifiers built into the speaker systems, making the choices even more complex. You should purchase a system that you have researched, listened to and fits your personal tastes.
4. Open your computer case. Make sure you have turned off and disconnected power from your computer before doing this step. Typically there will be one or more screws fastening the computer case closed. Simply unscrew and screws and either the side of the case should come off or there should be a hinge that allows the case to open.
5. Remove the old sound card. Simply detach the wire connected to the sound card and pull it out of the slot. You may have to remove another screw to do this, depending on your computer case.
6. Install the new sound card. Slide the new card into the slot you just removed the old one from. Attach the wire to the new sound card. Make sure everything is secure and close the computer case.
7. Position the speakers as you would like them in the room and connect the speaker system to the sound card.
8. Turn on your PC. Uninstall drivers and software for the old sound card. After the computer has rebooted, install the driver(s) for your new sound card. Normally this software will come on a CD with the sound card. If there is no CD with drivers, you will need to look online. Follow the prompts until the driver is installed.
9. Install any software you are going to use with this audio system. The sound card may have come with its own software, but there are also dozens of free audio and video programs you can download to use with this new PC home audio system.
Tags: sound card, audio system, computer case, your computer, come with
