Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Creative Labs (CREAF) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brian Lempel who wrote (7647)	1/3/1998 3:21:00 PM
From: Fred Mah	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 13925

Brian "I am about to purchase a new computer and have a question regarding the sound. On the DELL, which I will most likely get, they offer "Integrated Yamaha Wavetable Sound," or a AWE64. The Yamaha is over $100 more expensive." Can you point out a URL for this. AFAIK, an integrated component, sound or graphics, etc... typically is meant to reduce the cost of the product. As I'm aware, Intel motherboards include Yamaha based chips or Crystal Semi chips as integrated options. They shouldn't be more expensive, unless there is a difference in the motherboard you are getting. However, the Yamaha wavetable, probably OPL4 chip is going to be nicer for wavetable (if it's the 2MB version), unless you expand the AWE card. Personally I would just stay away from integrated sound/graphics.

To: Brian Lempel who wrote (7647)	1/3/1998 7:55:00 PM
From: Derrick Lim Kok Fang	Respond to of 13925

Brian, I agree with Fred. Integrated chip soution should be cheaper. Most likely, the main board is a different form type. ATX base main board is more ex. than the AT ones. I personnally don't like the Yamaha and the other generic sound chips. They maybe cheap but they have poor quality sound reproduction. An integrated chip will also pose some problems when you intend to upgrade the PC in the future. Also check out whether the wavetable solution is hardware or soft synth based. I had seen a Yamaha soft synth solution (128 voices) that actually commands a higher price than an AWE 64. In actual fact, AWE 64 is a variant form of AWE32. Its 32 voices are hardware based while the remaining 32 are soft synth based. I feel cheated by Creative but there are no better cards around. Derrick