Desktop BoardsNo Audio Playback

The following issues can cause no audio playback. Check to see if any apply to your situation, and follow the recommendation to resolve the issue.

Onboard audio is disabled in the BIOSThe BIOS Setup program is accessed by pressing F2 after the Power-On Self-Test (POST) memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins. Go to the Advanced > Peripheral Configuration menu to make sure onboard audio is enabled.

Audio settings in the sound mixer are incorrectCheck your audio mixer software to make sure the audio is not muted or the volume level is not turned too low.

The speakers or headphones can be connected to the wrong jacksMake sure you connect all speakers to the correct jacks. If you connect them to line-in or microphone jacks, they won't work.

Audio drivers are not properly installedCheck Device Manager under the sound, video and game controllers section for any errors associated with the audio driver. Reinstall the audio driver if necessary.

Audio to back panel is muted if front panel is connectedCheck your audio mixer software for a setting that mutes back panel audio if you have plugged headphones into a front panel audio solution. Clear this setting to allow audio to both the back and front.

Sound Playback is set to the wrong deviceGo to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices, click Audio tab. Check the default device for sound playback; there can be multiple selections. Select the desired device, either rear panel or front panel.

Desktop BoardsSetting Up Multi-Channel Audio

2-Channel Audio The green line out jack, located on the back panel, is designed to power either headphones or amplified speakers only. Poor audio quality can occur if passive, non-amplified, speakers are connected to this output.

6-Channel AudioThe back panel audio jacks support up to six speakers and are retaskable using the audio controller interface.

Audio jack retasking is a feature that allows a jack to support more than one function. For example, the pink audio jack can support microphone input when the system configuration is set to stereo mode, 2-channel, and as Center/LFE or Rear Surround, when set to 6-channel mode.

Jack Description

A Line In: Retaskable as Rear Left/Right Out

B Line Out: Front Left/Right Out

C Mic In: Retaskable as Center/LFE (Subwoofer) Out

To set up multi-channel mode using four or six speakers, connect the speakers as follows:

With four speakers:o Connect the rear speakers to jack A.

o Connect the front speakers to jack B.

o Using the audio controller interface, retask jack A to be Rear Left/Right Out.

With six speakers:o Connect the rear speakers to jack A.

o Connect the front speakers to jack B.

o Connect the center/subwoofer speakers to jack C.

o Using the audio controller interface, retask jack A to be Rear Left/Right Out and retask jack C to be Center/LFE Out.

8-Channel Audio8-channel audio is available only on certain Intel® Desktop Boards. After installing the audio driver from the Intel Express Installer CD, multi-channel audio can be enabled:

Connect speakers to A, B, C, D, or E as shown in the figure below, up to eight speakers. Two types of S/PDIF connectors are available: coaxial (G) and optical (F). Select the proper connector according to the

style of S/PDIF speakers being used.

The back panel looks like one of the following images, depending on board model.

Jack Description

A Rear left/right out (multi-channel)

B Line in

C Line out (2-channel) or front left/right out (multi-channel)

D Mic in (re-task for multi-channel)

E Center/Low Frequency Effects (LFE) out (multi-channel)

F Optical S/PDIF (Toslink) line out

G Optical S/PDIF (RCA) line out

Desktop BoardsAudio is Distorted or Scratchy

Distorted or scratchy audio can be caused by several problems. Improving the audio can be as simple as rearranging your hardware components.

See if any of these situations apply, and take the recommended action to improve audio:

Are there any other devices around the speakers, or wires for the speakers? Electro-magnetic interference can cause poor audio. Try moving your speakers and wires around and away from other devices.

Have you recently added any cards to your computer? Cards in the computer can cause electro-magnetic interference. Try moving the card to another location in the computer, if possible.

Are your speakers too close to your monitor? The speakers can pick up electrical noise from your monitor so move them farther away. Never place subwoofers near the monitor, because their powerful magnets can interfere with the picture. Place subwoofers on the floor to maximize low-frequency transmission.

Check to see if you are having a hardware issue. Try another pair of computer speakers to see if that resolves the problem.

Poor audio quality or low volumes can occur if you are using passive (non-amplified) speakers. Use amplified speakers. If you notice stuttering voices and static on some games or programs but not others, check with the software vendor for

a software patch.

Desktop BoardsCannot Record Audio

If you are experiencing problems recording audio from a microphone plugged into the rear microphone port, try the following:

Update to the latest audio driver for your desktop board from the IntelDownload Center. Make sure you have selected the rear panel microphone jack as the default record device.

Setting the default record device in Windows 8*

Note Windows 8* automatically detects if a rear or front mic is connected.

1. Select the Control Panel in All App menu.2. Click Hardware and Sound > Sound.3. Go to the Recording tab.4. Select the microphone enabled or being used, and click the Configurebutton.

5. Make sure that the Listen to this device check box is selected.

6. Click the General tab. Under Device usage, select Use this device (enabled). Click OK.

Setting the default record device in Windows Vista* or Windows 7*:

Note Windows 7* automatically detects if a rear or front mic is connected.

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound.2. Click the Recording tab.3. Select the microphone enabled or being used, and click the Configurebutton. 

4. Make sure that the Listen to this device check box is selected.

5. Under the Device Detection, clear the Do not prompt when this device is plugged in check box. When checked, this disables the pop-up notifications when a microphone jack is connected. 

Setting the default record device in Windows XP*:

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Sound and Audio Devices.2. Click the Audio tab.3. Under the Sound Recording section, select a Default Device from the drop down menu.4. Click OK.

Desktop BoardsFront Panel Audio Connector and Header Pinouts

The front panel audio header on an Intel® Desktop Board lets you connect to a front panel audio module built into a system chassis. This document describes the header pin-out configuration for connecting a chassis with Intel® High Definition Audio (HD Audio) or AC'97 audio.

Note HD Audio headers are pin-compatible with AC'97 chassis and connectors.

For HD audio front panel modules

Pin Signal Description Pin Signal Description

1 PORT 1L Analog Port 1 - left channel (Microphone)

2 GND Ground

3 PORT 1RAnalog Port 1 - right channel (Microphone) 4 PRESENCE#

Active low signal that signals BIOS that an Intel® HD Audio dongle is connected to the analog header. PRESENCE# = 0 when an Intel® HD Audio dongle is connected

5 PORT 2R Analog Port 2 - right channel (Headphone)

6 SENSE1_RETURN Jack detection return for front panel (JACK1)

7 SENSE_SEND

Jack detection sense line from the Intel® HD Audio CODEC jack detection resistor network

8 KEY No pin

9 PORT 2L Analog Port 2 - left channel (Headphone)

10 SENSE2_RETURN Jack detection return for front panel (JACK2)

For AC97 front panel modules

Pin Signal Description Pin Signal Description

1 MICFront panel microphone input signal (biased when supporting stereo microphone)

2 AUD_GND Ground used by analog

3 MIC_BIASMicrophone power / extra MIC input for stereo microphone support

4 AUD_GNDGround used by analog audio circuits

5 FP_OUT_RRight channel audio signal to front panel (headphone drive capable) 6 FP_RETURN_R

Right channel audio signal return from front panel (when headphones unplugged)

7 AUD_5V Filtered +5V used by analog audio circuits

8 KEY No pin

9 FP_OUT_LLeft channel audio signal to front panel (headphone drive capable) 10 FP_RETURN_L

Left channel audio signal return from front panel (when headphones unplugged)