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Increasing processor performance, integration of functionality and external expansion buses are among the major trends currently transforming PC audio. As processor performance increases, more functionality is accomplished in software. This is an industry-wide trend and can be observed across all platforms and CPUs. Hardware faces competition with software-only implementations and needs to demonstrate a functionality, performance or quality advantage. However, for high-performance 3D computing and gaming platforms, hardware acceleration will continue to be desirable. As the attach rate for a function goes up there is more incentive for integration onto the system motherboard or even into the Super-I/O or chip set logic. This is also an observable industry trend. External expansion buses offer PC OEMs system design and configuration flexibility, and offer PC customers user-friendly upgrades. The gradual replacement of ISA add-in cards with USB is under way, and IEEE 1394 is also expected to gain momentum within the next couple of years. The transition to external digital audio is expected to be gradual because initial implementations will probably appear first at the mid- to high-end PCs and cost more than highly integrated motherboard audio solutions. Intel is providing the industry with recommendations and supporting data on hardware vs. software partitioning. Intel is very involved in each of these areas and the Audio '98 roadmap document helps clarify the transitions and what the industry is doing for 1998.
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The main benefit to users is that they will get much higher quality audio solutions with several key new features that have not been possible before. 3D positional audio will bring new levels of realism to games with sounds being positioned interactively around the user, making them truly part of the 3D virtual experience. The user will also get much better music reproduction with MIDI utilizing Wavetable synthesis.
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Audio has become a very important and highly visible part of today's PC experience. With the arrival of very high quality built-in audio components and external digital connectivity, the quality of the PC audio experience will rapidly become a function of the PC customer's budget for audio peripherals. The growing diversity of PC audio requirements, platform segments, and buses forces all industry players to acknowledge that there is more than one right way to implement audio. Upcoming operating system releases are expected to fully support external digital audio peripherals and emerging digital consumer electronics connections, increasing system flexibility and scalability on the high end. By 1998, Intel expects digital extensions to the baseline system audio will emerge based on USB and IEEE 1394 specifications: USB for PC audio peripherals, and IEEE 1394 for connections to digital CE. AC '97, USB, and 1394 should be viewed as overlapping yet complementary specifications that provide OEMs with more opportunities to address a wider range of platform implementations. Intel expects that the majority of PCs in 2H98 will support analog connectivity. But in the end, it is the PC OEM who is in the best position to determine whether a SoundBlaster* compatible, Digital-Ready, or Digital-Only audio solution satisfies the customer's needs.
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Intel worked with the industry to develop the original AC '97 specification in 1996. Many new audio products are now shipping that support AC '97. PCI (AC '97) audio products are shipping in volume in the first half of 1998 time frame. With the introduction of Windows* 98 and WDM audio, USB audio devices will be enabled. The audio quality that AC '97 provides is a key enabler of DVD content, as well as software-driven three dimensional audio technologies such as Intel's Realistic 3D Sound Experience (RSX) technology. Based on extensive feedback from leading industry audio chip and peripheral vendors, and PC manufacturers, the Audio '98 roadmap highlights the technical ingredients to deliver audiophile-quality audio to the PC.
At the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in September 1997 Intel released a version 2.0 update to the Audio Codec '97 specification. Version 2.0 is intended to augment the existing AC '97 version 1.03 specification rather then replace it. AC '97 rev. 2.0 defines new extensions supporting high-quality audio (like that from DVD), and extensions for modem and docking to help both desktop and mobile manufacturers adopt these features more quickly and cost-effectively. By June, 1998 there will be a follow on maintenance release, Version 2.1. Watch here for release announcement. The specification(s) can be downloaded from the Intel developer AC '97 web site.
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OEMs and IHVs: The time has come to start moving away from Legacy ISA audio to new PCI/AC '97 audio for the new features that it will only be able to deliver.. It is also the time to start looking at the audio sub-system with a more balanced approach. The speeds of the Pentium® II processors are conducive for migration of some functions to SW. For example 3D positional sound and wave table music synthesis are good candidates for SW acceleration. This will help lower overall system costs while add support for new features.
Come back to the Audio technology Platform Solutions news page for future information on AC '97 and Audio 98.
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For more background information (white papers and specifications) go to Intel's AC '97 web site.
For technical presentations on audio and other PC 98 training tracks from the September '97 Intel Developer forum visit the PC 98 site at.
Go to Audio '98 Roadmap For more information.
For more information on USB Audio, download the USB Audio Application Note.
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* Legal Information © 1998 Intel Corporation
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