[cyberjack101]

My configuration: 4 plus year old Dell Dimension 8200, 1.80Ghz Pentium 4, 40GB HDD, 320GB external HDD, 2GB RAM, 64MB NVIDIA GeForce2 MX with TV Out video card, and a Creative SB Live! sound card.

My question is that I want to upgrade, or at least replace the sound card. (I have determined the left channel no longer functions). I want to know if I need to search for a compatible sound card (I know Dell's sometimes only allow certain configurations, like in RAM, where only Dell RAM cards (chips) can be used). Is there such a thing as a sound card upgrade? Or, Is there a video card upgrade that includes sound so I could free up a slot? Any ideas?

[Requiem]

Check out newegg.

http://www.newegg.co...ds-MIDI-Devices

Newegg shows you the exact specifications of the hardware. :D

[mphenterprises]

Hi Cyberjack. I personally do not have a Dell, or a manufactured computer; however, I do not believe that the sound card is a proprietary hardware component. You should be able to get just about any sound card you want as long as you have the available expansion slots.

According to Dell's website, your computer has four PCI slots and one AGP slot. So as long as you have one available slot, you should be able to get any PCI or AGP sound card. Unfortunately, you cannot get a PCI-Express sound card.

Here is the search result for all the Creative Labs Sound Cards on newegg.com. Since you did not specify how many channels you currently have, this list should cover them all.

If you are not partial to Creative, here is the search results for all Sound Cards that are compatible with your computer.

Happy Hunting :-)

[smax013]

cyberjack101 said:

My configuration: 4 plus year old Dell Dimension 8200, 1.80Ghz Pentium 4, 40GB HDD, 320GB external HDD, 2GB RAM, 64MB NVIDIA GeForce2 MX with TV Out video card, and a Creative SB Live! sound card.

My question is that I want to upgrade, or at least replace the sound card. (I have determined the left channel no longer functions). I want to know if I need to search for a compatible sound card (I know Dell's sometimes only allow certain configurations, like in RAM, where only Dell RAM cards (chips) can be used). Is there such a thing as a sound card upgrade? Or, Is there a video card upgrade that includes sound so I could free up a slot? Any ideas?

To directly answer your a couple of your questions (since it does not appear that anyone else did...at least on one question):

I am not aware of any video cards that integrate sound on the video card. So, I don't believe that you will be able to free up a slot in that manner.

The one possible way to free up a slot is to use integrated sound on the motherboard...assuming your Dell 8200 supports it. It is unclear from the Dell technical specifications website if the 8200's motherboard comes with integrated audio. You obsiously had it configured with a PCI Creative SB sound card (just like I did with my Dell 8400), but I don't know that means that Dell uses a motherboard in your computer without sound or if they just use a generic one with sound integrated, whether you use it or not. You can partially get the answer by looking on the rear of your computer. If there is a speaker port in the top part of the tower (NOT where the slots are located), then you might have integrated sound. You would need to plug your speakers in to see if they will work. You might have to enable it in the BIOS (and maybe remove the Creative card) to get it to work, if it is there. If this works, then the likely downside is that it will not likely support too sophisticate of a speaker system...i.e. not too likely to support 5.1 or better speakers...probably only basic left and right speakers.

Your other option would be some sort of USB sound "card"/device. I don't how well such systems work, but it is another options. Here are some options on NewEgg (they may not all be USB sound "cards"...it is the result of a search using "USB sound" on NewEgg...but it definitely has some options in there).

The others have apparently pointed you to replacement sound card options. There should be no specific reason any of those cards should not work for you as long as they are PCI cards. Generally speaking, Dell computers should take just about any third party product for hard drives, memory, expansion cards, etc...as long as they meet the proper specs. I have NEVER had any problem buying memory for Crucial for my Dells. I have put in a third party bought (at Best Buy if I recall correctly) second video card in my older Dell. Thus, there should be no need to buy directly from Dell, unless you want to do so.

[cyberjack101]

I wanted to thank everyone who answered my question. All were timely, helpful, and informative. I purchased a new Creative sound card online last night from Amazon.com. Newegg.com is inexpensive as well, but I'm a Prime member at Amazon and even paying extra for overnight shipping, I'll recieve it tomorrow morning (package tracking says it's on its way), it's still a dollar less than Newegg.com. I've come to trust the opinions of those who oversee (I didn't want to say lurk or troll, sounds nasty) these pages. I genuinely appreciate your informative and helpful answers. jpl

[mphenterprises]

With pleasure. :-) As you can see, we all have varying views; however, we all end up at the same result. There are several of us who do our best to help out and are willing to dig for the answers that will best help you. Feel free to lurk all you want. :-) If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask.

[rgreen4]

Lurk is probably the right word. We browse and jump around, but just when someone thinks we may not be around we pop up. We have our various strengths and weaknesses, but it always seems that if one doesn't know the answer, another will or has a way to find it. Smax and Knifeblade use Dells, so are more knowledgeable in that area, I use HP, so am more familiar there. Fortunately for all, Both Dell and HP have extensive on line documentation we can research.

We like to share our knowledge, and by sharing we all become more knowledgable. We also like to pick on each other occasionally. Check out the General Talk community to get an insight on who all is around, and hang around when you can. Some day, some one will ask the same question you did, and you would now be in a position to answer and thus spread your knowledge.