Running 2 Soundcards

It is possible to use the Soundblaster Live! with an existing soundcard. The benefits of doing this include, but are not limited to, having 100% backward compatibility with pure DOS applications, and the ability to use a MIDI daughtercard (if your existing soundcard has one).

Before these steps are followed, be sure to purchase or find the necessary cables. These can include a 6 inch (or longer) 1/8th inch stereo to 1/8th inch stereo cable, and possibly a homemade S/PDIF cable or standard RCA S/PDIF cable, depending on the existing card being used.

Here are the steps necessary to installing both:

1. Ensure that your existing soundcard is installed properly, and that the drivers for it are up-to-date.
   
2. Install the SB Live! as described in the user's manual.
3. Next attach an 1/8th inch stereo to 1/8th inch stereo cable to the Line Out jack on the existing soundcard. Attach the other end of the cable to the Line In jack on the SB Live!.
4. If desired, attach an S/PDIF cord from the existing soundcard's S/PDIF Out to the SB Live!'s S/PDIF In.

That's it! The SB Live! setup will not install the compatibility drivers if it finds an existing soundcard already installed

Here is how to make an S/PDIF cable for use with the AWE32 or 32PnP soundcards. The best way to do this is to buy a cable with an RCA male connector on one end and two bare wires on the other end.

Next get a two-pin flat connector from somewhere (this can be safely pirated from an old case or your existing case if it includes a Turbo switch or Keyboard lock switch which is not being used). This should have a two-pin flat connector that attaches to a two-pin header (like a jumper) on the motherboard.

Cut the wires at a good length. Next, solder the two-pin connector wires to the bare wires on the S/PDIF. The order doesn't matter. Cover the soldered areas with something (like electrical tape or other method).

Now you have a connector for your AWE32 or 32PnP. The AWE and 32 both have a two-pin S/PDIF connector on the card. Simply attach the two-pin connector part of your cord to the AWE, and then attach the RCA part to the S/PDIF Line In on the Live

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The Sound Blaster Live! has 4 separate S/PDIF digital outputs, with each of them carrying stereo (left & right)!

These outputs are available on a I/O card with the Digital DIN output.

The latest SBLive! 5.1 series uses 3 of these outputs to carry 6 channels of information.