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Can I use USB Audio With USB 1.1 & Win98SE/XP?

Discussion in 'Techno-Magic' started by SlickRCBD, Jul 4, 2023.

  1. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    There seems to be a problem with the audio out jack on my old Dell Optiplex GX110.
    Looking inside, it seems that there is no easy way to remove and replace the audio jack.
    However, instead of trying to remove it and replace it, what about purchasing a USB audio adapter?
    Something like this:
    https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Exte...dapter?tag=pcworld02-20&qid=1688506249&sr=8-1

    The potential problem is that the computer is 23 years OLD, I mostly use it for playing old games like Baldur's Gate or Final Fantasy 7/8 and as a print server. It has USB 1.1 ports. Not 2.0, in fact until I turned off the error checking I used to get that annoying "This device could run faster, if you plugged it into a nonexistent USB 2.0 port" every time I turned on my printer.

    The other issue is the OS is old, it dual boots Win98SE and XP, and I'm not sure if XP, let alone Win98SE supports USB audio. I didn't hear about it until after Vista came out.

    So, will this adapter let me deal with the hissing, crackling and random distortions on my speakers, along with the audio randomly going quiet and then after I turn up the volume suddenly blasting me?
    I've tried two sets of speakers and plugged a set of headphones directly into the jack. Both speakers and the headphones work just fine if I plug them into my old XP laptop.

    TL;DR?
    Can I use this:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/2662883320...x2PMZWq5jKm+sx5O8ptoG68dbPxR|tkp:BFBMypyXraRi
    On an OLD computer (Dell Optiplex GX110) with USB 1.1 ports dual-booting Win98SE and Windows XP?
     
  2. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I don't know for sure, but the description of that device says it is driverless for Win98SE and XP; and it is backwards compatible with USB 1.1
     
  3. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    I saw that, but I've been burned by bad descriptions before. My ATI Radeon 6450 said it worked with Vista, but I only get a distorted 640x480 on one monitor (like there are no video drivers) and the Catalyst Control Center installer on the manufacturer's website or the DVD refuses to recognize the card under Vista. Works just fine under Win7.
     
  4. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    I am an idiot. Or at least thinking too much like a 21st century computer tech instead of a 20th century one even though I've been using computers since the late '80s. Sound cards were still a thing when I took my A+ exam, so I have no excuse other than I haven't really worked with one in over 20 years.
    I've got an old computer in mom's basement with a PCI sound card I'd forgotten about. I could just pull the sound card out of the computer I've mothballed and hope it has XP drivers. Stick it in the Optiplex even though it has built-in sound and I should be good to go.
    I should have at least thought about purchasing a PCI sound card instead of a USB device for that old thing as it has four PCI slots and only two in use, one of which could be pulled anyways (an old 10baseT Ethernet card I haven't used since I got a switch, but a friend gave it to me for free back when I first got the computer and it saved me $70 on a switch as I could just use Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) to give my Mac internet access. He wasn't using it because he'd upgraded to Fast Ethernet), but I'm thinking too much like a technician working on current equipment.
    Granted the old computer won't have sound anymore, but if you haven't used it since 2009 and it's been obsolete for twenty five years...
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2023
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