PCI card power amplifier

[Thomas B]

I want to introduce the idea of a PCI card power amplifier; possibly with onboard power supply. What are your thoughts on this? With the emergency of computer based audio I think it is time to start designing such a product.

[ashok]

You might have a problem with power supply current.
On board power supply ? You mean batteries ?
There will not be enough space on most boards. Parts cannot stand up too tall. Off board plug in power is a possibility. What about all the existing switching noise in the area ?
How much power are you looking at ? 10 to 20 watts classD ?
Remember as power goes up, at a point heatsinking will be required.

[Thomas B]

Yes, lots of problems need to be solved. Heat problem may be solved by heatpipes attached to computer case heatsink for silent cooling. See Zalman case. Power transformer can be located off board, in pc case. PCI card may be screened for noise. Would be nice to have a PCI card version of the UcD180...

[koolkid731]

The demand for PCI power amp would be tiny, probably limited to "emergency computer-based audio".

There's no real technical challenges. The market may not be there, or believed to be not there yet, therefore no product for it.

Any idea about potential market(s) for PCI audio?

[DcibeL]

What would be the advantage of having a PCI amplifier? What data is going to be sent to it through the PCI bus? digital audio (SPDIF) information?

I really don't see how this would be an advantage at all over an external amplifier, besides not taking up the desk space.

[anatech]

I've installed emergency computer speech systems. The amps have backup and the computer is the thing that is not reliable.

Maybe we should put the computer in the amp? But if it runs Windoze as well, it'll crash too!

We can't win.

-Chris

[Pano]

Somewhere, somehow, I've seen this before. PCI card with a Tripath chip.

No idea where I found it. Might have been in Korea.

[demogorgon]

I'v had this idea before, and as for market, computer modification has quicly become a huge market. using 1-2 pci ports and making a 2*25W amp wich gets it signal internally from the pci would make a great product, and i belive it would indeed have somewhat of a market.

[bogicp]

Originally posted by Thomas B
Yes, lots of problems need to be solved. Heat problem may be solved by heatpipes attached to computer case heatsink for silent cooling. See Zalman case. Power transformer can be located off board, in pc case. PCI card may be screened for noise. Would be nice to have a PCI card version of the UcD180...

You are right, but noise isn't that big problem as you think... look at Lynx Studio professional pci cards and you will find that they have great specs, even measured in computer . They don't have screening at all.

Screening is good method but have some weakness...

In standard CD drive space you can have pretty big power supply, but where you place auxiliary power inlet... in front of PC?

Also, if you place near all main modules "off board", which purpose have name: "PCI card power amplifier"?

Best regards

boggy

[karma]

Originally posted by panomaniac
Somewhere, somehow, I've seen this before. PCI card with a Tripath chip.

No idea where I found it. Might have been in Korea.

ya i have a old isa with a lm chip on it. and the sound