eh, this is a good point. But have you noticed that many discrete sound cards don't have Optical SPDIF either? And the ones that do are like full-height cards with 10 analogue jacks on them too... Also they put typically put 8 analogue jacks on mobos (6 on the back-panel + 2 header, presumably for "serious" multi-channel audio applications) but they avoid putting a single SPDIF connector on it. At this point someone who is connecting their computer to a multi-channel sound system should be using SPDIF so this just strikes me as being very odd that multi-channel analogue is so ubiquitously supported even on very low end products but the better solution isn't. One SPDIF port can do the work of many mini stereo jacks and it's highly resistant to EMI (immune if it's optical, but costing a little more). Take out a bank or two of mini-stereo connectors (still leaving 2-5 of them which is plenty for most applications) and put in a SPIDF connector instead, at that point the mobo would probably be cheaper using components that are available today.
In the future they could make a bank that has a single optical SPDIF connector (the one on my current main mobo can be in or out) and two mini stereo plugs (which are also able to be in or out in solutions already available) + 2 more on a header and it would be even cheaper and there would still be enough analogue channels available for 6 channel analogue surround sound and a microphone.
The current solutions are just poorly designed. Seriously, who is going to plug in a headphones, and a microphone, and 8.1 channel sound system, and stereo line in all with analogue all at the same time? That's the solution they are currently selling as the norm and it's probably costing them more than what I am proposing and it will almost definately have tons of interferance degrading sound quality if you tried to hook up all that stuff at once.
The new Abit F-I90HD manages to put 4 USB, LAN, 6 mini stereo, VGA, HDMI, 2 optical SPDIF and 2 PS2 ports on the back plane with room to spare
..and I just watched a quanitity of them for $111 sell out inbetween adding them to my cart and checking out
They seem to be more available at ~$138 but if SFFclub.com can sell them for $111 I think I'm going to hold out a bit longer and try to get one for <$120. I haven't heard any reports of this board clocking above 350mhz FSB, but it's still early and that's fast enough for good e4300 e4400 OCing.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram