this one has me absolutely ->      
 
so, im watching an h264 encode the other day.. everything is fine, put on another.. all of the sudden i start to hear random skips and halts in the audio frames. very quick, nothing long. and happening relatively frequently. so typically, i thought it was the video. until i tried others, to which the problem didnt stop.
 
also tried different players, different audio filters, and all the hardware audio settings i could possibly contrive. note that this also happens during mp3 playback as well.
 
so typically, i assumed it was the soundcard (i mean, why wouldn't it be?).. so i contact auzentech, get an RMA# and everything, but in the meantime i tried my onboard sound card just to be sure.
 
sure enough, im getting the same damn audio skips and studders. out of nowhere!
 
is scaring me to think that my motherboard could be causing this, but it doesnt make sense.
 
so im throwing it out there..
any help, anything at all would be greatly appreciated.
 
cheers.
 
--------------
PSU OCZ StealthXStream 600W
M/B Asus Maximus Formula X38
CPU Intel C2D E4500 @ 3.2Ghz [360*9@1.48v]
RAM 2x 1024MB OCZ Reaper HPC DDR2-864 4-4-4-12
HDD 2x 500GB Seagate 7200.11 RAID 0 / 1x 500GB Seagate 7200.10 Ext.
GPU ATI HD3870 XXX Edition @ 870Mhz/2.5Ghz
Sound Auzentech HDA X-plosion DTS / Logitech Z-5500 Digital
O/S Windows XP Pro 32bit

What's the "other" you put in?  Any chance of it being DRM or another virus?

Virus?  It might have something to do with where you get your videos.

Beat me to it.

-mcg

i dont think so, but i wish it was that simple.
 
i see your point, all my processes are clean, video source is pretty reliable, and by other, i meant i just put on the next episode from the same series. nothing different.
 
video source is the scene, and i dont see how a virus would plant itself in the time it took me to end a video and start the next one.
 
i guess ill have to install xp on my ext. to rule out software but im really starting to think this is hardware related..
 
could a bad northbridge be responsible for something like this?

What are your temps?

cpu idle is 28 load is 65
m/b is 25
video is around 60
 
im actually running my cpu at 1.55v (bios) but idle 1.48v and load 1.5v after vdroop
 

^^bumpy

just to close this thread off, my problem was the cause of an EMI/EMF field produced by a bad ground to the chassis.
 
This was fixed using plastic standoffs as opposed to brass standoffs for mounting the MB.