Solder pins to vacant spdif house on mcp61sm-gm

[Saumas]

I have a an older ecs board mcp61sm-gm...Similar boards (mcp61sm-m2) come s/pdif ready.
I have located the spot on my motherboard used to house s/pdif/out and was wondering if I could simply solder some pins to it.

I am already using analog 5.1 at home through a basic Rocketfish sound card. I am hoping I could get some pass through via HDMI directly to the TV, as I live in an apartment, and like to watch movies at night etc...

I am able to simultaneously run my on-board sound with my PCI Rocketfish card.

Ideally I would like to run spdif out from my motherboard, into my 9800GT (9800GT models
are unable to receive sound from the PCI-E slot requiring me to use pass through connections)

I kind of assume because my board is a 'little-brother' model to so many others with nearly identical blueprints, I can simply 'add' my own spdif pins and it should work.

I have no warranty on the board so there's not much to worry about....

I am simply wondering if it is possible to solder pins and 'have it work'...

If there are any suggestions please let me know! also - if by some MAGICAL chance anyone finds my motherboards specific MANUAL, could they please post the link. I have only ever been able to find instructions for the 'bigger-brother' models!

Thanks to all in advance,
Saumas

 

[GhislainG]

If the pins are missing, then you can presume that the sound chip isn't exactly the same.

 

[Saumas]

The sound chips from both my model and the GeForce6100SM-M2_V1.0A are the same.

- Realtek ALC662

The only thing that differs, from what I can see; the 6100SM-M2 board comes with the s/pdif/out pins included/installed.

To me, this should make no difference...It occurs to me that this is a 'generic' board layout, and the 'bells and whistles' are added to it as it becomes a model 'of higher value'.....

Kind of like buying a car - then the same car with power windows....the original model is designed to be 'outfitted' with the power windows, even though you haven't payed for them and are still using the door crank....

Same make of car (like my motherboard) just without the power windows, making it a lesser, cheaper model.....mass production of the 'base' model if you will...this is a Wal-Mart board after all..

So the chips are the same, and the board has been designed to potentially 'house' the spdif pins - still not sure if it'll work though. Has anyone done this before?

 

[GhislainG]

Anything else like caps or resistors missing? If not and you know what you're doing and have the right soldering iron, then go ahead and do it.

I presume that you've already read section 10.4 of the datasheet? ftp://152.104.238.19/pc/audio/ALC662_DataSheet_1.3.pdf

 

[Saumas]

Visually they seem the same as the M2 board.....

I have read the datasheets, and from what I can tell this should work - I am gonna crack my case again, and have a closer look.....

My 9800GT has a two pin spdif connector - From doing some research on the 9800GT it would appear I am to avoid connecting the 5V pin during installation....If I decide to go soldering in new pins, would it be OK to omit the 5V pin? After all, according to information about the 9800GT, the extra voltage is just going to fry my card...

If I decide to do it, Ill be sure to post my findings here.....

If anyone else has any ideas please let me know....

GhislainG - Thanks for your help this far already.

Saumas

 

[Saumas]

I didn't do it.....Got too scared.....I think I'll wait till I buy my next generation of computer before I go potentially wrecking my existing one. If I do however buy a new computer and this one is ever more or less obsolete, I'll give it a whirl and see what happens....

 

[Saumas]

Best answer selected by Saumas.