Creative Sound Core3D Brings HD Sound to Motherboards

Creative, a company well renown for its gaming-orientated audio solutions, has just introduced its new Sound Core3D multi-core sound and voice processor, which is specially designed to be integrated on computer motherboards and other devices.

The Sound Core3D technology has been designed in-house by a team of Creative scientists and engineers and integrates both a high-quality HD audio codec and a series of DSP cores on the same chip.

Creative's hardware audio processor is available in two configurations: as an HD audio part designed to be integrated in PC products (such as motherboards and notebooks) and as an embedded chip for consumer electronic products.

No matter the implementation chosen, the chip includes Creative’s Quartet DSP with four independent processor cores, 6-channel 24-bit 102dB digital-to-analog converters, 4-channel 24-bits 101dB analog-to-digital converters and an integrated headphone amplifier.

In addition, the sound processors also features a digital microphone interface, S/PDIF inputs and outputs as well as other general purpose I/Os.

The chips has been certified for Dolby Digital decode and features the THX TruStudio Pro playback enhancement as well as other Creative technologies.

“We designed a sound and voice processor that will enable our OEM partners to deliver the highest quality Sound Blaster audio ever available for a motherboard while also bringing a new level of quality to sound and voice processing to consumer electronics products,” said Steve Erickson, VP and GM of audio and video products at Creative.

“With Sound Core3D we deliver a versatile chip that can deliver the highest performance voice processing and audio playback from a single chip.

“This expands our opportunities with OEM partners, who can implement Sound Core3D in their own products to achieve the clearest possible communications and phenomenal-sounding audio playback,” concluded the company's rep.

Gigabyte is one of the first companies to manifest its interest in Sound Core3D, and plans to include this audio processor in its future motherboards.