A simple problem...i think

[BigPooh]

Hello, i was refered to these boards by a friend who had some very positive things to say about the knowledgable members here.

annyyyywayysss, I recently completed my first full build (all by myself:D )and everthing has been running perfectly so far. However, i can't seem to get the front panel audio connectors on my case to work. what i got:
case: antec p180
Mobo: asus p5w dh
Soundcard: SB creative x-fi

Ive tried everything i can think of, double checked wiring (everything is plugged in in the correct places), checked to see if there was a jumper to enable the front panel audio and disable the rear (there isnt),took out the x-fi and tried with the on board sound (still notin). Im stumped and hope someone here can help me out.

[rabb1t]

Case link (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129017)

I'd guess that would have something with the case cable bundles you'd need to connect to either the motherboard or sound card.

However, with an add-in sound card you'd want to disable on-board sound. (Not doing so can cause random crashes). Also, you'd want to have sound going out through the X-Fi... so unless it has some connector you can connect those front things up to the X-Fi with you wouldn't be going through the X-Fi.

Not sure why you are trying to use the front case ports. Most speaker sets have headphone jacks if that is what you are trying to accomplish.

[Fozzik]

I've talked about this in the past...it's one of those ongoing nagging things that I've never been able to figure out.

How do you connect the front audio ports to a soundcard? The answer is... I don't know. :(

Plugging the front audio ports into the audio header pins on the motherboard won't work. Those pins are for the onboard sound output... so even if you get them all hooked up correctly they aren't going to work when you are using a soundcard to produce your sound.

In order for the front audio connectors to work with your soundcard, they would need to be plugged directly into the soundcard. The problem with that is...I've never been able to find a guide/picture/manual/list/whatever for the pins on soundcards. I know the soundcards probably have all the necessary output headers so that you COULD plug in the front headphone and mic jacks...but they don't tell you which or how.

If you find out...please tell me. :D

[BigPooh]

The reason i wanted to use the front panel is because of the way ive arranged my comp desk, it gives me more cord slack for my head set if i connected it from the front of my pc. But thanks for the replies

[rabb1t]

You could get an extention thingie.

[janelled]

Bear with me here, I may just be spewing poo or something...

On my friends old case, the front I/O panel had a 1/8" stereo cord that ran from the back of the panel out the back of the case, into the appropriate port on the soundcard. I doubt this is a standard thing, but check to see what connectors the I/O panel has on the back. If its a standard 1/8th stereo on the back, run a 1/8th cable from the back of the panel to the jack on your X-fi.

EDIT: This is a solution that struck me as a design flaw, but for this scenario it might be simple enough.