skipping mp3s

[validname]

I am using the on-board digital sound on my KT7 Ultra mainboard. I have an Athlon XP 2600+ and 512 MB of PC2700 memory and am running Windows XP Pro. I run the audio output from my computer into my stereo via a coaxial cable. Despite all this, I have been experiencing quality problems listening to mp3s -- they skip a little bit whenever the processor usage fluctuates. I usually use Winamp 2.9 but have tried 3.0 and Windows Media player. In Winamp I have experimented with process priority class and the direct sound settings, increasing the buffer to its max, etc. Still, my mp3s skip, even if only for fractions of seconds.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Would installing another sound card help? The issue seems to be software-based because I've run Winamp on slower systems than this without experiencing these problems.

[taaron23]

i would try just using your computer speakers to play mp3's. just run the audio cable from your speakers to your audio plugin on your computer.

[taaron23]

or before doing that you might want to update your audio drivers for your sound card.

[validname]

The problem is not with the stereo; it does the same thing with headphones or other speakers. I am using the current drivers (C-Media Sound Dirvers v.5.12.01.0643). Also, the problem is not confined to the mp3 format of audio file.

[taaron23]

man this is a tough one. try disabling everything that doesn't need to be running in your system tray. if that doesn't work then i'm out of ideas. ne1 else got any other suggestions??

[validname]

All I have running in the background is ZoneAlarm, Norton Anti-Virus auto-protect, task manager, and the necessary windows services.

[taaron23]

well zone alarm is a firewall that might have something to do with it. try disabling it then playing a song. or if you can somehow uncheck something in the settings to not disrupt other programs that are running. because i know those kind of programs can disrupt other programs. because i have to disable norton auto protect when i'm playing a game.

[validname]

No, Zone Alarm does not seem to be the problem.

[glc]

This is a common problem with onboard sound that uses software codecs. It's like a winmodem.

[validname]

So, the processor is doing work that a separate sound card would usually be doing? Would putting in a PCI soundcard fix the problem?

[tyoung]

Is it a Via chipset motherboard? Just asking, to lazy to look it up myself. lol
Might be an issue if it is.

[validname]

Yes, it is a VIA chipset, but I do have the most recent 4in1 drivers. I can turn off the onboard sound in BIOS. Is there some other way this could be an issue?

[validname]

My last post appears to have moved up on the page through some confusion with the forum system about the time it or its follow ups was made, so I repeat my question here.

Can I interpret glc's post to mean that the CPU is doing work that a separate sound card would usually be doing and that putting in a PCI soundcard would fix the problem?