PK meldt dat Philips vandaag heeft aangekondigd met drie nieuwe geluidskaarten te komen gebaseerd op hun eigen Thunderbird Q3D en Thunderbird Avenger audio-chips. De geluidskaarten die Philips gaat produceren zijn de Rhythmic Edge (2 speaker), de Seismic Edge (4 speaker) en de lekkerste smaak is de Acoustic Edge met 5.1 speaker support.
De Rhythmic Edge en Seismic Edge krijgen ondersteuning voor DS3D, EAX 1 en A3D 1 en de Acoustic Edge met de Thunderbird Avenger chip krijgt ook nog ondersteuning voor EAX 2. De Rhythmic Edge en Seismic Edge gaan 49.99 en resp. 79.99 dollar kosten en zullen deze maand nog in de winkels terecht komen. Op de Acoustic Edge zullen we wat langer moeten wachten, tot november, en deze zal dan een prijskaartje van 99.99 dollar dragen.
Om dit kort samen te vatten: de 2 en 4 speaker geluidskaartjes zijn dus niet echt bijzonder en redelijk duur, maar de Acoustic Edge met 5.1 speaker support, een betere audiochip en een goede prijs is erg interessant :
Philips Consumer Electronics is introducing three new sound cards to bring an enhanced multi-entertainment experience to the PC. The new lineup includes: Rhythmic Edge(TM) (3D stereo), Seismic Edge(TM) (quad surround) and Acoustic Edge(TM), the industry's first PCI audio accelerator enabling 5.1-channel playback of games, music and movies. While current industry technology limits 5.1-channel output to DVD content, the Acoustic Edge(TM) breaks this barrier by converting all types of media into 5.1 channel output and enhancing DVD movies, allowing a realistic home theater experience from the PC.
The Acoustic Edge is also the industry's only sound card that combines high-performance hardware acceleration, effective two-speaker 3D virtualization and multi-channel speaker support, making it the ideal solution for gaming, music and movie enthusiasts.
[...] Previously, only a few applications such as 5.1-encoded DVDs and 3D audio games could be enjoyed in a home theater 5.1-speaker format. Other sources, including music and most games, could only be experienced in stereo. The Acoustic Edge is the first sound card that transforms the PC into a home theater, providing 5.1-speaker playback of music CDs and videos, digital audio and MIDI files.
Using unique algorithms developed by QSound Labs for the Acoustic Edge, any game or other interactive application can now also be experienced in a theater-like environment surrounding the player in 5.1 channels of sound effects and music. Even movies designed for 5.1 playback can be dramatically enhanced by the sound card. The product provides a similar theater experience on four-channel speaker systems and in addition offers two speaker and headphone 3D virtualization making it the most flexible technology available.