Built in component of newer computers are what?

Question

According to my company's IT guy, my computer was ordered without speakers and no sound card. There are no jacks on the front of the Dell tower but I have found the pink, green, and (some other color-maybe yellow) jacks on the back. (Well, I had to crawl under my desk and there isn't much light.) Is my IT guy lying or should the mother board already have a sound card on it - since it has the jacks? If I plug speakers in the back, will I be able to hear audio-stero even? Will headphones work in the back if speakers don't? The machine is a fairly new Dellj, within the last 6- 8 months.

Please help - A "cube" warrior

Answer

This question was answered on March 4, 2006. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

Most newer computers will contain built in sound, graphix card, or both. The plugs that were mentioned are for your built in sound card. The sound ports are commonly colored Pink ( microphone ), Blue ( Line In ), and Green ( Line Out ). Dell has been using this color coding along with all other major computer manufacturers for the last few years to make it easier for anyone to figure out what to plug in where when they get their new computer.

As to being able to hear sound, that depends upon whether or not your companies IT guy installed the drivers for the sound card and did not disable it. If the drivers arnt installed it wont play, and if he Administratively disabled the sound card you wont be able to play anything.

Author

Posted by Darren of Chandler-Gilbert Community College on March 4, 2006