Sound
Computer technology can output information through speakers to make sound, gaming devices use sound cards to controll the information being sent to the speakers.
Sound Cards
Sound cards not only processor the output of sound but the input aswell, these Sound cards can support a number of different speaker set ups such as 2.0 (stereo), 2.1 (stereo and subwoofer) and 5.1 (surround sound). Both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 offer up to 5.1 surround sound support whereas portable mobile devecies such as the PS Vita only offer an audio jack ouput.
Just like Graphics cards Sound cards have there own dedicated ram allowing them to have fast reactions, processor data quickly and wont slow the main general processing unit power because it doesnt effect the computers ram.
Sampling rate
The sampling rate defines the number of samples per unit of time when taken from a continues signal, the standard of samplin rate is 48,000 HZ and can rage up to 5.7 million HZ.
Mono and Stereo
There are two types of basic sound types mono and stereo, Mono consists of only one channel for example a bluethooth headset therefore the sound only travels down one channel for example if you was using a bluetooth headset to play the sound of the game and speak at the same either you would get the sounds of both the game and vocie at the same time or one of them would have to be cancelled out by the other.
Stereo allows two-seven different sound channels so voice and gaming can be split therefore being played at the same time, having multiple channels gives a much higher sound quality because sounds to the left can be channeled to the left speaker and the sounds to the right of you can be channeled to the right speaker.
3D
3D sound allows consoles to split sounds into a number of channels and then send them to a number of different speakers creating a 3D sound experience. Surround sound offers up to seven indivual speakers with a subwoofer this allows 3D sound experience.
