Accessory Mini PCs and external audio?

[SZQjj]

Hi.

I used to build my own systems many years ago (over 10 years, have been using laptops since). Recently I decided to get myself a general purpose pc for the home. I have been researching the latest hardware and wow have things changed. I am very interested in the Intel NUC or building my own little box with a mini-STX motherboard and case.

One thing I have noticed is that all these mini pcs and mini-stx motherboards do not seem to have a 3.5mm line-out or optical port on the rear IO. Only a headphone/mic socket on the front.

Maybe a silly question but how do you connect external speakers? I would rather not have speakers permanently attached to the front. Are they relying on monitors/tv with speakers and/or with audio passthrough via hdmi/dp? Seems strange to me.

The only alternative I can see is to purchase a usb sound card. I think I am missing something...

Thanks

 

[Thehack]

All itx motherboard have 3.5mm analog out in the rear. Some motherboard have optical out. Most of them have spdif (?) out. There is also digital out through HDMI.

Seems like stx doesn't have it, but you can get an HDMI splitter. It splits the audio signal out. Some monitors also have an audio out. The signal is not as clean as dedicated amp or motherboard out but it is very usable.

You can also get a USB sound device.

 

[rfarmer]

You could also use Bluetooth speakers.

 

[jtd871]

Some motherboard have optical out. Most of them have spdif (?) out.

@Thehack S/PDIF ("Sony / Philips Digital Interconnect Format") is the basis for the software/encoding interface for optical audio out; TosLink ("Toshiba Link") is the optical hardware interface. The terms are used interchangeably.

 

[SZQjj]

Thanks for the info.

I guess I could go slightly larger and build an mITX system. STX is kind of neat though and I won't be doing any gaming so no need for a discrete graphics card.

I'll be buying a new monitor as well so I will try to find one with audio-out. Presumably if the monitor is off then the audio passthrough will not work? (when I'm listening to a podcast or music)

 

[wywywywy]

Hi,

Also a lot of PC speakers are USB now (i.e. with built in sound card).

Some monitors will work when the monitor is off especially the older ones, but most won't. If the monitor just goes to sleep instead of off, the audio should still work.