Consulting and Training
Our most popular training offering is a 3-day training session covering the basics of HD Audio hardware and HD Audio (and USB) audio software for Windows. Each session is customized for the recipients, given that a chip vendor might want more information about software architecture, while a software developer might be more interested in the hardware interface.
View Optimal Sound's Typical Audio Training Class list
How to develop pin configurations and verb tables Optimal Sound provides training in developing pin configurations and verb tables for UAA-compliant audio hardware. You can also read Chapter 4 and Appendix A of the HD Audio book for more details.
How to Design UAA-Compliant Hardware
Let Optimal Sound teach your team how to plan your audio designs to take best advantage of the Microsoft UAA HD Audio class driver and the UAA audio architecture. Avoid common failures caused by inappropriate jack-switching in hardware or daisy-chaining of audio jacks. Learn basic analog design and layout techniques necessary to meet the audio fidelity requirements for Vista, including star grounding and how to prevent pops and clicks. Chapters 5 and 6 of the HD Audio book contain information on UAA-Compliant hardware design.Optimal Sound can provide face-to-face or remote training (via Live Meeting) on how to configure a standalone DTM system consisting of a minimum of four computers and an Audio Precision test set:
- Domain Controller (running Windows Server 2003)
- DTM Controller (running Windows Server 2003)
- Audio Precision Host (running Windows XP SP2)
- System-under-test (running Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows Server)
Step by step instructions for successfully configuring each system are provided, along with screenshots. Overall system configuration recommendations such as hardware requirements for each system, overall system storage, security, and driver signing are provided.
A special emphasis on audio fidelity testing is provided. Step by step instructions on how to select and configure the Audio Precision System Two are provided. Additional training is provided on audio test fundamentals, as well as an analysis of each audio fidelity test required for Vista launch, and written steps on how to run the tests manually to generate the same results.
This training is required knowledge for the logo test team at each system vendor, unless the system vendor wishes to contract Optimal Sound to provide the testing.
Motherboard Design and Layout Techniques
Optimal Sound can teach your team how to plan your audio designs to address problems before they become an issue. Correct analog audio system design usually costs less than sloppy design, and can save on board re-spins. Chapters 5 and 6 of the HD Audio book contain information on best practices for audio design and layout. You can also download David Roach's presentation at Microsoft WinHEC 2005 in Seattle , discussing best practices for audio hardware design in PC environment.
To date the signal flow of the typical PC has been poorly understood even by the engineers working on it. Until the publication of the HD Audio 22" x 17" PC Audio Signal Flow wall chart, this information was not available as a whole, especially when viewed as an entire system including software and hardware. Optimal Sound can teach you and your team how to understand the entire signal flow through the PC, and what kinds of signal degradation are possible at each stage, both analog and digital.
Audio Design Line has published How the Intel HD Audio system works taken from Chapter 9 of the HD Audio book by Intel Press. This chapter documents the signal flow of Windows XP, plus a few Vista scenarios. Optimal Sound can provide this same level of detail for your Vista systems, in the form of training in signal flow for Vista, or in the form of custom signal flow diagrams.
An Audio Precision System Two is required for Windows 7 and Windows Vista Logo Testing. Incorporating an Audio Precision System Two into your DTM system is one thing, but learning how to use and understand the Audio Precision scripts and tests takes you to a whole different level. Optimal Sound can teach you how to perform all of the logo fidelity tests manually, and learn how to correlate your results with the DTM output logs. This includes an overview of audio basics.
Audio Troubleshooting Techniques
Optimal Sound provides training in basic audio troubleshooting techniques , including how to determine whether an issue is HW or SW, and other ways to identify and resolve audio issues.
Use Optimal Sound to add an audio expert to your team, ensuring that your systems are easy to understand, functioning properly with Windows 7 and, of course, sounding great. Contact us for more info.
