AC97 front panel and Realtek HD motherboard, how to connect them?


  1. Posts : 490
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2
       #1

    AC97 front panel and Realtek HD motherboard, how to connect them?


    I have an 8th generation Intel motherboard with Realtek HD pin layout and an older Antek mini tower which is AC97. What are my options to have the two connected so that the front panel is used for the headset instead of the rear speaker connection?
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  2. Posts : 13,301
    Windows 10 Pro (x64) 21H2 19044.1526
       #2

    Depending on the connectors you might be able to swap them.
    You Might have to get some longer cables to do it
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  3. Posts : 490
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I bought an adapter wire last year and it is still connected, but never worked.
    Last edited by ineuw; 07 Jun 2019 at 04:24. Reason: spelling correction
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  4. Posts : 1,935
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #4

    forget about it

    you need to change the front panel ac97 audio jacks in that old antek mini tower pc case to HD compliant ones

    if not, install a front bay hd audio module that comes with hd audio jacks, then hook those to the motherboard - look for one on Newegg

    audio: front panel audio header - Newegg.com
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  5. Posts : 490
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2
    Thread Starter
       #5

    erpster4 said:
    forget about it
    you need to change the front panel ac97 audio jacks in that old antek mini tower pc case to HD compliant ones
    if not, install a front bay hd audio module that comes with hd audio jacks, then hook those to the motherboard - look for one on Newegg
    erpster4, thanks for the wise suggestion.
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  6. Posts : 1,935
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #6

    no probs, ineuw.

    I suspect your old Antek mini tower PC case was made before 2005, just before the HD audio standard was widely available

    I had a similar problem with my longtime friend's mini-tower case (which previously had an old PC chips motherboard with AC97 audio and was replaced with an ASUS M5A78L-M/LE USB3 board) but his did not come with any front panel mic & headphone ports, so I had to purchase a 3.5 inch front panel bay module that came with usb 2.0 ports along with hd ready microphone & headphone ports and connected the wiring cables onto the new ASUS motherboard using onboard Realtek ALC887 hd audio.
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  7. Posts : 490
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2
    Thread Starter
       #7

    erpster4, thanks again, buying a 3.5/5.25" panel is my best option.
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  8. Posts : 1,220
    Windows 10
       #8

    If you have a soldering iron, there are 2 ways to do it. I know a friend who did this like back in 2006.

    You can buy (1) a new 3.5mm audio jack that has a built-in switch or (2) buy a microswitch that gets depressed when the male audio plug is inserted to existing ac97 audio jack.

    The first way is shown in this youtube video (in Russian but you can do auto-translate transcript in youtube).

    YouTube

    (1) yank out the wires with a small screwdriver and re-arrange them (at 3:10)
    (2) solder a 1k resistor to 1 of the wires and shrinkwrap the resistor with a heat gun (4:20)
    (3) desolder old ac97 connector out of the circuit board (6:10) and put in new audio jack with built-in switch

    The 2nd way is hot glue a microswitch (which is shown in the Russian video at 9:30) to an existing ac97 connector. When you insert a male audio plug into the existing ac97 female hole, the male audio plug pressed the white "button" switch.

    Herseyden biraz: AC97 to HDAudio audio frontpanel mod

    Same procedures with re-arranging the wires and adding the 1k resistor.

    Disconnect 2 tracks on the pcb.
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  9. Posts : 490
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2
    Thread Starter
       #9

    sandyt, thanks for the links. Unfortunately, the cost of a decent soldering gun and parts, etc, is as much or more than a front panel. :)
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  10. Posts : 1,220
    Windows 10
       #10

    Even buying the new audio jacks and resistor would cost you $4-5, so front panel is better way to go.

    But if you want to make a killer "sleeper pc", then this mod is definitely worth it. There are a bunch of "sleeper pc" youtube videos around, but none addressed this front panel issue.
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