Realtek ALC650 is familiar for the vast majority of people interested in the mainboard market, and for you who are not, we can say it’s all about an audio codec. Realtek ALC650 has since quite some time been almost standard for integrated audio solutions and thus a follow-up is on its way. Realtek ALC850 is, as the name unveils, an 8-channel audio codec and also the world’s first, according to the AC’97 Rev 2.3 specifications. The mass production of the new chip is scheduled to October, but already in September, many motherboard manufacturers will show products with the new ALC850 at Computex 2003. The introduction of 8-channels audio chips seems inevitable, and is clearly replenished in this quotation by David Kung from Realtek:
“This is an irresistible trend,” said Davis Kung, Realtek’s audio product manager, in a statement. “The world’s leading audio format providers – Dolby Laboratories (Dolby) and Digital Theatre Systems (DTS) – are promoting 7.1-channel audio systems and it is forecast that this application and market will be mainstream in early 2004. The Realtek eight-channel ALC850 makes it possible for PC users to enjoy advanced 7.1-channel super surround sound audio entertainment.”
Read more about ALC850 at realtek.com.tw.
