ASRock X79 Extreme6/GB Motherboard

Other Features

This motherboard has a POST diagnostics display that shows through a two-digit code which component is preventing the computer from turning on.

Figure 7: POST diagnostics display

It has a legacy serial port, which is available through a header labeled “COM1.” You will need to buy an adapter if you want to use this port. It also has an infrared interface, making it inexpensive for you to add an infrared sensor to be able to use a remote control or to connect devices using infrared technology (IrDA).

Of course, the highlight of this motherboard is its add-on sound card, shown in Figures 8 and 9. It must be connected to a PCI Express x1 slot.

This sound card is based on a Creative Sound Core3D chip (making it similar to the Sound Blaster Recon3D PCIe sound card from Creative that retails for USD 100), which provides CrystalVoice technology for improving the audio quality during audio chats and several other technologies for improving audio. This sound card offers 102 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for its outputs and 101 dB signal-to-noise ratio for its inputs, with a 192 kHz sampling rate and 24-bit resolution.

Additionally, this card provides a second Gigabit Ethernet port, which is controlled by another Broadcom BCM57781 chip. This chip supports the “teaming” function, allowing you to combine the two Gigabit Ethernet ports for doubling the networking transfer rate to 2 Gbps.

It offers four gold-plated jacks for analog audio connection, optical and coaxial SPDIF outputs, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an internal header for the front audio connection (you must install the audio connector from your case on this header, since the on-board audio is disabled when this card is installed), and an SPDIF header if your video card needs a physical connection in order to provide digital audio on its HDMI output.

Figure 8: The Game Blaster sound card

Figure 9: The Game Blaster sound card

In Figure 10, you can see all of the accessories that come with the ASRock X79 Extreme6/GB.

Figure 10: Accessories