QEMU/Devices/Sound cards: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:40, 31 August 2024

Sound cards can be added easily to QEMU virtual machines easily through using -audio or the removed since QEMU 7.0 -soundhw argument.

How to add a sound card

QEMU 7 and above:

You can add a card with the following:

qemu-system-(arch) -audio driver={output_driver},model={sound_card_model},id={id}

output_driver and id are the same as -audiodev {output_driver},{id} in older versions with their respective arguments.

QEMU versions before 7.0:

You can add a card with the following:

qemu-system-(arch) -soundhw (sound_card_model)

Devices

i386/x86-64

Model	Name	Bus	Notes	Minimum OS
ac97	Intel(r) 82801AA AC'97 (SigmaTel STAC9750 codec)	PCI	64-bit versions of Windows 7 and later require a third-party driver for AC'97 support	Windows: For Win9x, use the Realtek AC'97 driver. Linux: Yes since 2.2.x, for older drivers with sound problems append to the kernel parameters the following: `snd_intel8x0.ac97_clock=48000` DOS: Requires per-application support
adlib	Yamaha YM3812/Adlib [OPL2]	ISA	Low-cost sound chip developed by Yamaha, not useful outside of really old OSes	Windows: Windows 3.1 Linux: ? DOS: Requires per-application support
all	All sound cards	ISA/PCI	Enables every single sound card	N/A
cs4321a	Crystal CS4321A	ISA	A Windows Sound System compatible ISA codec.	Windows: Windows 3.1/9x Linux: Yes, since 2.2.x DOS: ?
es1370	ENSONIQ AudioPCI ES1370	PCI	PCI card from 1997, has DirectSound3D support, supports .ecw file format playback	Windows: Windows 98 Linux: Mandrake 8.2, maybe others DOS: ?
gus	Gravis Ultrasound GF1	ISA	Sound card from 1992, very popular demoscene card	Windows: Windows 3.1 Linux: Yes (TODO: workaround for sound issues) DOS: Requires per-application support
hda	Intel HD Audio	PCI	Supported natively since Windows XP SP3 (can be installed on Windows 2000 with a separate driver). This card is recommended for more modern Windows and Linux hosts, i.e. Windows 7+ or Debian 10+.	Windows: Windows 2000 Linux: supported in nearly every modern distro DOS: Requires per-application support
pcspk	PC Speaker	None	Generic PC speaker, works on everything	All
sb16	SoundBlaster 16	ISA	Very popular and famous card from the early 1990s - most emulators, including QEMU, support this card. It is recommended for use in older hosts, such as Windows 98, Debian 5, or DOS. OPL3 isn't emulated. PCM only.	All

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Sound cards can be added easily to QEMU virtual machines easily through using <code>-audio</code> or the deprecated since QEMU 7.0 <code>-soundhw</code> argument.
+Sound cards can be added easily to QEMU virtual machines easily through using <code>-audio</code> or the removed since QEMU 7.0 <code>-soundhw</code> argument.
 ==How to add a sound card==
-QEMU 7 and above:
+===QEMU 7 and above:===
 You can add a card with the following:
 <pre>qemu-system-(arch) -audio driver={output_driver},model={sound_card_model},id={id}</pre>
 <kbd>output_driver</kbd> and <kbd>id</kbd> are the same as <kbd>-audiodev {output_driver},{id}</kbd> in older versions with their respective arguments.
-QEMU versions before 7.0:
+===QEMU versions before 7.0:===
 You can add a card with the following:
 <pre>qemu-system-(arch) -soundhw (sound_card_model)</pre>
@@ Line 19: / Line 23: @@
 |-
 | ac97
-| Intel(r) 82801AA AC'97
+| Intel(r) 82801AA AC'97 (SigmaTel STAC9750 codec)
 | PCI
 | 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and later require a third-party driver for AC'97 support
-| Windows: Windows 95<br>Linux: ?<br>DOS: Requires per-application support
+| Windows: For Win9x, use the Realtek AC'97 driver.<br>Linux: Yes since 2.2.x, for older drivers with sound problems append to the kernel parameters the following: <code>snd_intel8x0.ac97_clock=48000</code><br>DOS: Requires per-application support
 |-
 | adlib
 | Yamaha YM3812/Adlib [OPL2]
 | ISA
-| Low-cost sound chip developed by Yahama, not useful outside of really old OSes
+| Low-cost sound chip developed by Yamaha, not useful outside of really old OSes
 | Windows: Windows 3.1<br>Linux: ?<br>DOS: Requires per-application support
 |-
@@ Line 38: / Line 42: @@
 | cs4321a
 | Crystal CS4321A
-| ISA?
+| ISA
+| A Windows Sound System compatible ISA codec.
-|
-| Windows: Windows 3.1?<br>Linux: ?<br>DOS: ?
+| Windows: Windows 3.1/9x<br>Linux: Yes, since 2.2.x<br>DOS: ?
 |-
 | es1370
@@ Line 46: / Line 50: @@
 | PCI
 | PCI card from 1997, has DirectSound3D support, supports .ecw file format playback
-| Windows: Windows 98<br>Linux: ?<br>DOS: ?
+| Windows: Windows 98<br>Linux: Mandrake 8.2, maybe others<br>DOS: ?
 |-
 | gus
@@ Line 52: / Line 56: @@
 | ISA
 | Sound card from 1992, very popular demoscene card
-| Windows: Windows 3.1<br>Linux: ?<br>DOS: Requires per-application support
+| Windows: Windows 3.1<br>Linux: Yes (TODO: workaround for sound issues)<br>DOS: Requires per-application support
 |-
 | hda
@@ Line 69: / Line 73: @@
 | SoundBlaster 16
 | ISA
-| Very popular and famous card from the early 1990s - most emulators, including QEMU, support this card. It is recommended for use in older hosts, such as Windows 98, Debian 5, or DOS.
+| Very popular and famous card from the early 1990s - most emulators, including QEMU, support this card. It is recommended for use in older hosts, such as Windows 98, Debian 5, or DOS. OPL3 isn't emulated. PCM only.
 | All
 |}