Help with motherboard/USB

[higenbs1]

I've recently put together a desktop PC, and was confused by the game pins on the motherboard. My tower has two front external USB ports, which connect to the usual USB pins on the motherboard. There are two rear external USB ports which are built into the motherboard. Then there's the soundcard with it's own MIDI/game port (not USB)

The motherboard instruction manual then refers to two sets USB/Game pins on the motherboard, for connecting to game devices. Do I have to connect the front USB connector to these game pins in order to play games? How does the soundcard port come into it?

Any help would be great!

[Whyzman]

two sets USB/Game pins on the motherboard That sure sounds like a total of 4...two front and two rear...

I would check the motherboard specs to confirm the total number of USB ports. 4 is pretty standard...

[Beta Geek]

From what it sounds like, you have a mobo with integrated sound, and it has pins on the board for connecting a port that you could plug a joystick or other game controller into. These ports are also used for Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) devices and is why it is found on sound cards. They also are commonly called game ports. If you have a sound card lying around, check out the back of it. It will probably have a 15-pin female connector on it. That is what it looks like. You don't need one of these to play games, but you do need one if you want to use a joystick, steering wheel, or game pad that uses this interface. Most new gaming devices use (or at lest have the option to use) USB instead of the game port.

The curious thing is it seems like from what you said (unless I read wrong) that the game port and USB use the same header (pin grouping) on your motherboard.

Could you post the make and model number of your motherboard?

Hope that helps.

[higenbs1]

It's a VIA P4X533 S478 AGP 8x ATX, dabs code 33DVWS