---
name: "sv"
section: "4"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sv/4"
---

# sv(4)

S3 SonicVibes audio device

## NAME

**sv** – S3 SonicVibes audio device

## SYNOPSIS

**sv\* at pci?** **audio\* at sv?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **sv** driver provides support for S3 SonicVibes (S3-617) chipset-based cards. Disabling the SRS 3-D spatial feature of the chip is recommended for higher quality audio. This can be done in software by issuing the following command:

```
$ mixerctl outputs.spatial=off
```

## SEE ALSO

[audio(4)](/audio/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md)

## HISTORY

This driver is based on the [eap(4)](/eap/4.md) driver by Lennart Augustsson. The **sv** device driver first appeared in OpenBSD 2.6.

## BUGS

The "FM" DAC, wavetable synth, and MIDI port are not supported. Recording at a rate different from playback is supported by the chip but not the driver. The mixer does not allow control of reverb, digital loopback, or 3-D SRS features. The chip does not support exact record speeds (it seems) of 11025Hz, 22050Hz, and so on, used by Windows audio. Usually, the actual record is rate is around +/- 50Hz of the specified.