ALC861 is a High Definition (HD) Audio Codec IC from Realtek Semiconductor, commonly used on desktop and older workstation motherboards. It provides stable onboard audio for speakers, line-out, line-in, and microphone, and is frequently found on legacy Intel/AMD chipset boards from brands like ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI.
When the ALC861 fails, systems may experience no sound, distorted audio, missing microphone input, or front-panel audio issues, making it a regular replacement IC in motherboard repair work.