Major sound issues with Vista

My Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 5.1 sound card is causing me the blue screen of death due to corrupt drivers.

So I try onboard sound card but rear left and right speakers don't work. At thecontrol panel>sound options you can test it. All speakers work correctly in the test. But when I put up a game, movie or internet/youtube etc... my rear speakers don't work. DTS not working, Dolby Digital not working, EAX not working.

All worked fine on XP... I got even 5.1 surround sound with World of Warcraft. Why Vista does not support this is beyond me.

I read in this article http://openal.org/openal_vista.html that sound is getting a big change with Vista... Instead of directsound 3D there is something called OpenAL andEAX not anymore supported.

I went to my local computer store asking if they have a Vista compatible sound card.Seems like there isn't...What the hell am I supposed to do?

I'm not even sure if my 5.1 speaker set are compatible with new sound cards... I don't know jack about sound technology so I'm kinda confused.

I know the X-Fi series of Creative soundcards work with Vista. Not sure about any others, although my ESI Juli@ works with Vista drivers.

I know the X-Fi series of Creative soundcards work with Vista. Not sure about any others, although my ESI Juli@ works with Vista drivers.

SimpJee

This is my current speakers... how do I know if it is supported?

[QUOTE="SimpJee"]

I know the X-Fi series of Creative soundcards work with Vista. Not sure about any others, although my ESI Juli@ works with Vista drivers.

PullTheTricker

This is my current speakers... how do I know if it is supported?

Email creative. But I'm thinking any of their recent speakers will work with any of their recent sound cards. But only the X-Fi series of sound cards work with Vista. So you'll at least need an X-Fi sound card.

I thinkthe speakers are 3/4 years old now.

SB XFI XtremeGamer

This is the card I had in mind.

http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15853

This here is my current sound card (it isnt compatible with Vista)

I use the black, green and orange... holes?lol dunno how its called sorry for my English.

What it does is translate DirectSound3D to OpenAL and allows you to turn on EAX effects and surround sound in the supported DirectSound3D games. There's a list of supported titles on the site I linked. I hope this helps you out.

Your current Audigy card is, in fact, compatible with Windows Vista, but in order to enable DirectSound3D in Vista, you're going to have to get Creative ALchemy as well. While free for X-Fi owners, you'll have to pay $9.99 to use it with your Audigy card. (The picture you posted is a Sound Blaster Audigy LS, which is listed to work with ALchemy.)

What it does is translate DirectSound3D to OpenAL and allows you to turn on EAX effects and surround sound in the supported DirectSound3D games. There's a list of supported titles on the site I linked. I hope this helps you out.

Stealthic

With XP I had 5.1 sound with all applications... wheter itbe games, movies oreven youtube (youtubewithout surround).

Only a couple of games supported with Creative Alchemey... talk about half-assed support :(I don't like that at all. Nice find though :P

DoesCreativehave anything in developmentfor my sound to be the same as in XP? (high quality, EAX, DTS, DD) Wheter that be software drivers or100% vista compatible sound cardssound card. I don't see why I should buy a X-Fi sound card when it won't even support EAX, Dolby Digital and DTS sound for lets say Unreal Tournament 2k4.

I'm beginning to consider formating Vista and just going back to XP... would be a shame though since I have DX10 and so far I pretty much like Vista and all its extras. The only big problem I haveis the sound. Damnit :|

EDIT: Is it me or does gamespot keep removing spaces between sentences :Z

With XP I had 5.1 sound with all applications... wheter itbe games, movies oreven youtube (youtubewithout surround).

Only a couple of games supported with Creative Alchemey... talk about half-assed support :(I don't like that at all.

DoesCreativehave anything in developmentfor my sound to be the same as in XP? (high quality, EAX, DTS, DD) Wheter that be software drivers or100% vista compatible sound cardssound card. I don't see why I should buy a X-Fi sound card when it won't even support EAX, Dolby Digital and DTS sound for lets say Unreal Tournament 2k4.

I'm beginning to consider formating Vista and just going back to XP... would be a shame though since I have DX10 and so far I pretty much like Vista and all its extras. The only big problem I haveis the sound. Damnit :|

PullTheTricker

I agree that it's disappointing that only a few games are compatible.

I believe they're planning to update the list of games over time, but it's been so long since the last Vista driver update that I don't think they're doing too well with Vista support so far.

You should email Creative or post on their Vista forum at http://www.creative.com/ and maybe they'll reply with some new developments.

Just remember that future game releases will support OpenAL. It's that assurance along with DirectX 10 that made me decide to stay with Vista.

Good luck. :D

Edit: And yeah, that space thing is annoying. Click Preview before you submit your message and then you can re-add the spaces that got deleted.

I bought a Creative Audigy SE for my Windows Vista build and it works quite well. My onboard Realtek AL888 was doomed from the start due to poor driver support, whereas the Creative Audigy SE professed to be Vista compatible right on the box. I simply downloaded the latest drivers from their site, and my spiffy $30 soundcard kicked into life.subrosian

And you have what? 5.1 or 2.1 stereo sound? I read all of the net that almostalmsostall cards including your card only supports stereo in Vista. Or am I talking nonsense :P?

What does this OpenAL technology offer newer or better then EAX and 5.1 DDsurround anyway? I'm really curious to why Creative and Microsoft changed the way sound works. Even in the Cinema's where I live its always DTS and DD surround. I think its ridicilous to decrease or even abandon support for this :S

I haven't tested it with gaming, but with speakers plugged into each slot, all 6 channels (front-right, front-left, back-right, back-left, center, and subwoofer) produced noise during the test, as well as when clicked in the testing screen.subrosian

The test works for me also... but when I run aplications like games or movies or even music...I get crappy stereo 2.1sound :S

What does this OpenAL technology offer newer or better then EAX and 5.1 DDsurround anyway? I'm really curious to why Creative and Microsoft changed the way sound works. Even in the Cinema's where I live its always DTS and DD surround. I think its ridicilous to decrease or even abandon support for this :S

PullTheTricker

What does this OpenAL technology offer newer or better then EAX and 5.1 DDsurround anyway? I'm really curious to why Creative and Microsoft changed the way sound works. Even in the Cinema's where I live its always DTS and DD surround. I think its ridicilous to decrease or even abandon support for this :S

PullTheTricker

OpenAL is just the API. EAX sounds still ecists but in Windows XPyoucould produce EAX with either HAL or OpenAL OpenAL isnow the preferred API in Windows Vista so the EAX hames that used HAL will need the creative program to reproduce EAX.

The Vista sound engine is more powerful than Windows XP. Creative has acknowledged this and they waited too late to create their drivers.

Ahh... after some research it seems I'll be having to take my sound card back to the store... Alchemy is a $10 piece of softwre released by Creative that fixes the problem, X-Fi and some Audigy cards are supported, but not the one I bought...

Y'know, I'm actually really pissed at them right now - why would you put a "works with Windows Vista" sticker on the box of a card that says it enables 5.1 and 7.1 sound in games (on the box) knowing that:

1. It doesn't unless you buy a $10 piece of aftermarket software.

2. It doesn't support that piece of software, so you're totally boned.

Ahh... after some research it seems I'll be having to take my sound card back to the store... Alchemy is a $10 piece of softwre released by Creative that fixes the problem, X-Fi and some Audigy cards are supported, but not the one I bought... subrosian

Alchemy is free for X-Fi usersbut those that bought the Audigy will have to pay $10.00.Not every game that supports EAX needs it sincesome Windows XP games used OpenAL. What kind of card did you buy?

[QUOTE="subrosian"]Ahh... after some research it seems I'll be having to take my sound card back to the store... Alchemy is a $10 piece of softwre released by Creative that fixes the problem, X-Fi and some Audigy cards are supported, but not the one I bought... Deihmos

Do some research my friend. Alchemy is free for X-Fi users and not every game that supports EAX needs it. Some Windows XP games used OpenAL.

[QUOTE="Deihmos"]

[QUOTE="subrosian"]Ahh... after some research it seems I'll be having to take my sound card back to the store... Alchemy is a $10 piece of softwre released by Creative that fixes the problem, X-Fi and some Audigy cards are supported, but not the one I bought... subrosian

Do some research my friend. Alchemy is free for X-Fi users and not every game that supports EAX needs it. Some Windows XP games used OpenAL.

The card supports surround sound and alchemy has nothing to do with surround sound. I don't understand what are you talking about.

[QUOTE="subrosian"][QUOTE="Deihmos"]

[QUOTE="subrosian"]Ahh... after some research it seems I'll be having to take my sound card back to the store... Alchemy is a $10 piece of softwre released by Creative that fixes the problem, X-Fi and some Audigy cards are supported, but not the one I bought... Deihmos

Do some research my friend. Alchemy is free for X-Fi users and not every game that supports EAX needs it. Some Windows XP games used OpenAL.

The card supports surround sound and alchemy has nothing to do with surround sound. I don't understand what are you talking about.

[QUOTE="subrosian"]

I haven't tested it with gaming, but with speakers plugged into each slot, all 6 channels (front-right, front-left, back-right, back-left, center, and subwoofer) produced noise during the test, as well as when clicked in the testing screen.PullTheTricker

The test works for me also... but when I run aplications like games or movies or even music...I get crappy stereo 2.1sound :S

Music is stereo sound not 5.1. If you want the music on all speakers you will need to use the CMSS option.

[QUOTE="Deihmos"][QUOTE="subrosian"][QUOTE="Deihmos"]

[QUOTE="subrosian"]Ahh... after some research it seems I'll be having to take my sound card back to the store... Alchemy is a $10 piece of softwre released by Creative that fixes the problem, X-Fi and some Audigy cards are supported, but not the one I bought... subrosian

Do some research my friend. Alchemy is free for X-Fi users and not every game that supports EAX needs it. Some Windows XP games used OpenAL.

The card supports surround sound and alchemy has nothing to do with surround sound. I don't understand what are you talking about.

Yes that is for EAX sound but it does not mean 5.1 sound is gone. The games that use HAL will need the Alchemy program to reproduce EAX so change the sound option to discrete 5.1 or dolby digital if the game supports it. If you really want to use EAX then buy the program. All games will now use OpenAL.

Yes that is for EAX sound but it does not mean 5.1 sound is gone. The games that use HAL will need the Alchemy program to reproduce EAX so change the sound option to discrete 5.1 or dolby digital if the game supports it. If you really want to use EAX then buy the program. All games will now use OpenAL.

Deihmos

I'm beginning to get tired to of this **** Its almost 6 in the morning and I still havent slept... I think I'm going back to XP period. Untill these sound issues are solved I won't go back to Vista.

I'm beginning to get tired to of this **** Its almost 6 in the morning and I still havent slept... I think I'm going back to XP period. Untill these sound issues are solved I won't go back to Vista.

PullTheTricker

[QUOTE="PullTheTricker"]

I'm beginning to get tired to of this **** Its almost 6 in the morning and I still havent slept... I think I'm going back to XP period. Untill these sound issues are solved I won't go back to Vista.

subrosian

''The future is OpenAL'' Says Microsoft and Creative... yeh right. Their future, is our money -_-

No EAX = fail