[Mike Zamarocy]

Ok, its pretty much agreed upon that the SB Live! has some problems. And I have read that the EAX in W2K is not hardware accelerated either. So what IS the 3D card to get now? The TB Santa Cruz? The Diamond MX400?????? Which one really works well in W2K, with the damn ACPI IRQ sharing, and has hardware accelerated 3D sound???

[Bursar]

Just to be awkward, I'm going to say that my SB Live is flawless.

I haven't had any problems with it under Win2k.

I don't generally run it with EAX turned on as my speakers don't really do it justice, and a number of games just sound 'odd' with it.

EAX isn't the be all and end all of sound and I really don't feel that I'm missing anything by having it turned off.

[Down8]

I've heard many good things about the Philips Acoustic Edge card, but I don't think any of them specifically mentioned Win2K, so I'm not sure about performance. I really like this card though, for all it's features, it beats the SBLive! [on paper anyway].

If anyone has this card [and uses Win2K], I would be greatful to hear your experiences.

-bZj

[GHackmann]

The Santa Cruz works great for me. The 3D/EAX effects are a little more quiet and subdued than I like (which does not happen under Win9x), but I can always crank up the volume and reverb effects in the mixer; plus, the drivers are still a work-in-progress, so I'm assuming this will get fixed. Still, the drivers are stable enough to use as-is today, and if the 3D effects get fixed in the future, then that's just a bonus.

And, more importantly, it doesn't give me the BSOD and performance problems that my SB Live! did.

[whoisurdaddy]

I am with Bursar. I have SB Live! and I don't have any problems with it in Win2k. I have been switching b/w Professional and Server versions like so many times (probably around 20 installations of Win2k) and I don't have any problems with it. I am using Win2k Server and running SB Live! in EAX mode right now.

[Mike Zamarocy]

But from what I could tell, only the Santa Cruz has WDM drivers, though they are in the Beta. The Live! has no (known) WDM drivers. And from I gather, the WDM drivers are what gives the card the ability to do EAX in hardware? And if that is so, no wonder the Live! stutters or locks up games. In Everquest I have had to turn the music off to stop it from locking up - and even still some other sounds will go nuts. Makes me wonder if the Santa Cruz would be better?

[LoW_beta]

Philips Acoustic Edge is supposed to be excellent. Win2K drivers are okay.

Some reports here:
http://arstechnica.i...ic...mp;m=84609 2367

Unoffical SBLive WDM drivers for WinME/Win2K:
http://alive.singnet.com.sg/drivers/wdm0101.htm

[This message has been edited by LoW_beta (edited 02 February 2001).]

[Mike Zamarocy]

Ok, I just tried the BETA WDM drivers. Everquest still stutters, but not as much as before. Perhaps I just MIGHT try that Phillips Accoustic Edge soon! On paper, it sounds mighty impressive!

[whoisurdaddy]

Hmmm...then what is the EAX setting from Creative Surround Mixer program? Right now, I set my Task at "play EAX game" mode and Preset at "Current Superenvironment". It is just cosmetic or something?

[Mike Zamarocy]

Hmmm, good point, and thanks for telling me! I never knew that one existed.

But I tried Everquest with it on, and it STILL stutters, and even locks up during (VERY DANGEROUS!!!!) combat. I can't hit my other attack buttons and am getting the S*** kicked out of me as the game world continues on even if my screen doesn't.

Haven't tried MW4 yet with the WDM drivers, but will later. But unlike others, Baldur's Gate (1) has no problems, and Delta Force Land Warrior has no probs. Panzer Elite works as fine as could be expected, but I still can not get EAW to work for more than 10 minutes.

Just curious though too . . . . how can I tell if the EAX is running through hardware (now with the WDM), or is still in software mode???

[elomire678]

The Live! drivers for Windows 2000 are and always have been WDM. Personally I've never had any problems with my Live! in Windows 2000, 98 or 95. I've had it for 2 1/2 years and not a single problem.

[LoW_beta]

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by elomire678:
The Live! drivers for Windows 2000 are and always have been WDM. Personally I've never had any problems with my Live! in Windows 2000, 98 or 95. I've had it for 2 1/2 years and not a single problem.

</font>

I partly agree. I find the sound quality overall to be better under Win9X. The drivers have had time to mature, I guess. I just hope Creative will release a respectable driver set under Win2K soon.

The biggest tweak to improving the sound quality in Win2K is downloading the DirectX control panel and setting the debugging to 'less'. WDM Beta drivers seem to help as well. Regards.