Thread: sjt17's X-Fi + New Build

Originally Posted by HeavyG

Mine works fine, although, I am running Vista Business 32 bit. Maybe it doesnt like 64 bit operating systems.

I am running an X-Fi fatal1ty with Vista Ultimate 64bit. Works like a charm (now that creative dialed in the damn drivers!).

Maybe the problem was just that one card in particular, but I think I ran across some threads where certain chipsets coupled with Vista (32 or 64) would not function correctly under any circumstances. I say blame windows API and not Creative entirely. Even though Creative should work harder to find solutions, working with Vista's API seems to be a stumbling block for many vendors.

Creative's problems go back further than just Vista. Soundblaster cards had issues in the past with other chipsets. Namely the VIA chipsets for Athlon processors. There were some tweaks that made it better, but it was never 100%. I'm glad I didn't wait for them to 'dial in' their drivers and dumped Creative altogether.

Originally Posted by WileECyte

Creative's problems go back further than just Vista. Soundblaster cards had issues in the past with other chipsets. Namely the VIA chipsets for Athlon processors. There were some tweaks that made it better, but it was never 100%. I'm glad I didn't wait for them to 'dial in' their drivers and dumped Creative altogether.

Actually i remember that one specifically. tried everything before giving up and going with the onboard audio on that build. brand spanking new Audigy and a GeForce 3, should have been smoking hot for gaming, but the damn Audio would not work; period. Turned out to be the VIA chipset for the Athlon XP+ Processor based Mobo.

Ok ok... so creative has, and always had problems, but I have seen other Vendors cursing the Vista API and the shoddy drivers they have produced using it. It took Creative a full year to dial in the X-Fi driver so it didnt crash systems with greater than 2gb RAM; which seems way to long to reflect laziness on the part of the Vendor... but then again, I have only programmed for fun so I have no idea what goes on in the industry. I can just imagine a roomful of computer geeks gaming between their numerous meetings instead of working on their drivers! Does not sound like a bad gig.

I've had every creative soundcard since the SB16 to the current X-fi. No issues, from windows 3.1 to 98 to XP.

For vista to "not support surround sound"....that's ridiculous. I don't believe that, at all. And I KNOW clintok's X-Fi 7.1 Fatality plugged into my 7.1 speaker set channeled each speaker correctly. Front left, center, front right, right, rear right, rear left, and left. 100%.

It's not ridiculous, it's fact. It's clearly spelled out in the support documentation for Creative's products... EAX is NOT an option under Vista. When Microsoft changed the API for sound, it removed the method used by EAX to produce positional sound. They are using OpenAL for 3D sound. ALchemy is their attempt at 'converting' EAX to OpenAL, but there's a limited 50 or so titles that are supported, and they charge you extra money for it ($10 or 15... I forget which)

no shit....

Originally Posted by sjt17

So I just completed my new build - note my 3dmark

Srry I've been away...

Having trouble with my X-Fi. Windows will not load with it installed, looks like a known thing, I'm going to go buy an audigy 2 or 4 tomrrow.

My Soundblaster X-Fi Fatality works fine with Vista if not better and I have almost identical system like you. Maybe I should do that 3dmark thing again.