The "What U Hear" problem

This is not just a Dell issue. . 

I got this from a Soundblaster tech, when I was working on a What You Hear problem for a client:  As you can see it's not a Dell issue, SoundBlaster does not support that in the Extreme Audio models.

"For your information, The What U Hear recording option is supported in
Windows Vista for Sound Blaster X-Fi series (excluding Extreme Audio and
Titanium series) and Sound Blaster Audigy series (excluding Sound
Blaster Audigy LE, SE, and Audigy Value)."

I'm a musician too and have a computer based recording studio setup using Sonar 8.  But, I don't rely on the PC's sound card for the recording interface, I have a separate 8 channel recording interface unit (Focusrite Saffire Pro 40).  Same way on playback, I have my Samson studio monitor speakers connected to the Saffire Pro 40. .

ths problem indirectly caused me to loose my entire 38gig music collection!

If you didn't have your music collection backed up, shame on you. Backups are not for "if" you will ever need them but for "when" you need them. 

maybe the new driver will help http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=209&CatName=X-Fi&subCatID=669&subCatName=Sound%20Blaster&prodID=15853&prodName=X-Fi+XtremeGamer

On SOME audio systems the "What You Hear" will not be seen when you access the Control Panel - Sounds/Recording panel but if you RIGHT click in an empty space and then LEFT click on Show Disabled Devices SOMETIMES you will see the What You Hear or System Mixer (they are the same thing, SoundBlaster calls it what you hear) and you can enable the device and then select it as the default. 

Again this is not something that ONLY Dell's have an issue with.  I installed a HP desktop (equivalent to a Dell XPS system) with Vista 64 bit last November for a (musician) client and it too did not have the System Mixer feature.   My recording PC, which is home built, uses an Intel motherboard that has SigmaTel "High Definition Audio" (Integrated Audio).  The initial SigmaTel drivers that came with the motherboard (and that were available on the Intel site's downloads for this motherboard) DID NOT have the System Mixer.   It wasn't an issue as I had an older SoundBlaster sound card that I reused with the system and it did have the What You Hear feature.  The old SoundBlaster sound card went bad (about a month ago) and I removed it and re-enabled the SigmaTel and downloaded the latest driver from the Intel site.  The new IDT drivers (IDT Purchased SigmaTel and rebadged it as IDT) surprisingly now have the System Mixer function.  As previously noted I don't use the PC's sound "card" with my recording software.

I am just hoping dell will update their drivers to include it as somepoint, otherwise i am all at sea

I have a Striker 7.1 sound card installed (I didn't like the Integrated Audio).  It has the System Mixer plus all the I/O's incluidng S/PDIF.  It also has a utility to change pitch (keys) on Karaoke CD's.  I got it from www.newegg.com  Info on it is HERE (and it works with Vista 64 bit and 32 bit and Windows 7 both 32 and 64 bit).\

Creative Labs has confirmed that What U Hear recording DOES NOT WORK under Windows 7, even with Creative's newest Win7 drivers, for many SoundBlaster cards. See list below.

I bought a SB Extreme Audio card with my Dell XPS 420. It worked fine under Windows XP -- I've always been able to record What U Hear, no matter what Creative says. As soon as I upgraded to Win7 and installed the Creative Win7 drivers, I could no longer record. I wasted hours of time researching this and a diligent Dell Gold Tech even took the problem home and worked on it for hours -- he couldn't make it work, either.

Then I got this "tech support e-mail from Creative confirming the problem. This is not a MSFT or Dell problem. Creative has just not updated the drivers for these cards for Win7 properly. A big fat raspberry to them. I've had to spring $80 for a new card that Creative claims WILL record properly under Win7. We shall see. Unfortunately, Creative is the only sound game in town.

Microsoft lists these cards as SUPPORTED on its Win7 Compatibility website for both 32-bit and 64-bit Win7. (I use Win7 64 Ultimate.) I've notified MSFT that it should remove them.

"We apologize for the inconvenience." Creative wasted my time and Dell's -- and my money.

[collapse]-----Original Message-----

From: Creative Americas Customer Support

[mailto:CLI.support@customercare.creative.com]

Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 2:31 AM

To:

Subject: Re: CLI - Technical Support Request - (PCI Express X-Fi Xtreme

Audio) (KMM20501171I15977L0KM)

Dear XXXX,

Thank you for reaching us at Creative Technical Support; we appreciate

the opportunity to assist you.

With regards to your inquiry, the What U Hear recording option is

supported in Windows Vista and Windows 7 for Sound Blaster X-Fi series

(Excluding Xtreme Audio series) and Sound Blaster Audigy series

(excluding Sound Blaster Audigy LE, SE, and Audigy Value).

So PCI Express X-Fi Xtreme Audio does not have the What U Hear feature

in Windows 7.

I do apologize for any inconvenience caused.

If you still require assistance, please reply to this email with any

previous correspondence to ensure the quickest and most accurate

service.

Best Regards ,

Martina Z

Technical Support

Creative Labs Americas

Per my sig, I have a Soundblaster Xfi Titanium Fatality  installed in my Win 7 64 bit system and it DOES have the What You Hear.

@fireberd:

Thanks for posting that. I just ordered an X-Fi Titanium (vanilla!) to replace my X-Fi Xtreme Audio, and you made me feel a bit better because I don't trust anything Creative tells me. I'm looking forward to being able to record What U Hear again. But I have lost faith in Creative -- it's just irresponsible that their drivers for Win7 are incomplete. I know of no reason why a card that worked properly under XP would not work under Win7 if the drivers were written properly. Thx again.

From XP to Vista or Win 7 is a major re-write of the drivers as Vista and Win 7 handle the audio functions differently than XP.  However, I'm at a loss as to why Creative needs Win 7 specific drivers for their sound cards, as Win 7 is basically "vista improved".  The Integrated Audio systems such as IDT or RealTek and the HT Omega line (e.g. Striker 7.1) Vista drivers work in Win 7.

Go to Creative folder

start device set up.

select sampling rate 96Khtz  at 16bits

It solved my problem