how do you like the USB Creative one? and its cheap? I was under the impression that they were expensive...I would also like a hardware buffer when gaming because the audio is definitely a weak point in the I8200...
@jlax01 wrote:
how do you like the USB Creative one? and its cheap? I was under the impression that they were expensive...I would also like a hardware buffer when gaming because the audio is definitely a weak point in the I8200...
The Creative USB sound card I use (notice I am using the MP3+, not the Extigy) does have hardware buffers, but for some reason, the laptop still has a problem playing audio properly (while gaming). I believe that this could be fixed by turning off the audio card in the BIOS. As it stands, I can only turn off the audio card in WindowsXP, and I get the distinct feeling that it still attempts to utilize part of the device somehow - causing a stutter in the audio play.
Don't get me wrong - the audio is much better with the USB card - but I still run into choppiness on some games and I believe it is a direct result of having the Crystal sound card active in the BIOS. Windows sees the device as turned off, but without turning it off electrically (and therefore Windows never sees the device), somehow the device is still being accessed (or attempted) while playing games.
Dell could easily allow us an option in the BIOS to turn off the audio altogether. They already do it in many of their products - but not the I8200.
Dell, please include this in your next BIOS update? Mods - please ask the developers to come up with a fix or a reason for avoiding this fix?
cool PixelFreak...too bad the MP3+ isn't powered by an AC source...that would reduce even more strain on the laptop...they are 60 bucks at Best Buy for anybody else reading this and I am thinking of picking one up tommorow. I want the ability to turn off the Crystal sound card in the bios too now...
@jlax01 wrote:
cool PixelFreak...too bad the MP3+ isn't powered by an AC source...that would reduce even more strain on the laptop...they are 60 bucks at Best Buy for anybody else reading this and I am thinking of picking one up tommorow. I want the ability to turn off the Crystal sound card in the bios too now...
If you are getting an MP3+, don't buy from Best Buy, or if you do, have them price match your local Walmart. I was able to get the device at Walmart for $49!
ok, I just got it and its pretty cool..was too lazy to goto Walmart, so I got it at Best Buy for 60 bucks. It does support Direct3D hardware sound buffering (tested using DxDiag) and the sound quality is very decent. Listen to some music on my 5.1 system right now through the SPIDF. I will be pairing this with a set of 2.1 Klipsch Promedia speakers at school and that is the primary reason that I bought it.
As for the bios option, do you really notice a slow down? I have disabled the Crystal WDM Audio Codec, should I also disable Legacy Audio Drivers and Legacy Video Input Drivers (I guess those are new)? I would think that since you have the audio card disabled in the drivers manager, it wouldn't affect gameplay because it shouldn't be allowed to get power. I guess you could always go into your machine and pull the card.
Oh well, maybe we should cross post this onto the Bios forum?
It does support Direct3D hardware sound buffering (tested using DxDiag) and the sound quality is very decent.
Yes, that is the very reason that I purchased it as well. I don't have 5.1, but now I am thinking about it...
@jlax01 wrote:
As for the bios option, do you really notice a slow down? I have disabled the Crystal WDM Audio Codec, should I also disable Legacy Audio Drivers and Legacy Video Input Drivers (I guess those are new)? I would think that since you have the audio card disabled in the drivers manager, it wouldn't affect gameplay because it shouldn't be allowed to get power. I guess you could always go into your machine and pull the card.
Yes, I notice stuttering in games such as: BF1942, AA:O, RTCW:ET... I will admit that it is not as bad as it was during the Crystal Sound Card days - but still has stuttering in the audio (which causes the game to stutter now and then). You can not disable the Legacy Audio Drivers, nor the Legacy Video Input Drivers...they just can't be disabled in Windows XP.
Also, I don't believe that you can remove the "card" because I believe that it is soldered into the motherboard. If I am wrong, please let me know.
@jlax01 wrote:
Oh well, maybe we should cross post this onto the Bios forum?
This would make sense. What is the most efficient way to do that without upsetting the mods? I have never done that before...
TIA,
PixelFreak
PS - Notice how I requested a mod to view this and get us feedback, yet none of them have even touched this thread?
It does support Direct3D hardware sound buffering (tested using DxDiag) and the sound quality is very decent.
Yes, that is the very reason that I purchased it as well. I don't have 5.1, but now I am thinking about it...
Well you need a digital decoder, because this doesn't have it. You need the audigy for that (150 bucks)...
@jlax01 wrote:
As for the bios option, do you really notice a slow down? I have disabled the Crystal WDM Audio Codec, should I also disable Legacy Audio Drivers and Legacy Video Input Drivers (I guess those are new)? I would think that since you have the audio card disabled in the drivers manager, it wouldn't affect gameplay because it shouldn't be allowed to get power. I guess you could always go into your machine and pull the card.
Yes, I notice stuttering in games such as: BF1942, AA:O, RTCW:ET... I will admit that it is not as bad as it was during the Crystal Sound Card days - but still has stuttering in the audio (which causes the game to stutter now and then). You can not disable the Legacy Audio Drivers, nor the Legacy Video Input Drivers...they just can't be disabled in Windows XP.
Also, I don't believe that you can remove the "card" because I believe that it is soldered into the motherboard. If I am wrong, please let me know.
I haven't gamed in a while, but I will be soon. I will test it out. I don't know if you can remove the card either, but last time I had my mobo replaced, I swear the tech said this was the sound card (and pointed at a little board as he pulled it out). I could be wrong.
@jlax01 wrote:
Oh well, maybe we should cross post this onto the Bios forum?
This would make sense. What is the most efficient way to do that without upsetting the mods? I have never done that before...
Already Done. Check bios forum. I hope it gets more traffic there.
TIA,
PixelFreak
PS - Notice how I requested a mod to view this and get us feedback, yet none of them have even touched this thread?
yeah, I hope it will occur in the bios forum. Mods usually do respond with in good time. Keep checking and bumping and they will get to it one of these days.
Audio stuttering in games is not normally due just to a poor sound card - it is normally due to a slow hard drive that needs to be accessed to get the sound file. This can be improved by defragmenting, disabling indexing and closing and unnecessary background programs. Since upgrading to a 7200RPM hard drive, I rarely notice this.
@tentonine wrote:
Audio stuttering in games is not normally due just to a poor sound card - it is normally due to a slow hard drive that needs to be accessed to get the sound file. This can be improved by defragmenting, disabling indexing and closing and unnecessary background programs. Since upgrading to a 7200RPM hard drive, I rarely notice this.
I have the 5400 RPM ATA 100 drive from Dell, have disabled all Indexing services and run only the minimal background apps (checking in task manager shows only the bare minimums needed). I also run SpeedDisk by Norton once a week. Honestly, by disabling the software emulation of the Crystal card and using the USB Creative that has hardware buffers, I have noticed the increase in performance, but I still get stuttering. That is why I would love to be able to compare it against not having the onboard device at all. Even though Windows XP claims that the device is disabled, there are other drivers that are installed with the device that can not be disabled. (Legacy audio drivers, Legacy video input drivers, etc.) Therefore, I would rather have the device turned off in the BIOS (easy fix Dell!) to ensure that Windows never even sees the device to avoid any and all confusion.
Don't get me wrong, I love my I8200...I upgraded it to 2.5Ghz and the GeForce 440 Go 64MB, 512MB RAM, 5400 RPM drive, etc., and the only problem I have gaming on this fine laptop is with the audio.
Yes, they both have hardware buffers, but I still get the audio "hitching" (preformatted sounds cause game to lock for a second, and part of the sound is cut off). Anyone else for the idea of having Dell simply give us the same choices as their desktop users? Any time a Dell desktop ships with an onboard sound, it has a "disable" in the BIOS.
What gives? Why are we any different? Why should we not be able to have the same choices as a desktop user? I REALLY need to be able to disable the sound on the hardware layer so Windows will quit detecting this worthless software solution (crystal sound chipset).
Please, restate your desire to have this option included for us laptop users as well (disable onboard sound - those of us that use USB sound solutions!)
dude, are you sure? I don't notice any slows downs...I have run CS (w/ EAX), Halo and Max Payne 2 and noticed no slows downs. Just crisped, clean sound.
jlax01
66 Posts
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August 27th, 2003 03:00
PixelFreak
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August 27th, 2003 19:00
The Creative USB sound card I use (notice I am using the MP3+, not the Extigy) does have hardware buffers, but for some reason, the laptop still has a problem playing audio properly (while gaming). I believe that this could be fixed by turning off the audio card in the BIOS. As it stands, I can only turn off the audio card in WindowsXP, and I get the distinct feeling that it still attempts to utilize part of the device somehow - causing a stutter in the audio play.
Don't get me wrong - the audio is much better with the USB card - but I still run into choppiness on some games and I believe it is a direct result of having the Crystal sound card active in the BIOS. Windows sees the device as turned off, but without turning it off electrically (and therefore Windows never sees the device), somehow the device is still being accessed (or attempted) while playing games.
Dell could easily allow us an option in the BIOS to turn off the audio altogether. They already do it in many of their products - but not the I8200.
Dell, please include this in your next BIOS update? Mods - please ask the developers to come up with a fix or a reason for avoiding this fix?
TIA,
PixelFreak
jlax01
66 Posts
0
August 27th, 2003 21:00
PixelFreak
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August 28th, 2003 00:00
If you are getting an MP3+, don't buy from Best Buy, or if you do, have them price match your local Walmart. I was able to get the device at Walmart for $49!
PixelFreak
jlax01
66 Posts
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August 28th, 2003 02:00
no kidding...hmm I guess I am going to my local walmart instead...thanks man...
hmm, I wonder if they stock it though....I know Best Buy has it...maybe a pricematch will work.
jlax01
66 Posts
0
August 28th, 2003 18:00
ok, I just got it and its pretty cool..was too lazy to goto Walmart, so I got it at Best Buy for 60 bucks. It does support Direct3D hardware sound buffering (tested using DxDiag) and the sound quality is very decent. Listen to some music on my 5.1 system right now through the SPIDF. I will be pairing this with a set of 2.1 Klipsch Promedia speakers at school and that is the primary reason that I bought it.
As for the bios option, do you really notice a slow down? I have disabled the Crystal WDM Audio Codec, should I also disable Legacy Audio Drivers and Legacy Video Input Drivers (I guess those are new)? I would think that since you have the audio card disabled in the drivers manager, it wouldn't affect gameplay because it shouldn't be allowed to get power. I guess you could always go into your machine and pull the card.
Oh well, maybe we should cross post this onto the Bios forum?
PixelFreak
1 Rookie
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60 Posts
0
August 28th, 2003 19:00
Yes, that is the very reason that I purchased it as well. I don't have 5.1, but now I am thinking about it...
Yes, I notice stuttering in games such as: BF1942, AA:O, RTCW:ET... I will admit that it is not as bad as it was during the Crystal Sound Card days - but still has stuttering in the audio (which causes the game to stutter now and then). You can not disable the Legacy Audio Drivers, nor the Legacy Video Input Drivers...they just can't be disabled in Windows XP.
Also, I don't believe that you can remove the "card" because I believe that it is soldered into the motherboard. If I am wrong, please let me know.
This would make sense. What is the most efficient way to do that without upsetting the mods? I have never done that before...
TIA,
PixelFreak
PS - Notice how I requested a mod to view this and get us feedback, yet none of them have even touched this thread?
jlax01
66 Posts
0
August 29th, 2003 03:00
yeah, I hope it will occur in the bios forum. Mods usually do respond with in good time. Keep checking and bumping and they will get to it one of these days.
Anonymous
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274.2K Posts
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August 29th, 2003 21:00
PixelFreak
1 Rookie
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60 Posts
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August 29th, 2003 23:00
I have the 5400 RPM ATA 100 drive from Dell, have disabled all Indexing services and run only the minimal background apps (checking in task manager shows only the bare minimums needed). I also run SpeedDisk by Norton once a week. Honestly, by disabling the software emulation of the Crystal card and using the USB Creative that has hardware buffers, I have noticed the increase in performance, but I still get stuttering. That is why I would love to be able to compare it against not having the onboard device at all. Even though Windows XP claims that the device is disabled, there are other drivers that are installed with the device that can not be disabled. (Legacy audio drivers, Legacy video input drivers, etc.) Therefore, I would rather have the device turned off in the BIOS (easy fix Dell!) to ensure that Windows never even sees the device to avoid any and all confusion.
Don't get me wrong, I love my I8200...I upgraded it to 2.5Ghz and the GeForce 440 Go 64MB, 512MB RAM, 5400 RPM drive, etc., and the only problem I have gaming on this fine laptop is with the audio.
PixelFreak
jlax01
66 Posts
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August 30th, 2003 04:00
I just thought, Pixel, did you try lowering hardware acceleration? or sample quality? that might also help.
angelofdeath003
1 Message
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September 9th, 2003 14:00
jlax01
66 Posts
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September 9th, 2003 16:00
PixelFreak
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60 Posts
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October 29th, 2003 00:00
Yes, they both have hardware buffers, but I still get the audio "hitching" (preformatted sounds cause game to lock for a second, and part of the sound is cut off). Anyone else for the idea of having Dell simply give us the same choices as their desktop users? Any time a Dell desktop ships with an onboard sound, it has a "disable" in the BIOS.
What gives? Why are we any different? Why should we not be able to have the same choices as a desktop user? I REALLY need to be able to disable the sound on the hardware layer so Windows will quit detecting this worthless software solution (crystal sound chipset).
Please, restate your desire to have this option included for us laptop users as well (disable onboard sound - those of us that use USB sound solutions!)
PixelFreak
jlax01
66 Posts
0
October 29th, 2003 01:00