Will EAX3.0 work with SBlive!

[Gummy]

The list only mentioned problems with Vortex cards.

 

So it only works with Audigy and Extigy?

Only EAX 3.0?

 

I am afraid to try out because it might freeze.

 

Has anyone with SBLive! tried to use EAX?

Does it work?

[MadAtGod]

Run without EAX and it should be fine. I've had the freeze/lockup exe error etc, I've never been able to play. After patch I ran with EAX on a SB Live value and I got the same damn crash eventually. But it now DOES work without EAX, been playing all night. FINALLY!!!

 

Still sucks that SBLive users get the shaft, for now anyway. It's much more fun with EAX but it's better than nothing without. At least we know it's soundblaster related. Damn Creative.

[WhiteChedda]

Originally posted by Gummy

The list only mentioned problems with Vortex cards.

 

So it only works with Audigy and Extigy?

Only EAX 3.0?

 

I am afraid to try out because it might freeze.

 

Has anyone with SBLive! tried to use EAX?

Does it work?

 

No, the SBLive does not support EAX 3.0, it is EAX 1.0 and 2.0 complaint only. Check your box or manual for more information or the latest driver information at soundblaster.com. Whether lucas arts meant only EAX 3.0 or EAX 3.0 and lower is not clear, but it seems the feature is ONLY for AUDIGY users from the text.

 

I don't have it installed any more or I would try.

 

However, do note, unless you're running a monster CPU, EAX is going to cripple the frame rate even more, so............... it might not be a good idea to use it anyway.

[PsiSilverthorn]

Originally posted by WhiteChedda

However, do note, unless you're running a monster CPU, EAX is going to cripple the frame rate even more, so............... it might not be a good idea to use it anyway.

 

That is not really true...Just like Direct3D or OpenGl, the majority of the functions run on the audio hardware and not on the CPU. Some of the code is run on the CPU but I have not experienced too much slowdown due to EAX and I don't have a 'monster' CPU (IE 900mhz T-Bird)

[WhiteChedda]

Originally posted by PsiSilverthorn

 

That is not really true...Just like Direct3D or OpenGl, the majority of the functions run on the audio hardware and not on the CPU. Some of the code is run on the CPU but I have not experienced too much slowdown due to EAX and I don't have a 'monster' CPU (IE 900mhz T-Bird)

 

Err, yes it is, while you are correct that using Hardware accelerated 3d audio is faster than using software driven 3d audio, using NON-environmental audio requires less CPU cycles than using environmental audio. Its not quire the same as 3D graphics, where a 3d engine is either using hardware or the CPU, were talking about 2 different types of audio all togather, its technically apples and oranges.

 

A better view would be Quake3 versus say Wolf3D [without carmacks limits he placed on the rendere in the day...] I'm gonna bet your 900 mhz CPU could push the hell out of Wolf3D, but wolf3D made little to no 3d calculations, it was a 2D scroller.

 

 

But I did go do some research

 

http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/audigy/page11.asp

 

And an interesting thing is the Audigy handles 3d audio pretty good compared to the Live [which is the card he and I have]. The live practically doubles its CPU cycles used when enabeling 3d audio, the audigy takes somewhere from 25% to 50% increase from what I recall which is much better than a 100% increase.

[MadAtGod]

I take that back just got home and froze up without EAX. Back to square one again yay.

[Capt DirtBag]

I have a SoundBlaster Live card and its works fine for me,

sound is well and truely enhanced, much better than before and no slow down in frame rate either.

 

Remember in the patch Readme its says:

 

Provide EAX® 3.0 and OpenAL support. To enable these options,

you will need to enable 3D Sound in the Sound Setup menu.

NOTE: At the time of release of this update, EAX 3.0 is only

supported on the Creative Labs Inc. SoundBlaster® Audigy

and Extigy sound cards.

 

See its states it works for the Sound Blaster cards, there must be another reason why it doesn't work for you other guys properly.

I hear what you are saying about EAX 3.0 not being supported by

SB Live cards, so I am a little confused why it works.

 

[WhiteChedda]

Originally posted by Capt DirtBag

I have a SoundBlaster Live card and its works fine for me,

sound is well and truely enhanced, much better than before and no slow down in frame rate either.

 

Remember in the patch Readme its says:

 

Provide EAX® 3.0 and OpenAL support. To enable these options,

you will need to enable 3D Sound in the Sound Setup menu.

NOTE: At the time of release of this update, EAX 3.0 is only

supported on the Creative Labs Inc. SoundBlaster® Audigy

and Extigy sound cards.

 

See its states it works for the Sound Blaster cards, there must be another reason why it doesn't work for you other guys properly.

I hear what you are saying about EAX 3.0 not being supported by

SB Live cards, so I am a little confused why it works.

 

 

EAX is Creative Audio's Environmental Audio Extensions specification. JK2 supports the third specificationt of it, while SBLive vcards ONLY support EAX 2.0 and EAX 1.0 specifications.

 

The audigy, to date, is the only card that creative claims supports the EAX 3.0 spec, as stated in that paragraph. The SBLIve is not an SBAudigy card, so..........

 

This is why it MAY not work correctly under an SBLIVE. Certain driver functinos will not be supported. Whether these missing functions will ause the sound to lock you up, or perhaps just not be as GOOD as it could be is unknown.

 

I installed JK2, the patch, and then turned it on. I only have a 3 speaker system, and I noticed no difference in sound. However turning it off was a little freaky, I thought it locked me up, but after a minute it started working again.

 

I'd have to look into it more, but I would swear it changed the freq at which sound is played from the message that scrolled across the screen.

 

Anyway, that's why the concern.......

 

As to the framerate not taking a hit, where were you at? Its the open levels where the CPU is being taxed already like bespin that I am curious about. If you tested it in a room or in the beginning ofthe game while you're still stuck with the laser pistol, I doubt the CPU is the bottle neck there, so it won't likely show much, if at all.

[Capt DirtBag]

Originally posted by WhiteChedda

 

EAX is Creative Audio's Environmental Audio Extensions specification. JK2 supports the third specificationt of it, while SBLive vcards ONLY support EAX 2.0 and EAX 1.0 specifications.

 

The audigy, to date, is the only card that creative claims supports the EAX 3.0 spec, as stated in that paragraph. The SBLIve is not an SBAudigy card, so..........

 

This is why it MAY not work correctly under an SBLIVE. Certain driver functinos will not be supported. Whether these missing functions will ause the sound to lock you up, or perhaps just not be as GOOD as it could be is unknown.

 

I installed JK2, the patch, and then turned it on. I only have a 3 speaker system, and I noticed no difference in sound. However turning it off was a little freaky, I thought it locked me up, but after a minute it started working again.

 

I'd have to look into it more, but I would swear it changed the freq at which sound is played from the message that scrolled across the screen.

 

Anyway, that's why the concern.......

 

As to the framerate not taking a hit, where were you at? Its the open levels where the CPU is being taxed already like bespin that I am curious about. If you tested it in a room or in the beginning ofthe game while you're still stuck with the laser pistol, I doubt the CPU is the bottle neck there, so it won't likely show much, if at all.

 

You stated: As to the framerate not taking a hit, where were you at?

 

I did a test with EAX in some open levels, for eg: Bespin in multiplayer, and you are right, there is a slight performance hit in framerate, but not that much! In the single player campaign no noticable framerate hit at all! (mind you I haven't played with EAX on for hours), as I said before my sound is much better, more depth, I can hear the special effects louder now than what I did before, The music use to dominate too much before even after I adjusted it in the sound menu. I could never get Kyles and Jans voice up loud enough before, but now its much better, plus no lockups yet (touch wood)with EAX on. (By the way I have a 3 speaker setup)

 

Maybe its as you stated earlier, EAX 1.0 & 2.0 are supported and Raven hasn't put it in the readme file, or simply my card isn't working to its full potential as it would with the other cards or precisely the SBAudigy Card as you stated that Creative claims is the only card that uses EAX 3.0?

 

Yes I know that a SBLive is not an SBAudigy card.

 

Anyway I was just answering the post from Gummy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

RE:Originally posted by Gummy

The list only mentioned problems with Vortex cards.

So it only works with Audigy and Extigy?

Only EAX 3.0?

I am afraid to try out because it might freeze.

Has anyone with SBLive! tried to use EAX?

Does it work?

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Plus you quoted:

However, do note, unless you're running a monster CPU, EAX is going to cripple the frame rate even more, so............... it might not be a good idea to use it anyway.

 

Not true for me (I have a P3, 733) and you even stated that you haven't tried your Old SBLive card out because it isn't installed so you don't really know the effect it will have?

 

Computers are funny things aswell as I am sure you know.

 

Well enough said.

[MadAtGod]

Well now, at least after the patch, the lockups don't seem to have anything to do with the soundcard, EAX or not. I've been able to play fine with or without EAX as long as I never loaded a save game.

 

If I died and loaded a save, I take a pretty fat framerate hit, and lockup within 10 minutes, if I loaded from the start of the level though, it ran fine. loading from checkpoints also made me crash.

 

So basically I had to play with god mode on to get through most of the game, but at least I got to see it. But now I am on the stealth level and it is locking up no matter what, I am done tryin to figure it out.