ATTN: Solion & other 5.1 speaker users

[Archived Post]

OK, I run Windows XP SP2 and have included a snippit of the SOund section from DxDiag for you.

In order for me to hear the music and sound effects in the game, I must change my audio mode from 4 speaker to 2 speaker setup.

In reading the forums, I see alot of people having the same issues in 5.1 mode.

My question is, does the game support more than speakers?

If anyone else is having the 'I can barely hear my character sound effects' issue, post here if you have a multi speaker setup or not. I suspect this is the primary issue, but no one has clearly spoken on it.

Thanks


-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: HD Audio rear output
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_1106&DEV_0397&SUBSYS_1043836C&REV_1000
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: viahduaa.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.1560 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 12/18/2008 23:39:30, 993280 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: VIA Technologies, Inc.
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

[Archived Post]

The game does support 5.1, but I haven't checked it in awhile. When I get into the office tomorrow I'll double check. For now, could you check the stickied thread in this forum and make sure you've done all the "make sure you've checked these" things? Also, for anyone else having this issue, could you please post dxdiags? Thanks.

-S

[Archived Post]

Thanks for the reply. I am pretty tech saavy and keep my drivers pretty up to date. I play WoW and DDO, of which while in 4 speaker mode, play the music/effects flawlessly. For whatever reason, 4 speaker mode will not play my effects like in 2 speaker mode.

In addition, while in 4 speaker mode, it seems my ambient sound is very loud. So when someone jets by and say something explodes, it is extremely loud while my character effects (ie, combat) is faintly heard, if heard at all.

This is a brand new MoBo/Quad CPU I rigged up to update myself for this release.

MoBo = ASUS M4N78 Pro
Audio codec VIA VT1708S
Sound Output Mode 7.1 channel surround

[Archived Post]

I get all kinds of sound wierdness running 5.1 on my Creative X-fi Plat.. My experience mirrors the issues you are having.

[Archived Post]

Just a stray thought, someone said the game uses OpenAL. Do you guys have it installed?

[Archived Post]

Okay guys, I've checked up on this. Nobody here has had anything like what you're reporting so I'm going to need more information from you. What setup are you using for audio? Headphones? Speakers? How many speakers? If you're using only 4 speakers in 5.1, or 7.1 with 5 speakers, it would probably behave strangely. Also are you using the windows sound configuration via a control panel, or some custom setting from a program?

-S

[Archived Post]

P6T Deluxe onboard sound here. I could only hear full sound by dropping to 'quadrophonic' speaker setup from 5.1 which was giving me issues (own attack sounds muted). In testing mode under 5.1 using Soundmax software, speaker test skips one speaker (subwoofer?). Videologic ZXR-500 5.1 speakers.

[Archived Post]

Here is my best guesstimate to what is happening based on my tests.

My MoBo comes with 'VIA HD Audio Deck Utility' to manage the output jacks on the board. In my case, I have 4 Speakera, 2 on each line and a sub which shares those inputs. So I have (2) line jacks connecting to the MoBo.

The HD Audio Deck software assigns which I/O port to connect to. (1) for FRONT and (1) for REAR. The sub does not have its own jack.

When I disable the HD Audio Deck and use the Windows Sound Control, Windows does not output and sound to the 2 rear channel speakers. So I am thinking you guys somehow use WIndows to determine what is connected.

When I use Windows and switch to a Quadrophonic setup (or any setup for that matter), Windows sounds only play out of the (2) speakers assigned to the FRONT. No sounds comes from the REAR at any point EXCEPT when the HD Audio Deck utility is running.

This baffles me because I get perfect surround sound out of both DDO and WoW with the HD Audio Deck in 4 Speaker Mode. Windows obviously does not like the port for the rear speakers, because it won't play sound on them either when it is the sound manager, but NO OTHER GAME I play, whether MMO or not, does not play on all 4 speakers for me with the HD Audio Deck managing my sound.

So to recap...

HD Audio + 4 Channel mode = No personal effects unless I flip the camera around. I hear everything too loud.

HD Audio + 2 Channel mode = (2) Front speakers play & All sound effects play normally/equally

Windows Sound Manager = Only (2) Front speakers play sound in any mode, but play normally/equally


I guess my question is, what is so different about how CO plays sound vs. DDO/WoW and why can I not get all 4 speakers going in your game?


FYI: I bugged this in Beta with no response, ever. I also had MANY conversations in game chat with people experiencing this EXACT same issue. There are MANY threads regarding this issue open with no dev posts on them. This is not an isolated issue to me, and I am glad a dev has chimed in on this because based on my readings, it is a certain deal breaker for them. Finding the root cause and a solution is important IMO.

Thanks!

[Archived Post]

What os is your using, the reason why I ask is that in Vista and windows 7. Direct sound hal doesnt exist, which why you would need realtek's 3DGetback to regain 5.1 if your running those one of those two Os's.
Realtek 3Dgetback works like creative alchemy but for converting software into something the onboard audio can use to output surround sound game.

if your using any thing esle other then realtek then your outta luck.But if your running Xp try updating your drivers. Also make sure you have your speakers set to 5.1 as well as check your speaker connections. Also if your speakers has a switch on them to set them to 2 channel or 5.1 mode like the Z5500's then make sure that set to 5.1.

If this game uses openAl hardware then your outta luck for realtek as there programs only for Direct sound hal And any other onboard is also outta luck.


As for X-FI users try the same thing for speaker settings, also it be nice to find out if the game uses openal hardware or relying on Direct sound hal for the surround sound which doesnt exist in vista/7.

Reason why it works for me is If the game is using Direct sound hal or openal hardware my card has something in placae to make it work in surround sound. I don't have issues as I some times use Dolby headphone with channel configure set to 5.1 to spread out the sounds some times while using headphone mode and DH enabled.

Also if i remember right Wow and DDO is using software mixers which why it works correctly, All of this if your using one of the 2 Os's. But if your using XP then still check the settings or the speakers.

But if you are using XP then you can try what I suggested as well seeing if your Direct sound acceraltion is set to full in control panel sound.

[Archived Post]

I have a 5.1 audio system connected to a pre-amp via spdif. In Windows, the connection is a PCM 2 channels... how will the game handle that? My current impression is that it delivers virtual surround (a stereo sound on the 5.1 system).

Can you confirm? Is this a bug or "by design"?

[Archived Post]

I have a 5.1 audio system connected to a pre-amp via spdif. In Windows, the connection is a PCM 2 channels... how will the game handle that? My current impression is that it delivers virtual surround (a stereo sound on the 5.1 system).

Can you confirm? Is this a bug or "by design"?

Unless you have Dolby Digital Live or some other similar function you'll only ever get 2 channel sound thru S/PDIF from games. 5.1 channel digital sound is only supported as AC3, and this is not the normal output from games. Dolby Digital Live encodes Windows 5.1 channel sound into AC3 format on-the-fly, but it usually requires a fair amount of CPU power to do it.

[Archived Post]

thanks for the answer Captain, it helps. Do you know if this applies as well to HDMI audio (I'm asusming it will...).

[Archived Post]

thanks for the answer Captain, it helps. Do you know if this applies as well to HDMI audio (I'm asusming it will...).

AFAIK it does.