Asus P4B266 has SHI**Y onboard audio!

[Z24]

I just got a 1.6A, P4B266 and 256mb DDR.

I thought I'd give the onboard audio a try. I'm running Windows XP. This was all done at stock speeds.

Well, the onboard audio works as long as there is no other PCI card in the computer.

With the audio enabled, I tried an Intel Management adapter (NIC) in each PCI slot [with nothing else but the video card]. On every boot, the computer would hard-lock at the windows startup sound. If I took the NIC out, the sound worked fine. Did the same thing with a generic NIC I have aswell.

So, the solution: Disable onboard sound. I now have an SB Live Value, Intel NIC, Generic NIC, Modem and GF3 Ti200 all running, and at 2.133ghz aswell!

 

[DashK]

Sounds like you got a bad board, I'm using the onboard audio and it rocks, I'm selling my Soundblaster Live. Maybe it's buggy XP's fault.

The onboard audio isn't shiddy by a long shot, it's better than a SBLive card thats for damn sure.

 

[mbf]

You can't be serious!!! I've never heard anyone claim, that a C-Media soundchip sounds better than a SoundBlaster Live! In almost any tests I've seen it is subpar to any other soundchips. The only thing going for it is that it is cheap. However, recent versions are said to sound a bit better, but a sound quality above SB Live! No way! (by the way, I know SB Live isn't the pinnacle of sound quality)

 

[Z24]

I could live with the onboard sound if it actually WORKED. I've been hearing about a lot of people with this problem... I wonder if Asus has a solution coming??

 

[Lioness]

Are you using C-media CMI8738: V5.12.01.0630 audio driver for WinXP?

 

[MesBoogie]

I'd like to know more about the P4b266's audio. I'm planning to build my first sytem and am pretty much settled on this board coupled with a P4 1.6a. I'm sure I could dig the info up somewhere on the net, but thought I'd ask one of you that own the board. What kind of input/output connections are provided for audio?

My current system is a Dell P3/600 with a Turtle Beach Montego. I do some hard disk recording and wanted to know if the will atleast be comparable for the time being. My plan is to add a higher-end audio card at a later date and disable the onboard audio at that time. But until then...

Thanks!

-mb

 

[kevman]

Do you know if the drivers are the issue? Asus's website has new drivers for XP.

 

[Z24]

I had downloaded the latest drivers.

I'm up for a bit of pain tonight, so I'm going to give it another go. Right now, my system is working perfectly with the SB Live Value.

I'll take it out, and enable the onboard, and see if it works or freezes. I doubt it will work, but hey, you never know.

 

[Z24]

Well, I just tried it and upon reboot, as soon as the windows start sound played, instant hard lockup.

I found a thread that describes my problem exactly:

Google newsgroups

 

[Z24]

This is ridiculous.

The ONLY way I can get this thing to work is to remove ALL other PCI cards. Very frustrating. I just sent Asus tech support an email. Anybody have any experience with their tech support?

Oh, and I tried the drivers on the Asus CD, the Windows Update drivers, and the latest drivers from Asus' website. Same problem with all 3.

And all the while, SB Live value works flawlessly.

 

[manko]

<< Sounds like you got a bad board, I'm using the onboard audio and it rocks, I'm selling my Soundblaster Live. Maybe it's buggy XP's fault.

The onboard audio isn't shiddy by a long shot, it's better than a SBLive card thats for damn sure. >>

DasK, so what OS are you running, 2000?

 

[Cherub]

I have the same chip on my Shuttle AK35GTR. It's driving me nuts. The quality is fine, but:

1. the x.x.x.635 drivers, which I've noticed on Windows Update, have caused repeated locks when attempting to play mp3's, so they're out.

2. the x.x.x.630 are stable, but have a great deal of crackling and popping in some games. Never in mp3's. Some games are unplayable, while others are completely unaffected. Also, any attempt to record via line-in results in a hard lock after a few minutes.

I'm going a little crazy.

I wonder if it's a setting somewhere, such as whether a game supports EAX, A3D, DirectSOund, etc.

 

[kevman]

<< This is ridiculous.

The ONLY way I can get this thing to work is to remove ALL other PCI cards. Very frustrating. I just sent Asus tech support an email. Anybody have any experience with their tech support?

Oh, and I tried the drivers on the Asus CD, the Windows Update drivers, and the latest drivers from Asus' website. Same problem with all 3.

And all the while, SB Live value works flawlessly. >>



Let me know how the tech support call goes. I've got the same issue. SB live 5.1 works like a charm though. I'm surprised that Asus has not fixed this issue yet, seems to be a common occurance.

 

[Z24]

Yeah, I'll let you know if / when Asus returns my email. As yet, I've heard nothing.