Creative SoundBlaster Live! Digital 5.1

[Werty]

my windows is Windows XP SP1 using soundblaster live! drivers from original CD installation. i have Altec 251 speakers which 3 inputs namely front,rear & center speaker connection. this speaker also has a 4/2 -> 6 channel selector switch at the back.

i set the creative mixer to 5.1 channels ("digital out only" unchecked) & set my speakers to 6 channels, when i hit the test on the creative mixer, the front rear & center speakers respond properly. but when i play games which supports 3dsound, i dont get any sound from my center speakers, but instead hear some wierd noise & scratches. done it also with dvd videos using WinDVD & still get the same results. its only when i run the creative speaker test do i her the center speaker act as a center speaker. i tried running the directx sound diagnostics & it gives me a hardware buffer error.

btw, the motherboard is an old Kt133 motherboard using the lastest via drivers. do you think the soundcard has a problem or is it that this 5.1 channel out doent run in analog mode properly.. has anyone tried using this soundcard in 5.1 mode and can properly adjust the center speaker properly?

thanks and hope anyone can help...

 

[Werty]

bump

 

[GreatBarracuda]

Hi, glad you brought this up. I have the same two components in my system, the sound card and the speaker system (check sig). And I have the EXACT same question, only, I have on sound when I run a movie. I can hear all the speakers except the centre one. BUT, during a game (which supports dolby 5.1), the center speaker works perfectly. I don't know why that is?

 

[Werty]

i hope anyone can help us...

 

[GreatBarracuda]

Looks like fellow anandtechers have abandoned us ... :brokenheart:

 

[Werty]

it looks so.....

 

[metalmania]

It's a flaw in Creative's driver. My friend is working on the driver right now. In a few days he will make a hacked version which is supposed to work well.

 

[Werty]

really? a flaw on creative drivers? hmmm... anywhere i can get the ones that worked fine coz this i really giving me a headache

 

[Werty]

do you think im affected by the Via 686B bug?

 

[metalmania]

It might be the via bug also. Anyway you played DVD with Dolby 5.1 audio track, right? and games like FarCry, Unreal2, Painkiller etc that support 5.1 channel sound effect?