Live drive

[Oyeve]

Anyone know if Creative will release just the live drive? I really dont feel like dropping another 200 bucks just to get the SB live platinum 5.1 when I already have a perfectly good sblive. Thanks.

 

[Vegito]

I'm stoopid but what does livedrive ? or liveware does ? I have old xgamer and just got a xgamer 5.1 and mp3 5.1..

 

[Noriaki]

Liveware is drivers for the SBLive! cards.

LiveDrive is the breakout box that fits in a 5 1/2" drive bay and has about a million and one I/O connections for your SBLive.

If you have an SBLive! Full original, an X-Gamer, MP3+, SBLive! Value Rev2 (with the yellow digital output jack, it's the same board as the X-Gamer and MP3+ just no software with it at all), X-Gamer 5.1, MP3+ 5.1 or DE 5.1 you can just buy a livedrive separately and use it (in short: anything but the original analog-only Live! Value)

The Value r2, X-Gamer and MP3+ are the same sound card PCB as the first platinum they just have different bundles and don't come with the live drive in the box.

Same story for the X-Gamer 5.1, MP3+ 5.1, and DE 5.1 compared to the Platinum 5.1

And AFAIK the original full live can use the Live drive to, though it's PCB is different, but it has the daughter card that has the same stuff as the LD anyways...

As to where to get it straight from creative's online store is the only place I know.

 

[blargyblarg]

here is the link to buy it

 

[LarryJoe]

I always thought that Liveware was more software than device drivers. I don't think the actual SBLive drivers have actually changed since 1999.

 

[Oyeve]

Well, that leaves me out then. I have the first gen sb live value. Thanks for the quick responce guys.

 

[Vegito]

nice... my friend got a platinum 5.1 i'll just stick with what I got since I got too many 5.25 drives in my tower... that probably add to cable cluster....

 

[Akaz1976]

whats the difference between rev 2 SB! Value (with yellow SPIDF out) and new 5.1 cards?

i heard (maybe) that the new cards support 5.1 sound in games (as oppose to 4.1 for rev 2). is this a hardware change or driver update?

 

[dcdomain]

The site only lists the Live!Drive I and Live!Drive II for sale. I'm thinking he's referring to the Live!Drive IR. Which is basically the Live!Drive II with remote control capabilities.

I heard the 5.1 in the new soundcards isn't hardware. Anyone know for sure?

 

[Oyeve]

I think the II version has the optical in and out.

 

[Noriaki]

I'm pretty sure the new 5.1 series have a slight hardware upgrade over the older digital out board.

They both have that yellow mini-jack, AFAIK there is a hardware change so that yellow mini-jack can be digital or analog on the 5.1 boards, where as it's digital only on the older ones, so you can only get 5.1 though AC-3 or DTS passthrough, and not 6 separate channels from the SBLive.

 

[AmdEmAll]

$130!!! for a freaking live drive! I was thinking it was $50.

 

[Noriaki]

You can get the optical I/O 2 card for more like $50 it does just about everything the Live Drive II does Optical SPDIF I/O, RCA SPDIF I/O, a mini-DIN connector, Midi connectors and an extra line out.

And it doesn't sit in the front of your computer, so it doesn't look like your computer has snot running down it's face (cords from the live drive). I think the front panel placement for it is rather dumb really, it's handy if you plugin and unplug stuff alot, but I don't...I'd rather keep cords behind my computer.

Oyeve: The Optical/Digital I/O2 card will work on the SBLive! Value to.

You don't get the midi, or the extra line out, but you get the mini-DIN (proprietary connection for FPS2000/DTT2500/DTT3500) and optical and digital SPDIF i/o.

 

[dcdomain]

Wait are you guy(s) looking for only optical capabilities? (For MD I'm guessing?) If so, just head on over to Hoontech. They make add on cards for the SB Live series that gives it optical out capability. My friend has one, installed it for him, no sweat. Works great.