Windows 2000 Server, ABIT BH6, ATI All-In-Wonder 32MB AGP, Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX

[New Question]

In a previous letter we wrote to this newsgroup:

Previously, we reported that our Windows 2000, ABIT BH6, AiW 32MB, and
Extigy (USB) setup had a perfect TV picture, but major sound problems. The
voice and music volume was extremely low and covered by loud buzz/hiss
interference. We were told AiW 32MB TV sound would not work on an ABIT BH6.

After reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows 2000 Server to
improve our system, we installed the Extigy and the newest AiW drivers and
software expecting only the TV picture to work, as usual. Surprisingly, the
AiW TV sound worked perfectly! We thought the AiW TV sound problem was
over. As we continued to rebuild our system, we installed three additional
USB components (one scanner and two printers) and minimal software. We
later discovered that our TV sound was back to the loud buzz/hiss
interference and no decipherable voice or music at all.

We thought that maybe the additional USB components were some kind of drain
on the Extigy, so we recently upgraded to a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX (USB)
to improve overall sound performance. The Audigy 2 NX did not change the TV
sound problem. Thus, we are going to reformat, restore perfect sound, then
try to determine which additional device or software kills the TV sound.

Does anyone else have a better approach?

Sounds about what I would try.
Let us know.

When we reformatted and reinstalled, the TV Sound had the same loud
buzz/hiss
interference, but the voice and music could be heard again. We changed the
BIOS AGP aperture from 256 to 128, then back to 256, with no change in the
TV Sound problem. We checked the TV sound for several days and it still had
a problem. When trying the sound today it worked perfectly.

The only things we have done to the system since we last checked the sound
is installing Juno 4.0 and making adjustments to Zone Alarm 4.0. Could
changes in any of these have affected the sound? Is it possible that the
interference is coming from cabling? We haven't changed the cabling, but we
have a lot of cables and wires crossing over each other everywhere.

Even though the TV sound is working perfectly, "Control Panel > ATI
Multimedia Center > System Compatibility Check" still says: WDM INF files
are not installed onto the system.

When installing ATI software we also got the same old message: UCI is not
installed on your system.

 

[K]

We thought that maybe the additional USB components were some kind of drain
on the Extigy, so we recently upgraded to a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX (USB)
to improve overall sound performance. The Audigy 2 NX did not change the TV
sound problem. Thus, we are going to reformat, restore perfect sound, then
try to determine which additional device or software kills the TV sound.

Does anyone else have a better approach?

Swapping one USB sound card for another is not an 'upgrade'. All USB sound
devices I have come across have sucked especially the Extigy. They also
'suck' in terms of the CPU resources they consume. For the cost of those two
souncards you could have replaced your ancient BH6 with a cheap
mobo/processor combination with far better performance. The quality of
onboard sound that comes with most recent motherboards is more than good
enough, indeed the onboard sound on Nforce motherboards is as good as an
Audigy 2 that costs three times as much as an nforce motherboard itself.


K

 

[New Question]

Swapping one USB sound card for another is not an 'upgrade'. All USB sound
devices I have come across have sucked especially the Extigy. They also
'suck' in terms of the CPU resources they consume. For the cost of those two
souncards you could have replaced your ancient BH6 with a cheap
mobo/processor combination with far better performance. The quality of
onboard sound that comes with most recent motherboards is more than good
enough, indeed the onboard sound on Nforce motherboards is as good as an
Audigy 2 that costs three times as much as an nforce motherboard itself.

The price of our Audigy 2 NX was less than $111.00, the Extigy will be sold
to offset the price (We estimated the net price at about $50.00.) The price
of Nforce boards range between $49.00 to $117.00. The external Audigy 2 NX,
and the shielded speakers we use with it, is also used for our Sony DVD
Player, which has no speakers of its own. Switching to internal sound would
require new speakers for our Sony DVD Player. The Audigy 2 NX uses USB 2.0,
the Extigy uses USB 1.1. The Audigy 2 NX also has 24-bit DVD-Audio Playback
and can use 7.1 speaker systems, the Extigy lacks both. The top of the line
Audigy internal is $199.00.

The BH6 is ancient, but we plan on purchasing the ABIT AI7 this year, or
whatever they come out with to support the Prescott, because we want much
more than just sound improvements. We will replace the AiW with the top of
the line AiW at the same time. But for now, we don't see how a net price of
about $50.00 for incremental sound enhancement and enhanced resale value can
do us any harm.

 

[K]

The price of our Audigy 2 NX was less than $111.00, the Extigy will be sold
to offset the price (We estimated the net price at about $50.00.) The price
of Nforce boards range between $49.00 to $117.00. The external Audigy 2 NX,
and the shielded speakers we use with it, is also used for our Sony DVD
Player, which has no speakers of its own. Switching to internal sound would
require new speakers for our Sony DVD Player. The Audigy 2 NX uses USB 2.0,
the Extigy uses USB 1.1. The Audigy 2 NX also has 24-bit DVD-Audio Playback
and can use 7.1 speaker systems, the Extigy lacks both. The top of the line
Audigy internal is $199.00.

The BH6 is ancient, but we plan on purchasing the ABIT AI7 this year, or
whatever they come out with to support the Prescott, because we want much
more than just sound improvements. We will replace the AiW with the top of
the line AiW at the same time. But for now, we don't see how a net price of
about $50.00 for incremental sound enhancement and enhanced resale value can
do us any harm.

I see. USB can be problematic as you add more devices because the bandwidth
(11mbps for USB 1.1) is shared, together with the power supplied (500mA
max). Even devices that have their own power supply can draw more than than
what is recommended. It might be worth trying a separate USB card (for
around $10) and plug just the NX into that.

K