A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

[Jim Mason]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

 

[Jim Mason]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Also ATI-Radeon 9600SE video card with latest drivers.

Jim

 

[Paul]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

Try placing the sound card in slot 2 or slot 3.
(If in slot 1, the sound card will share the same IRQ
line as the AGP card.)

Try setting "PCI Delay Transaction" [Enabled] in the BIOS.
(Delay Transaction decouples slow peripherals from the PCI bus.
An outstanding request is retried at intervals, allowing other
bus transactions to happen while waiting for a slow peripheral
to respond. Accesses to an IDE disk drive seem to count as
"slow peripherals".)

HTH,
Paul

 

[Jim Mason]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

Try placing the sound card in slot 2 or slot 3.
(If in slot 1, the sound card will share the same IRQ
line as the AGP card.)

Try setting "PCI Delay Transaction" [Enabled] in the BIOS.
(Delay Transaction decouples slow peripherals from the PCI bus.
An outstanding request is retried at intervals, allowing other
bus transactions to happen while waiting for a slow peripheral
to respond. Accesses to an IDE disk drive seem to count as
"slow peripherals".)

Hi Paul

Thanks for that. The card is in slot 2 at the moment. Off to the bios to
try your PCI delay transaction suggestion.

Jim

 

[Jim Mason]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

Try placing the sound card in slot 2 or slot 3.
(If in slot 1, the sound card will share the same IRQ
line as the AGP card.)

Try setting "PCI Delay Transaction" [Enabled] in the BIOS.
(Delay Transaction decouples slow peripherals from the PCI bus.
An outstanding request is retried at intervals, allowing other
bus transactions to happen while waiting for a slow peripheral
to respond. Accesses to an IDE disk drive seem to count as
"slow peripherals".)

Hi Paul

Thanks for that. The card is in slot 2 at the moment. Off to the bios to
try your PCI delay transaction suggestion.

Checked the bios - PCI delay transaction already enabled.

Jim

 

[S.O.S.D.D.]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

I don't know for sure but dosen't that board come with the nvidia sound?
if it does don't bother with the soundblaster because the Nvida is WAYYYY
better.
I have the audigy 1 and took it off for the nvida onboard sound
This is what I found on thier web site
SoundMAX Digital Audio System
The SoundMAX Digital Audio System is the industry's highest performance and
most reliable audio solution for business professionals, audiophiles,
musicians, and gamers. SoundMAX Digital Audio System can output 5.1 channel
surround sound and features state-of-the-art DLS2 MIDI synthesizer with
Yamaha DLSbyXG sound set, 5.1 Virtual TheaterT and supports all major game
audio technologies including Microsoft DirectXT 8.0, Microsoft DirectSound
3DT, A3D, MacroFX, ZoomFX, MultiDrive 5.1, A3D and EAX.

 

[rstlne]

I don't know for sure but dosen't that board come with the nvidia sound?

if it does don't bother with the soundblaster because the Nvida is WAYYYY
better.
I have the audigy 1 and took it off for the nvida onboard sound
This is what I found on thier web site
SoundMAX Digital Audio System
The SoundMAX Digital Audio System is the industry's highest performance and
most reliable audio solution for business professionals, audiophiles,
musicians, and gamers. SoundMAX Digital Audio System can output 5.1 channel
surround sound and features state-of-the-art DLS2 MIDI synthesizer with
Yamaha DLSbyXG sound set, 5.1 Virtual TheaterT and supports all major game
audio technologies including Microsoft DirectXT 8.0, Microsoft DirectSound
3DT, A3D, MacroFX, ZoomFX, MultiDrive 5.1, A3D and EAX.

A7V = Via Chipset
A7N = Nforce Chipset

His board has the Analog Devices AD1980
The Basic A7N's came with Realtek ALC650 (no soundstorm)
The delux versions had soundstorm added

 

[Jim Mason]

A7V = Via Chipset
A7N = Nforce Chipset

His board has the Analog Devices AD1980

So how does this compare to the Soundblaster Live 5.1 ?

Jim

 

[Paul]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

Try placing the sound card in slot 2 or slot 3.
(If in slot 1, the sound card will share the same IRQ
line as the AGP card.)

Try setting "PCI Delay Transaction" [Enabled] in the BIOS.
(Delay Transaction decouples slow peripherals from the PCI bus.
An outstanding request is retried at intervals, allowing other
bus transactions to happen while waiting for a slow peripheral
to respond. Accesses to an IDE disk drive seem to count as
"slow peripherals".)

Hi Paul

Thanks for that. The card is in slot 2 at the moment. Off to the bios to
try your PCI delay transaction suggestion.

Checked the bios - PCI delay transaction already enabled.

Jim

Next step is software. While playing your CD's, bring up task manager
and see whether any printer software is being forked. It could be
an issue with a driver tying up the system for a short time and
preventing a sound card interrupt from being serviced. Have a look
through the task list and see if there is anything running that
shouldn't be.

HTH,
Paul

 

[rstlne]

A7V = Via Chipset

So how does this compare to the Soundblaster Live 5.1 ?

Without doing research..
I would probably go for the 5.1 card if I didnt have any other imporant
cards on the pci bus.

I think it really would depend on your soundblaster card too..
If it's the Audigy 5.1 range of cards then it would probably win hands down.

If it's say the Live series of 5.1 cards then maybee they are equal?..

But you have them both in front of you so just give them both a test and see
what's best. The popping issues can probably be fixed so dont fixate on
that. Let your ears judge the best quality (if they can even tell).

I think some of the other problems is that you cant use audio inputs & 5.1
with the AD chips as they use 3 in/out ports and it's autochanged in the
chip.. So you can have 5.1 out with no input, or 4 out with 1 input..
The SB cards are much better in that respect I think (but if your computer
is doing the audio processing there is nothing stopping you from using the
inputs on one card and the outputs on the other)

I dont know where to get verry high quality sound samples (you would really
need quality samples to test)..

 

[Jim Mason]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

Try placing the sound card in slot 2 or slot 3.
(If in slot 1, the sound card will share the same IRQ
line as the AGP card.)

Try setting "PCI Delay Transaction" [Enabled] in the BIOS.
(Delay Transaction decouples slow peripherals from the PCI bus.
An outstanding request is retried at intervals, allowing other
bus transactions to happen while waiting for a slow peripheral
to respond. Accesses to an IDE disk drive seem to count as
"slow peripherals".)

Hi Paul

Thanks for that. The card is in slot 2 at the moment. Off to the bios to
try your PCI delay transaction suggestion.

Checked the bios - PCI delay transaction already enabled.

Jim

Next step is software. While playing your CD's, bring up task manager
and see whether any printer software is being forked. It could be
an issue with a driver tying up the system for a short time and
preventing a sound card interrupt from being serviced. Have a look
through the task list and see if there is anything running that
shouldn't be.

I have got the answer from the Asus FAQ - I was searching for Soundblaster
instead of SB!

The Creative sound card requires two IRQs; one is for SB16 Emulation (ISA
IRQ) and the other is for the sound card itself (PCI IRQ). An IRQ for
legacy device should be used for DOS emulation. Since A7V M/B does not have
ISA slots, the BIOS assigns all IRQs to PCI. Therefore, you need to change
the BIOS setting in order to assign an ISA IRQ to the card. Please set
"IRQ5 Reserved for legacy device" to "Yes" under Advanced -> PCI
configuration -> PCI/PNP IRQ Resource Exclusion in BIOS.

The bios on mine isn't quite the same but I eventually managed to assign
IRQ5 - reserved for legacy device. Problem solved.

I assume by disabling the legacy driver I would have also solved the
problem.

Thanks for all the input - it was very much appreciated.

Jim

 

[Paul]

Hi all

A7V8X-MX and Creative Soundblaster live 5.1

I have the above combination, XP Pro, latest XP Live Drivers for the
soundcard, on-board sound disabled in bios. No other sound drivers
appearing in hardware list. Latest 4 in 1 drivers.

Sound randomly goes into machine gun style stuttering mode whilst playing
CD's or mp3's.

Any ideas?

Try placing the sound card in slot 2 or slot 3.
(If in slot 1, the sound card will share the same IRQ
line as the AGP card.)

Try setting "PCI Delay Transaction" [Enabled] in the BIOS.
(Delay Transaction decouples slow peripherals from the PCI bus.
An outstanding request is retried at intervals, allowing other
bus transactions to happen while waiting for a slow peripheral
to respond. Accesses to an IDE disk drive seem to count as
"slow peripherals".)

Hi Paul

Thanks for that. The card is in slot 2 at the moment. Off to the bios to
try your PCI delay transaction suggestion.

Checked the bios - PCI delay transaction already enabled.

Jim

Next step is software. While playing your CD's, bring up task manager
and see whether any printer software is being forked. It could be
an issue with a driver tying up the system for a short time and
preventing a sound card interrupt from being serviced. Have a look
through the task list and see if there is anything running that
shouldn't be.

I have got the answer from the Asus FAQ - I was searching for Soundblaster
instead of SB!

The Creative sound card requires two IRQs; one is for SB16 Emulation (ISA
IRQ) and the other is for the sound card itself (PCI IRQ). An IRQ for
legacy device should be used for DOS emulation. Since A7V M/B does not have
ISA slots, the BIOS assigns all IRQs to PCI. Therefore, you need to change
the BIOS setting in order to assign an ISA IRQ to the card. Please set
"IRQ5 Reserved for legacy device" to "Yes" under Advanced -> PCI
configuration -> PCI/PNP IRQ Resource Exclusion in BIOS.

The bios on mine isn't quite the same but I eventually managed to assign
IRQ5 - reserved for legacy device. Problem solved.

I assume by disabling the legacy driver I would have also solved the
problem.

Thanks for all the input - it was very much appreciated.

Jim

For those who have never seen the FAQ page, it is here:
http://www.asus.it/support/faq/faq.aspx
http://www.asus.it/support/faq/answer.aspx?KB_ID=80168

Paul