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Difference between revisions of "Glossary:Sound"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
(indirectsound moved to DS3D. reworded explanation. Xonars support every eax from 1 to 5)
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===No surround sound===
 
===No surround sound===
−
{{ii}} Some games are using old implementation of DirectSound or other sound libraries that result with no surround sound on Windows Vista and newer.
+
{{ii}} Some games are using old implementations of OpenAL or other sound libraries that result in no or bad audio positioning.  
−
{{ii}} See also: [[#Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)|Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)]]. These solutions may also restore surround sound functionality if the issue is with a game developed before 2008.
+
{{ii}} See also: [[#Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)|Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)]]. The majority of old (pre-2008) games used to use DirectSound3D hardware acceleration to determine positional audio
−
{{Fixbox|1=
 
−
{{Fixbox/fix|IndirectSound}}
 
−
# Download [http://indirectsound.com IndirectSound].
 
−
# Extract into the installation folder alongside the main game executable.
 
−
}}
 
  
 
{{Fixbox|1=
 
{{Fixbox|1=
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===Can't enable EAX===
 
===Can't enable EAX===
 
{{ii}} EAX effects need a workaround on Windows Vista and newer.
 
{{ii}} EAX effects need a workaround on Windows Vista and newer.
−
{{ii}} This might not work for some games using EAX.
+
{{ii}} This is not required for games using OpenAL
  
 
Please refer to [[#Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)|Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)]] for more information.
 
Please refer to [[#Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)|Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)]] for more information.
Line 125: Line 120:
  
 
==Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)==
 
==Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)==
−
DirectSound is a deprecated component of [[DirectX]]. DirectSound 3D was a component of DirectSound that allowed games to use hardware-based audio enhancement features of discrete [[Glossary:Sound card|sound cards]]. Many Windows-based games developed before the public release of Windows Vista (January 2007) used hardware-accelerated audio effects that are no longer supported in Vista and newer Windows operating systems due to changes made with how Windows handles audio. To resolve this incompatibility, sound device manufacturers developed software to restore legacy audio effects for their respective devices and end users developed workarounds that can be applied to any sound device.
+
DirectSound was the component responsible for audio in [[DirectX]]. Most of games developed since mid-90s always relied on its hardware-based audio path to offload work and make use of the various enhancement features of discrete [[Glossary:Sound card|sound cards]]. With the arrival of Windows Vista and its new audio stack, Microsoft deprecated it and just employed a software emulation layer. Depending on each game results may vary from the absolute consistency to bad, misplaced or even missing audio. To resolve this incompatibility, sound device manufacturers developed software to restore legacy audio effects for their respective devices and end users developed workarounds that can be applied to any sound device.
 +
 
 +
{{Fixbox|1=
 +
{{Fixbox/fix|IndirectSound|ref=<ref>[http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=36870#p322859 indirect sound • VOGONS]</ref>}}
 +
{{ii}} EAX support is faked for compatibility reason, but no actual effect is rendered
 +
# Download [http://indirectsound.com IndirectSound].
 +
# Extract into the installation folder alongside the main game executable.
 +
}}
  
 
===EAX===
 
===EAX===
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{{Fixbox|1=
 
{{Fixbox|1=
 
{{Fixbox/fix|Asus Xonar cards}}
 
{{Fixbox/fix|Asus Xonar cards}}
−
{{ii}} Supports all EAX versions, except 3 and 4
 
 
# Make sure you are running the most updated drivers
 
# Make sure you are running the most updated drivers
 
# Open the Asus control panel
 
# Open the Asus control panel
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{{Fixbox|1=
 
{{Fixbox|1=
 
{{Fixbox/fix|[http://web.archive.org/web/20130508122842/http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/default.aspx ALchemy] - Creative audio cards|link=false}}
 
{{Fixbox/fix|[http://web.archive.org/web/20130508122842/http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/default.aspx ALchemy] - Creative audio cards|link=false}}
−
{{ii}}Not needed for EAX 5 games
 
 
{{ii}}Refer to the [http://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/284-creative-alchemy-quick-start-guide/ ALchemy Quick Start Guide] for more detailed information and instructions.
 
{{ii}}Refer to the [http://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/284-creative-alchemy-quick-start-guide/ ALchemy Quick Start Guide] for more detailed information and instructions.
 
# Make sure you are running the most updated drivers for your Sound Blaster
 
# Make sure you are running the most updated drivers for your Sound Blaster

Revision as of 15:42, 25 October 2014

This page is a stub: it lacks content and/or basic article components. You can help to expand this page by adding an image or additional information.

Speaker setup

Many games use the speaker configuration reported by the operating system so having it set correctly is crucial.
Instructions

Issues fixed

Sound problems (cracking, delays, missing music/effects, etc.)

Instructions
Instructions

No surround sound

Some games are using old implementations of OpenAL or other sound libraries that result in no or bad audio positioning.
See also: Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D). The majority of old (pre-2008) games used to use DirectSound3D hardware acceleration to determine positional audio
Instructions

Game volume decreases

Instructions

Can't enable EAX

EAX effects need a workaround on Windows Vista and newer.
This is not required for games using OpenAL

Please refer to Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D) for more information.

CD music not playing

CD-DA music (shows up as a music CD in media players)

Instructions
Instructions

Non-CD-DA music (does not show up as a music CD in media players)

Instructions

Enabling 7.1 Output In Source Engine Games (Windows Vista and newer)

While many of Valve's games that use the Source Engine may have a 7.1 speaker option, this feature may not function correctly in Vista and newer Windows operating systems. When set to 7.1 output, the game will output to only 5 speakers, leaving the side surround speakers void of sound. This issue is typically present in Source engine games that use Miles Sound System.

Instructions

Restoring Legacy Audio Effects (DirectSound 3D)

DirectSound was the component responsible for audio in DirectX. Most of games developed since mid-90s always relied on its hardware-based audio path to offload work and make use of the various enhancement features of discrete sound cards. With the arrival of Windows Vista and its new audio stack, Microsoft deprecated it and just employed a software emulation layer. Depending on each game results may vary from the absolute consistency to bad, misplaced or even missing audio. To resolve this incompatibility, sound device manufacturers developed software to restore legacy audio effects for their respective devices and end users developed workarounds that can be applied to any sound device.

Instructions

EAX

Using these solutions may also restore surround sound functionality in games that use DirectSound 3D.
If the game has a grayed-out or disabled EAX option, using these solutions should allow the option to be enabled.
Instructions
Instructions
Instructions
Instructions

A3D

Lists of Aureal 3-Dimensional enabled games can be found here and here
C-Media based sound cards support A3D 1.0 out of the box, even in Windows Vista (via Xear3D)[1]
Instructions
Instructions
Instructions


References