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Difference between revisions of "Glossary:Sound card"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
(Updated DSOAL)
(→‎Universal: Updated dsoal link)
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{{Fixbox|description=dsoal|ref=<ref>[http://www.gamesas.com/restoring-surround-sound-and-eax-t82876.html [RELz] Restoring Surround Sound and EAX]</ref>|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=dsoal|ref=<ref>[http://www.gamesas.com/restoring-surround-sound-and-eax-t82876.html [RELz] Restoring Surround Sound and EAX]</ref>|fix=
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# Download [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/1173-dsoal/ dsoal]
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# Download [https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/65094/ dsoal v1.31.]
 
# Extract into {{p|game}} alongside the main game executable.
 
# Extract into {{p|game}} alongside the main game executable.
 
'''Notes'''
 
'''Notes'''
 
{{ii}} Translates DirectSound calls into OpenAL (better positioning than IndirectSound {{CN|date=August 7, 2018}}).
 
{{ii}} Translates DirectSound calls into OpenAL (better positioning than IndirectSound {{CN|date=August 7, 2018}}).
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{{ii}} EAX effect is converted into EFX, with up to EAX 4.0 support, however EAX emulation still has bugs.{{CN|note=I learned about this from I Drink Lava on YouTube, but I don’t know which video to cite.}})
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{{ii}} EAX effect is converted into EFX, with partial support for EAX 1.0, 3.0, and 4.0 and full support for EAX 2.0. {{CN|note=I learned about this from I Drink Lava on YouTube, but I don’t know which video to cite.}})
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{{ii}} A version prepackaged with HRTF tables can be found [https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/65094/ here.]
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{{ii}} This version of dsoal is prepackaged with OpenAL Soft and HRTF tables. To use a native installation of OpenAL, delete <code>dsoal-aldrv.dll</code> and <code>alsoft.ini</code>. To disable HRTF, change <code>HRTF=true</code> to <code>HRTF=false</code> in <code>alsoft.ini</code>.
  
 
}}
 
}}

Revision as of 21:31, 13 September 2018

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.
Audio card (chip if you have an integrated solution on your motherboard) is the component necessary to play or record sounds on your PC.
The major producers in this field are Realtek, ASUSTeK, Conexant, Creative, SigmaTel/IDT/Tempo, VIA.
AMD and Nvidia are also audio chip producers, since the arrival of HDMI outputs.

Types of Sound Cards

There are two types of sound cards that are generally used in Gaming PC builds i.e. Internal Sound Cards and External Sound cards. The first one sits on the motherboard right inside your pc case while the latter can be connected using a USB interface. There are advantages and disadvantages of sound cards [1] (both variants) which completely depend on the gaming requirements.


Internal Sound Cards

Most preferred among Gamers are the internal sound cards as they are connected directly to the motherboard using PCI/PCIe port. It does not require any extra interface in between. Internal Sound cards come in both 5.1 and 7.1 channel output. As compared to external sound cards, these are less expensive and efficient. Manufacturers like Asus, Creative etc are the most popular internal sound card brands.


External Sound Cards

These sound cards are very simple plug and play devices and installation is very easy, unlike internal sound cards. They use a USB 2.0 interface to be connected to the PC. Both 5.1 and 7.1 channel options are available in external sound cards. The issue with an external sound card is that they have latency associated with them to an extent.


Set up OpenAL

ADI, Creative and nForce are already ready out of the box
Make sure to be running latest libraries. Deleting OpenAL32.dll and wrap_oal.dll in games shipping with ancient ones is recommended.
Default Windows output device name must match OAL device one for native implementations to work, DS3D based "Generic Hardware" fallback will be used otherwise (if available)[2]

Asus

Enable Game eXtensions
  1. Open the Asus control panel
  2. Tick "GX" mode
  3. In games configuration files, force native implementation name as reported by ALC_ENUMERATION_EXT in EnumerateWin32

Notes

Turning off GX mode after playing games is advised to avoid glitches in other applications

Realtek

Set up native device
  1. Install 3D SoundBack
  2. Navigate to the installation folder and copy rtk_oal.dll in %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\

Universal

OpenAL Soft
  1. Download OpenAL Soft
  2. Unzip folder and rename openal-soft-1.18.2-bin inside as OpenAL.
  3. Move OpenAL folder to %APPDATA%.
  4. Copy \bin\Win32\soft_oal.dll in %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\ (optionally in 64 bit OS copy \Win64\soft_oal.dll in %WINDIR%\System32\)
Could be set to fully replace the official Creative OpenAL distribution by instead deleting the openal32.dlls in %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\ and %WINDIR%\System32\ naming the soft_oal.dlls in their place.
Supports Binaural HRTF audio mixing for more accurate 3D sound. [3]

XAudio2 only allows stereo on Dolby Digital Live

Use the XAudio2 Dolby Digital Live patcher[4]
If it doesn't work try the older patcher available here or do it manually.

Restore legacy audio effects on newer OS

DirectSound hardware path

Starting with Windows Vista and its new audio stack, DirectSound applications are rendered entirely in a user-mode software audio session[5]
Most games developed in the preceding decade will experience problems going from the simple lack of EAX effects to the complete demotion to stereophony[6]

Universal

IndirectSound[7]
  1. Download IndirectSound.
  2. Extract into <path-to-game> alongside the main game executable.

Notes

No EAX effect is emulated, yet there is EAX 1/2 support emulation that is useful for some games that don't calculate 3D positional audio unless EAX is supported.
dsoal[8]
  1. Download dsoal v1.31.
  2. Extract into <path-to-game> alongside the main game executable.

Notes

Translates DirectSound calls into OpenAL (better positioning than IndirectSound [citation needed]).
EAX effect is converted into EFX, with partial support for EAX 1.0, 3.0, and 4.0 and full support for EAX 2.0. [citation needed])
This version of dsoal is prepackaged with OpenAL Soft and HRTF tables. To use a native installation of OpenAL, delete dsoal-aldrv.dll and alsoft.ini. To disable HRTF, change HRTF=true to HRTF=false in alsoft.ini.

Asus

Enable Game eXtensions
  1. Open the Asus control panel
  2. Tick "GX" mode

Notes

Your Xonar must be the default playback device
Turning off GX mode after playing games is advised to avoid glitches in other applications

Creative

Use ALchemy[9]
  1. Download latest ALchemy version
  2. Open the Creative control panel and switch on Game mode
  3. Start the ALchemy installer and enable it for the interested games

Notes

Setting Game mode is mandatory for some games, and in order to decrease performance overlay (if exists).[10][citation needed]
Could be made into a universal solution, alongside IndirectSound, by using Creative ALchemy Universal (obsolete) or ALchemy Restriction Remover.
Also restores EAX completely.

Realtek

Use 3D SoundBack
  1. Download 3D SoundBack
  2. Open the program and add/enable the fix for selected games.

Notes

Your Realtek chip must be the default playback device.
Both the installer and the 3DSoundBack.exe configurator require Windows Vista compatibility mode to start
The end-quality of this method is very buggy with many errors in sound processing

A3D

Lists of Aureal 3-Dimensional enabled games can be found here and here.
A3D 1.0 is supported out of the box by C-Media based boards (via Xear3D[11]), X-Fi and older[12] Creative based devices and older VIA drivers.
Use DirectSound3D wrapper[13][14][15][16]
  1. Download latest A2D driver and install it
  2. Download a3dx5.dll (Creative's official wrapper) or QSound A3D in %WINDIR%\system\, or use A3D-Live
  3. if need Run the application with "Windows 98 / Windows Me" compatibility

Notes

Delete/move/rename any a3d related file shipped with the game
From Windows Vista onward of course DirectSound restoration is required (such as Alchemy and others). Note that Asus' Game eXtensions also have A3D 1.0 support builtin, thus this is unnecessary with Asus cards[17].

Restoring HRTF in Unreal Engine 4 and X3dAudio/XAudio2 games

Use X3DAudio HRTF

HRTF for Arma 3, Skyrim, Fallout 4 and potentially other titles using X3dAudio + XAudio2 (including ones running on Unreal Engine 4 and UDK). Download

For titles where hooking dsound.dll or OpenAL32.dll/oal_soft.dll with above solutions doesn't give a result.


References