Difference between revisions of "Glossary:Sound card"

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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.

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)^[1]

Asus

Enable Game eXtensions

Open the Asus control panel
Tick "GX" mode
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
Install 3D SoundBack Navigate to the installation folder and copy `rtk_oal.dll` in `%WINDIR%\SysWOW64\`

Universal

OpenAL Soft
Download OpenAL Soft Copy `\bin\Win32\soft_oal.dll` in %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\ (optionally in 64 bit OS copy `\Win64\soft_oal.dll` in %WINDIR%\System32\)

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^[2]

Most games developed in the preceding decade will experience problems going from the simple lack of EAX effects to the complete demotion to stereophony^[3]

IndirectSound^[4]

Download IndirectSound.
Extract into <path-to-game> alongside the main game executable.

Notes

EAX support is emulated for compatibility reasons, pretending that EAX is supported, but no actual effect is played

Asus

Enable Game eXtensions

Open the Asus control panel
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^[5]

Download latest ALchemy version
Open the Creative control panel and switch on Game mode
Start the ALchemy installer and enable it for the interested games

Notes

Setting Game mode is mandatory^[6]^{[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

Download 3D SoundBack
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^[7]), X-Fi and older^[8] Creative based devices and older VIA drivers.

Use DirectSound3D wrapper^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

Download latest A2D driver and install it
Download a3dx5.dll (Creative's official wrapper) or QSound A3D in %WINDIR%\system\, or use A3D-Live
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. Note that Asus' Game eXtensions also have A3D 1.0 support builtin, thus this is unnecessary with Asus cards^[13].

References

↑ Enumeration with OpenAL on Windows - OpenAL (retrieved)
↑ Audio in Windows Vista - Creative Labs Discussion Forums (retrieved)
↑ Restoring surround sound to Deus Ex and other games - should I get Sound Blaster MB3? • VOGONS
↑ indirect sound • VOGONS
↑ ALchemy - Creative Labs: Connect (retrieved)
↑ Games only work if Game Mode is selec - Creative Discussion Forum
↑ C-Media’s Xear3D EX Takes Audio to the next level for Windows Vista | C-Media Electronics (retrieved)
↑ Inside the Sound Blaster Live! - ALive! (retrieved) and verified by Mirh
↑ A3D for Windows XP | Pro-HL.com (retrieved)
↑ Anybody who didn't upgrade his HL since last year? - Steam Users' Forums (retrieved)
↑ Sound Fix in DarkEngine games
↑ Bringing Back Aureal3d Audio?
↑ https://www.asus.com/us/Sound-Cards/Xonar_DG/specifications/

[1] Enumeration with OpenAL on Windows - OpenAL (retrieved)

[2] Audio in Windows Vista - Creative Labs Discussion Forums (retrieved)

[3] Restoring surround sound to Deus Ex and other games - should I get Sound Blaster MB3? • VOGONS

[4] rect sound • VOGONS

[5] ALchemy - Creative Labs: Connect (retrieved)

[6] Games only work if Game Mode is selec - Creative Discussion Forum

[7] C-Media’s Xear3D EX Takes Audio to the next level for Windows Vista | C-Media Electronics (retrieved)

[8] Inside the Sound Blaster Live! - ALive! (retrieved) and verified by Mirh

[9] A3D for Windows XP | Pro-HL.com (retrieved)

[10] Anybody who didn't upgrade his HL since last year? - Steam Users' Forums (retrieved)

[11] Sound Fix in DarkEngine games

[12] Bringing Back Aureal3d Audio?

[13] ttps://www.asus.com/us/Sound-Cards/Xonar_DG/specifications/

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

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[13]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 {{ii}} Default Windows output device name must match OAL device one for native implementations to work, [[#DirectSound hardware path|DS3D]] based "Generic Hardware" fallback will be used otherwise (if available)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070118174547/http://www.openal.org/windows_enumeration.html Enumeration with OpenAL on Windows - OpenAL] (retrieved)</ref>
 ====Asus====
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=Enable Game eXtensions|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|Enable Game eXtensions}}
 # Open the Asus control panel
 # Tick "GX" mode
@@ Line 20: / Line 19: @@
 <!-- That's probably not the ideal and perfect way to point out, that the system reports you are using "Speakers (ASUS Xonar DX Audio Device)" while the OpenAL driver only reports "ASUS Xonar DX Audio Device". Though -->
 ====Realtek====
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=Set up native device|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|Set up native device}}
 # Install [[#Realtek_2|3D SoundBack]]
 # Navigate to the installation folder and copy <code>rtk_oal.dll</code> in <code>{{p|windir}}\{{p|SysWOW64}}\</code>
 }}
 ====Universal====
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=OpenAL Soft|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|OpenAL Soft}}
 # Download [http://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/7-openal-soft/ OpenAL Soft]
 # Copy <code>\bin\Win32\soft_oal.dll</code> in {{p|windir}}\{{p|SysWOW64}}\ <small>(optionally in 64 bit OS copy <code>\Win64\soft_oal.dll</code> in {{p|windir}}\System32\)</small>
@@ Line 36: / Line 33: @@
 {{ii}} Starting with Windows Vista and its new audio stack, DirectSound applications are rendered entirely in a user-mode software audio session<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070208072610/http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=Vista&message.id=1694 Audio in Windows Vista - Creative Labs Discussion Forums] (retrieved)</ref>
 {{ii}} Most games developed in the preceding decade will experience problems going from the simple lack of [[Wikipedia:Environmental Audio Extensions|EAX]] effects to the complete demotion to stereophony<ref>[http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=39823&start=20#p394241 Restoring surround sound to Deus Ex and other games - should I get Sound Blaster MB3? • VOGONS]</ref>
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=IndirectSound|ref=<ref>[http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=36870#p322859 indirect sound • VOGONS]</ref>|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|IndirectSound|ref=<ref>[http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=36870#p322859 indirect sound • VOGONS]</ref>}}
 # Download [http://indirectsound.com IndirectSound].
 # Extract into {{p|game}} alongside the main game executable.
@@ Line 44: / Line 40: @@
 }}
 ====Asus====
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=Enable Game eXtensions|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|Enable Game eXtensions}}
 # Open the Asus control panel
 # Tick "GX" mode
@@ Line 53: / Line 48: @@
 }}
 ====Creative====
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=Use ALchemy|ref=<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130508122842/http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/default.aspx ALchemy - Creative Labs: Connect] (retrieved)</ref>|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|Use ALchemy|ref=<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130508122842/http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/default.aspx ALchemy - Creative Labs: Connect] (retrieved)</ref>}}
 # Download [http://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/68-alchemy/ latest ALchemy] version
 # Open the Creative control panel and switch on Game mode
@@ Line 65: / Line 59: @@
 ====Realtek====
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=Use 3D SoundBack|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|Use 3D SoundBack}}
 # Download [http://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/75-realtek-3d-soundback/ 3D SoundBack]
 # Open the program and add/enable the fix for selected games.
@@ Line 78: / Line 71: @@
 {{ii}} Lists of Aureal 3-Dimensional enabled games can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/20030811185730/http://www.vortexofsound.com/gamelist/gamelist-a3d.htm here] and [http://members.optushome.com.au/kirben/3dsoftware.html here].
 {{++}} A3D 1.0 is supported out of the box by C-Media based boards (via Xear3D<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090201091955/http://www.cmedia.com.tw/?q=en/news_xear3d_ex C-Media’s Xear3D EX Takes Audio to the next level for Windows Vista | C-Media Electronics] (retrieved)</ref>), X-Fi and older<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010208081840/http://alive.singnet.com.sg/features/inside/03-3d-audio.htm Inside the Sound Blaster Live! - ALive!] (retrieved) and verified by [[User:Mirh|Mirh]]</ref> Creative based devices and older VIA drivers.
-{{Fixbox|1=
+{{Fixbox|description=Use DirectSound3D wrapper|ref=<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100510160147/http://www.pro-hl.com/a3d_winxp.shtml A3D for Windows XP | Pro-HL.com] (retrieved)</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20170519163910/http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3217448&page=2#post35352814 Anybody who didn't upgrade his HL since last year? - Steam Users' Forums] (retrieved)</ref><ref>[http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117175 Sound Fix in DarkEngine games]</ref><ref>[http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146198 Bringing Back Aureal3d Audio?]</ref>|fix=
-{{Fixbox/fix|Use DirectSound3D wrapper|ref=<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100510160147/http://www.pro-hl.com/a3d_winxp.shtml A3D for Windows XP | Pro-HL.com] (retrieved)</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20170519163910/http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3217448&page=2#post35352814 Anybody who didn't upgrade his HL since last year? - Steam Users' Forums] (retrieved)</ref><ref>[http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117175 Sound Fix in DarkEngine games]</ref><ref>[http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146198 Bringing Back Aureal3d Audio?]</ref>}}
 # Download latest [http://members.optushome.com.au/kirben/a2ddrivers312.exe A2D driver] and install it
 # Download [http://www.topdll.com/download/A3D.dll?q=e78050fd0a64325693c573d0aa84a3ba a3dx5.dll] (Creative's official wrapper) or [http://originaldll.com/file/a3d.dll/23289.html QSound A3D] in {{code|{{p|windir}}\system\}}, or use [http://www.worknd.ru A3D-Live]