SB AWE64-16 with Windows 2000

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Since installing W2K I get a lot of noise when playing most wav files and a
lot of movie files with WMP. It actually sounds like the old RealMedia used
to sound - like it's playing under water. The same wave files when played
with WinAmp are much better. You can hear a tiny amount of distortion, but
it's much, much better than WMP. I've looked for new drivers for W2K but
Creative doesn't have anything specifically for W2K and I'm afraid to load
NT4 drivers. Any suggestions?
 
| Since installing W2K I get a lot of noise when playing most wav files and
a
| lot of movie files with WMP. It actually sounds like the old RealMedia
used
| to sound - like it's playing under water. The same wave files when played
| with WinAmp are much better. You can hear a tiny amount of distortion, but
| it's much, much better than WMP. I've looked for new drivers for W2K but
| Creative doesn't have anything specifically for W2K and I'm afraid to load
| NT4 drivers. Any suggestions?

Creative cards are infamous for not getting along with VIA chipsets in the
pre-XP universe.

1. Try getting ahold of the most recent update for your motherboard's
chipset, if not also the BIOS - as well as DirectX.
2. WinAmp uses DirectSound I think by default, as opposed to "Default Sound
Device", so try messing with WinAmp's Output preferences to see if there's a
difference between DirectSound and the other.

Given though that the SB-AWE64-16 is a card that's over six years old,
though, I would recommend upgrading the card. I recently had an SBLive MP3+
go south on me, giving nothing but crackling, popping and gaps in play. I
replaced it with a non-Creative card and have had NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER with
it (a Trust card that doesn't use the EMU10K chipset, called the "5.1
Optical").
 
Creative cards are infamous for not getting along with VIA chipsets in the
pre-XP universe.

1. Try getting ahold of the most recent update for your motherboard's
chipset, if not also the BIOS - as well as DirectX.
2. WinAmp uses DirectSound I think by default, as opposed to "Default Sound
Device", so try messing with WinAmp's Output preferences to see if there's a
difference between DirectSound and the other.

Given though that the SB-AWE64-16 is a card that's over six years old,
though, I would recommend upgrading the card. I recently had an SBLive MP3+
go south on me, giving nothing but crackling, popping and gaps in play. I
replaced it with a non-Creative card and have had NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER with
it (a Trust card that doesn't use the EMU10K chipset, called the "5.1
Optical").
Click to expand...

It is a VIA chipset I'm using so I suppose that's the problem. Oddly, it
worked fine under '98. I'm probably not going to put much effort into this
as I intend to buy a new system very soon. (The sound card isn't the only
thing over 6 years old) I'll play with WinAmp like you suggested and see if
that's it. Thanks for the help.
 
| > Creative cards are infamous for not getting along with VIA chipsets in
the
| > pre-XP universe.
| >
| > 1. Try getting ahold of the most recent update for your motherboard's
| > chipset, if not also the BIOS - as well as DirectX.
| > 2. WinAmp uses DirectSound I think by default, as opposed to "Default
| Sound
| > Device", so try messing with WinAmp's Output preferences to see if
there's
| a
| > difference between DirectSound and the other.
| >
| > Given though that the SB-AWE64-16 is a card that's over six years old,
| > though, I would recommend upgrading the card. I recently had an SBLive
| MP3+
| > go south on me, giving nothing but crackling, popping and gaps in play.
I
| > replaced it with a non-Creative card and have had NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER
| with
| > it (a Trust card that doesn't use the EMU10K chipset, called the "5.1
| > Optical").
|
| It is a VIA chipset I'm using so I suppose that's the problem. Oddly, it
| worked fine under '98. I'm probably not going to put much effort into this
| as I intend to buy a new system very soon. (The sound card isn't the only
| thing over 6 years old) I'll play with WinAmp like you suggested and see
if
| that's it. Thanks for the help.

I hope it DOES help. Even now, with a much better sound card but still a
VIA chipset, I have knee-jerk moments where I almost expect (in fear and
loathing) to hear cracks and pops. One shouldn't have to endure such stuff,
even as a hardware tech. :)
 
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