Creative XFi soundcard, compatibility problems?

[markjudith]

I'm getting total hacked off with this sound issue.
Ok eventually got the EAX reverb effects (echo/rushing noises under bridges, station roof etc) in RS to work, thanks to help from Paul Harvey, have latest updates for my sound card and windows, I have the EAX settings enabled in RW and in my control panel for my creative sound card, It worked. Shut down my pc went back to it a day later.....the EAX reverb effects have ceased working again, all settings remain the same. Railsimulator STILL WORKS FINE so I don't think this is a sound card issue it's a RailWorks problem. After testing to see if RailSimulator was ok, I went back to RailWorks and hey presto the EAX effects are working again! Turned RW off and restarted it .....no more EAX effects. The game is Kak without them, I showed RW to a mate of mine, he prefered RS as the sounds were much better, infact he thought RS was the 'new' game!
Something isn't right with RailWorks, not my sound card or it wouldn't work with RailSimulator would it, if nothing has been changed in RW why have I got these problems?

Mark

[CaptScarlet]

I would not discount the possibility that the creative drivers are playing a role in your problem as they are well known for being troublesome for some users. Are you using the latest version of them ? Btw dont just update them for the sake of it if you haven't already, I was just wondering what version you are using.

John

[longbow]

Does your PC motherboard have built-in sound? This can conflict with an add-on audio card.

[TheTazman]

I have an EAX Card and never heard any reverb. Would be most intrested in knowing the solution.

[anthonye]

I have the Creative XFI Gamer card, no problems here.

Anthony

[paulharvey]

Does your PC motherboard have built-in sound? This can conflict with an add-on audio card.

Absolutly, it has to be turned off from your Bios settings.

Also, when you installed the updated driver, did you remove all traces of the previous driver, uninstalling is not enough with Creative drivers, I uninstall and then delete all traces of the creative directories before installing the new ones as I know some shared files are left behind, and are known to cause conflicts.

I don't have any problems with the sound at all but did the above when installing the drivers, my driver is SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0008, I won't update this as it works fine - old maxim - if it ain't broke etc...

Paul

PS Also make sure that in the Creative console, click on the mode tab, and that your sound card is set for "Game Mode"

Regards Paul

[markjudith]

Well I didn't and haven't had any problems with RailSimulator and my PC had never been updated since it was built for RS when it came out, it was not connected to the internet.
However with the advent of STEAM and RailWorks I found it necessary to get a wireless connection up and running, straight away windows wanted to update. Next problem was this sound issue in RailWorks, so my first thoughts were; OK it's working in RS no problem, so I guess my sound card may need updating, RailWorks being a new product, it may require all my drivers to be updated, just clicked on the 'Creative'auto update and let it do the work. End result.......just the same as it was before, until Paul pointed me to the EAX control panel, I moved the slider to MAX and bingo! Notched it back a little and I was very happy Went back the day after, not touched a thing and no sound effects again. Oh and now my PC takes about 5 mins to shut down prior to internet connection and updates it was instant! That's why I prefered not to have my TRAIN computer connected to the net.
Despite the possible issue with new drivers, I wonder why it works really well in RS with both old and new drivers?

I allways have it set to game mode Paul I dont have anything else on the PC except RS &RW.

TAZ have you gone into the Creative control panel and set the EAX slider near to MAX, you might get a result, I'd be interested to see how you have got on! Did it work ok in RS?

To uninstall the sound card drivers is it best to remove all the 'Creative' files manualy from program files etc?



Thanks
Mark

[CaptScarlet]

Oh and now my PC takes about 5 mins to shut down prior to internet connection and updates it was instant! That's why I prefered not to have my TRAIN computer connected to the net.
Despite the possible issue with new drivers, I wonder why it works really well in RS with both old and new drivers?

To uninstall the sound card drivers is it best to remove all the 'Creative' files manualy from program files etc?

Thanks
Mark

It may have been a mistake to let the sound drivers update themselves. As someone said if it aint broke dont fix it. Anyway the shutdown problem you have now is due to the new drivers, which is being talked about on the Creative forums which I noticed when I was looking for info about the new drivers when I posted my reply above.

Getting rid of them though can be a bit tricky from what I have read and assumes you have the previous version.

John

What you can try apparently is to roll the driver back to the previous version.
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs ... .id=142502

link to previous driver -
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs ... 97#M142497

[markjudith]

Thanks for that,
A case of damned if you do damned if you dont I suppose!
It was the first thing that I thought would be the problem, most games say make sure all your drivers are up to date!

I guess at some point 'Creative' will have to fix the problems they have caused though.
I have the original driver disc, just not sure how to go about things without making a total botch up!

As I said though, had I not been having problems with RW I wouldn't have downloaded a new driver for the sound card, so I know the old driver won't work either.

At the moment I have driver version; 2.18.13 for the SB X Fi - Platinum Fatality Champion card.

Thanks

Mark

[paulharvey]

To uninstall the sound card drivers is it best to remove all the 'Creative' files manualy from program files etc?



Thanks
Mark

Always uninstall the drivers through - Control Panel - Add or Remove Programs first, then manually delete all crative directories for the sound card. Then reinstall the drivers.

You didn't say if you have an on-board sound card built in to the motherboard, if you have, you must disable it or it will cause problems.

You could also check in the device manager that there is nothing clashing with the sound card (an asterisk next to the sound card).

Other than that I am at a loss, I have both installed on my computer, and both live happily together.

Paul

[markjudith]

Thanks paul

I'll have some Paracetamol and have a look later

Mark

[CaptScarlet]

From the sound of it the problem "might" be that the eax setting it being forgotten somewhere. Now whether that is due to the drivers or the game I dont know.

John

[markjudith]

I wonder if the RailWorks team have any advice or info, I haven't contacted them as most folks seem to just get an automated reply.

It would be nice to play the game one day!!

Mark

[paulharvey]

From the sound of it the problem "might" be that the eax setting it being forgotten somewhere. Now whether that is due to the drivers or the game I dont know.

John

You might be right, but I would have thought more people would have complaned about it, it just seems odd that RS works, and RW doesn't (well, not everytime).

I wonder if it might be switching between the to sims makes EAX stop working, and if RS uses EAX 3 or 4 and RW uses EAX 5, not sure what the difference is though.

Paul

[CaptScarlet]

You might try adding this to the railworks launch options and see if it makes a difference " -EnableEAX "

This is best done via the steam client. Click on the properties for railworks and add it to the "set launch options"
This was a command line option in RS so it might or might not do anything in RW.

John