Post #4,641
8/11/01 2:16:23 PM
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A most unkind cut...
A few of you might remember first my adultation of the Aureal Vortex 2 sound chipset, and then my bemoaning it's fate as it was targeted by a host of lawsuits from Creative Labs which eventually drove them out of business. This left an excellent sound chipset with horrible drivers for Windows 2000, and extremely basic Linux support. What was left of the company was sold by it's owners to Creative Labs, in exchange for dropping the wrongful suit rights, pretty much guaranteeing the death of innovation in the PC soundcard market for the next 5-10 years.
I just found out that somebody got their hands on the source code for the Aureal Vortex series cards, and did an updated driver set that brings it into full DirectX 8 compliance. While it wouldn't solve the Linux problem, it would let me get rid of this crappy SoundBastard Dead! card I've got in my primary PC.
The problem: the people who updated the drivers are Microsoft, and the driver update they did was for Windows XP. The drivers cannot run under Windows 2000.
So now I'm stuck between a soundcard that I can't stand and an OS that I'm morally beholden not to run.
Mr. Cranium, Mr. Wall. Mr. Wall, Mr. Cranium.
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Post #4,645
8/11/01 2:46:04 PM
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that is the problem with the computer business
you have an application (sound) that you need to run for your pleasure/business you rule out the one thing that makes it work, XP. Now there might be stuff you need that wont run on XP but the case for not working correctly do to not liking a vendor is a big problem with IT today. Find the application for your client, ask what hardware and OS it works on then install it. Customer 1st.
my 2 cents but I a whore dont forget :)
thanx,
bill
Our bureaucracy and our laws have turned the world into a clean, safe work camp. We are raising a nation of slaves.
Chuck Palahniuk
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Post #4,652
8/11/01 4:10:20 PM
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What about nForce?
IIRC according to Tom's Hardware, the nForce ("XBox") chipset has pretty good sound. And, I'm sure they'll support W2K.
Frankly, I don't think you're going to see much competition in high end sound cards because it's not a growing market (and good sound on motherboards such as the nForce has the potential to really hurt CL), and there isn't a huge market for really good sound cards.
Tony
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Post #4,678
8/11/01 9:06:38 PM
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Actually, it's about using what I already have.
I already have the Aureal Vortex 2 - I don't have an NForce. I'd just like to use it again. The sound in it was so much better than anything UnCreative Labs has ever put out... Mmm, Half-Life in A3D mode...
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Post #4,901
8/13/01 3:48:11 PM
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I'm running with stock W2K drivers here
And I get wubbly sound, in Half-Life and Q3A.
The (hardware-accelerated) sound of a rocket wooshing past your head is quite astounding the first time you hear it...
(For those not in the know, Q3A has proper doppler effects)
--
Peter
Shill For Hire
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Post #5,481
8/16/01 5:43:21 PM
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Really?
What's the rest of your beast?
There are some driver issues with VIA chipsets and the Aureal Vortex series cards - which is exactly why I can't use them.
"What do I care for your suffering? Pain, even agony, is no more than information before the senses, data fed to the computer of the mind. The lesson is simple: you have recieved the information, now act on it. Take control of the input and you shall become master of the output."
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Post #4,865
8/13/01 12:24:19 PM
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Re: A most unkind cut...
so it's OK to run W2K (or 9x or NT) but not XP?
even though XP will solve your dilemma (although the cost of legally obtaining the OS may be more than the cost of another sound card)
This is why Windows rules
(beyond the monopoly issue)
because they have the time, money and people to serve the consumer
As Linus Torvalds repeats over and over in his book Just for Fun, life is about entertainment (assuming the basics are taken care of)
This is where MS excels
XP might be one of the ultimate gaming platforms but if you have to pay a lot for it (or get a new machine to run it effectively) maybe another card is in order
Play I Some Music w/ Papa Andy
Saturday 8 PM - 11 PM ET
All Night Rewind 11 PM - 5 PM
Reggae, African and Caribbean Music
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Post #4,978
8/13/01 10:48:22 PM
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"Serve" is right-on: it's a cookbook.
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Post #5,479
8/16/01 5:41:38 PM
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Holding pattern.
Remember, I'm an old Windows hand - and I live in Windows Land. To get a job, I have to know the lingo, and I need something to use until I have the proper time availible to teach myself Linux. I'm slowly getting there - and I drew a line in the sand for myself with XP. I'm using 2k until I can get Linux working satisfactorily for myself.
"What do I care for your suffering? Pain, even agony, is no more than information before the senses, data fed to the computer of the mind. The lesson is simple: you have recieved the information, now act on it. Take control of the input and you shall become master of the output."
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