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Subject:C-Media Wave Device and 5.1output
Posted by: Baconzoo
Date:10/3/2002 8:02:21 PM

Newbie with a Asus P4B533-E, Win2000, Onboard 6 channel C-Media Wave Device, Coax to Sony Receiver, Acid Pro4

I have some faint sound out of the Rear speakers but no direct pan ability. Panning R to L on the front speakers works fine as well as LFE sub. I don't know if I got it set-up correctly or I'm missing something.
My specs are on screenshots at this URL:
http://www.baconzoo.com/acidexample/default.html

Acid 4 - The way the C-Media additional channels are greyed out seem strange.
C-Media - COAX out to receiver only works configured this way. (2-speaker selected w/Spdif) DVD Coax input for Surround works fine on the receiver(Movies.)

Is this a shortcomming with this device?
Set a Homey straight....


Subject:RE: C-Media Wave Device and 5.1output
Reply by: pwppch
Date:10/4/2002 8:13:04 AM

ACID requires that any multichannel audio card expose each channel so that the surround mixer in ACID can rout to the appropriate channels.

ACID does not stream through the digital ports with encoded AC3 audio, so the COAX connection to the Sony receiver will most likely not work UNLESS the C-Media Wave Device encodes on the fly or can pass multichannel un-encoded audio. This will depend on also on how the Sony can recieve multichannel audio.

We are looking at solutions for such devices as the C-Media, but currently, unless the audio hardware exposes multiple output devices, ACID will be unable to rout its surround audio to the correct speakers.

Peter

Subject:RE: C-Media Wave Device and 5.1output
Reply by: Baconzoo
Date:10/7/2002 8:08:37 AM

OK, C-Media looks like it will work with SPDIF and a combination of mini jacks to the receiver but my Sony dosen't have additional surround inputs, only digital. So if I might trade receivers to test this(I do have an Onkyo w/surround inputs.)

I tried a Creative Exitgy USB device with no luck, will a driver or fix be on the horizon or is USB a no-no?

What cards are recommended?

Subject:RE: C-Media Wave Device and 5.1output
Reply by: pwppch
Date:10/7/2002 12:45:12 PM

Any card that has 6 outputs and drivers that expose these outputs will work for surround mixing in ACID 4.

We don't recommend specific audio cards.

Peter

Subject:RE: C-Media Wave Device and 5.1output
Reply by: Baconzoo
Date:10/7/2002 2:48:18 PM

Is having the choices in the audio pref. 'grayed out' a good indication that the card does not have those channels exposed?
Like in this exaple:
http://www.baconzoo.com/acidexample/

Subject:RE: C-Media Wave Device and 5.1output
Reply by: pwppch
Date:10/7/2002 3:43:41 PM

Yes. If there is only a single "port" or device available, then you get the greyed combo box.

I have emailed C-Media to get some more info, but have not heard back yet. As soon as I do I will make sure to post here.

Thanks
Peter

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: Baconzoo
Date:10/7/2002 7:48:55 PM

Thanks Peter, I've been trying the Exitgy as well, but no luck. I've read about the driver issues with SB cards, KX project says it's got no love for USB. So can you tell me what cards have tested positive as 'Open to 6-channel input'without recommending one?

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: pwppch
Date:10/7/2002 8:39:18 PM

The Audigy using the Creative ASIO drivers works fine.

I have used the Delta 1010, Echo Layla, MOTU, RME, Dakota, and many other multiple port cards. I have uses these with both their WDM/Wave drivers and ASIO drivers.

Peter

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: rick4kim
Date:10/31/2002 9:23:28 AM

previously SonicPCH stated that:

Any card that has 6 outputs and drivers that expose these outputs will work for surround mixing in ACID 4.

Yet audigy soundcards don't have 6 separate outputs for each channel.Does the digital outputs stream 6 channels?

Thanks for your patiance!

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: pwppch
Date:11/2/2002 3:04:20 PM

>>Yet audigy soundcards don't have 6 separate outputs for each channel.Does the >>digital outputs stream 6 channels?

Yes the Audigy does.

You can access them in two ways:

ASIO drivers
DirectSound using positional audio formats.

ACID uses the ASIO drivers to access the 6 seperate outputs.

Peter





Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: rick4kim
Date:11/2/2002 8:12:08 PM

Thanks so much. I am going out to buy audigy now!
Rick

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: rick4kim
Date:11/4/2002 8:03:35 PM

just a quick question about setting up audigy2 soundcard for 6 channel preview. Is it throught the digital output of the soundcard? or the 3 audio outputs?
Thanks fo much,
Rick

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: Baconzoo
Date:12/5/2002 11:37:37 AM

3 audio outs...
I faild at getting the optical or SPDIF to work with 5.1.

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: Laurence
Date:12/7/2002 12:11:35 AM

With an Audigy there is that pesky "it only works at 48k" issue. What cards do 44.1k 5.1 surround? I know my MOTU 828 will over firewire. What are some other options?

Laurence Kingston

Subject:RE: 5.1output
Reply by: stusy
Date:12/7/2002 10:23:57 AM

Well...I disabled the c-media device that came with my AMD mobo and opted to use exclusively my emagic AW2 card, and after all these years, it's still doin fine..scary what's goin on with those other cards, cuz I was seriously lookin at m-audio, but whatwith dropouts and such, seemingly inherent in even the "quality" stuff, I'm relegated to "stick it out" for awhile...never have used WDM, and I'm not really pushin it to the limit as far as tracks/plug-ins yet, so maybe it's not an expenditure I need to look at soon...I do have various plugs with PSP, SilverSpike, sonic, etc., but am not plagued with the usual maladies everyone else seems to see with their setup...98SE, ie5.5SP2, 1700+AMD/a7a266mobo, 512DDRam, 2HDs@7200/20 and 60G, acid4, sf6, vv3, cda5+noise2(soon), 52xCDROM, sony161040burner, mackie1202, alesis7.1, sonar131(at the ready)..

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