Drivers for Sound Blaster Live! Users with Windows XP

[Johnny Vice]

Hi
I dont know if this is the right forum, but if there are any SBLive! users out there who are tired of waiting for new drivers from Creative, fear NOT!
goto

http://www.emu.com/support/aps.asp

This is the website for the makers of the EMU chipset (the EMU10K1 is the chipset used on the SBLive!)

They have drivers for the SBLive for windows XP and 2000 (APS drivers).

AND

They have a work around for this issue with Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;821995

These drivers work fine with my system and Id thought that I will share some information with you peeps.
J

[Johnny Vice]

Well?
A simple thank you would have been ok.

Changes from previous Sound Blaster Drivers (.252)

Hyperthreading Compatibility issues resolved
Lower Latency in ASIO
Software AC3 Decoding
SPDIF Issues fixed

[showler]

My Live 5.1 seems to work fine. What will these gain me (AMD so no hyperthreading, SPDIF seems to work fine, DD speakers so I don't think I need software AC3 decoding, no idea what ASIO is)?

[Johnny Vice]

Hi The drivers will be of help for most people, including you.
ASIO is a widely accepted audio standard and is supported by dozens of computer soundcards and I/O boxes. Microsoft Multimedia Extentions (MME) mixing support is also added in this driver, along with OpenAL support (basic, becuase afterall an EMU10K2 and upwards have better OpenAL support).

[showler]

I'll look into it. Their site was touchy yesterday, so I didn't read much.

[Johnny Vice]

Good Luck.
And remember to uninstall your previous SBLive Drivers before installing your new ones.
J

[skinman]

I have the SB Live value Card with XP Pro running on stock drivers!

[NightShade737]

Better Idea -

http://atomnet.co.uk/?p=guides&id=1

NS

[MS-DOS_5.0]

Sounds interesting, Johnny Vice. Is there some page that describes the mixer and other configurational software that comes with the E-MU package? I'm curious because I don't really have any issues (never use MIDI anymore) and like the Creative mixer.

Additionally, I took a peek into the PDF addendum and it says something about DirectSound3D not being supported? If it is so then that would be missed by a lot of users.

[Johnny Vice]

Hi MS-DOS_5.0, don’t worry EAX, EAX2 and Direct3D sound works fine with these drivers, despite what the readme says (I would’ve missed it).
Ill have a look into the mixer settings for you, however Im impressed with the E-MU version of Soundfont, but I cant get the EMU version of AudioHQ to work (I don’t have a "Live Drive"), however if you like the creative mixer from previous SBLive drivers it works fine with the E-MU drivers.

NightShade737 sorry to burst your bubble, but the latest Audigy 1 drivers allow 64 channels of sound on the Audigy ONLY.
Besides you cannot softmod an SBlive into an Audigy 2 because it is a completely different chipset.
J

[blackgoat]

Originally posted by NightShade737
Better Idea -

http://atomnet.co.uk/?p=guides&id=1

NS

Thanks for this NightShade737. My Live Platinum was being pretty noisy before, as I would here electrical static and humming in my headphones when there was nothing else running but by using this method, the noise is completely gone.

[MS-DOS_5.0]

Originally posted by Johnny Vice
Hi MS-DOS_5.0, don’t worry EAX, EAX2 and Direct3D sound works fine with these drivers, despite what the readme says (I would’ve missed it).

Ah, good. Perhaps they just don't like to publically state that they support it and then get game related support questions.
So this sounds good enough for me to give a try at least so I guess I'll just do that a bit later for fun.

[showler]

Audigy dealie nixed my digital output, and the adjustment programs crashed. I'll try the emu ones sometime later, but I may be better off leaving my system alone while it's working.

[Johnny Vice]

Let me know how you get on please.
Also, slightly off topic.
Could anyone let me know if you are having ANY problems with your SBlive! with Windows XP and what official drivers you are using (including the APS drivers).
Thanks.
J

[Johnny Vice]

Ok so nobody has any problems with their SBLive! with Windows XP thefore no future driver updates are required.
J
come on people this is your chance as from september there will be only one more driver set (two if pushed) for the SBLive!

[PlanetSide]

Originally posted by showler
Audigy dealie nixed my digital output, and the adjustment programs crashed. I'll try the emu ones sometime later, but I may be better off leaving my system alone while it's working.

here are a better set of instructions for installing audigy 2 drivers http://www.tech-pc.co.uk/audigy-1.php and it covers how to fix your digital output, and if you're talking about the speaker calibration..comeon is it necessary? it didn't come with stock live! & emu drivers. It's obviously not compatible with the live! cards.

[blackgoat]

Originally posted by Johnny Vice
Ok so nobody has any problems with their SBLive! with Windows XP thefore no future driver updates are required.
J
come on people this is your chance as from september there will be only one more driver set (two if pushed) for the SBLive!

My main problem is that I cannot get my LiveDrive to work at all. I'm using the latest driver pack and update from the Creative site, but it still doesn't get recognized by the drivers. Rather sucks as I specifically spent the extra money to get the LiveDrive, and yet, in XP, it won't work. The only way I can get it to work is to use the KX drivers, but for overall use, I really don't like them that much.

[showler]

Originally posted by PlanetSide
here are a better set of instructions for installing audigy 2 drivers http://www.tech-pc.co.uk/audigy-1.php and it covers how to fix your digital output, and if you're talking about the speaker calibration..comeon is it necessary? it didn't come with stock live! & emu drivers. It's obviously not compatible with the live! cards.

I'll try again if the instructions are good (no time right now). What I was missing was the options to select what kind of speakers you have.

[NightShade737]

Originally posted by showler
I'll try again if the instructions are good (no time right now). What I was missing was the options to select what kind of speakers you have.

You need to install the programs off the driver CD (the large file you download).

NS

[showler]

Did that. Crashed everytime I tried to start the speaker settings. Maybe the drivers were incorrectly installed and that was preventing the settings from working correctly.

[NightShade737]

Originally posted by showler
Did that. Crashed everytime I tried to start the speaker settings. Maybe the drivers were incorrectly installed and that was preventing the settings from working correctly.

Must be it, as it works for me and others.....

NS

[rayzian]

Originally posted by NightShade737
Better Idea -

http://atomnet.co.uk/?p=guides&id=1

NS

i agree, when i did have my SBLive, the audigy2 hack made it 10x better, the sound was so much more clearer/crisp, especially when listening to music.

Originally posted by blackgoat
Thanks for this NightShade737. My Live Platinum was being pretty noisy before, as I would here electrical static and humming in my headphones when there was nothing else running but by using this method, the noise is completely gone.

argh, i have this same problem with my onboard sound.. i tried all the driver sets i could find, they all have that same problem.. even worse, after leaving my computer on for a couple of days, the static/humming would interupt with my music/sounds and create distortion, damn i miss my live.

[SirBaron]

what about a driver hack for the exitgy

you know like errr usb 2.0 support for improved bandwidth maybe 64 chanells (seeing as its a external audigy 1 card i want a driver hack to make it into a extigy 2 .)

well creative never seem to update my cards drivers so any help would be... helpfull lol.

[NightShade737]

Originally posted by Sir_Baron
what about a driver hack for the exitgy

you know like errr usb 2.0 support for improved bandwidth maybe 64 chanells (seeing as its a external audigy 1 card i want a driver hack to make it into a extigy 2 .)

well creative never seem to update my cards drivers so any help would be... helpfull lol.

They could upgrade the channels, but they couldn't upgrade it to USB 2 due to it being a hardware issue....

NS

[SirBaron]

ok forget the usb 2.0 ill have the 64 channels and maybe imrpived sound quality as good as the audigy 2. Now only if they did.

What about drivers though (actually made by creative) they are like over a year old i wish there was people making 3rd party drivers like omega does to graphics cards that would be cool.

[Johnny Vice]

Hi blackgoat
If you want to use the "LiveDrive" in Windows XP with the Newest drivers please download the following file.

http://asia.creative.com/scripts/dow...RVL2030530.exe

It fixes the livedrive issue.

I wouldnt recommend Audigy 2 hacks as Ive had problems with them.
J

[blackgoat]

Thanks Johnny Vice. Question, if I have already done the Audigy 2 driver force, can I still use this fix? I really prefer the clearer sound I'm getting with the Audigy 2 drivers, but I would still like to be able to use my LiveDrive...

[showler]

Did the new install. Everything seems to be working okay, but I'm not sure what benefit I got from it. I've got fancy new speaker settings and volume control panels, but I'm not sure whether it sounds better (bad ear) and 3DMark03 still says that it only supports 32 voices.

[Johnny Vice]

Hi Blackgoat.

Please download these drivers

http://www.emu.com/support/aps.asp

These are wrote by the creators of the EMU10kx chipset and offer the best sound quality in windows and are compatible with most games (as much games as the current SBLive! drivers).
These drivers should work flawlessly with your LiveDrive!

Hi showler

What drivers are you using.

Slightly off Topic, I have a very good set of SBLive! Drivers (Windows XP) , these are NOT Unified and are specifically coded for the SBLive, giving me a slightly higher 3DMark03 score AND better sound quality all round.
J

[showler]

Originally posted by Johnny Vice
What drivers are you using.

I did the Audigy conversion thing. The Audigy drivers actually contain drivers for the EMU10K1 chipset and the only thing the "patch" does is add card IDs to the install program so it won't reject Live and Audigy cards. My card is still showing as a SB Live 5.1 in Windows Device Manager, and lists as a EMU10K1 in 3DMark03 (which is normal).

I'm not really sure why Creative did not release these for Live owners in the first place, except a cheap attempt to force people to buy new cards by cutting off support for the older ones. The drivers seem to work fine, but don't seem to have offered me anything new really (haven't fully tested). I must admit that the drivers I had before were working fine for me to begin with (so long as I avoided downloading Microsoft's "update" on WindowsUpdate). Maybe these new ones offer better sound, but my ear isn't that good...I'm mostly concerned with positioning and the old drivers did that just as well.

Slightly off Topic, I have a very good set of SBLive! Drivers (Windows XP) , these are NOT Unified and are specifically coded for the SBLive, giving me a slightly higher 3DMark03 score AND better sound quality all round.
J

Now that sounds interesting. If they lower CPU overhead then they would be a very good thing. Are they based on Creative's last Live drivers, their Audigy2 drivers, or the ones from Emu.com? I'm currently getting about a 16% performance hit from sound, and I'll take any tweaks I can get. Do you make these available anywhere?