What happened to my X-Fi (Vista)?

[Knight_Christian]

Hi,

something weird coming up. Under Vista, I tried to record some riffs from my bass guitar, by plugging in the Bass' output into the X-Fi's Line-In/Mic.

Guess what: They are somehow "dead". I can't explain, I plugged in my MP3 Player now, and guess what: No sound - again! I un-muted all and clicked around, but they seem not to work! I've only tried here because on my laptop, the stupid integrated intel wireless stuff messes up the cheap Realtek onboard sound, by ruining it with "beep-bepepepepep-beep" and such, it destroys the input sound.

So why the hell is my X-Fi now not working? I attached some pics:


I can't understand... I tried both Line-In and Mic, but no sound
Besides the X-Fi is kickass, this is annoying!

[Wytas]

If you use Skype, turn it off

[strossos]

Does that actually work? Bass -> line in? Have you done this before without problems?


I wonder about the voltage levels from the bass... are they within spec for a sound card?

[Knight_Christian]

If you use Skype, turn it off

I don't use skype, it seem to be the Vista drivers. Creative Idiots.

EDIT: Strossos, it doesn't work with my MP3 Player neither.

Hey, someone with an X-Fi (and Vista if possible) please help me! What's with your one? Does it work?

Also, is Red -> Mic
and that one next to Red -> Line-In?

[Cable]

Oh wow, that does look bad. It's like the whole program is written in some alien language!

Damn hackers! You better get a dog so that they can't blow your van. :E

Or maybe it's an alien invasion? :foilhat:

Or maybe I just need to GTFO ->

[Alien Slayer]

Not sure what happened in your case, but I do know DO NOT update your Creative drivers with Windows (optional) updates for your X-Fi.
I found out the hard way...TWICE!

The Windows Update drivers for Creative, totally screwed up how my speakers worked. Made the rear speakers super loud. It caused me to have to reformat my computer...TWICE. Yes, I tried Windows System Restore rollback, uninstalling the drivers, and reinstalling, EVERYTHING. Nothing would work, and had to back up all my files, and reformat. Oh, and did I mention, this happened TWICE?

It took twice to realize, what screwed me up wasn't Creative's own update driver's from their website, but the optional one that was offered by Windows Update, through their optional hardware updates.
I am using Windows XP MCE version 2002 (with the X-Fi Elite Pro), so I don't know about using the X-Fi under Vista, but Vista is a pain in the ass all by itself.

Did you do any optional Vista Updates for Creative? Just curious.
AS

[cHr0nIc]

Hay KC, those first four columns in the control panel are for playback, i.e. what you hear out of your speakers. The only one you should be concerned with is the slider that has REC above it. See the arrow in the box just under REC? it's drop down menu... use that to select Line-in and you should be golden for recording.

It took me soo damned long to figure that out about my Elite Pro....

[Knight_Christian]

cHroNic, thanks, but actually this isn't the problem, because I like toggled every goddamn switch on that panel, and no effect at all! It seemed to have worked under XP, unfortunately when I had XP on my PC, I didn't check it, so I can't tell

But I found a workaround for my laptop, I just need to record it very silent and then manually make it louder for like +60 dbA afterwards.

Or does it help to disable the adapter within the system panel? Because the wifi adapter also is ready when I toggle wifi connection off (there is a slider on the laptop's front to enable/disable wifi), and when it is off, it still makes these weird sounds (you can hear them actually when going with your ear to the keyboard).

But thanks, also AS, I don't know if that is the reason, but certain rumours said that Creative's Vista drivers are very very bad, but I can't tell! There is too less discussion about this! That is sad

[Entroper]

Windows sound devices are always screwed up for some reason or another. Check in control panel to make sure that your recording device is set to your X-Fi, and not your motherboard's integrated sound. Also be sure you're plugged into the right port, and do a quick record->playback test. Sometimes you're actually recording, but the output isn't going to the speakers (to prevent feedback).

EDIT: Control Panel->Hardware and Sound->Manage Audio Devices.

[Knight_Christian]

Entroper, that could be the thing. I'll check it later. Thanks so far, I'll report if it worked. OR not.

[Unwary_Thief]

You have set as recording from the microphone at the moment and microphones are basically unpowered, set it to record from line-in instead, like so:



Dunno if it would make a difference, or if it's just the Vista drivers.

HTH

[Knight_Christian]

Guys, I think the X-Fi suffers from shitty Vista drivers. Just like nvidia, Creative seems to only have made rudimentary drivers which only provides "basic" functionality without actually doing so. Just like if you screw up your motor for a new car and then repair it to just like 50% so it just drives, but stutters while driving, or like actually 2 of 4 cylinders are actually working. I hope you get the Idea.

Down with Creative!

[MasterEvilAce]

Knight has the right idea. Most hardware seems to have really pisspoor vista drivers. I was going to buy an X-fi soundcard but then read up on them and there's so many problems with them and Vista, that I said screw it. I'm not spending a bunch of money on a card that would be useless if I ever decided to upgrade.

EAX (I think it was..) on X-fi on Vista requires you to use some sort of emulation software, too. I forget the name. Creative is just lazy.

[Unwary_Thief]

It was not Creative's fault that hardware accelerated DirectSound doesn't work in Vista, that is Microsoft removing support for DirectSound in Vista itself, so in Vista any game supporting Hardware DirectSound will be using software emulation instead.

Creative actually have created some emulation software themselves for their own X-Fi cards, which can get DirectSound calls and then use it as OpenAL instead on some games. This allows the games that only support DirectSound to still be hardware accelerated, so you can use EAX and all of your speakers, rather than just stereo.
Sure, Creative have some problems with their drivers, but you should read up on the whole story before stating blame.

[Knight_Christian]

UT, you mean "ALchemy", right? I got it of course, but I think it's a ripoff that owners of a Audigy have to pay for that, while X-Fi users get it for free.

I also knew the DirectSound "issue", but that can't be the reason for the soundcard inputs not to work. I'll buy a Digital Audio Workstation next anyway, I wouldn't record anything musical on that X-Fi honestly.

But it's a fact that many companies spit out crappy drivers for Vista, you can't deny that. (Nvidia for example, ATi (well, these are not that bad actually) ).

[Zocky]

there's only one simple solution: do not use Vista at all. Use XP instead. Should do the trick.

[Knight_Christian]

there's only one simple solution: do not use Vista at all. Use XP instead. Should do the trick.

No, because I'll optimize my gaming engine for DX10, so I can't and won't do that for XP. Let alone for the case to support DX10 (for which many people already have a suitable graphics card for).

Also, I like Vista. And I don't suffer from these FPS lags which I'm supposed to get, but they don't happen at all.
For those who want to know, SS2 runs with the exact FPS rate unter Vista as under XP, Network/external storage drive copying is as fast as under XP, the GUI looks much nicer as under XP, I turned UAC off. Happy?

[cHr0nIc]

Yeah, but KC your acting like it's entirely the fault of the various manufacturers. Microsoft is more at fault here than Creative; Nvidia; ATi; Etc. because they arbitrarily decided that they had to change the way their OS can/will talk to the various components of your computer. Stop and think for a second, if your used to doing something one, because you've been doing that way for god only knows how long, and then all of a sudden someone comes along and says "STOP! you can't do it that way you have to find a different way" but then doesn't really outline a clear path for you, what do you do? Thats exactly where companies, like Creative and Nvidia, are at... sure MS gave them SOME idea as to how it all works, but not really. So they're stuck, having to feel around in the woods in the middle of the night to try to find their way.

Unfortunately, for Creative, it's going to require more than just a simple driver update to get their older cards fully functional under Vista. Their hardware was designed to be accessed directly by the driver, the very thing that Microsoft took out of Vista. It's really no wonder as to why record functionality doesn't work.... It too probably relies on direct calls from the driver to understand whats going on/how to work. For Creative, the only real solution to their/your woes under Vista, is going to be new hardware. As a matter of fact they have just released their first Vista Certified Sound Card, the X-Fi Xtreme Audio. However it should be noted that this is in fact a modified Audigy. But it is fully function under Vista.

Now, don't get me wrong here, I'm not trying to defend Creative. I know that Creative has a really shitty track record for supporting it's products. They seem to kind of forget about a product within a week of it's release. And they do have a tendency of not giving a crap about their customers after they've taken your money. But really who's fault is that? Theirs for not giving a crap? Or, ours, for continuing to support such abuse.

There's also the fact that your expecting everything that worked well under XP to function the same under Vista. On one hand, as a consumer, thats what you would expect. But on the other hand, you've got a company thats trying to make strides into the future, and realistically... Well, lets just say you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. In the end it boils down to two things...

1) A company can not please 100% of the customers 100% of the time.
2) Consumers should not be so quick to jump on a new products bandwagon.

Honestly KC, I'm glad you found a work around to your woes with your Laptop.

That is all.

[sURFNmADNESS]

Check the Creative Beta Vista Drivers pages. Sometimes the forums also have other links.

[Knight_Christian]

@ Chronic:

Sorry, that was maybe a bit overreacted, from my side

You are right, it's not 100% creative's fault and it is actually good that they have been making ALchemy possible, after all. But it seems as a general ignorance from companies about Vista, like nearly all companies seem to ignore the 64-bit versions of Windows, no matter which OS.

But that will clear itself once companies need more than 4 GB of RAM for whatever, then 64-Bit OS got their turns.

[Entroper]

But that will clear itself once companies need more than 4 GB of RAM for whatever, then 64-Bit OS got their turns.

Expect this to happen by the end of this year. OEMs are already selling computers with 3 GB of RAM rather than 4 GB due to the memory ceiling (and video memory shadowing the address space such that 4 full GB can't be accessed). With 4 GB of DDR2 selling for $120, the time for OEMs to suck it up and go 64-bit is now.

[Knight_Christian]

Hey people

guess what

What where they smoking pot up their asses?

"Mic" actually refers to the connection where the red light comes out! And NOT to the connection where it is RED outside! Figured this out after 1 hour of testing!

I thought, SP/DIF is where the Red light comes out, but it's not! Idiots!

This error exists in both English and German language Versions IIRC.

[cHr0nIc]

Light?

What light? I have an Elite Pro and there are no lights on my model...

Which version of the X-Fi do you have?

Lights?

[Knight_Christian]

Light?

What light? I have an Elite Pro and there are no lights on my model...

Which version of the X-Fi do you have?

Lights?

When you look on the rear of your PC, there is your soundcard's inputs facing you. One of the inputs has a red light coming out. At least on my one.

BUT:

What's really annoying: The control panel of the X-Fi actually behaves different under Vista than under XP! Can you believe that? Under XP it is way more comfortable than under Vista! Jesus christ almighty...

Glad though that it wasn't Vista. Though I had to switch back to XP due to my GC failure and Vista's stupidass nvidia drivers won't recognize my GF 4 MX 4000 I now HAVE to use. Nvidia gets more and more arrogant IMO.

Or maybe it's just the way things go on, who knows. Anyway, glad that I hadn't to return my card. Having fun next weeks with recording bass and keyboard

Maybe I'll become a great sound technician next years, would be my dream job (besides coding)

[Entroper]

The port with a light coming out is an optical output, I think. Unless there's some kind of red LED on your soundcard that's just happening to shine through a port. Is it a standard 3.5 mm jack or is it black and square?

[sURFNmADNESS]

Some of the Extreme X-FI's have optical ports. example