Problem with Sound Blaster Card?

Hi,

After purchasing a sound blaster sound card, my computer started having problems with the sound...music, video, etc... It's like electronic stuttering and distortion. I replaced the card with a new one and I'm still having the same problem. I didn't have that problem with the sound card that came with the computer. Is there a simple solution for this?

Thank You

Rodney Samuels

This question was answered on February 2, 2005. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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There Is No Audio Playback After You Install the Sound Blaster Live! Sound Card

SYMPTOMS

On a Windows XP-based computer, if you are using a Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! sound card, the computer may seem to play sounds but you do not hear any audio playback

CAUSE

This issue can occur because of an incompatibility between the playback configurations of the sound card driver and the settings in the Windows XP volume controls; you can configure both the sound card software and the Windows XP volume controls to use either analog output or digital output

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, you may need to change the output setting from digital to analog in the Windows XP volume controls: 1 Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Entertainment, and then click Volume Control

2 In Volume Control, on the Options menu, click Advanced Controls

3 Click Advanced Options on the Play Control dialog box

4 Click to clear the Digital Output Only check box, and then click Close

NOTE: If you cleared the Digital Output Only check box before you updated the driver, turn on the digital playback, and then test the audio playback

MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

An update for the driver that is included with Windows XP is available for download from the Windows Update Web site The version that is currently available is the Windows Driver Model V 5.1.2601.0 for the Sound Blaster Live! sound card To download and install the updated driver, go to the following Microsoft Web site: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp If you are using a retail version of the Sound Blaster sound card, you may need to download the latest driver from the Sound Blaster Web site: http://www.SoundBlaster.com/support/winxp Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support This contact information may change without notice Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

Creative currently has the following Sound Blaster sound cards for Windows XP-compatible drivers: • Sound Blaster Audigy

• Sound Blaster Live! Value 5.1

• Sound Blaster PCI 512

• Sound Blaster PCI 16, Vibra128 and AudioPCI

• Sound Blaster PCI 128

• Sound Blaster PCI Compact (CT5808)

To install the updated driver: 1 In Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click the System icon

2 In the System Properties dialog box, on the Hardware tab, click Device Manager, and then click Sound Video and Game Controllers

3 Click Creative SB Live!, and then on the Driver tab, click Update Driver

4 In the Hardware Update Wizard, click Advanced, click Install from a list or specific location, and then click Next

5 Click Don't search I will choose the driver to install, and then click Next

6 Click Have Disk

7 In the Install From Disk dialog box, in the Copy manufacturer's files from box, type the name and the location for the downloaded driver, such as C:\Drivers\751204, and then click OK

8 Click OK, click Finish, and then click Close

9 Click Yes when you are prompted to restart the computer

NOTE: Contact the manufacturer for additional assistance with the installation of drivers for the Sound Blaster sound cards that you can download from the Creative Web site.

After you install the Sound Blaster sound card software, you may need to turn off the Digital Output Only option for the Sound Blaster Live! mixer: 1 Start the Sound Blaster Live! mixer

2 Click the Creative icon in the upper-left corner (the small icon)

3 Click Advanced Control A red plus sign is displayed over the mixer

4 Turn off the Digital Output Only option

In addition, if you are using Sound Blaster Live! Value 5.1 sound card, you may need to reinstall the software for the device after you upgrade your computer to Windows XP.

NOTE: For additional assistance with the Sound Blaster audio mixer or with additional software installations, refer to the manufacturer.

If you have a Gateway computer with the OEM version of Sound Blaster, you may need to install the updated driver that is available from the Gateway Web site; you can also try using the Sound Blaster Live! Value basic driver version 3510.0.0.0 from the Gateway Web site for the Sound Blaster Live! Value 5.1 sound card.

To access the Gateway Web site: http://www.gateway.com/support/drivers/dlcenter.asp Go to the Gateway support Web site to verify the exact model for the audio device (you need to have your customer ID and the serial number for the computer that is having the problem) Refer to the manufacturer if you need assistance in determining the proper driver to download for your Gateway computer Gateway also has a utility that you can use to determine the make and the model of the sound card that is installed on your Gateway computer To access the Gateway utility, go to the following Gateway Web site: http://www.gateway.com/support/drivers/output.asp?txtFileName=gtwupd.exe NOTE: Please refer to the manufacturer if you need help using this utility.

If you are using the Boston Acoustic Speakers that were included with your Gateway computer, you may need to turn on digital output You need to turn on digital output if the following scenario occurs:

After you upgrade to Windows XP and you verify that all of the correct sound drivers are installed, you do not hear any sound through the Boston Acoustics 7500 Surround Sound speakers; however, when you plug headphones into the sound card or if you use an analog-only speaker set, you can hear audio playback.

To turn on digital playback: 1 Click the Sound Blaster Live! icon in the notification area

2 Click Open Audio HQ

3 Click the Speakers icon

4 Click to select Digital Output Only

5 Test the audio playback

About the author

Posted by Eramilde of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on February 2, 2005

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