Creative Returns with SB X-Fi Titanium HD

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I still have a ticket open with creative because of their drivers causing my mic to totally stop working when I have more than 4gb of ram in my system. Every time I reply to their email I get a reply telling me to install the newest driver... as if I havent done that from the last email. Each email is from a different person so its not like anyone over there in india or wherever is taking ownership of my issue or anything.
 
[citation][nom]Waethorn[/nom]I had a GUS too. The original one was probably the best because of the hardware mixer.Windows 95 killed the GUS when Gravis decided not to make DirectSound-compatible drivers (probably due to the fact that DS expects to do software mixing, when the GUS wanted to do all that work with it's superior audio processor). The follow-ups (GUS PnP, GUS Max, etc.) were crap, and they didn't do justice to the demo scene.[/citation]

Completely agree, I go through my demo archive every few years, good stuff.
 
[citation][nom]C 64[/nom]Too make you feel even a little older .... Shortly before the first SB and Tandy became more than just showroom exemplars there was also an Cowox (I think) "card", that you could make at home and plug it into the centronix interface in the back of the PC box (usually used by printers) to get "better" sound than from PC speaker.If I remember correctly even some Sierra games supported it.[/citation]

Covox, had one of their voice recognition devices, used it on MicroProse flight simulators like F19, F15, etc.
 
[citation][nom]michaelahess[/nom]I miss my GUS..... :-([/citation]
From what I understand TiMidity++ produces similar results from midi files. At least Wikipedia says it's "a software MIDI synthesizer which can use GUS patches." I've never had a GUS, but TiMidity++ sounds far better than the regular midi synth in Windows and Quicktime.
 
Neat, but I'd be more interested in a new E-MU 1212M audio interface from Creative that has 64MB of X-Ram on it I could see having built in Ram cache being useful for a DAW card.
 
If you really like sound, then the upgrade is worth it from on-board to a dedicated card! I run a $4000au sound system, and there is a huge difference between on board sound and the x-fi extreme music I run. I run it to upscale 2ch sources into DTS, and it does a really, really good job. I have also tested out the Asus Xonar D2X (for that comment earlier about optical not going through the coaxial, that's what the D2X car does, its 2 connections in 1) and it did sound better, but not enough to be worth forking out the cash for the upgrade. I do use the Daniel K x-fi support pack 2.0 drivers though. I haven't had any problems. Creatives own drivers are horrible though. And they tend to treat people like crap. If the new cards come out cheap, I guess it would be their way of saying sorry.
 
[citation][nom]NivenFres[/nom]The elimination of hardware acceleration through DirectSound starting in Vista didn't help their cause either. Unless the game uses OpenAL or their DirectX -> OpenAL translation driver (which doesn't work for all games anyway), you're not getting the benefit of having that much audio hardware.[/citation]

Yes I remember those spian and gustapo sounds from the sound blaster in Wolf 3d! MLF!!!!!!!
 
very very crappy driver, quality yeah maybe but compatibility, h*ll no. such a headache, you uninstalled then reinstalled still nothing. then you search and find something like "install this if you previously installed this certain driver", what the?

and yes builtin sound is very much acceptable, and cheap, they even have digital output
 
Just beware of Creative and Auzentech products, they make bad drivers. If you don't believe me, look into their forums.
 
Sorry Creative, i don't need you and your sh1t drivers. Like many people the onboard is good enough. Why don't you team up with Bigfoot and create an "expansion cards you never knew you needed" package?
 
I too agree that Creative has made some bad drivers, but I do still use the x-fi. Onboard sound has a latency that is much too high compared to a dedicated card. Also if you use music creation software like fruityloops this becomes noticible. For mainstream apps or gaming an onboard soundcard is enough, and unfortunately for creative, the xfi is not for the masses anymore.
 
[citation][nom]dupaman[/nom]Until they iron out all the glitches in their bloatware drivers and give me full as-advertised functionality in Win7 x64 with my X-Fi Plat (ie:without the random occasional channel mapping swaps, or intermittent crackles/popping sounds in previous OSes), Creative can go fuck themselves.[/citation]

I always hear people having problems with their cards. I still to this day remember getting some creative "gamer" card around 2003, give or take a year or so. I literally had nothing but problems and returned it, biggest waste of time and money. Not only that, the average onboard audio chips are plenty good for an average computer user.
 
They had thier day in the sun... Now they just sell overprice products no one needs. And good luck if you need support. The drivers suck, I'm done with this company. I'm now using onboard sound. (There is no real reason to have more than that... Unless you really are an audiophile.)
 
@gsacks: dang, you beat me to it. I agree that they must mean digital coax and not optical. 🙂

@Waethorn: I still have my WaveBlaster compatible knock-off card from Shark, though I haven't had a place to plug it in for years. They offered a card that used "advanced compression techniques" to fit their samples in 1/2 the ROM space as needed by Creative Labs. This cut their price to < $50 at a time when the WaveBlaster sold for > $100. That said, the sound it produced was barely any better than SB's onboard MIDI synthesis.
 
opmopadop, you are incorrect and providing disinformation. All surface mount caps use a solid electrolyte and are certified to work with lead free temps.

Where do you come up with such erronious thinking?
 
I know that creative failed some years,
but, the drivers are nog working well,
and creative is building a better reputation with this new cards
so, why would they make the same mistake with these cards?
they don't, so i'm buying it.

I've got the Creative X-Fi Titanium PCIe
and it works great with XP prof 32bit and Windows 7 32-64 bit.
But for my new pc, this Creative Titanium HD will rock!

So, still against Creative? I don't care. But the sound is great.
I've heard the C-Media chips in soms ASUS cards, and they sound like
my onboard VIA (from asus M4a78t-e mobo)

It sounds great, but creative has better stuff for the same price.
i've tested it @ a lan party at my neighbors house.

With a SteelSeries Siberia from my friend
and my philips SPH2000

With some songs of myself, some from i-tunes and in some games.

So, if you want Creative, go and get it.

 
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