X-Fi functionality on ANY Realtek HDA Codec!

**Jamesrt2004** · 03-09-2009, 08:17 AM

Recommend this + SRS Audio Sandbox

Makes music sound WAY better even on these chepo Sweex 5.1 system

+ can I install this WITH the ATI HDMI Driver? as I didnt bite the bullet as I was worried it wouldnt work?

**Ket** · 03-09-2009, 08:23 AM

The HDMI driver installed fine for me, so no reason to think it wont for you

**Jamesrt2004** · 03-09-2009, 08:27 AM

"Works"

Will test tomorow on the Tele

Cheers

**Ket** · 03-09-2009, 08:32 AM

All in my days work "fighting crime", as the saying goes

**Jamesrt2004** · 03-09-2009, 09:56 AM

Can I ask how you started modding drivers etc... as i'm very much interested in getting into it myself

**Ket** · 03-09-2009, 10:30 AM

I just started messing around with things really. My mind works in a very technical way, so hard stuff I find easier than simple stuff. I can literally open a file up, see whats in it and I just know what it does.

**ToTTenTranz** · 03-09-2009, 11:40 AM

Only works with EAX 4.0.
EAX 5 has always been an EMU20Kx-only feature, since using this through software alone would probably cripple most mid-end CPUs.

Beware with emulating EAX 4.0 on non-Creative hardware though. It brings many ~2Ghz dualies to their knees.

**Ket** · 03-09-2009, 02:08 PM

Theres no emulation taking place AFAIK, which means the Realtek chip can do it

AFAIK all the way up to EAX 4.0 anyway its all software doing the job, EAX 5 is hardware with a X-Fi.

**Ket** · 03-09-2009, 03:49 PM

Vote with your feet, buy a Xonar

**iandh** · 03-09-2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by KaptCrunch

burns me that CT wants money for products with no digital signed drivers

with my x-fi and vista every time i play a game the sounds goes and have to remove and install again

I picked up an x-fi xtremegamer (only because it was CHEEAAAAP) and it works perfectly in Vista x64

Nice work BTW OP

**VIctorj** · 03-09-2009, 07:12 PM

Using them right now on vista 64. Noticeable difference. Not the same as the real thing tho...i miss my x-fi. Have to get another one now.

**Ket** · 03-10-2009, 04:42 AM

Buy a Xonar

ZERO problems with drivers nomatter the OS your using

**Jamesrt2004** · 03-10-2009, 06:21 AM

+ 1 on Xonar,

X-Fi sucks took mine out about a month ago had it for about 3 days and literally gave it away

silly thing

**Ket** · 03-10-2009, 06:39 AM

Giving it away is too good for a X-Fi... should of smashed it into a million bits with a sledgehammer, then blowtorched it, then attached a post-it note to it reading "I sincerely hope the company go the way of this soundcard" and posted it to crapative

**karateo** · 03-10-2009, 06:46 AM

Downloading now to use on Vista x64
so I only need:

X-Fi MB Software 138MB (recompressed for much smaller DL size)
and
Realtek Vista X-Fi mod driver R2.17 15MB

right?
Many many thanks Ket

**Ket** · 03-10-2009, 06:59 AM

Don't use the X-Fi software, doesn't work on Vista. Driver does tho.

**ToTTenTranz** · 03-10-2009, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Ket

Theres no emulation taking place AFAIK, which means the Realtek chip can do it

AFAIK all the way up to EAX 4.0 anyway its all software doing the job, EAX 5 is hardware with a X-Fi.

EMU20K1 and EMU20K2 (X-Fi and X-Fi Titanium except for XtremeAudio, notebook and USB versions): Accelerates all EAX versions through hardware.
EMU10K2 (Audigy 1 and 2, except for SE, Value, LS and notebook/USB versions): Accelerates EAX 4.0 and inferior through hardware.
EMU10K1 (Live! except for "24 bit" version) and nVidia Soundstorm: Accelerates EAX 1.0 and 2.0 through hardware.

Everything else does any EAX version through the CPU. There's no DSP functionality in realtek's codecs or in (your beloved) Xonar's rebranded CMI8788 from C-Media, because they're just simple codecs.

Having the CPU to emulate EAX 4.0 is heavy. I know this because I'm using a X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB card (non-eax capable hardware), and turning on EAX 4.0 or emulating OpenAL hardware will give me better surround sound, but it will also lower my framerate in newer games, because my C2D T7200 2.0Ghz gets overloaded.
With a quad-core or a 3+Ghz dual-core I don't think this would happen, though.

Originally Posted by Ket

Vote with your feet, buy a Xonar

Originally Posted by Ket

Buy a Xonar

ZERO problems with drivers nomatter the OS your using

Originally Posted by Ket

Giving it away is too good for a X-Fi... should of smashed it into a million bits with a sledgehammer, then blowtorched it, then attached a post-it note to it reading "I sincerely hope the company go the way of this soundcard" and posted it to crapative

Blatant advertising and any anti-company cheap trolling is forbidden in this forum. Reported.

**karateo** · 03-10-2009, 07:44 AM

Just tried your drivers and to be honest i found them to have lower quality than the original realtek drivers.
Just went back to latest realtek ones as i like the quality and i don't expect wonders from an onboard sound card

thank you though for your effort

**Ket** · 03-10-2009, 08:20 AM

Here are some results a TPU user done with RMAA(LINK). Quality is CERTAINLY better. First SS are with 2.17 vanilla, 2nd SS are with 2.17 "X-Fi".

**Ket** · 03-10-2009, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by ToTTenTranz

EMU20K1 and EMU20K2 (X-Fi and X-Fi Titanium except for XtremeAudio, notebook and USB versions): Accelerates all EAX versions through hardware.
EMU10K2 (Audigy 1 and 2, except for SE, Value, LS and notebook/USB versions): Accelerates EAX 4.0 and inferior through hardware.
EMU10K1 (Live! except for "24 bit" version) and nVidia Soundstorm: Accelerates EAX 1.0 and 2.0 through hardware.

Everything else does any EAX version through the CPU. There's no DSP functionality in realtek's codecs or in (your beloved) Xonar's rebranded CMI8788 from C-Media, because they're just simple codecs.

Having the CPU to emulate EAX 4.0 is heavy. I know this because I'm using a X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB card (non-eax capable hardware), and turning on EAX 4.0 or emulating OpenAL hardware will give me better surround sound, but it will also lower my framerate in newer games, because my C2D T7200 2.0Ghz gets overloaded.
With a quad-core or a 3+Ghz dual-core I don't think this would happen, though.

Blatant advertising and any anti-company cheap trolling is forbidden in this forum. Reported.

Your sounding very much like a troll. I'm recommending people buy a Xonar over a X-Fi for clear reasons - its a better card. Next you will be saying other members are "blatantly advertising" and being "anti-company" in the audio section where people recommend the Xonar, Auzentech prelude, X-Plosion, etc, over a X-Fi

You will also notice I have recommended the Xonar when people have bought soundcards up, otherwise keeping to the point of this thread (and even the sidenotes are still relative). Idiot. For the sake of NOT taking this thread off topic I'll refrain from picking the rest of your post apart.

ED - Heres a review of the Xonar DX @ The Tech Report. Now, back to the topic in hand, peoples experiences with the driver.

**Movieman** · 03-10-2009, 08:55 AM

These damned scratchy hats I have to put on;
Gentlemen;
Please refrain from attacking one another.
Keep a perspective please.
It's just parts..Good or bad it's just parts.
Not worth getting upset about.
Friends first and remember,the less I type the less I feel the effects of the carpal tunnel..
Thanks for reading!

**B.E.E.F.** · 03-10-2009, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by ToTTenTranz

Having the CPU to emulate EAX 4.0 is heavy. I know this because I'm using a X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB card (non-eax capable hardware), and turning on EAX 4.0 or emulating OpenAL hardware will give me better surround sound, but it will also lower my framerate in newer games, because my C2D T7200 2.0Ghz gets overloaded.
With a quad-core or a 3+Ghz dual-core I don't think this would happen, though.

Well there's your problem. Why are you using the T7200? That's the part that's lowering your framerates.

BTW, there is no perceived difference between emulated and hardware unless you have ears like a bat.

**ToTTenTranz** · 03-10-2009, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by B.E.E.F.

Well there's your problem. Why are you using the T7200? That's the part that's lowering your framerates.

BTW, there is no perceived difference between emulated and hardware unless you have ears like a bat.

I'm using a T7200 because it's the CPU that came with my laptop. And since it's a Merom, there's nothing really worth upgrading to

There's no difference at all between emulated and hardware in the way it sounds.
Just like comparing the difference in image quality between a 9500GT and a 9800GTX+... if you apply the same settings, they will render the exact same pixels in each frame. Performance, on the other hand, differs greatly.

I have no doubt a tri/quad-core or even a faster dual-core could handle EAX 4.0 with no problems (my T7200 only "complains" with last-gen games). But I'd advise the low-end CPU users to refrain from using this software, unless they upgrade the CPU or get an actual X-Fi.

**Jamesrt2004** · 03-10-2009, 10:14 AM

Right I'll end it....

If you have a lower specced computer i.e maybe a laptop or a lower-end dual/single core processor it might give you a bit of a performance hit

And People are entitled to their opinions on what hardware they like etc....

end of :P:

**B.E.E.F.** · 03-10-2009, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by ToTTenTranz

I'm using a T7200 because it's the CPU that came with my laptop. And since it's a Merom, there's nothing really worth upgrading to

OK. try this: Change your power settings to throttle the CPU to 100%, then come back and say software emulation of sound makes your games lag. You do realize your cpu is being dynamically adjusted, even more aggressively then a desktop one. For battery life.

BTW, if you're using Vista you're getting software emulation anyways.

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