Realtek audio codecs don't properly render EAX

I use onboard audio and get great EAX results :D

Of course I've one of the MSI K8N Platinum/SLI motherboards that have an onboard Creative Labs solution for the audio chipset. Wonder if more MB makers may make the switch, especially if gamers wise up?
 
alls i got to say... is .... no really?????? the integrated audio will probably most likely never render EAX properly, as first off isnt it creative only? second off, it would be hard to do on integrated
 
The issue is do game developers want to support DirectSound and Microsoft's ability to support directional audio, or Creatives?

No EAX, no issues :D

While I have a Creative Labs sound solution, expecting EAX support with non-Creative gear is similar to those back in the day that were disappointed that S3 didn't support GLIDE (Glide being the proprietary 3D libraries for the 3dFX solutions).

So what about A3D 2.0 support? That was Aureal's proprietary positional HTRF solution, should I be cheesed out that my Creative board doesn't render it correctly?

Diamond Monster Sound PCI ftw! (Just kidding, but I used to own one a long time back).
 
This is all true, but in theory, Creative opened up eax 1 and 2 for anybody to use, and supposedly it is supposed to be the gaming audio standard.
Problem is, it doesn't work.
I'm certainly no expert on this stuff, but I do know EAX 3/4/5 games sound a lot better than non-eax games, in general. Not sure why more games aren't made simply using DirectSound, like Doom3 was originally, and like HL2 is today.
 
The issue is do game developers want to support DirectSound and Microsoft's ability to support directional audio, or Creatives?
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EAX != DirectSound3D

EAX is just a reverb layer that goes on top of DirectSound3D or OpenAL. HL2 uses DirectSound3D and Miles emulated surround sound (an alternative to EAX that has support on all sound cards). So the choice for developers is to support a more open reverb layer like Miles, make their own, or just support EAX. Most opt for EAX since it's pretty easy to implement and has quite the user base (the main reason Valve chose Miles is because Miles is located down the road from Valve).
 
jebo_4jc said:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=3948

Interesting. I always thought the audio I got from my Soundstorm didn't sound nearly as immersive as it should have....and this also explains why my Audigy/X-Fi sound so greatly superior in games.
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You noticed who was behind those observations, right?

I mean, Creative Labs is *totally* a disinterested third party, who would have NOTHING to gain by people being suspect of their onboard audio, would they?

FWIW, I am just using Realtek's HDA onboard. In playing "America's Army" 2.7, I have no problem with position audio at all. Indeed, I usually crank the volume up until it makes my ears hurt to hear rifle fire - the positioning of the footsteps on the pavement with EAX acceleration is accurate enough that I can actually survive most maps by the auditory queues that someone is approaching from behind me or around a corner.

(And, to be clear, this IS the EAX effect working, here. Regular DirectSound has, of course, 'positional audio'. With headphones, using DS3D, you can clearly hear "in front of you", "behind you", etc. That's not good enough. What EAX does is add reverb effects so you can hear the distinction between "in front of you" and "in front of you, around the corner, walking on grass" or "behind you, behind a truck, walking on pavement".)
 
You noticed who was behind those observations, right?
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Well it was SoundMax who made the original claims, Creative just chimed in. Some one with Reltek and an Audigy/X-Fi should test this theory out with some EAX 2 games.

Actually come to think of it, I could do this test (I have Reltek HD Codec thing, whatever it's called), but I don't have the time this week. So perhaps someone who has more time can do this test? :confused: Worst comes to worst, I'll test it next week.
 
Moofasa~ said:
EAX != DirectSound3D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification, guess that wasn't clear from my original statement.

HighTest said:
The issue is do game developers want to support DirectSound and Microsoft's ability to support directional audio, or Creatives?
Click to expand...

What I had intended to say if it wasn't clear is that developers need to make a choice. Granted EAX is a reverb/HTRF layer that can be enabled on top of DirectSound3D but it's still a development decision. Personally I really enjoy the MILES system used by Valve in the HL2 series, sounds fantastic. Apparently the problem from the article above is that developers have been making the choice to use EAX because of all those different sound chipsets that are supposed to support it. But non Analog Devices or Creative Labs owners are not actually benefitting from the HTRF functions of EAX at all.

I bet Valve knew this and thus had chosen MILES for Source.
 
I bet Valve knew this and thus had chosen MILES for Source.
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Well like I said there are two reasons why Valve chose Miles. First, they are right down the street from Valve (don't laugh, this is the main reason why they chose Miles), and Miles works on any DirectSound3D soundcard (but some of the calculations are done in software, which is why many other developers don't use Miles). It's a trade off, having vast hardware support but with less performance, or having select hardware support (in which it appears that not all hardware supports it correctly) with higher performance. Most developers chose the latter.
 
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