Latency with x-fi elite pro and dolby digital live

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invalidbuffalo

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
419
I just bought and installed Creative's Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect pack so that I could play games with 5.1 audio via optical from my x-fi elite pro to my receiver. It works fine, except that the sound is delayed about 100ms (same on both DDL and DTSC) and for FPS games it's a little distracting. Does anyone else have this issue? Is there anything I can do to minimize latency?

Alternatively is there any way to enable DDL with the realtek 882 on my board?

Specs:
X-Fi Elite Pro, 2.18.0015 Feb '11 drivers
QX6700 @ 3.5
EVGA 680i SLI A1
4x2GB GSkill DDR2 800
EVGA GTX 560 2GB
 
Not sure if this method only adjusts volume by lowering the aux input but you can try it.

Load up Creative Console Launcher then click on Smart Volume Management and turn SVM off.

Otherwise you might need to check your receivers manual for some hidden setting.
 
inelegant said:
Not sure if this method only adjusts volume by lowering the aux input but you can try it.

Load up Creative Console Launcher then click on Smart Volume Management and turn SVM off.

Otherwise you might need to check your receivers manual for some hidden setting.
Click to expand...

I'm not certain you understand the issue I'm having. There's a slight but noticeable lag of the sound output when DDL or DTS:C is turned on. SVM is off and my receiver is configured correctly-movies with DTS or DD encoded soundtracks have their audio and video in sync.
 
You have the creative console launcher installed right?

Entertainment mode has the options for Dolby and DTS and are both configured On (external decoder) or Off (built-in decoder).

I was thinking that you played with these settings already and was just taking a wild guess the SVM was creating some interferences with your sound.
 
It's installed, but the bitstream out options are only for spdif passthrough from already encoded material-it doesn't encode uncompressed pcm 5.1 from games.

I just tried setting the priority of the creative audio service task to 'realtime' but it yielded no discernible improvement.
 
It could always be because your receiver it taking time to process it.
 
100ms is a LOT. Shouldn't be showing that much delay.

Just for kicks, what does the latency look like with just 2.0 PCM? (Trying to rule out an issue with optical per se first)
 
Just curious but do the games you are playing already contain 5.1 sound information? What mode are you running the card in? Are you using the Cystalizer, CMSS, or EAX features?
 
gamerk2 said:
100ms is a LOT. Shouldn't be showing that much delay.

Just for kicks, what does the latency look like with just 2.0 PCM? (Trying to rule out an issue with optical per se first)
Click to expand...

If I leave DDL and DTSC off there's no latency at all

cyclone3d said:
Have you tried the new driver that was released on the 3rd of this month?

http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=1&subCatID=208&prodID=14064&prodName=Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro&subCatName=X-Fi&CatName=Sound+Blaster&VARSET=prodfaq:pRODFAQ_14064,VARSET=CategoryID:1
Click to expand...

Yes, but it causes my computer to hang on shutdown. After installing the previous drivers (same version without windows 8 support) no hangups.

PCMusicGuy said:
Just curious but do the games you are playing already contain 5.1 sound information? What mode are you running the card in? Are you using the Cystalizer, CMSS, or EAX features?
Click to expand...

As far as I know they all are 5.1 capable. Any game that came out after 2000 is pretty much guaranteed to be 5.1. I have it set to entertainment mode currently, switching modes to either gaming or music production does not help. All "enhancements" are turned off
 
Are there any other devices sharing an IRQ with the sound card?

USB, storage controllers, and video can and will cause issues when sharing an IRQ with a video card.

Have you tried putting the card in a different PCI slot?
 
cyclone3d said:
Are there any other devices sharing an IRQ with the sound card?

USB, storage controllers, and video can and will cause issues when sharing an IRQ with a video card.

Have you tried putting the card in a different PCI slot?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately my only other PCI connector is blocked by tubing going through the back slot to my radiator.

I'm considering just selling my x-fi and getting a asus xonar with either DDL or DTSC support. I really don't use any of the features of the x-fi anyway...
 
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DDL adds ~100ms of latency to audio. Always has; probably always will. (No one will sink money into R&D for it with HDMI having rendered it irrelevant.) I have no first-hand knowledge on DTS:C, but all reports I've seen give it roughly comparable latency.
 
It certainly does add latency. People using the stand alone DTS-610 reported the same problem. If your receiver is newer you probably don't have multi channel analog inputs, but that would have been the best way. Currently, I think you are stuck with 2.1 over optical and letting your receiver upmix to 5.1. It will probably still sound pretty good, but you will lose a little bit of direction with the sounds.
 
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