Microsoft is making a tech-demo version of its upcoming DirectX 10.1 available via download, including a version of XAudio2, the company's cross-platform replacement for DirectSound.
Users can try out both via the 468-Mbyte version of the August 2007 DirectX SDK. There's a catch, though: the August 2007 Direct3D 10.1 Tech Preview requires the Windows Vista SP1 Beta which will be available to MSDN subscribers once it is publicly released, according to Microsoft.
According to Microsoft, "Direct3D 10.1 is an incremental, side-by-side update to Direct3D 10.0 that provides a series of new rendering features that will be available in an upcoming generation of graphics hardware." The XAudio2 technology is also used in the Xbox 360, and will eventually replace DirectSound as the PC's main audio driver, according to Microsoft.
View: Full Article @ Extreme Tech
Users can try out both via the 468-Mbyte version of the August 2007 DirectX SDK. There's a catch, though: the August 2007 Direct3D 10.1 Tech Preview requires the Windows Vista SP1 Beta which will be available to MSDN subscribers once it is publicly released, according to Microsoft.
According to Microsoft, "Direct3D 10.1 is an incremental, side-by-side update to Direct3D 10.0 that provides a series of new rendering features that will be available in an upcoming generation of graphics hardware." The XAudio2 technology is also used in the Xbox 360, and will eventually replace DirectSound as the PC's main audio driver, according to Microsoft.
View: Full Article @ Extreme Tech
every time something new comes out (new version of Windows, new version of DirectX), Creative Labs doesn't bother updating the drivers or software for existing products - they instead create new products and tell customers to buy the new products in order to get support.
Creative Labs has shown time and time again that they don't support their products, so having a new version of DirectX means they will have one more thing not to support with the current products.
I'm still waiting for 4 speaker/DirectSound3D WDM drivers for my CT4700 based Sound Blaster PCI128. it's been 8 years, and they have yet to release drivers for it.
they released VXD drivers for it that supported 4 speaker/DirectSound 3D under DirectX 5/6, but their WDM drivers only support standard 2 speaker audio.
every time something new comes out (new version of Windows, new version of DirectX), Creative Labs doesn't bother updating the drivers or software for existing products - they instead create new products and tell customers to buy the new products in order to get support.
Creative Labs has shown time and time again that they don't support their products, so having a new version of DirectX means they will have one more thing not to support with the current products.
I'm still waiting for 4 speaker/DirectSound3D WDM drivers for my CT4700 based Sound Blaster PCI128. it's been 8 years, and they have yet to release drivers for it.
they released VXD drivers for it that supported 4 speaker/DirectSound 3D under DirectX 5/6, but their WDM drivers only support standard 2 speaker audio.
As much as I agree with you that creative are crap... and they should have updated the drivers for that card before... 8 years! They won't do that now will they. If they were going to do it, at all, they would have done it already. Perhaps it's time to let it go.
either buy a new card or stop complaining, if after 8 years you still haven't learned to perhaps not buy creative products anymore then thats your problem.
the adage, "trick me once shame on you, trick me twice shame on me" comes to mind.
either buy a new card or stop complaining, if after 8 years you still haven't learned to perhaps not buy creative products anymore then thats your problem.
the adage, "trick me once shame on you, trick me twice shame on me" comes to mind.
well, the card wasn't 8 years when they stopped supporting it.
i purchased it brand new in 1998, and by 1999 it was forgotten. Creative Labs recommended people buy an SB Live! at the time. and of course all those who purchased an SB Live! were forgotten when the SB Audigy came out, and so on.
i ended up purchasing a CMedia 8738 sound card. even though it was basically AC'97 audio on a PCI card, the company made WDM drivers that worked with all 4 speakers.
from that i went to a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz. drivers havent been updated for it in years, but they at least provided WDM drivers.
now i've been using my nForce3 system's onboard audio, Realtek ALC650 i believe. 6 speaker support. they have good support even for 64-bit Vista.
Last edited by Xerxes on 01 Aug 2007 - 11:19
It could go either way, but it wouldn't make since for them to release something that nobody could use. So it actually leans more towards a possible release of the Vista SP1 beta in August. Maybe both would be released the same day?
Read more into the article before shouting out an answer.
Sorry dude, you're **** out of luck. But don't worry, you wont be missing out on anything for a few years to come.
- you should know how computer standards work. new stuff is coming out all the time. don't you think those who bought a DX9/SM2 card felt a little weird when the Shader Model 3 cards came out later?
- if you have enough disposable income to make such a purchase in the first place, then you have enough to buy a $450 10.1 card.
Cheers!!
Cheers!!
I'd wait till the end of this year beginning of next - SP1 of Windows Vista released; drivers will be more mature, new processors from Intel etc. etc. Yes, its abit of a wait but atleast if you purchase it then its going to atleast last 3 years rather than buying something now and regreting it later.
I'm not sure, but they may be.
I guess I'll continue to stick with DX9 for now, and wait for some real DX10 hardware to be released. And some DX10-only games worth buying. Going to upgrade my motherboard, CPU, RAM for now.
You are out of luck if you are using Creative's implementation -- most of these unique Vista audio features will not be available to you.
You are out of luck if you are using Creative's implementation -- most of these unique Vista audio features will not be available to you.
You can use this on any sound implementation lacking DRC, so I guess it's not such an unique feature.
more interested in wether Xaudio2 will allow hardware access and thus more efficient sound processing than than the software ased openAL. and if the difference is similar to DirectX vs OpenGL.. yeah I know which one I'm rooting for too. There are many things to be said about MS, but their proprietay technologies in this case are better than the free alternatives.
The only problem is of course if Creative ends up with another EAX situation and can monopolize game audio. But if it's the same as in the 360, I wouldn't worry too much.
more interested in wether Xaudio2 will allow hardware access and thus more efficient sound processing than than the software ased openAL. and if the difference is similar to DirectX vs OpenGL.. yeah I know which one I'm rooting for too. There are many things to be said about MS, but their proprietay technologies in this case are better than the free alternatives.
What are you talking about? OpenAL allows hardware access.
Regarding DirectX vs OpenGL, you might want to show some proof to back your statement.
Sorry to be blunt, but you don't know what you're talking about.
OpenGL's performance on Vista is no better or worse than DirectX's performance on Vista. Some companies released crappy drivers at first, but this was their fault - not Microsoft's and not the API's.
Try reading up on some of the facts before jumping to such conclusions.
http://www.opengl.org/pipeline/article/vol003_9/
OpenAL uses hardware acceleration if it is available.
Is XAudio2 going to be better than EAX?
Is Creative X-Fi Drivers going to support this XAudio 2?
Is XAudio2 only going to be 5.1? (What about 6.1 & 7.1?)
What about OpenAL and XAudio2?
What is the difference, and more to the point why didn't microsoft just licence creatives EAX technologies, as that is where its at with all the top games. And believe me I enjoy my surround sound on games.
Help???!!!
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