Creative X-Fi 5.1 usb

I got this because i couldn't find anther model besides the usb, but the i am not sure the drivers are working as they are supposed to!!! i've got vista ultimate the 64bit one, and i downloaded all updated drivers from creative site"needless to say their site is hard to access".

I cant open the mixer or the console launcher,what worse is that i think windows media player is better than their media player.

I am not sure that i have an improvement in music, i know that the hiss disappears when i connect the creative tool.

Moreover the Alchemy thing supposed to enhance games crashes fallout 3 all the time and crysis sometimes..


I hope someguys have used external usb creative and give me some tips on how to optimize it, or if it works....

 

I have the Expresscard 54 one. My probs are here. Apart from what you mentioned, do you see common problems?

Well, my X-Fi on Vista 32 has a lovely bug: After I update it, the creative updater crashes with a lovely error at every vista startup. I have to disable it in order to stop the error from appearing.


Please share more of your experience.


So you are saying that this does not work?

 

i cant get the console launcher nor the creative mixer to open. i seriously doubt i am using the X-fi stuff,and dont think the Alchemy stuff even work and am not sure how to correct!!!

One error i keep getting : The audio device supported by this application is not detected. The application will now exist.



Me too i am starting to think that in Vista it is only software and no hardware acceleration

 

now i tried the drivers on my other laptop with winXp-pro....same problem

i dont know what the problem may be.....i doubt the soundcard itself because the i connect it to my stereo and sounds comes from it..so...maybe creative software is just crap??

 

I have a X-fi GO (USB) 2.1 on Vista 32bit, everything works fine: Console, EAX effects, crystallizer etc.. Even though it is not the same card, since both belong to the same generation and use USB, there is a good possibility for using a great deal of common driver files and software.

your problem sounds to me like a 64bit compatibility issue....

That is strange, because I tried mine on a desktop with XP Pro, everything worked out for me....

X-Fi GO has no hardware acceleration (it simply doesn't have the necessary chips; not a problem with any specific OS). but given the larger size and extra price, X-Fi 5.1 may have hardware acceleration. but, despite that, you still need to get the drivers working properly to take the full advantage of your card.

Personally I don’t regret my purchase. Because for me, across the board equalization for deeper bass, EAX and Crystallizer are well worth it, the ability to record “what you hear” is a another good feature I really like and use. However CMSS 3D was a let down, but then again I didn't buy it for that, since I anyway knew virtual sorrund is not going to really work with 2 speakers.

 

I get a similar message when I don't have the card plugged in. You are getting the message because the card is not detected properly. Is there any conflict on usb? I know how painful creative software is. If mine gets beeped up I need to format in order to make it work properly .

 

After using a platinum pro on my desktop with Sennheiser headphones and logitech Z series the X-Fi in my U6 is mediocre .

 

But you have to admit that it was better than built-in sound, right ? Besides, I paid only $40 and I take it with me when I go to the university (to use it with my desktop over there), since it is very small (like a USB memorystick) and has all the drivers + applications already stored in the card itself (BTW I'm referring to X-Fi GO, not the 5.1), I consider it to be a worthy portable sound upgrade.

 

I know. Yes it is better than the onboard but you would think that in 2008 a small thing like this would have ASIO. None of the X-Fis for lappys have ASIO .

 

Creative is really bad with drivers

They have to fix them otherwise we will always have these problems.

I dont like the drivers i always have at least 2-3 errors a day when i use my EX54 Xi-fi

The one thing we can try is to make a written complain singed by all users that have creative sound cards for notebook and ask them for a better support and better drivers, ect, ect.

We can find someone who can write a good letter. It can work!!

 

True, I completely agree... and the other thing I don’t understand is why notebook manufacturers are not giving us decent sound cards to begin with. I'm sick of this sigmatel crap . Analog Devices chips are slightly better but still no hardware acceleration AFAIK. Why not give creative X-Fi or some other good chip with hardware acceleration, EAX and a decent equalizer as integrated audio ? Laptop audio sucks.

 

Even on desktop you have a crappy on board sound cards but on lappys are truly ****.

It is hard to say why the wont change laptop on board sound card but everyone wants it.

 

I agree and support a letter going to creative, one thing i can tell u is that i wont be buying any of their products!!!

Now i need to know how to work my mixer and console launcher. The winmedia mixer is working, but i am not sure there is a significant difference.

I doubt the computer is not identifying the card because it say 3-SB X-Fi Surround 5.1 on the sound icon bottom of the screen on the sound icon, and the sound is coming from speakers with only usb of the card connected to the laptop...

now i am trying mp3 with and without ,....

 

I just noticed something...
I opened the Device manger and checked the car, i found out that the driver provider is microsoft and that the driver date is 6/21/2006.... You guys what do u get as the driver provider is it micrsoft or is it creative?

The creative driver is an exe file.....hmmm maybe this is the problem... ill be working on this tonight, but it is really frustrating to spend allot of time configuring it, in the HOPE that it might work!!!

 

In mine Driver Provider is listed as Creative Technology Ltd. Driver date : 8/1/2008.

Is there a shortcut named Creative Software Auto Update under your Creative folder in start menu ? Actual path is “Program Files\ Creative\ Shared Files\ Software Update\ AutoUpdate.exe” run it and see if you can update the driver through that.

Link to Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Driver Pack 1.01.0071 for Microsoft® Windows_Vista® 32-bit or 64-bit (Release date : 2nd Oct 2008)

 

My info is attached.




P.S. My XP SP3 crashed so I decided to reinstall my Platinum Pro . Guess what? Fresh install, creative installs successfully and the EQ, EAX, and CMS5 crash with send error report messages. I reinstalled Windows 3 times , installed Creative again, did not run it this time, i updated from uk.creative.com and guess what? It crashed again. I have a feeling this is SP3. I had the same issues with it when I used Vista Ultimate on my desktop.

Honestly, Creative and HP have no clue how to write software. To make matters worse, Microsoft is not helping either .


If we make a poll to see who has had the most problems with Creative software I will win it by a mile .

 

wish it was simple as that, what i did was uninstall completely, then scan for hardware changes, and install it as sound card pointing the drivers to the folder C:/program86/creative...cant get a the 64 because there simply ISNT
it seems it installed but yet vista installes a driver of their own.....

i am still working on tweaking it, but unless u do everything manual, it doesnt work, and even when u do it manual, sometimes it is very hard as vista tells u ,the driver installed is OK../..****, it is a lack of co-operation between microsoft and creative, shame they are only choices, what a piece of junk!!!!

 

The big problem is that on laptops not on desktops because you can disable the on board audio and you can solve the problem but you cant do that on lappys.

That is one problem
The second is that the creative are trying to make drivers like nvidia so the wont have to make driver for every product and things are messed up.

I'm still up to write them a good letter with lots of complains ( we must collect problems as much as we can)and ask them for help and i thing that we deserve that more than everyone.

we can vote who's up for a letter.

 

You want probs? Where do I start?


1. Vista 32 Business Fresh Install SP1.
2. Drivers, everything working on my U6.
3. Insert Expresscard 54 Audigy
4. Install the disc.
5. Reboot. Creative recommends update.
6. Update latest software ( critical updates, apparently Vista compatibility fixes)
7. Reboot.
8. Creative Auto Update error on startup.
9. Shut down machine.
10. Turn on next morning, plug in X-Fi.
11. Creative Control Center gives message that the card is not plugged in.
12. Reboot pc, blue screen with creative files in it.


13. Clean up everything from Creative, clean the registry, reinstall Creative do not update.
14. CMS5 has stutter and lag sometimes.
15. Vista does not support 24bit 96 KHz it supports only 24bit 48KHz with the current Creative Software.




On my desktop:

1. The 4th XP reinstall because my Platinum Fails to install correctly.

Symptoms?

2. CTEQ ERROR : Out of Memory
3. EAX Console has no presets.
4. Mixer and CMS 5 send error report messages.
5. THX Console has no effect



Wish me luck . Maybe it will work this time .

 

On my U6 the onboard is disabled automatically when the X-Fi is plugged in.

I agree with you here. The whole, set of drivers for "our" convenience is annoying. The same pack contains info about Vista and XP. ***? I selected XP for my autoupdate. Don't give me no Vista in there .

 

Creative is s**t at the moment with drivers and we should collect problems and start writing a good letter.

They really smell s**t at they're drivers and they should flush this time before it get even worse.

 

That is for desktop and you should disable the on board audio on BIOS somewhere that should fix the problems and not installing the onboard drivers.

 

Let me rephrase .


1. When my Platinum PRO is plugged in, my desktop BIOS, disables the on-board automatically.

2. When my U6 laptop boots up with the X-FI plugged in, the on-board is disabled automatically.


For a laptop you need on-board drivers because you don't use the X-FI all the time. For example, if I am in a meeting, and I am using Skype for a quickie , I won't plug in the X-Fi. The USB sticks out more like a sore thumb .

 

Yep for laptops I know but my desktop does not disable automatically mu on-board audio :S

The xi-fi is a good sound card but the drivers are very very bad.I like some of creative products but i hate the drivers produced by them.

Before buying the card i thought that the drivers wont work good on VISTA because they remover Direct Sound but on xp they should work just fine and as i an reading posts it seems that in XP is the same story.

We need more support nothing works the way it should and lots of BLOATWARE

 

My BIOS has an option that disables the on-board as soon as a PCI Soundcard is detected . Yeah, I agree, we need better drivers. YouPax is doing something but they often crash, KX are not user friendly and they are more hassle than fun .

 

Why we wont open another topic so we can write down there some errors and prepare the letter.

At the first page we will have all the mentioned errors any new error that is posted will be added so no need to write 2 times for the same error.
We will also make a form how to write down errors and it will be easy i think to cooperate will all other members of the forum.

As for creative let them burn in hell with the drivers if the wont fix them LOL.

Whose up, lets vote or do something.
Lets make our experience a lot better and more error free.

 

how do u think we can make creative know it is not from one guys but 100s....

by the way i got the mixer to work, after long hours of installing.......

 

we can sing it digitally and attach to the letter.

we can ask for help from moderators with thease singins.

We can make ti but we need someon to write a good letter wiwth tons of complains.

We will make some rules to make it easy to collect errors and finally sen to the creative.

We shall vote or no to open this new topic for the letter and make this thing a bit bigger for collecting infos and errors.

Lets act a bit faster, this i a chance.

 

Whats up just nothing......

Respond

 

ok,man now ive got my software working but after allot of work...
U've got my backing, let me know what u need me to do...

my complaint: winvista64 installs its own driver and installing the creative driver doesnt override, even if u install it before plugging in or after. i had to do manual, by adding new hardware...long stories took allot of time...days...

 

Glad to hear you got it working finally.

 

Alfonz that nice to hear that someone fixed it and thanks for supporting.

All i need is some support for the letter and maybe we can get a new driver.

Creative are so lazy on drivers the update them hardly ever.
All i;m asking is who want to write them a letter with our problems and ask them for a new drivers.

For this we need support from community and non is saying nothing just reading.

Alfonz is in but where are the others?

 

Count me in too… I’ve had my share of Creative driver problems.

 

You have my complaints .

 

Thanks Wishmaker

But we need more like you so we must try and make this thread just a bit bigger LOL.

 

here are some solutions i have figured out for my Creative 5.1 X-Fi

Downloaded latest drivers = fixed many issues / bugs

Problem: Had noise blanks


Solution: switched speed from High speed to Full speed


Result: Fixed


I dont know about crashing because i dont play fallout 3...

 

The drivers at creative site are from 5 May 08 so the are technicality old. there are full of bugs and bloatware.

We what to fix some of them by sending a letter to creative but none is saying yes except of 3 including me.

 

one more thing, i am certain you guys got the creative player with their pack.
Now i have noticed that windows media player I've got with windows vista sounds much better "crisper and louder" than the creative player. The option they've got "creative" for SVM and crosshatching actually makes the music sounds worse...

Do u guys have same problem, or lets say situation?
I never expected Microsoft to have a better player than creative, but they do.

 

Not having ASIO actually lets you use any player. The sound will be equally bad on all of them . I use Winamp on my Vista due to the quick Jump option in my 200 GB playlist. My Creative sounds alright in my headset .

On my XP I use Mixmeister ASIO and Winamp ASIO.

 

Without any sound enhancements in WMP (i.e : TruBass, SRS WOW and equalizer set to default values) and internal volumes set to same level, I don’t hear any noticeable difference between WMP and Crative MediaSource.

 

what version of media player u are using by the way how much of a change is ur card giving u in sound improvement...


i was thinking there must be a track that really shows the difference, like a music intensive one, a mozart, or a reall good guitar and acoustic song.
I need to justify my 100$ purchase

 

WMP 11.0.6001.7000 (Windows Vista 32bits + SP1), Creative MediaSource 5.20.23. I listened to few tracks from coldplay, green day and Yanni all 320kbps MP3s.

As for improvements, well… with everything off (Bass boost, EAX, Crystallizer, CMSS 3D, No equalizer), difference between onboard sound and X-Fi basically comes down to background hiss (no hiss in creative). Apart from that I couldn’t really tell much of a difference (maybe Creative might have sounded a tad better, but it could’ve been all in my head).

However, with the effects, especially Crystallizer, Equalizer and EAX, there is a noticeable improvement; impact is greater for low quality sound sources like low bitrate online radio. Now even 64kbps channels are quite enjoyable. But for high quality audio files (i.e MP3 files above 196kbps) difference is minimal. Since I listen to online radio quite a lot, and use it with 2 PCs (laptop/home and work) I’m not regretting the $40 I spent on it.

P.S : I’m not an audiophile and I don’t have expensive earphones. Using a pair of $50 Sony MDR-EX75 and $30 Creative EP-630 earbuds.

 

That is called SNR and lets not be mean. The card offers better sound than any on board. Run a THX sample with it and then run one with the on board.

 

Add this to your list . I was mixing with MixMeister and the mighty Creative kneels Vista.

 

The problem I'm having with my creative Xfi notebbok is that my system is a dell c-840 latitude and the card is a expresscard 34 device and the dell has pcmi slots... so i bought a pcmi/expresscard adapter.. i guess its suposed to go thru the usb bus... the very first time i installed it it recognized the device and installed ok.. then i was trying the wireless receiver feature and it crashed so i uninstalled it to reinstall but now every time it wont recognize the device... and since it doesn't recognize the device it wont let me install the software or drivers because it says not creative products found on the system...it recognizes the adapter ok but not the x-fi device.... i had a similar prob after removing the motherboard for a ac jack repair with both cd drives no longer being recognized and i found a tip from someone on here about editing the registry and the fix worked is this the same problem here with the x-fi device?? any advise i sure could use..... i'm out the 80 bucks for the x-fi and the 50 bucks for the adapter at this point..i have sent several emals to creative tech support and they are clueless about any help...