CoD running slow with new sound card

[Cluster]

Hi Guys,

I have purchased Creative Labs Audigy 2 NX (USB 2.0) soundcard and once the action hots up the game runs slow. This never happened with my onboard sound card, machine specs below:

P4 2.4Ghz, 1GB Ram, 120GB HD, ATI Radeon 9700 128MB. I have all the latest drivers and service packs and have also set the quality in CoD to Miles 2D and still it runs like a pig when the action get's going.

Before the new soundcard I could turn everything on to max and the game would run as smooth as silk. I was wondering if I should trade this USB version for the same card but go for PCI. Maybe this will help???

Does anyone know something I can try or another card to go for??

I do like the EAX sound.

Thanks for your help.

ClusterFish

[JonnyThunder]

There's no reason why it should slow down on a 2.4 Ghz PC. What sort of resolution are you running at? Also, are you sure that your PC is running at usb 2.0 speeds? If it's actually running at standard USB, you could have a problem. My shuttle is meant to run at usb 2.0, but doesn't.

If you can get the PCI version instead, id go for it. I just got an audigy card and it's amazing!

[Cluster]

Hi JT,

I run CoD at 1024 x 768 I am sure it's USB 2.0 but you never know. I take it that the PCI version of the card would run faster? Also got a new flat panel monitor from Dell 19" this also has slight ghosting when I look at some objects. Escpcially the german flag with it's red colour!

Thanks


ClusterFish

[Wraith]

Did you remove the previous Cards drivers etc...

To be honest- recently when the action gets manic- I start seeing the graphic judders (just like the old Modem connection days)...

[JonnyThunder]

Your ghosting problem could be bad cable shielding, along side bad configuration.

With regards to the slow down - I would think PCI would be faster as there is little communication. At any rate, it's better to free the USB for other things. I'd change it if possible and see if it resolves the problem.

[Cluster]

Thanks JT. I will go for the PCI version and see what that does.

On the monitor side of things I have set it to 72 Hertz Refresh rate. I odn't think the flat panel can go anymore than this.


Is that the best Hertz setting to use for games or doesn't it make any difference?


Thanks

[Gerbil]

Is that the best Hertz setting to use for games or doesn't it make any difference?
Thanks[/QUOTE]

Hello Cluster-dude! My pc's much the same as yours! i also have a Dell flat panel screen! My screen run's with no problems at all at 75 Hertz so thats cool!
I have a ati 9600pro 256 i had a few problems with this very close to what you have going on with yours! i fixed this with new drivers! Just downloaded them from ATI, just an idea?

[GoldRush]

There's no reason why it should slow down on a 2.4 Ghz PC. What sort of resolution are you running at? Also, are you sure that your PC is running at usb 2.0 speeds? If it's actually running at standard USB, you could have a problem. My shuttle is meant to run at usb 2.0, but doesn't.

If you can get the PCI version instead, id go for it. I just got an audigy card and it's amazing!


the fact is that iff you have a shutle most of the time's also on a normal machine ONLY THE FRON USB CONNECTORS uses usb 2.0 and the back of the machine are usb 1.1 just wread an article about that so that could do the trick

also you have to check IWnation forum or activision
JT said that there was something about setting the volume from windows to middle
and also from the game

[Herrline]

i have creative sound blaster audity 6.1 surround sound pro installed just a few weeks ago on a 2.0 gig pentium 4 system, works perfectly i have half a gig of ram too but i am using sd ram as the mother board wont support ddr ram, just upgraded all the other stuff but mother board, thats on my todo list for later this year |beer| its a shame for the game though cos i use headphones but even thats much better with this card, the wife gets stressed when i put on music from the seven speakers it supports up grading to creatives new 350 watts per channel system later as well ear shattering sound........ |thumbup|

[JonnyThunder]

Well, I just last night ALSO had problems with in-game speed with the audigy ZS (PCI). I had it set to EAX 3 and although it did work - it seemed to slow down when the server was packed full.

I've wiped the machine since and will test again tonight with fresh install to see how it goes. The EAX does sound awesome tho compared to standard SB live!

And yeah, the thing I read on Activision forums was that if you're getting glitchy noises while using EAX, make sure the volume in Windows Sound Panel is down to half or below, and the volume ingame is higher.

[Cluster]

Thanks m8.

This is interesting looks like EAX3 uses a lot more of the CPU hence the slow down.

Have you tried EAX I cannot tell the difference between EAX1, 2 or 3????


Cheers


ClusterFish

[Edgetiq]

Wraith I have the same problem, i never had this before I ran teamspeak

[JonnyThunder]

Ahh, I never considered TS to be the problem. Will test it tonight on my own PC when server is full.

[Edgetiq]

Full Server + TS Gives me over 100 ping in combat I got violated 9 kills to 32 deaths, people laughed |sadeyes|

[The Shiznit]

Surely you can throttle TS down, there is a setting to do so on one of the tab's? My TS uses a bit on bandwidth but nothing to slow me down? It is set to push key to talk?

[Cluster]

Played UT 2003 with EAX last night and no slow down, now I don't know what hell is going on with CoD and EAX!!

UT 2003 with EAX does sound excellent.

I will do some searching on newsgroups to see if anyone has a fix.

Cheers

ClusterFish

[JonnyThunder]

No, it isn't TS thats causing it. On a brand new installation without using TS, I still experienced really bad performance problems on our server. I posted a message ad IW nation and this is what they said...

its normal for EAX

and...

its creative labs ****ty drivers


So I posted a tech support note to creative and will post the findings of this when they get back to me.

p.s. UT2004 demo is the same - it works absolutely perfect with EAX switched on. I reckon it's CoD specific, although some older games have slow down too (like Rayman 3)

[Edgetiq]

I updated my creative drivers too it improved the gameplay until the server fills up its strnge a full server a week ago was no problem to me I could still run around and kill without lag maybe possible problem with your server Im not sure....

+ my soundcard drivers are from like 2002 so i dunno if they cause problems with newer games.

[JonnyThunder]

I've been speaking to Creative about this problem, and they say you should try to get the soundcard off a shared IRQ if possible. Mine is currently on IRQ 18, but with a mixture of enabling as many PNP IRQs as poss in the bios and some IRQ rehousing, you should be able to assign it an IRQ all by itself.

I aint tried this yet, but when the new GFX card comes in, i'll give it a shot and let you know. Just for laughs, I emailed them back and told em it wasn't a shared IRQ! lol.... lets see what else they can come up with!

[Cluster]

Nice one thanks m8.


Keep me posted.

Cheers


ClusterFish

[Edgetiq]

I used Windows Update on my Soundcard and it loaded even older drivers.... lol now my newer drivers wont load and this old ones don't support hardware Acceleration

[JonnyThunder]

God bless Windows Update for being so poor. Mind you, it has kept the evil Blaster Worm at bay....

[Edgetiq]

Might I Add it also loaded my old nvidia drivers....

God Bless Bill Gates For Being Retro, His Dress Sense Is Something From he 80's so's his updates...