Allan

iTrader: (1)

Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Music - VISTA Certified – OEM

Ordered one of these, however the one they sent doesn’t have Gold plated contacts or the D type socket. This one has optical in and Optical out, the board is marked SB0770 and doesn’t have any X-Fi branding.

Looks like the only way of getting sound out is via the Optical which is no good for me.

Can’t see this board either on ebuyer or creative web sites.

Allan

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Sounds like the X-Fi Xtreme Gamer . . .

Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Soundcard - Retail Boxed - Ebuyer

rbaz

iTrader: (1)

As above if it’s the narrow car it’s a gamer if its full size sounds like one of these Odd Creative X-Fi can you identify this chip? - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio usually OEM in Dell machines

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Thanks guys, yes it's the same one as those pics.

So......is it better/worse than an extreme music the specs look very similar ? in other words should I return it

Also just spotted it does have line out jacks.

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Also do I need to be concerned it's not Vista certified.

Daz34

Gaming performance is identical but audio sound quality isn't as good due to cheaper components. If you have decent speakers & listen to music a lot then I would send it back.


No.

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Right both Scan and
Overclockers are showing the card as the correct one

Looking back at the ebuyer description, the picture and description is wrong but they do have the manufactures part number correct. 30SB077200000

In rbaz's link they are saying it’s the xtreme gamer ? so are Scan and Overclockers also wrong ?

chrisowe

I've got a Xtrememusic in my PC and it looks like the one in your Ebuyer link with the D socket.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

If you're into music - then really the Platinum is the variant of the X-Fi series to get (which i have) as it has the front mounted break out box (with gold plated everything)

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Yes - there's a big argument going on because Creative deliberately wrote drivers for the XFi cards so that they sound rubbish in Vista. The idea was to make you buy a newer card. A fan wrote some much better drivers based on Creative's ones, proving that Creative could do it if they wanted. So Creative sued him.


Avoid Creative totally is my advice.


M

spectrum48k

VISTA natively uses the host CPU to handle audio processing now. Sound acceleration has been taken away from the sound card's DSP in an effort to stablise the OS.

The only way you'll get audio acceleration now is if your game (application) is written to take advantage of OpenAL (think OpenGL for audio)

Daz34

He didn't write new drivers. He mixed together some of Creative's own and they only had an issue when he started asking for donations from the public for Creative's property. They have dealt with it badly though.
Their driver support is also pants for what is in effect the industry standard. Thankfully, Asus is starting to provide some healthy competition & I don't think that Creative will have the brand loyalty that ATI & Nvidia get with the graphics card market.

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Blimey, I bought this card based on excellent reviews.

I'm more confused than ever at the moment and looking around the web it would appear I'm not the only one. I've found several questions on forums exactly the same, "why have I been sent this card".

It would appear even the retailers are confused as to what they are selling, what a shambles.

I'm now reasonably sure it is an OEM Xtreme Music, just need to check I’ve got the up to date drivers on the CD.

spectrum48k

It's worth noting that the latest graphics cards now output audio via HDMI.

The GPU on the graphics card is evolving into a general purpose device capable of processing audio, graphics, and in future, operating system data too.

In the not too distant future, you can wave bye-bye to the sound card.

Daz34

It still uses the sound card to do this though so I wouldn't count on it.

spectrum48k

How do you mean ?

Remember, VISTA doesn't use any of your sound card's hardware. Your add-on soundcard is merely a conduit to send audio to your speakers / amp. The host's CPU does all the work.

The exception to this is a game (application) that's been specifically designed to be compatible with OpenAL, an open-source API. IF IT WAS NEEDED, there's nothing to stop future graphics cards (GPU's) or CPU's from implementing this themselves.

Daz34

Yes I was talking about hardware accelerated OpenAL and ALchemy.