daniel_k’s SB Audigy Series Support Pack 3.5 (10/11/2009)

One of NMGS’s readers noticed daniel_k has released another updated installer for Audigy series. Well done Ostar, good thing somebody’s awake around here…

SB Audigy Series Support Pack 3.5 (10/11/2009)

This software/driver pack is unofficial, not supported by Creative Labs.

Use it at your own risk.

Supports any model of the following Sound Blaster cards (based on Emu10kx DSP):

- Audigy

- Audigy 2

- Audigy 2 ZS

- Audigy 4

For Audigy SE/LS/Value and Live! 24-bit cards, click here for a compatible version.

Operating systems supported: 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7 RTM / Vista SP2 / XP SP3

Included in the pack:

- Audigy series driver 2.18.0011.10 (latest beta)
- ALchemy 1.26.04

- Audio Console 1.32.02
- DDL and DTS Connect License Activation 2.00.03 (*)
- Dolby Digital Live Pack 3.00.03 (*)

- DTS Connect Pack 1.68.75 [modified 1.03.04] (*)
- EAX Console 3.00.56 (Windows XP only)
- Graphic Equalizer 2.00.65
- MediaSource DVD-Audio Player 2.00.78
- SoundFont Bank Manager 3.21.00
- Speaker Settings 2.00.60

- THX Setup Console 2.10.43 (Windows XP only)

(*) Purchase and activation required, more info at http://buy.soundblaster.com.

Does this driver improve sound quality or performance? Are there any tweaks?

No, this driver does not improve sound quality nor increase performance.

No, there are no tweaks.

If someone states that its driver improves sound quality and performance, you are being fooled, cheated.

It is even worse that the so called tweaks come from a person who is not EVEN technically acknowledged, does NOT know anything about Windows internals, software engineering and sound fidelity that all audiophiles always look for.

If you “feel” the sound better, that is the infamous placebo effect and there is no real proof that any tweaks work.

In fact, I have yet to see a driver that states in its release notes that it improves sound quality.

I’ve disassembled about every single .SYS driver, .DLL libraries and .EXE executables and found nothing.

There are some undocumented registry values, but nothing related to sound quality or performance.

Would the so called tweaks even exist, they would be in my Support Packs, you can bet that.

Fixes and improvements:

- DTS Interactive encoder now works on Windows XP without any tricks.

- Fixes a cosmetic issue on Audio Console, encoder status now says DTS Interactive.

- Readds support for 64-bit OpenAL and 64-bit ASIO.

- Fixes Microphone not available on Audigy1 cards on Windows 7 / Vista.

- Enables support for WASAPI exclusive-mode event-driven playback, seems to be working just fine.

- Fixes the enhancements errors in Windows mixer and Windows Media Player.

- Adds Microsoft Audio Home Theather Effects for both Speakers and S/PDIF Out endpoints.

- Includes Encoder Switcher to enable DTS Interactive on Audigy cards.

- Fixes the Audio Console “Internal application error” when enabling the DDL Encoder on localized installs.

- Updates Audio Console to display DTS Interactive in the Encoder tab when Encoder switcher is used.

- Workarounds a bug that unexpectedly resets the speaker configuration.

- Prevents an issue during installation on Windows 7/Vista that may result in low volume when certain enhancements are enabled.

- Implements Hardware CMSS Headphone by using a workaround.

- Updates all InstallShield setup scripts to support Windows 7.

- Fixes installation INI to properly install applications depending on the detected OS.

- Removes COM workaround for Equalizer, fixed by Creative.

- Adds workaround to a memory corruption issue preventing Equalizer from starting on Windows 7/Vista.

- Updates shared modules, responsiveness on certain applications is improved.

- Enables CMSS2 and Stereo Surround.

- Fixes 32-bit ASIO not working on Windows 7 x64.

- Fixes Encoder not available on Windows 7 x64 (related to fix above).

- Sets default speaker setting to 5.1 to properly reset configs to their defaults during install (fixes Bass and Treble leves not set to 50% on Windows 7 / Vista).

Undocumented fixes by Creative (not listed in the release notes):

- Fixes the 6.1 speaker configuration is incorrectly available on Windows 7 64-bit.

- Fixes the Enable Dolby Digital Live checkbox not staying checked when Audio Console is closed.

- Fixes Equalizer Out of Memory error.

- Fixes Equalizer settings being lost on Windows 7 / Vista when speaker configuration is changed.

- Fixes low volume on Windows 7 / Vista when default format is set to anything higher than 16-bit, 48kHz.

- Fixes MIDI instruments in Melodic Pool not playing when speaker setting is higher than 2.1 speakers.

- Restores missing Microphone option in Surround Mixer (documented).

- Fixes Microphone mute, volume and +20db boost controls.

Release Notes:

Windows Security warning during driver installation

When prompted with: “Windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software”, choose “Install this driver software anyway”.

OpenAL 2D benchmark in RightMark 3DSound crashes your system

Due to a driver bug, your system will crash if you run the OpenAL 2D benchmark using 63 buffers. No problem With 62 or fewer buffers. OpenAL 3D and OpenAL 3D + EAX benchmarks are not affected.

Details: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0×000000D1) – ctoss2k.sys

System crashes when shutting down or restarting Windows if Encoder is enabled

Due to a driver bug, your system will crash if you try to shutdown or restart Windows with Encoder enabled.

Details: SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (0×0000003B) – ha10kx2k.sys

There is no DirectSound hardware acceleration on Windows XP 64-bit (x64)

The Audigy driver does not support 64-bit addressing, disabling the DirectSound hardware acceleration and causing multichannel sound to be played only in the stereo channels (front left/right).

Workarounds:

- install the 32-bit (x86) version of Windows XP.

- limit to less than 4GB the amount of RAM available to Windows.

- enable the “Memory Hole” setting in the BIOS Setup, if your motherboard supports it.

Microphone issues on Windows 7/Vista 64-bit (x64) with 4GB of RAM or more

Audigy driver does not support 64-bit addressing, resulting in random issues with the Microphone (static, robotic or distorted voice, white noise).

Workarounds:

- install the 32-bit (x86) version of Windows

- limit the RAM available to Windows to less than 4GB

- enable Memore Hole in BIOS Setup, if your motherboard supports the setting

MediaSource DVD-Audio Player system requirements

- 32-bit edition of Windows 7 / Vista / XP

- any Audigy 2, Audigy 2 ZS or Audigy 4 card

Built-in Decoder on Windows 7 / Vista (requires Service Pack 1)

To use the built-in decoder, make sure it is enabled in Audio Console.

Select “SPDIF Out (Creative SB Audigy (WDM))” as the output device of your player and then configure the AC3/DTS filter to send the stream through SPDIF.

When you restart your computer, the Tone settings (Bass and Treble) are not applied.

Just readjust one of the controls one time per boot.

Advanced EQ and Special FX not available on Windows 7 / Vista

These presets don’t work on Windows 7 / Vista.

There is no sound in games with OpenAL support on Windows XP

Disable Advanced EQ and Special FX selecting “No effect” before running the game or program.

Equalizer settings are lost

When you run a game with OpenAL support or using Creative ALchemy, the Equalizer settings are lost. Just run Equalizer and the saved setting is loaded automatically.

Tone settings are reset when speaker configuration is changed

Bass and treble settings are reset when speaker configuration is changed.

DTS Encoder Switcher

The Encoder Switcher is now part of Audio Console.

A shortcut is created in the Programs -> Creative folder in Start Menu.

For additional info, read thoroughly the ReadMe.txt file included in the \EncSwitcher folder where you extracted the Support Pack.

Hardware CMSS Headphone

To use the hardware CMSS you need to select “Disable all enhancements” in the “Enhancements” tab on:

Playback Devices -> Speaker Properties

Now check the Speaker configuration in “Playback devices”.

If it is Stereo, run Audio Console and change it to 4.1, 5.1 or 7.1 and only after that change it to Headphones.

This procedure ensures that CMSS(1) will work after a Windows restart, otherwise only CMSS2 will work.

Microsoft Audio Home Theater Effects

This driver adds the following audio effects, which are available depending on the current speaker configuration:

- Bass Management
- Speaker Fill
- Room Correction
- Loudness Equalization
- Bass Boost
- Virtual Surround
- Low Frequency Protection

Some effects are also available for the “SPDIF Out” device.

Some Microsoft effects have priority over Creative CMSS effects and will disable the later.

MIDI Device Configuration Utility for Windows 7 / Vista

Use this utility to change the MIDI playback device for 32-bit and 64-bit applications.

Download:

Filename: Audigy_SupportPack_3_5.exe

File size: 60.1 MB

CRC32 hash: 921CA120

SHA-1 hash: 2ACBCEC5B3DC6379F4AAB19A98198A34B5D90402

To verify the file hashes, I recommend HashTab.

Mirrors:

Rapidshare (uploaded by daniel_k)

Sendspace (uploaded by NoMoreGoatSoup)

All files are property of Creative Technology Ltd, unless otherwise noted.

DTS Realtime Digital Encoding For Audigy Series

I’ve been playing about with this little beauty. It’s a far nicer option than the Creative Dolby Digital Live Pack for Audigy. I’ve just used it to switch it to dts. It’s less buggy and very slightly better quality than the DDL encoding I’ve been using. Go Go daniel_k powah!

DDL <-> DTS Encoder Switcher for Audigy Series 1.0 (05/14/2009)

This software pack is unofficial, not supported by Creative Labs.

Use it at your own risk.

DDL <-> DTS Encoder Switcher for Audigy Series by Daniel Kawakami

Supports any model of the following Sound Blaster cards (based on Emu10kx DSP):

- Audigy
- Audigy 2
- Audigy 2 ZS
- Audigy 4

Host-based Audigy SE/LS/Value and Live! 24-bit cards are not supported.

Operating systems supported: 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7  / Vista SP1 & SP2

Installation and use instructions:

1) Install the DDL & DTS Pack for Audigy Series by running Setup.exe.

2) Purchase and activate the software.

If you have already purchased DDL Pack for Audigy, the same activation code may work. If it doesn’t, there is nothing I can do about it.

If you didn’t buy it, purchase the DDL & DTS Pack for X-Fi using the following link:

http://buy.soundblaster.com/_creativelabsstore/cgi-bin/pd.cgi?page=product_detail&category=Software&pid=F2222DDN6Z2H2ADDEZD

3) Update Creative Audio Service:

For Windows 32-bit, open C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files.
For Windows 64-bit, open C:\Program Files (x86)\Creative\Shared Files.

Rename CTAudSvc.exe to CTAudSvc_backup.exe and copy the included CTAudSvc.exe (found in the \EncSwitcher folder where you’ve extracted the DDL/DTS Pack) to the same location.

Reboot.

4) Make sure Audio Console is not running and run AudigyEncSwitcher.exe (found in the \EncSwitcher folder where you’ve extracted the DDL/DTS Pack) to change the encoder to DTS or DDL.

5) Finally, run Audio Console and enable encoding.

KNOWN ISSUES:

DTS Neo: PC cannot be used with Audigy cards. Use CMSS instead.

This is a pre release mod, so although the DTS Interactive encoder is available and works, the Encoder tab still says Dolby Digital Live.

IMPORTANT:

- Always disable the Encoder before you switch to a different one.

- Always close Audio Console before you switch the encoder.

- It is recommended that Speaker mode is already set to 5.1 before enabling the Encoder, because of the bugs in the per channel volume level synchronization.

DOWNLOAD:

Filename: Audigy_DDL_DTS_Pack_LB_1_00_00.exe

File size: 5.60 MB

CRC32 hash: A2152539

MD5 hash: BC23349A8BC3B1583E9AADB1A8757277

SHA-1 hash: 91A74FADAEA6549F2B2A045CC2A028431150DA31

To verify the file hashes, I recommend HashTab.

Mirrors: Rapidshare

Mirrors: Sendspace

All files are property of Creative Technology Ltd, unless otherwise noted.

More information can be found in the original post at the Creative Fun Forum.

daniel_k’s Creative SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5

Supports any model of the following Sound Blaster cards (based on Emu10kx DSP):
- Audigy
- Audigy 2
- Audigy 2 ZS
- Audigy 4

Operating systems supported: 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7 RTM / Vista SP2 / XP SP3

Included in the pack:
- Audigy series driver 2.18.0011.6
- ALchemy 1.30.00
- Audio Console 1.31.10
- DDL License Activation 1.00.04 (*)
- Dolby Digital Live Pack 3.00.03 (*)
- EAX Console 3.00.56 (Windows XP only)
- Graphic Equalizer 2.00.65
- MediaSource DVD-Audio Player 2.00.78
- SoundFont Bank Manager 3.21.00
- Speaker Settings 2.00.60

Fixes and improvements:
- Workarounds a bug that unexpectedly resets the speaker configuration.
- Prevents an issue during installation on Windows 7/Vista that may result in low volume when certain enhancements are enabled.
- Really improves CMSS Headphone experience.
- Dolby Digital Live works on Windows 7.
- Updates all InstallShield setup scripts to support Windows 7.
- Fixes installation INI to properly install applications depending on the detected OS.
- Removes COM workaround for Equalizer, fixed by Creative.
- Adds workaround to a memory corruption issue preventing Equalizer from starting on Windows 7/Vista.
- Updates shared modules, responsiveness on certain applications is improved.
- Enables CMSS2 and Stereo Surround.
- Fixes 32-bit ASIO not working on Windows 7 x64.
- Fixes Encoder not available on Windows 7 x64 (related to fix above).
- Modifies default format on Windows 7 / Vista to 24-bit, 48kHz.
- Properly adds support for 64-bit OpenAL and 64-bit ASIO.
- Sets default speaker setting to 5.1 to properly reset configs to their defaults during install (fixes Bass and Treble leves not set to 50% on Windows 7 / Vista).

Undocumented fixes by Creative (not listed in the release notes):
- Fixes Equalizer Out of Memory error.
- Fixes Equalizer settings being lost on Windows 7 / Vista when speaker configuration is changed.
- Fixes low volume on Windows 7 / Vista when default format is set to anything higher than 16-bit, 48kHz.
- Fixes MIDI instruments in Melodic Pool not playing when speaker setting is higher than 2.1 speakers.
- Restores missing Microphone option in Surround Mixer (documented).
- Fixes Microphone mute, volume and 20db boost controls.

Release Notes:
Windows Security warning during driver installation
When prompted with: \”Windows can\’t verify the publisher of this driver software\”, choose \”Install this driver software anyway\”.
OpenAL 2D benchmark in RightMark 3DSound crashes your system
Due to a driver bug, your system will crash if you run the OpenAL 2D benchmark using 63 buffers. No problem With 62 or fewer buffers. OpenAL 3D and OpenAL 3D EAX benchmarks are not affected.
Details: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0×000000D1) – ctoss2k.sys

MediaSource DVD-Audio Player system requirements
- 32-bit edition of Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- any Audigy 2, Audigy 2 ZS or Audigy 4 card

Built-in Decoder on Windows 7 / Vista (requires Service Pack 1)
To use the built-in decoder, make sure it is enabled in Audio Console.

Select \”SPDIF Out (Creative SB Audigy (WDM))\” as the output device of your player and then configure the AC3/DTS filter to send the stream through SPDIF.
When you restart your computer, the Tone settings (Bass and Treble) are not applied.
Just readjust one of the controls one time per boot.
Advanced EQ and Special FX not available on Windows 7 / Vista
These presets don\’t work on Windows 7 / Vista.
There is no sound in games with OpenAL support on Windows XP
Disable Advanced EQ and Special FX selecting \”No effect\” before running the game or program.
Equalizer settings are lost
When you run a game with OpenAL support or using Creative ALchemy, the Equalizer settings are lost.
Just run Equalizer and the saved setting is loaded automatically.

Windows MIDI Device Configuration Utility
Use this utility to change the MIDI playback device for 32-bit and 64-bit applications.

(*) Purchase and activation required, more info at http://buy.soundblaster.com

Download

Mirror 1

Mirror 2

Mirror 3

Mirror 4

Street Fighter IV Benchmark

The release of Street Fighter IV is only a couple of weeks away, on 3rd July 2009. I’m so excited about this game FINALLY making it to PC. Thankfully the release is part of the “Games For Windows” range. For anyone in the know, that means your (up to 4) XBOX 360 controller(s) will work beautifully. I have a wireless XBOX 360 controller hooked up to our Windows 7 media rig… so this game is going to be a real bonus in our house.

Anyway, Capcom have released a handy little benchmark tool to see if your PC is fast enough to run it.

Downloads

Street Fighter IV  Benchmark Link 1

Street Fighter IV Benchmark Link 2

Our rig scored Rank A @ 1366×768 – 8xAA – 16x AF details & models at high and soft shadows at highest. Serious eye candy!

Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector XP/Vista Driver Version 1.07 (12/01/08)

Nintendo have released an updated installer for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connector. I can’t see any changes from the previous driver, even the release notes are the same. What’s more strange, 1.06 was labelled “Final” and both versions link to the same file.

It’s very strange. See for yourself in the documentation.

Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector Driver Installation Program Readme
(C) Nintendo Co., Ltd.
September, 2007

This is version 1.06 of the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector Driver Installation Program.
This version is compatible with Windows XP and Vista.

Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector version 1.06 – Install Instructions

! You MUST uninstall any previous versions of the software.
! You MUST have the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector plugged in during the uninstall.

1. The uninstall can be found in your Programs list in the “Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector” folder.

2. Run the “Uninstall Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector Registration Tool” click OK.

3. If the software prompts you to insert the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB connector, please ensure the connector is inserted into the USB port it was inserted into during the installation process.

4. The software will ask you to restart your PC, click “Restart.”

5. Remove the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector.

6. Open the NintendoWiFiUSB106 folder where you found these
Instructions, and open the NintendoWFCReg folder. Run the Setup.exe file found there.

For complete setup instructions:
Wii: http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/connectingOnline.jsp?entryId=usbInstall
DS: http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/wfc/en_na/ds/connect.jsp?entryId=usbInstall

For troubleshooting, go to:
http://support.nintendo.com

This version features the following upgrades/corrections from version 1.05:
1. Reduction of CPU load when the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector is not connected.
2. Changes to certain registration tool message displays.
3. Added Windows Vista compatibility.
4. Change to specification that requires the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector to be attached when uninstalling.

You can download Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector XP/Vista Driver Version 1.07 (12/01/08) from here

Half-Life 2 – Review From www.unreality.com

This review was first published at www.fappin.com (www.unreality.com) in November 2004

• Genre: Science fiction first-person shooter
• Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
• Developer: http://www.valvesoftware.com/
• Release Date: November 16, 2004
• Homepage: http://orange.half-life2.com/

I feel I should start this review where the story began for me, November 1998; Valve Software released a landmark in gaming history. The title I’m talking about is obviously Half-Life. I saw it in a local retailer and thought it may be the kind of thing I’d like. I paid for it and went home to install and play. I soon found myself in the shoes of Gordon Freeman, a blameless scientist, working at The Black Mesa Research Facility. When a laboratory experiment goes disastrously wrong, scores of aliens and mutants are released into the area. As luck would have it, the Special Forces are deployed to alleviate the situation. Upon arrival it becomes apparent to me that no witnesses can survive, not even me. I was highly appreciative when Gordon took the only option available. He pulled out the shotgun.

Half Life proceeds to be accredited with over 50 “Game of The Year” awards. I cherished the game; the modifications and expansion packs seriously gave a sense of value and depth. Half-Life redefined the whole gaming community, inspiring an online revolution with it. Like a true hero, it seems Mr Freeman has returned to us in our time of need. Half-Life 2 has been in development for several years. The hype since its release was enormous. The few limited screenshots were drooled over by the gaming populace. Soon there were spectacularly beautiful videos and screenshots in abundance.

When November 16th 2004 finally arrived, grown men cried. At the start of the game will you find yourself on the train pulling in to City 17. It this point I was keenly checking out the windows at the fresh world before me. I also felt compelled to interact with the two civilian passengers. I don’t think I made a good impression, however. The train stopped and I stepped out into the station. Here I found those who liked me even less; The Combine. These militants are the brutal law enforcers of City 17. Clad in leather body armour and carrying stun batons to pacify the suffering civilians. Their police radios sound ultra realistic and you can hear them from quite some distance. On several occasions I picked up small objects and threw them at their heads. This made The Combine irritated and often led to a chase. On the occasion I was unfortunate enough to get caught, I received an unsympathetic thrashing that shook my screen aggressively. I decided to leave the constabulary and aggravated civilians instead. By the time I made it outside, I was by now clearly impressed with the lighting, design and overall smooth, interactive game play. The great outdoors was even more remarkable. I found City 17 to be in a distressing and insolvent situation. Ruined buildings and police roadblocks besieged the streets. Flying mechanised spy craft observed my every movement, blinding me with the bursts from their camera flash. High above a projection screen numbs the minds of the weary populace.

Not only did I think this game had admirable graphics, sound and game play, but I also found the actual ambience impressive too. As I progressed through the game, I was amazed at the rate of which the game play accelerated. Every time things began to get the slightest bit repetitive, something would change. When new weapons and vehicles appear, it certainly changes the plot to say the least. The puzzles got harder too. Not too difficult but hard enough to make you think every few minutes. The choice of maps Valve decided upon is wholeheartedly diverse. I enjoyed every map because they were always striking, practical and filled with masses of hostiles. From the toxic swamp to the city ruins, I was wholly impressed with everything.

I’ve heard a few people complain that the game was too short. The game does leave you feeling a little empty once you have completed it. The closest thing I can compare it to would be the end credits of a movie you just enjoyed watching. It was good, but it had to finish somewhere. This is where most games play their multiplayer card. I was a little disappointed that Half-Life 2 didn’t have a multiplayer option, but I can understand why it didn’t. The environments are beautiful without question, but strain even the highest specification machines. I’m certain that twenty players with shadows, flares and reflections in those environments would humble even the fastest PC. You also have to appreciate Half-Life2 does indeed ship with Counter Strike Source after all. Multiplayer has been rumoured, so we’ll have to be patient.

I’ve also seen people posting about technical problems with the game. You only have to glance at The Steam Forums to see masses of posts regarding errors. I found myself reading posts from individuals who where posting about crashes and hang-ups. Most that I could see weren’t even issues with the game, user errors and software issues mainly. I’ve had no technical issues whatsoever with the game, which pleases me greatly as I don’t own an ATI card. This, in turn brings me to the “Nvidia cards run on DirectX 8.1” complaint. I’m happy that Valve chose to do this myself. There’s not a great difference of image quality, but a sizable performance increase between the two. The game still runs smoother and looks nicer than most FPS that I play. This made plenty of gamers consider further hardware upgrades so close to Christmas, I’m certain.

To summarise, this game is obviously the best single player, first person shooter to date. The graphics, sound and game play are all fine examples of superior craftsmanship. Every microscopic object and detail has been thoroughly checked to ensure the authenticity is never compromised. A good example of the depth would be throwing paint pots at the mutants, which covers them with healthy amounts of Teflon white. The environments are littered with countless objects which are all interactive to some extent. When my ammunition depleted, I never hesitated to throw furniture at the hungry hordes.

I was continually excited by every split second of interactive game play. The path I was following rarely felt like the projected route to take. I unquestionably felt quite free and at ease to progress at the pace of my choosing. If there’s anyone out there who hasn’t bought it yet, I’d wonder what they were waiting for. The lifetime spent in development has matured Half-Life 2 to be the unequalled game that it has become.

I’d like to say an extra special thanks to Valve, who not only provided Half-Life 2, but also a full Steam account. You guys rock, and so do your games.

Nexus: The Jupiter Incident – Game Review

This review was first published at www.fappin.com (www.unreality.com) in 2004

• Genre: Real-time mission based fleet simulation
• Publisher: HD Interactive
• Developer: Mithis
• Release Date: November 5, 2004
• Homepage: www.nexusthegame.com

I love science fiction games so imagine how excited I was to be able to get my hands on a copy of Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, a game which features outstanding real-time battles with overwhelming motion picture quality. In this game you can look forward to taking control of up to 10 fully customisable battleships on the path to save Earth and humankind. The game consists of 6 episodes, which contain more than 25 exciting missions. You’ll also have the satisfaction of dealing with 6 different alien nations, which extraordinarily all have race specific tactics and transportation. Unite all of this with Mithis’ first-class Black Sun Engine and you have a formidable strategy game undeniably.

The storyline behind the game is fairly simple to comprehend and doesn’t seem that unbelievable. You are Marcus Cromwell, a celebrated space skipper with a family history of prestige and popularity. The occupation of space and the colonization of the solar system are in the hands of numerous ambitious corporations. The companies seize territories throughout space causing an extremely volatile equilibrium. By means of your legendary spacecraft, Stiletto, you find yourself caught in the conflict. The controls and navigation for Nexus: The Jupiter Incident are fairly multifaceted and will more than likely thrill RTS fans and spacemen alike. The left mouse button controls your targeting; the right button is your command key key. Holding down the right mouse button will activate free rotation of the camera angle, and the wheel will casually zoom in and out of the targeted object. Most of the other commands such as attack hull can be found on the function keys of your keyboard. I really liked the idea of having an attack device command. This gives you the option to destroy enemy’s weapons, sensors or engines to name but a few. The craft you control also have diverse behaviour modes too, such as offensive, defensive, stealth and manual. Choose wisely which behaviour mode is suitable for the mission you are on, or it could be a shorter mission that you hoped for.

At first glance the graphics in this game seem pretty average, but upon further inspection are beyond a doubt complex and fighting fit. The Stiletto for example has a huge gyrating midsection which casts gorgeous moving shadows across the glistening metallic vessel. You may also notice revolving Lilliputian cannons and radar dishes probing your surrounding environment for enemies. When small ships leave the Stiletto’s dock you will see the bay doors open and close. They don’t just go missing like other games I’ve played of the same genre. I also like the developer’s interpretation of space.

Thousands of high-quality asteroids litter the environment, masking out sensor scans and maybe an enemy armada or two. For the record, the planet Jupiter looks fantastically well lit and textured too. Stars produce flares of light that reflect across the screen, adding another tactical factor to the strategy. The explosions and the gunfire also add valuable detail to the realism. The game undoubtedly gives the feeling of a 3D galaxy, which sorrowfully the screenshots cannot exhibit. Best of all, you will find an enormous selection of options available to improve performance on low end machines. The game play is slow, yet exceedingly focused. There is always the option to replay voice communications and mission briefings in case you are uncertain of the mission goal. Simple touches like this make the game an idyllic choice for gamers who have never had the delight of controlling a space fleet. Once the single player missions are completed you will probably be ready to try out the multiplayer side of the game. The single player missions are great fun, but are only really preparing you for battle against human opposition. The multiplayer side of the game possesses endless fun providing both players have a firm understanding of the game. It’s essentially quite difficult, but ultimately a very rewarding experience.

New Team Fortress 2 Update Sneak Peak.

So there we have it. The first unlockable of the new class has been revealed. You really have to hand it to Valve. Well over a year later and they are still supplying their games with new material. Team Fortress 2 was finished when released, don’t misunderstand. They just keep thinking up so much cool stuff to add to  it.

I was guessing that soldier would get the next update, or spy. As if there weren’t enough snipers already…. I know my kid will love it though.

If I had to pick the best game developer, based on support -it would be Valve regardless.

Dolby Digital Live For Audigy Hotfix (Wow Quick Fix Creative)

So like I was trolling over at the Creative forum yesterday. A guy called cineq was unable to install the Dolby Digital Live pack on his Audigy 4. I hadn’t got around to testing it on Audigy 4, and so it seems Creative forgot to also. Anyway here’s what cineq found.

The problem is Creative omitted one important “[" in "WebDrv.ini". The line wrong line is:

Hardware.Map10]

and it should be

[Hardware.Map10]

This causes installer can’t detect Sound Blaster Audigy 4.

At this point, all those memories of faulty Creative software returned. I raged a little. I am prone to a little hostile forum activity sometimes. I posted a link to the developer forums and added probably a little too much extra.

……”It may be worth submitting on the developer forums. I say “may be” because “maybe” somebody will actually read it.”……

Then 23 minutes later something strange happened. The Creative moderator announced not only a fix in the works -but an actual Dolby Digital Audigy 4 Hotfix update version DDL_PCAPP_LB_3_00-01a.exe!

Could this really be true? Has the Creative Labs support system really been improved? It would be truly great if that was true. I might actually consider using their hardware again. Imagine the possibilities; drivers that actually get fixed?

I find myself actually congratulating Creative Labs. They’ve restored some of my faith, but there’s still a lot of work to be done on their software.

Fix the signal loss issue everyone has in DDL_PCAPP_LB_3_00_01b.exe please!

You can download the latest version of Audigy DDL from here.

Dolby Digital Live Pack – SB Audigy Series (Windows 7 Fix)

After what seems like a decade, Creative finally release the DDL pack for Audigy series. What’s more interesting, they claim it will work in 64bit applications. This seems laughable to me. I’ve already discovered the ASIO isn’t working properly with 2.18.0010 drivers -so how is this possible?

You can download the files from here.

EDIT: The DDL pack does indeed work on Windows 7 x64. It takes a little extra effort, and bugs out -but it works! (Check the comments for install method).

EDIT 2: cineq has found the reason why Audigy 4 users cannot install. Audigy 4 users -check out this thread to find out how to install your DDL pack without errors.

EDIT 3: DDL pack works only with drivers 2.18.0010 (Yes that includes the daniel_k versions too)

Now specially designed for SB Audigy owners, you can experience high-quality surround sound from your PC through your home theater with Dolby Digital Live. It encodes your PC’s multi-channel audio into a Dolby Digital bitstream and outputs it from your soundcard’s digital out (S/PDIF), via a single digital cable into your Dolby Digital-equipped home theater system.

Price: US $4.72

File Size: 9.39 MB

Uses a single digital cable connection – This ensures the integrity of the audio signal and eliminates the confusion, hassle and clutter of multiple analog and digital connections.

Transforms all PC audio signals into a Dolby Digital signal – This enables playback of PC audio over millions of home theater systems equipped with Dolby Digital decoding.

Optimized for low-latency interactive applications – No perceptible delay between video and audio in game play.

Provide realistic 5.1-channel surround sound effects during interactive video gameplay – Immerses PC and game console players in a highly realistic game experience.

Product description:
Dolby Digital Live enables you to enjoy audio from your PC or game console through your home theater. It encodes (in real-time) the PC’s multi-channel audio into a Dolby Digital bitstream and outputs it from the soundcard’s digital out (S/PDIF), via a single digital cable into home theater receiver system. Stereo content (MP3, WMA, CD audio or games) that is transformed into 5.1 surround sound using Creative CMSS-3D can also benefit from this encoding scheme that will further enhance the entertainment value of your Sound Blaster Audigy. With Dolby Digital Live, the confusion of multiple cables will be eliminated and the integrity of the audio signal will be kept pristine.

The real-time interactive capability of Dolby Digital Live is ideally suited to PCs and video game consoles because it reproduces audio cues and effects that follow the on-screen action, transforming gameplay into an exciting and realistic entertainment experience.

Systems using Dolby Digital Live technology can provide Dolby Digital (5.1-channel surround sound) during gameplay, immersing players in high-quality surround sound that puts them at the center of the action. Gamers hear every window shatter, feel every explosion, and experience every wipeout.

Product language
Brazilian-Portuguese, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish

Requirements:

• 1. Minimum System Requirements:
     • Microsoft® Windows Vista® with Service Pack 1 (32-bit or 64-bit) or Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (32-bit or 64-bit).
     • Intel® Pentium® 4, AMD Athlon™ 64 or equivalent processor, 1.6 GHz or faster
     • One of the following Sound Blaster Audigy audio devices (equipped with Digital out):
       • Sound Blaster Audigy including Platinum and Platinum eX series.
       • Sound Blaster Audigy 2 including Platinum, Platinum eX and Value series.
       • Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS including Platinum and Platinum Pro series.
       • Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook PCMCIA.
       • Sound Blaster Audigy 4 and Audigy 4 Pro.
     • Dolby Digital-equipped home theater system.
  2. Software
     • Creative Sound Blaster Audigy series Driver 2.18.0010 or later versions.
     • Choose your product and download its driver and software application according to the instructions on http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/
  3. Internet Connection
     • for software purchase and activation.

NOTE:- There are known compatibility issues with XFX 790i Ultra Motherboard (Nvidia nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset) with NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 or GTX 280 graphic cards in SLI mode where you may experience audio distortion when using Dolby Digital Live. There is no distortion when SLI mode is disabled. Asus Rampage 2 Extreme (Intel X58 Express chipset) with NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 or GTX 280 graphic cards in SLI mode, or ATI 4870 X2 CrossFire mode was tested to be working fine when using Dolby Digital Live.

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy series Driver 02.18.0010 released!

Creative have released some more official drivers. We’re testing them at the moment, and so far they look pretty incomplete. Anyway, here they are.

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy series Driver 02.18.0010
Filesize : 37.91 MB
Release date : 23 Mar 09
File Name : SBAX_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0010.exe

This download is a driver providing Microsoft® Windows Vista® and Windows® XP support for Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy® series of audio devices. For more details, read the rest of this web release note.

This download supports the following audio devices only:

* Creative Sound Blaster Audigy including Platinum and Platinum eX series
* Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 including Platinum, Platinum eX, and Value series
* Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS including Platinum and Platinum Pro series
* Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro and Sound Blaster Audigy 4
* Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook PCMCIA

Added Features or Enhancements:

* Supports Dolby® Digital Live

To get the above mentioned feature you will need to purchase the Dolby Digital Live software pack.

Fixes:

* Restores missing Microphone option in Surround Mixer after installing driver 2.18.0001.

Known Issues:

* Applications from the original Sound Blaster Audigy CD will not work with this download on Windows Vista. Click here to download the latest applications that are available for your product.
* Users are advised to use Audio Console included in this download to change speaker configurations.
* Gameport is not supported in Windows Vista and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.
* 6.1 speaker mode is not supported by Windows Vista.

Requirements:

* Windows Vista 64-bit with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Vista 32-bit with SP1, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) 2005 or Windows XP MCE 2004
* Creative Sound Blaster Audigy audio devices listed above.

Notes:

* DO NOT install this driver for Sound Blaster Audigy LS, Sound Blaster Audigy SE, or Sound Blaster Audigy Value.
* To install this driver
1. Download the SBAX_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0010.exe file onto your local hard disk.
2. Double-click the downloaded file.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen.

It’s already been pointed out, there is no 64bit ASIO support for 64bit applications. Who knows what else is missing.

They also install fine for people like me using Windows 7.

WTF is CMSS?

It’s becoming apparent that people really don’t know that much about the infamous CMSS and CMSS2  settings featured in the Audigy’s Creative Audio Console or X-Fi. I thought I’d post a few bits that might clear things up for people. I’m not 100% sure of a few things, so feel free to post what a noob I am.

Oh, I better add: Please keep in mind that I hate CMSS with a passion. I’ll try and explain why as we go along. Firstly, let’s see how Creative sell CMSS shall we? Here’s what Creative say.

What is CMSS? and how to use it?

The following information are abstracted from our Knowledgebase on CMSS. Please check the case relevant to your sound card below. You can also access the article on directly from the URL below.

Knowledgebase article SID4883

Creative MultiSpeaker Surround (CMSS) is part of the EAX technology supported by the Sound Blaster audio cards such as Sound Blaster Live!, Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 series, Sound Blaster Audigy series, and Sound Blaster Audigy 2 or later series. It can also be found as a CMSS button on some multichannel speaker systems such as the Creative Inspire T7700, T6600/T6700, Creative Inspire 5.1 or Digital 5700, and on the external Digital I/O modules shipped with Sound Blaster Audigy 2 or Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS.

It can upmix stereo sources such as MP3, WMA, or Wav, to 4.1/5.1/6.1/7.1 channels depending on your speaker setup and sound card model.

What is Upmix and how does it work?

The 5.1 to 6.1 Upmix works by deriving a rear center channel from the rear left and right channel. Illustrated below is the speaker output scheme for the various input sources:

Input Source	5.1 / 6.1 Output Mode	5.1 to 6.1 Upmix Output Mode
6.1-channel	6.1-channel pass-through	6.1-channel with rear center channel derived from rear left & right
5.1-channel	5.1-channel pass-through (without rear center channel)	6.1-channel with rear center channel derived from rear left & right
4-channel	4.1-channel with subwoofer channel derived from front left & right	4.1-channel with subwoofer channel derived from front left & right
2-channel	2.1-channel with subwoofer channel derived from front left & right	2.1-channel with subwoofer channel derived from front left & right

So we’re clear at this point, hopefully. The center speaker will be playing both the same sounds from both left and right speakers. Now that’s plausible for filling large rooms, but on your average room you’re effectively damaging your sound field. You can’t expect to get fully directional sounds, nor can you expect a sound interpretation close to the original. I personally enjoy hearing music “as it was intended”. Now if you’re splitting a 2.0 channel MP3 to 6 channels, that’s 4 channels of stuff that’s already being played somewhere else. You’re just adding volume and digressing from the artistic source.

I understand Dolby ProLogic uses an (almost) identical technique for television, but with one difference. The movie/tv show producers code the content with Dolby in mind, and it’s intended. Somehow I don’t think Iron Maiden had CMSS2 in mind when they wrote “Can I Play with Madness”.

Dolby ProLogic II is a little different. The newer version can create discrete sound channels. To put it simply, ProLogic’s surround speakers play the same sounds -ProLogic II however has different sounds at different times from the rear speakers. This is where we can compare ProLogic II to CMSS2. I’m aware Dolby ProLogic II has a music mode for music -but it still sounds crap compared to a quality pair of stereo speakers or headphones. It’s ok for Movies though, as they were encoded that way.

X-Fi users get that bloatware entertainment thingie where they have to switch modes for music, games and movies etc. Why? Let’s ask Creative again shall we?

If you are listening to stereo content like MP3’s or CD’s and you would like the sound to be played over your surround sound speaker system, you can enable CMSS 3D on your X-Fi card.

It is important to remember that if you do wish to play a 5.1 encoded file like Dolby or DTS soundtracks, you will need to turn CMSS off. Otherwise you might not receive each discreet channel.

There we have it. Even Creative have enough common sense to suggest we turn CMSS off for movies. Why? Because CMSS channel matrix ruins the directional sounds -and you’ll really notice lack of dialogue volume. That’s why I turn it off and use AC3 Filter if any upmixing needs to be done. My son watches a lot of  cartoons recorded in stereo avi format. It’s about the only useful reason to ever use upmix – to get the sound above your display.

CMSS, CMSS2 really don’t sound as good as a home made matrix, tuned to suit it’s need. Room size, room shape, furniture placement, speaker placement, speaker type – there are just too many variations in environments. I’m sure that if people took the time to tune AC3 Filter properly they’d never go back to Creative’s basic “one-size-fits-all upmix effect”.

So I better tie up some sort of conclusion. It’s been about 5 years since I came to it -but here it is anyway. If you want to play MP3/CD/Stereo sources -play them in two speaker. All you’re getting with upmix is a few more watts in volume, but you’re losing quite a few things. If you want to listen to music in 5.1 or above – then buy dts or Dolby Digital Audio DVD. Dolby Digital and DTS simply cannot be compared to inferior upmixes from ProLogic or CMSS.

I did have a URL in my favourites that demonstrated (with some geeky graphs) of what happens to SNR when you enable CMSS or that god-awful Crystalizer thing. I can’t find the link right now, but I’ll post it if it turns up. Anyway,  the sound quality test is enough to make it obvious. If your system sounds better with CMSS on, perhaps your satellite speakers or whatever aren’t suitable for loud music in only 2 channels. Sure they’ll be great for movies and games -but only because they are coded to perform that way. Music is coded in to two channels usually (for your two channel ears).

You can find further information from the links below, check out the Dolby Wiki reference especially.

Dolby Pro Logic

CMSS

AC3Filter

Dolby Digital AC3

Peace!

Fix Punkbuster On Windows 7 (Restriction: Unknown windows API Function)

Well first off,  it’s been a while. I’ve been really busy over the Christmas/New Year period. I’m sorry for neglecting you all, but I really haven’t had anything to rage about. That was until yesterday… We all like Windows 7, right? I imagine most people do considering it’s the most reliable, speedy operating system that Microsoft have released to date. I’ve been a Microsoft partner for several years, and I was very keen to try both Vista and Windows 7. I liked Vista, but I loved Windows 7.

All my minor software bugs vanished. I’d even go as far as to say Vista drivers work better on Windows 7 than they do on Vista! I mustn’t forget the games. Oh god -the frame rates are so much better due to the streamlined architecture of Windows 7. My Call of Duty games played like crap on Vista. As soon as Vista saw DX9 and DX10 shaders, my PC would heat up like an oven and frame rates would plummet. Then I installed Windows 7.

Oh man this was better. It was faster than both XP and Vista. I don’t think I’m alone in this chain of thought. Many hardcore gamers quickly adopted Windows 7 as the “Gaming OS”. The rock solid stability matched with Vista drivers that had matured quite nicely made it a perfect choice for everyone. I played Call of Duty and man it was good.

Trouble is.. Microsoft have just released a very nasty update. Anyone playing a game with Punk Buster on Windows 7 can expect to get kicked as soon as they join a server. The screen will go black and they will see something like this.

Restriction: Unknown windows API Function [131131]

Wow that sucks. Somehow in the last 24 hours everyone’s online fun has been killed. What’s to blame? Punkbuster? EvenBalance? Microsoft? Here’s what I blame…

Windows Update: KB967062 A software update is available that addresses common application compatibility issues in Windows 7 Beta View products that this article applies to. Beta Information This article discusses a beta release of a Microsoft product. The information in this article is provided as-is and is subject to change without notice. No formal product support is available from Microsoft for this beta product. For information about how to obtain support for a beta release, see the documentation that is included with the beta product files, or check the Web location where you downloaded the release.

Well I’ll be removing this update to confirm it’s the cause -but it looks pretty much certain at this point. Let’s see what the kind people at Punkbuster say, shall we? They can help us!

Anyone posting about Windows beta’s not be supported by Punk Buster will have their thread locked with a link to this post. Even Balance has stated they will not support BETA OS’s period. Were not Even Balance so it’s no use whinnying about this on this forum. Use their ticket system to voice your complaints, pro’s and con’s as to why you think this is wrong.

http://www.evenbalance.com/troubleticket/new_ticket.php

System Restore and removing this update doesn’t restore Punkbuster.

UPDATE

Ok seems you can run PunkBuster on Windows 7 after all. After lots of messing about, I’ve found this works well, but only on Windows 7 build 7000.

* Enable Vista compabitility for PnkBstrA/B.exe in c:\windows\syswow64 and c:\users\your_username\appdata\local\punkbuster.
* Running above files with administrator rights.
* Enable Vista compabitility for C:\Program Files (x86)\Activision\Call of Duty 4 – Modern Warfare\iw3mp.exe
* Run iw3mp.exe (cod4 mp) without administrator rights

Thanks to zaggynl for the fix! I played for an hour on CoD:W@W Punk Buster Server!

Left 4 Dead – It scares me!

Well the happy time has come again. Valve have released another blockbuster to keep the goats entertained. Obviously I’m talking about Left 4 Dead. A few years ago Valve gave me a Steam account to play with, and Left 4 Dead has just appeared on the list!

Since it’s release, I’ve been testing it quite a bit. For those who haven’t read, L4D is a Zombie bashing first person shooter. The game uses an advanced Source engine and is capable of effects that blow Half-Life 2 away. Some of the new shader effects are really neat. There’s a wide variety of opponents to fight too. Not every Zombie you’ll face is a normal Zombie. For example the Boomers can blur your vision with fancy pixel shader elegance. This makes fighting the Zombie hoarde a lot harder. Another type will send out a tentacle-like tongue to constrict you. Help!

The team co-operation is essential. Every now and then you’ll need your team-mates to come to your aid. Either by dispensing medicine or simple helping you up off the floor. Fortunatley, the characters have loads of charisma. I don’t know if it’s enough to save them from the invading forces of infected though…

You’ll find plenty of weapons, explosives and environments to battle through. Some situations are really quite creepy. Just be careful crossing that cornfield, okay?

Left 4 Dead is available in all good game shops now on Xbox 360 and PC formats. If you’re already a Steam user, then it’s probably better to buy it online.

Valve are also running a competition to win a copy for yourself. If you fancy your chances of winning a freebie, head over to here!

The demo for L4D is also available on Steam. You can download through your Steam Client, or alternativley visit Steampowered.com to pick it up. It’s rather a large demo -and will certainly give you a taste of the game.

Finally, I’d like to give a very big “thank you” to Valve Software and of course [FAP]Preacher for their continued support.

“I hate railyards!”

atikmdag.exe Errors in Vista. What Is To Blame?

I’ve been a happy ATi user for a while now. I gave up using nVidia after I discovered the drivers were being downgraded for Vista. Anyway, everything was peachy with our trusty 3850 until recently, the display driver would stop responding hundreds of times during games.

I know there’s something of a universal theme to this issue. I’ve seen thousands of posts with unhappy gamers ranting about this, and I must confess I always thought “Pffft… noob”.

This issue is present on both ATi and nVidia graphics cards. It shows no bias concerning motherboard platform or how many “bits” your Vista has either. In fact if you’re running Vista, you’ll probably get it at some point or other. Regardless, I’ll be talking about ATi display drivers only from this point.

I’ve seen some fantastic solutions posted, but so far none worked for me. This is what ATi say can cause it. I’ll try most things once. Let’s see if they can help me, shall we?

Insufficient Power

Bad Memory Modules

Over Clocking

Motherboard/Memory Compatibility

Overheating

Defective Motherboard

Power? Clearly most people getting this error have really beefy PSU. I know this isn’t faulty in my case. Fine I’ll change it. Oh look -It’s still the same!
Bad Memory Modules? Problem persists with the best memory available. I’ve tried several and it doesn’t help me.
Overclocking? I don’t need to overclock. Actually makes no difference if everything is under clocked.
Compatibility? Works fine on Windows XP, Issue remains with all new hardware fitted.
Overheating? Give me a break. I can chill drinks with my case. My temperatures are chilly to say the least.
Defective motherboard? At what point do you stop trying new motherboards? I’ve tried a few and they all exhibit the same issue. It’s the same with other graphics card fitted too.

Other sites have recommended single channel memory configuration, this made no difference whatsoever. So I started messing around with things (as I do). I also read that it was worth going back to the older drivers. Again no joy.

Here’s what I’ve found helps me the most. I’ve cut down my atikmdag.exe errors from “often” to “very rarely”. I can’t offer a 100% fix, but here’s what I’ve discovered… it may not apply to anyone else, but it seems to do the trick for me.

Having Windows Aero Interface turned on will increase the chance of error for me. If I turn it off, errors occur less.

Windows Dreamscene causes more frequent errors. It will crash anyway. If you are getting atikmdag.exe display driver errors, it’s probably a bad idea to enable this feature.

Ok. now for the big one. It warrants quite a big explanation, but I feel there is some great relevance with this issue. It prevents errors for me.

I usually connect my graphics card to a 37″ TFT. It’s connected via VGA > VGA analogue cable and HDMI > HDMI. If I connect using VGA I get the option for 1366×768 which is the native resolution for the monitor at 1:1 aspect ratio. However using HDMI only gives me the option for 1360×768. Fair enough, use the VGA, right? Wrong!

If I connect using one VGA or  one HDMI cable only, I get atikmdag.exe errors. If I connect both and perform the following -the errors rarely occur!

The only drawback so far, I have to visit the Catalyst Control Panel every reboot. For some reason connecting via both cables kills the option for 1366×768. If I change the display in any way and apply it, windows detects new hardware. Now I have both cables connected and 1366×768 becomes available for VGA only. I don’t get atikmdag.exe errors anymore, but very, very rarely the 3D application will crash in another way. After this the desktop resolution has changed back to 1360×768 again….

…but no more atikmdag.exe errors.

I think that I can conclude now. My errors have been vanquished. My atikmdag.exe error isn’t caused by my memory or my PSU -but from a Catalyst/Vista bug.

So the summarise,

I only get the issue when only connecting one cable. Of course then Windows display properties allows me 1366×768 and it will “display driver has stopped responding”. If I use DVI, I’m missing six rows of pixels and it will “display driver has stopped responding”.

I connect both cables. To fix the resolution inconsistency, I have to trigger it from the Catalyst Control Panel. For example, I unchecked “Use EDID” and apply changes. Then Vista detects new hardware, the display driver loads correctly and Vista’s internal display properties now support more resolutions. I can now enable “Use EDID” and it will keep the 1366×768 desktop.

It seems to me that the Cataylst driver is not “passing on” my monitor’s attributes to Windows Vista properly. If I change Catalyst somehow- it will “nudge” my desktop back to the correct resolution. Perhaps it’s Vista not listening to Catalyst? Either way -by clicking apply I can load the driver correctly. Shame I have to do it every reboot….

I get no atikmdag.exe errors after 1366×768 with dual cables is achieved. It’s ridiculously common with one VGA cable @ 1366×768.

I’ve proved it’s the cause on my system. Who knows how many others have mis-loaded display drivers?

I think that further investigation by amd would prove fruitful in the battle against atikmdag.exe errors.

I hope this information helps someone else. It took me ages to fault-find. If it helps one person it was worth posting. It’s a seriously annoying issue.