Creative labs or of?

[BaronVonRed 0]

Hello all:

I know this is an on-going issue and this thread will likely be cut off at the knees, but please just hear me out. BIS keeps saying the crackling sound in vehicles issue lies with Creative labs, and I DO NOT dispute that. I have spent hours pouring over previous posts, but cannot find a definitive solution.

It seems to me that if BIS keeps saying it is not their issue, then we as a group need to contact Creative Labs and see what THEY say. Power in numbers: if we all contact Creative Labs, then maybe we will get their attention - what other choice do we have?

PLEASE - if you are experiencing the crackling sounds while in vehicles problem, goto: www.creativelabs.com and follow the instructions for submitting a trouble request. I submitted mine with the following description:

Support ID: 304143

Hardware: Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1

Current Status: Pending

Hello:

You may have heard of this issue before. It is related to a

game called: Operation Flashpoint. I am one of many, MANY

people who have the exact same problem. I am a regular

subscriber to the game's forums, and if necessary can provide

countless examples, and additional info if required.

The problem is that whenever the player enters a vehicle in

the game, the sound becomes distorted and makes crackling

noises that are very irritating.

I am contacting you because all of the people that have this

problem have one thing in common: SB LIVE! Other users in the

forum that have different cards do not have this issue.

I know that doesn't necessarily make it your problem, and it

may not be, but the game's developers have posted multiple times

in the forum that the problem lies with Creative Labs.

Due to the number of users involved with this, and the

negative PR that Creative Labs is getting because of it, I

think it could be a win-win if someone in your shop would at

least help me find the true source of the problem.

PLEASE HELP - the problem is very annoying.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">if we all contact Creative Labs, then maybe we will get their attention - what other choice do we have?<span id='postcolor'>

Class action lawsuit.

I'm not kidding.

[kegetys 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">if we all contact Creative Labs, then maybe we will get their attention - what other choice do we have?<span id='postcolor'>

Get some other soundcard? If your card still has warranty, take it back to where you bought it and get some other one.

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Nov. 26 2002,15:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">if we all contact Creative Labs, then maybe we will get their attention - what other choice do we have?<span id='postcolor'>

Class action lawsuit.

I'm not kidding.<span id='postcolor'>

Man I wish I could - do you have any idea what this does to the "immersion factor"? GEEZE - and this is the only game I play! Heh, heh, we should be able to sue them because the device is not doing what it SAYS it will do but nobody seems to be able to help us!

I just wish and hope that others will fall-in and rally against Creative Labs so maybe they will fix it!!!!!

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Kegetys @ Nov. 26 2002,15:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">if we all contact Creative Labs, then maybe we will get their attention - what other choice do we have?<span id='postcolor'>

Get some other soundcard? If your card still has warranty, take it back to where you bought it and get some other one.<span id='postcolor'>

I wish it was that easy - it's an Area-51 Alienware box, custom built. What's worse is that after reading all the other posts about this, it isn't exactly clear which soundcard would actually do it for Win-XP - some say this one, others say that one doesn't work.

Besides, having CL fix it helps future users of the game, whereas buying another card helps them not unless they check this forum before buying the game and/or a new computer, which I doubt most will do.

[theavonlady 2]

Someone should look up a good law firm and toss this at them. I'm really serious. Even if the damage is assessed at $5-$10 dollars per owner, that's one hell of a fine to Creative.

Any bigwig attornies out there playing OFP? Or are they too busy playing this?

Your witness.

[kegetys 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:35)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I wish it was that easy - it's an Area-51 Alienware box, custom built.<span id='postcolor'>

Your soundcard is custom built?

[advocatexxx 0]

Sell your Live! on ebay and get an audigy.  Or just smash it up with a hammer for causing you so much irritating frustration.. That's what I did.

Avon I don't think you can sue creative because their product isn't fully compatible with a certain game.  If this only happens with Flashpoint and not any other game then SB Live! which is the most successful sound card ever produced is going to have a hard time being blamed as the cause.

Besides I think that user-end agreement lists the compatibility issues and whatnot and pretty much disables anyone from suing Creative for such causes.

When installing software/hardware their license agreements say things like "this software (or hardware) may not be fully compatible with all computer systems, even if the minimum system requirements are met." They let you return it and get a refund/other product if it doesn't work.

I don't think it's worth suing someone for. Creative or BIS fucked up, and getting a different sound card seems to cure the problem so why waste our lives, which are already filled with enough frustration to file a lawsuit.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (advocatexxx @ Nov. 26 2002,16:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Or just smash it up with a hammer for causing you so much irritating frustration.. That's what I did.<span id='postcolor'>

Yep, the suit can cover post-trauma recovery costs and psychotherapy counselling for victims like you.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (advocatexxx @ Nov. 26 2002,16:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Avon I don't think you can sue creative because their product isn't fully compatible with a certain game.  If this only happens with Flashpoint and not any other game then SB Live! which is the most successful sound card ever produced is going to have a hard time being blamed as the cause.<span id='postcolor'>

Sound crackling with SB cards is an issue with many games.

And someone make those footstep sounds go away! I can't take it anymore!

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Kegetys @ Nov. 26 2002,15:46)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:35)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I wish it was that easy - it's an Area-51 Alienware box, custom built.<span id='postcolor'>

Your soundcard is custom built? <span id='postcolor'>

Uh yeah, Alienware custom built me my own soundcard OF COURSE it isn't custom built. The computer is custom built by them, thus I do not have a receipt for just the soundcard. How do I negotiate the refund with Alienware? And besides (and please include this with your NEXT sarcastic remark) :

HOW DOES GETTING ANOTHER CARD HELP FUTURE USERS AVOID THIS PROBLEM?

And perhaps it would help if you told me exactly which card I need to buy? Yes, if I cannot resolve it with CL, then I will have little choice but to buy some other card and hope that works.

[Sh@d0w_Killer 1]

I also have a Soundblaster Live 5.1 mp3/gammer and had the same problem. What worked for me was to roll back the driver's to some older one's, but the real fix was to go into the DirectX trouble shooting section in you system info on your pc and turn down the directX sound acceleration to off!

Since doing that all the horrible sound when in vehicles went away!

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Sh@d0w_Killer @ Nov. 26 2002,15:59)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I also have a Soundblaster Live 5.1 mp3/gammer and had the same problem. What worked for me was to roll back the driver's to some older one's, but the real fix was to go into the DirectX trouble shooting section in you system info on your pc and turn down the directX sound acceleration to off!

Since doing that all the horrible sound when in vehicles went away! <span id='postcolor'>

I did not see this solution posted in this way in any of the other (previous) threads about this. I saw where some said to turn the acceleration off within OFP that seemed to work for some and not for others.

I DID see where some said to roll back the drivers to older ones, and this seemed to work for some until either they upgraded to XP or Resistance or both. I wonder if the older drivers are available on the website? I don't have my originals, and since THE COMPUTER was a custom job, I don't have the SB CD.

I will try what you said and if it works, I will press your name into a bronzed plaque and hang it on the wall above my computer!

( Still, though, even if it DOES work, we need to hound SB to fix this so that we can have our sound acceleration ON )

[BaronVonRed 0]

"2: Target Soundblaster Card: 3 5"

"1 (BaronVonRed): Sabot"

~pause

"1 (BaronVonRed): FIRE"

...loud explosion...

"2: Soundblaster Card is history"

"1 (BaronVonRed): Negative"

"1 (BaronVonRed): Driver, goto 3 5"

.......CRUNCH......

...three hours later.....

"1 (BaronVonRed): FORWARD - STOP"

"1 (BaronVonRed): REVERSE - STOP"

"1(BaronVonRed): FORWARD - STOP"

.............

[joltan 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (BaronVonRed @ Nov. 26 2002,16:06)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I don't have my originals, and since THE COMPUTER was a custom job, I don't have the SB CD.<span id='postcolor'>

Even if it was custom build - you did not get the driver cds and all the goodies that came with the stuff they put in your machine? That is something I would have complained about right from the start - and that would have caused me to cancel my order for incomplete delivery (while giving them a chance to postdeliver them of course)!

If you buy it out of the box then it may be ok if you only get one cd with all the drivers - but if you let them custom build it for you they should give you all that came with the hardware. You pay for the parts!

[Sh@d0w_Killer 1]

I use the 3509.1.00 driver's and it's been working great.Will try to post a link for you for these..

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (joltan @ Nov. 26 2002,16:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">If you buy it out of the box then it may be ok if you only get one cd with all the drivers - but if you let them custom build it for you they should give you all that came with the hardware. You pay for the parts!<span id='postcolor'>

I don't think they were there, but then again, I was so excited when it came in, I may have left them in the bottom of the box (in which case they are in the landfill)

Wait....I do have a "Master CD" and a separate O/S CD. I wonder if they could be on the "Master CD"? I will look when I get home.

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Sh@d0w_Killer @ Nov. 26 2002,16:19)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I use the 3509.1.00 driver's and it's been working great.Will try to post a link for you for these..<span id='postcolor'>

Thank you for that. I will try turning off acceleration in Direct X first, then will resort to driver hunt (I may have them on a "master CD".

Of course, it is still possible that A) SB will respond to my trouble request, and B) they will actually fix it ........ and it is also possible for pigs to fly if only they had wings

[Sh@d0w_Killer 1]

I got those driver's from my original SB live cd....Lol waiting on creative to get back with you ...let me know what happens....

[FallenPaladin 0]

I really like the quality of Creative hardware (I own an Audigy gamer and a Creative 3D Blaster 4 Ti 4200) , but I hate the driver-support Creative gives to us!!!  

For example: The latest audigy drivers for me are many months old! And there sure could be done some improvements!

The same with the Creative graphics drivers: the Nvidia 40.72 are out for maybe two-three weeks now, but no Creative drivers until today!

Creative support sucks!!!    

[HK (HunterKiller) 0]

Soundblaster Audigy, the case rests....Seriously though i have 2 PC's, one with a Live 5.1 and it crackles, if you have 3rd person switched on switch to it and back again and the crackling will disappear, or get an Audigy, i have not got this problem with my Audigy card on my other machine..

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (HK (HunterKiller) @ Nov. 26 2002,19:58)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Soundblaster Audigy, the case rests....Seriously though i have 2 PC's, one with a Live 5.1 and it crackles, if you have 3rd person switched on switch to it and back again and the crackling will disappear, or get an Audigy, i have not got this problem with my Audigy card on my other machine..<span id='postcolor'>

Audigy, huh? No problems, eh? Hmmmm......now that is a tempting offer. I wonder, has anyone else noticed this? Stupid question: Is Audigy made by Sound Blaster? I was going to upgrade my Gforce3 with a Gforce4(128M) for Xmas, but now starting to think maybe a sound card would be a better idea.

BTW: still no reply from Creative Labs. Oh, wait, maybe they're so busy researching my problem that they don't have time to answer!

[BaronVonRed 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Sh@d0w_Killer @ Nov. 26 2002,15:59)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">.... but the real fix was to go into the DirectX trouble shooting section in you system info on your pc and turn down the directX sound acceleration to off!

Since doing that all the horrible sound when in vehicles went away! <span id='postcolor'>

Dude - you are the man!!!!    

This worked beautifully!!!    

BIS - please post this somewhere where new users can see it or even better, get it into the README file for SoundBlaster users- it fixed all the sound crackling problems with vehicles and took less than 30 seconds!

Moderators - thanks for letting this one air out! I promise to be a good boy from now on.....  

I LOVE THIS GAME ALL OVER AGAIN!

On my tombstone will be inscribed:

BaronVonRed...he's dead now,

but Sh@d0w_Killer was his hero.

[Sh@d0w_Killer 1]

Not a hero, just a guy who likes to play OFP! I'm glad to help you, cause people have helped me....goodluck! if you get a chance play on our server....

www.digitalgrenade.com

[Sh@d0w_Killer 1]

By the way the Audigy, made by creative ,is a better card and i'm getting one soon....and i would wait to upgrade my videocard til next year when the GeForceFX comes out,it will be 50% faster than any vid card out there now!