ED#02 : SoundStorm In A Cup

[Im_Gumby]

Has anybody tested this (for 2.0, not if they work)?

[Chai]

Originally Posted by Im_Gumby

Has anybody tested this (for 2.0, not if they work)?

This is not related to the topic. Would you mind starting a new thread in motherboard section?

[Im_Gumby]

You got it (as long as you look into this issue for me )

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by Im_Gumby

NF7-S?

We're talking about AsusTek A7N8X Deluxe. (4 ports on the back panel directly on the mobo, 2 on a pci-slot filler)

Oops!

Well, it's still the same. The A7N8X Deluxe comes with 6 USB ports.

Originally Posted by Im_Gumby

I do understand that the post screen shows the devices connected, but the description of those devices is what has me confused. If all six ports are 2.0 compliant, why doesn't the post screen show that?

My other context is the drivers listed on the device manage showing 2 Standard USB drivers and 1 NVIDIA 2.0 USB driver.

I think the best way to clear it all up would be for you to remove ALL USB 1.0/1.1 devices and use only USB 2.0 devices. See what the boot-up screen says when you boot.

If I'm correct, it will show only USB 2.0 devices. For example, if you use only two USB 2.0 devices, it will show only two USB 2.0 devices. It won't show thet two USB 1.0/1.1 devices that you have already removed.

Again, the post screen is NOT everything. Note that it tells you the number and type of USB devices. NOT Ports.

[ChrissTalker]

I am a happy owner of a Shuttle SN41G2 that comes with the nVidia SoundStorm capabilities. What I am wondering - as a would be musician – is if I can change the default midi soundfonts. Has anybody tried that? What soundfonts and how large can I use?

[Christopher X]

Originally Posted by Chai

I'm not too sure if NForce2 uses such a poor DAC.

Well, sorry to bust everyones bubbles but I dont need a 2nd certification from Dolby Labs to know that it outputs Dolby Surround cause my 90's erra "Sony", "Dolby Pro Logic Surround" Decoder displays on its led pan that "Dolby Surround" is activated. Something it does not display when Dolby Audio isnt decoded.

IMHO, whoever that was that said SoundStorm doesn't output good bass , probably isn't using the right speakers, or have to long of speaker wire, or something, just ask my neighbors down the street.....see what theeeyyyy have to say, hehe ..... 50Hz, and five Sony 12's with a Sony center can make a really huge difference. You can believe that .

Any Soundboard that could encode in Dolby DigitaL HAS to be good right? What about a Pro Logic 2 encoder? Or do we have to wait another 25 yrs for THAT one hehe Honestly though, I'm pretty sure ASUS wouldn't sell a Dolby DigitaL Capable motherboard that didn't have a Dolby labs certified ramdac with it. I coul'd be wrong though. But to put out a product, So crippled like that, well They can't be THAT STUPID! It would be a discredit to their name IMHO. High Audiophiles that are used to hearing Dolby Audio on a regular basis, that could tell the difference right off the note, most likely would have protested againt it long ago..

I have the ASUS A7N8X Deluxe (2nd revision) and will say that the drivers that I have installed at this moment aren't that great if stability is any concern. I have had the Audio lock up on me on more then one occasion when doing phase shift testing and adding various levels of distortion, and caused the sound to send out strange screach frequencies, mostly to the center channel, that could possibly have damage my speakers, and/or my ears for that matter. Im hoping updated drivers will fix these problems. Just the other day, I had to re-install the drivers just to get the sound working again.

For Some reason the Subwoofer output doesn't seem to work when I have the Audio Out set to 4channel Surround for some reason (On the computer, not the Decoder). MeThinks that Dolby might not have included the Subwoofer in Its Specification for 4 channel output aka Phantom?, due to its age, but later became apart of Dolby's specification when DD 5.1 came around, which is the reason, I THINK, the SUbwoofer output jack only seems to work, for me anyway, in 5.1 aka 6CH! This is just speculation of course. Subwoofers were more common in peoples homes at the time DD came around, aswell as the Center channel, which makes sence on why Dolby Labs would make it that way.

IMHO, I think it was great that Dolby went ahead and actualy agreed to licence a Dolby Interactive Content Encoder, and have one built in a motherboard that only cost me $175.00 directed towards enthusiasts and hardcore PC gamers, and in Hardware for that matter, considering, its main dedicated Dolby Surround encoder Theater matrix systems go for several grand. Licence a built in decoder aswell...HA HA HA, Yea, that will be the day, sure, well then if that would be the case there would be even less a reason for peepz to buy a dedicated Dolby Decoder and even more a reason for them NOT to licence the encoder. If thats the case then ANY POS $5.00 device that can put out Stereo Audio would do! See, thats the catch right there. The more ASUS Boards, or whatever get sold with the SoundStorm/Dolby certification, all the more people that will most likely purchase a seperate decoder. Some willing to pay a grand or more for a fancy/classy one with alot of options, SVid in's and out's so in the end, Dolby actually makes MORE money, if not same amount they would have made had that many more people bought one of their Theater Matrix Systems..... I'm Guessing...

But what Do I know??? I'm just a high school dropout that smokes alot of pot...whether a good thing or bad.

I also am not 100% shure for a fact, but IMHO think that Dolby Digital was meant for the Sony Philips Digital Interface format output, hence the DigitaL bit at the end of the name, or just that my decoder is one of the older ones that do not have DigitaL Inputs or outputs so im not shure..

My Newer but broken (friend fried the right channel, by "incorrectly" hooking up a subwoofer to the right speaker, at the same time that same right speaker was plugged into the right channel) RCA Professional Series Decoder with PIONEER Hardware inside, actually DID have a digital input. I tried it once before my right channel blew out, and I DID notice a difference with the digitaL connection. The sound seemed more crisp.

COAX better then Opticle? So it says in the article, or above it.... Thats news to me :-O



Why does the center channel output SHARE with the SUbwoofer output? Is it because the Subwoofer should be plugged into the center channel, then have the center speaker plugged into the sub, which has a seperate built in AMp/crossover-seperate speaker Output?

Whats the 0 or 180 Polarity switch do on the back of my sub? Does it reverse the polarity aka +/-?

I do know that the Audigy 2 supports Dolby EX, which has an added rear center, (ALOT less common). I was at the store the otherday and read it on the box. I'm not sure if it can encode in that mode or otherwise, might be one reason the Audigy 2 is such a good soundboard, aswell as the fact its 24-bit like the Sound Storm branded, Dolby DigitaL Certified APU integrated on the nForce 2 Deluxe.

I have a question??????????. So when it is set in 4 channels of Dolby Audio output comming from the puter, on the Decoder, is best optimum on "Phantom", since, Afterall, the Centerchannel is "ghostly" if you know what I mean hehe. I can feel the presence.

Why is it that the SUbwoofer output on the back of SoundStorm can only accomodate either the center channel, or sub, but not both unless using a subwoofer that has a built in speaker crossover thinga magigggy?

It's late and I have to go.

Thanks for your attention.

I like how my SoundStorm sounds, Do you?

[BlackEye]

I have an ASUS "A7N8X-E Deluxe" mobo and an ALTEC LANSING VS3151 5.1 Black Speaker System. All the connections went well, as did the set up with the Mobo. Everything tests and sounds great (DVDs and .mp3's). EXCEPT, there is no sound eminating from the center channel. I spent hours with another audio engineer and we couldn't get it to make a peep. We hooked the speaker system to another mobo (MSI 655 Max with built-in 5.1 sound) and they all worked fine - including the center channel. I can't find any solutions to this problem. Nvidia offers no firmware update for the chip, nor does Asus.

Any help would be appreciated.

[DanaG]

check out this thread I posted at nForcersHQ:

NvMixer HIDDEN Settings Pages!
http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56155

but first get the newer WHQL audio drivers from NVIDIA's site.

to enable center channel, you need to extract the old soundstorm control panel and use that to check "enable center"

[jakesnake3037]

I know this is a really old thread, but to clarify why the ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe is not SoundStorm-certified is really a no brainer that everyone overlooked.

According to Nvidia, for a motherboard to pass certification they have to have the following:


- NVIDIA nForce(tm)2 platform processor-based motherboard that includes the MCP-T with APU supporting Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding
- Discrete (non-shared) front left and right analog outputs
- Discrete (non-shared) rear left and right analog outputs
- Discrete (non-shared) center and subwoofer analog outputs
- Discrete (non-shared) S/PDIF digital output (coax recommended, but they can do optical)
- Discrete (non-shared) line-in analog inputs
- Discrete (non-shared) microphone analog input
- Minimum 85db signal-to-noise ratio on all analog outputs
- Minimum 80db signal-to-noise ratio on all analog inputs
- Dolby Digital testing, certification, approval from Dolby and NVIDIA

Given those requirements, the reason ASUS did not qualify is because they share line in with rear output and microphone with center/subwoofer. That is the only reason why!!

CASE CLOSED