Softmod your Audigy / 2 / Live! into Audigy 4 Pro - Page 6

JimF · #**101** (**permalink**) 9th April, 2006, 05:53 AM

I'm wondering if the install leaves something on the eprom that confuses subsequent upgrade attempts. This seems to work differently for different cards, or perhaps different previous installs, just wish I knew why....

I had the 'card not recognised' problem back in the SBLive days when I did a reinstall and loaded the driver upgrades in the wrong order.

tennis_ball · #**102** (**permalink**) 12th April, 2006, 09:35 PM

Hi,

This is my first post.

I successfully did the audigy 1 to audigy 4 Pro MOD, including the apps and the driver. I am only using Audio Console, Speaker Setting, and Surround Mixer apps.
Is this enough? What about the EAX Console? I actually can select the EAX of my music in the Audio Console. Then what is the EAX Console for?
( I'm on 2.1 speaker for music).

dsio, what apps are you using? Thanks.

dsio · #**103** (**permalink**) 12th April, 2006, 09:48 PM

I use the surround mixer a fair bit, and enjoy the improved audio quality but thats about all. I'm not a massive audiophile type or sound card expert, so I just use the basics. It has definately improved EAX and sound quality, and the new surround mixer has more features (and doesn't crash as much as the Audigy 1 version).

For me, its more a matter of doing it for the principle. It is an upgrade for free. As overclockers, that is exactly what we are looking out for every day, and when we see one, its something to embrace.

I hope you enjoy the place mate, there are alot of knowledgable guys in many fields here that can help you out in overclocking / performance tuning / drivers / linux / games.

Chernobyl · #**104** (**permalink**) 13th April, 2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsio

Its interesting that I find it works perfectly on a clean fresh install of XP, but after I install the latest creative drivers, I then cant get the softmod to work.

Hiya
I had a similar problem some time ago but now have an Audigy4 as they are so cheap.

The problem seems to be due to this...
After installing the proper drivers for the card, the computer recognises that it truly is an Audigy 1 and will not allow the installation of the modded drivers.
I cant remember exactly which step sorted it, but I do know the procedures I followed

1) uninstall everything from creative
2) use a driver cleaner to remove any traces left
3) went through the registry and deleted everything to do with the Audigy
4) searched all the inf files installed to find ones for the Audigy and deleted them. This stops XP from automatically re-detecting the card on reboot.

After this I could then install the Audigy 4 driver (it still calls itself an Audigy afterwards in Device Manager) and get it working again. I have done this twice with success.
Hope this helps.

amao · #**105** (**permalink**) 2nd July, 2006, 12:50 PM

Hey dsio, I just bought an Audigy2 ZS Pla. and was doing research about my new card. That is how I found this thread, excellent info! However, I also found the following from wikipedia (search for "sound blaster"):

"Later, in 2004, Creative released updated drivers top-to-bottom for the Audigy through Audigy 4 line that put these cards basically at feature parity on a software level. As of 2006, the entire Audigy lineup uses the same driver package. This effectively ends the need for the modified drivers."

Does this kill the need for the softmod or my card can still be benefitial?

Chernobyl · #**106** (**permalink**) 2nd July, 2006, 01:09 PM

I await DSIO's reply.
my own experience is very good with the latest drivers but I now have an audigy 4 anyway (they are sooo cheap!).
Using the hacked driver package may allow you to install better supporting software so could be useful in that respect at least.

amao · #**107** (**permalink**) 2nd July, 2006, 01:47 PM

Confused by the "better supporting software". Ain't they all the same now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chernobyl

I await DSIO's reply.
my own experience is very good with the latest drivers but I now have an audigy 4 anyway (they are sooo cheap!).
Using the hacked driver package may allow you to install better supporting software so could be useful in that respect at least.

Chernobyl · #**108** (**permalink**) 2nd July, 2006, 02:39 PM

what software you are allowed to install is tied to which card you have.
Having a basic Audigy 4, I cannot install certain apps so I assume the same applies to other cards.
I'm not bothered tho as I have all the functionality I need (ASIO, AC3 decoding, 5.1 speaker config, EAX).

amao · #**109** (**permalink**) 4th July, 2006, 10:17 PM

I have not received my card yet but I am wondering if I softmod my card into a Audigy 4 Pro, can/should I update with the latest Creative driver and other applications? Will that "change" my card back into Audigy 2 again?

Anybody has answers?

dsio · #**110** (**permalink**) 5th July, 2006, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amao

I have not received my card yet but I am wondering if I softmod my card into a Audigy 4 Pro, can/should I update with the latest Creative driver and other applications? Will that "change" my card back into Audigy 2 again?

Anybody has answers?

Yes, it most likely will.

Mchart · #**111** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 01:56 PM

See my last post, this mod does nothing but give you a 1 FPS performance boost in games (That it works in, doesnt work in Prey). Does however give you the audigy 4 control panel (Which can be done, but you dont have to use these modded drivers.)

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Favu · #**112** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mchart

Shame on creative for being such asshats.

Got EpOx · #**113** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 02:04 PM

They're not condeming this free upgrade at all, the software is not licenced i believe, so Creative are not asshats as you make out.

Mchart · #**114** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 02:41 PM

Ok, well i've allready found a few issues with this, most are relating to AC3 decoding, and DTS decoding. I have an Audigy 2 for reference.

First issue - When decoding DD5.1 from a DVD, there is stuttering when you first load the DVD.
Second - The playback speeds up/speeds down randomly, and you may encounter a stutter during normal playblack.
Third - DTS decoding refuses to work.

So I dont know. The improved audio quality is nice, but I'm not liking the fact that I've basically lost all decoding features. Anyone else seeing the same things?

Also note - I followed the install instructions verbatim, and it is now showing my audigy2 as a audigy2zs.

Mchart · #**115** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 04:46 PM

Ok, here is what I did.

I completely un-installed everything again.
Installed latest official creative driver.
Then I installed the Audigy 4 Hacked ISO. (Make sure you de-select driver and audio console install when installing all the stuff).
Note - Fix for using the Graphic Equalizer app

My audio quality is better then it was before on this official driver (I think that even though I had the same driver before, my system was all screwed up and still using older driver files, thus resulting in lower sound quality), and I have the new audigy 4 software. My decoding is fixed, and it works 100%.

I really would edit the topic of this post, installing the hacked drivers doesnt fix much. There is a review of these drivers LINK That basically shows that the youp-pax drivers offer only around a 1-3 FPS boost in games, but OFFER NO SOUND QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS. I think this is important to point out to people, you will not see an improvement in sound quality if you have the newest official drivers installed properly.

Also remember folks - if you have an Audigy2 or lower, installing the hacked driver WILL NOT ENABLE DTS! Those older cards are physically missing the hardware. (Audigy2 ZS and above have it though)

Redroar · #**116** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 06:22 PM

?

I have a Audigy SE and it plays DTS movies, even without drivers. Or am I just missing something?

Mchart · #**117** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redroar

?

I have a Audigy SE and it plays DTS movies, even without drivers. Or am I just missing something?

That card doesnt even support decoding AC3 let alone DTS, your dvd-player software on your computer is probally decoding it for you. (Doesnt even support SPDIF/Optical in/out)

With all audigy cards, to have the cards decode the AC3 or DTS (assuming they support it), you have to set the DVD player application to SPDIF Out. The sound card then picks it up, and decodes it.

Redroar · #**118** (**permalink**) 27th August, 2006, 10:08 PM

Ah, I see.

Phydeux · #**119** (**permalink**) 28th August, 2006, 02:52 PM

Ok, I've got an SB Live that's showing up as a 7000 (whatever that is) after installation. Is there any way to enable this thing to do 5.1 audio with a 3-connector output? I thought there was a way to convert the Mic or Line In jacks to do the center and sub channels. Or is that my old nForce2 motherboard I'm thinking of?

Anyhow, the soonest reply would be greatly appreciated. And if this isn't possible, I don't see any advantage over my current nForce4 onboard audio.

Additionally, I've just noticed that even though I installed the softmod clean, with no prior Creative stuff on my system, its still only showing my card as an SB Live Value model, even though its actually and MP3+ model. Did the softmod fail?