Sound card help, dual wave file info

[darkice]

Ive got a question. In windows 2000, i can use my same sound card that i have using windows 98 using (soundblaster awe64) and i can play two different wave files simutaniously. Why can't my sound card do the same under windows 98? Is there a setting that i can enable or disable to get this? Some feed back would be greatly appreciated.

[NDC]

Win95, NT4 and Win98 doesn't support that feature. Once you start a program that plays any sound file, you won't be able to hear the sound from the other program. That's only possible in Win2K.

[BBA]

Actually, it's because of multi-threading in W2K, Win98 can not handle threads like NT can, it should work in NT4 with a new version of MediaPlayer...at least I think it will ( hehehe...something for me to play with at work ).

I wont swear to it, but you should be able to do it in Win9x with a SB-Live, I think.

[NDC]

I have the most recent version of media player on my NT4 Workstation and 4 other systems at work, but no go.... I think that is a feature that is only supported in Win2K.
But if you find a solution to solving that, please let me know, BBA! Thanks. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[NDC]

I just went and checked at Microsoft.com. The most recent version of Media Player for NT4 is V.6.4 and the new V.7.0 only works for Win98 and Win2000! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gif

[BBA]

About win9x, your right NDC...

I just remembered...

Yesterday, at Fraglan, a guy was complaining about no sound from CounterStrike.
Turns out he started two instances of it at once ( **** double double clicking mouses, hehehe ). He was on a P3 600 with 98SE and Geforce video and SB-Live. All he had to do was stop the game twice and reopen it, then sound was ok.

I started two instances of it on my W2K machine, and other than slowness in play, I would not have known it because the sound still worked flawllessly.

So, Win 98 can not handle more than one sound stream at a time.


BTW: NDC, are you using a Awe 64? I will try the test on NT4 with a SB-Live if you dont have that combo, but if you do, I won't waste my time.

[This message has been edited by BBA (edited 09-10-2000).]

[Psycho-holic Slag]

i don't doubt your testing for a minute, but i believe your conclusion is incorrect. i am running a SB Live Value in 98SE and i have listened to sounds from two different sources. i promise. i just don't remember what the sources were.... i'm thinking it was CDPlayer and quake 3, but i'm not 100%.

i've certainly never tried playing 2 wav files at once or 2 instances of media player. i'll try at home and get back with you.

[This message has been edited by Psycho-holic Slag (edited 09-10-2000).]

[BBA]

Two wav files at once is cool...I guess if you use the PC for a mixing studio.

Playing a CD usually does not require the sound card to do any processing of data...it just passes the audio through the audio cable to the output ( of course through th evolume circuit ). Try the same thing with digital extraction of the CD audio and no audio cable connected to the drive...then you will see only one source at a time works.

[NDC]

Actually, I found many good features about having multiple programs play sounds at one time.

For example, when I'm using the computer and I'm listening to music and using ICQ at the same time. On my NT4 system, I wouldn't be able to hear the "Uh Oh" from the ICQ that's telling me a message was sent. Or when I'm using Firetalk to talk to my buddy, I can't listen to music CD's. etc.. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif



[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 09-11-2000).]