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Topic: Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com. (Read 6234 times) previous topic - next topic
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Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

For the next version of my OpenAL output component I need some beta testers using the nVidia nForce Audio "APU". The next version should support higher bitrates than 16 Bit and for this soundchip this should really be easy to implement. I don't have an nForce board myself so I need an external betatester who wants to help me test the new version.

If you're interested please send me a PM or EMail. Thank you in advance !

nRaecheR

PS: I contected Creative Labs as well asking them to answer some questions about their OpenAL implementation and allowing me to download the "non-public" OpenAL SDK from their developer site but I *NEVER* get an answer in return to my questions. No support from them, no support for their advanced OpenAL it seems. Maybe I will try to register as developer but they want me to sign a NDA and want a know a lot of answers to silly questions and I don't think they will approve me. It seems they don't want to support developer of freeware/open-source software =(

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #1 –
I have an nForce.  Whats openAl though, I'm guessing from the name that its similar to openGL but for audio?

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #2 –
Yes, OpenAL is an "open" API just like OpenGL but for audio.
If you would like to test the OpenAL component with your nForce, please download the latest version from my webpage, install it, choose OpenAL as output component.  The OpenAL component config dialog should have a check at "nVidia extension available".
Now you should test with 24 bit or 32 bit fixed point samples, it should work with your nForce. I won't work if you got another soundcard installed though.
In case of any problem please send me the output of the console as PM or EMail with the version of the nForce driver you've installed etc. Thanks !

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #3 –
Trying this OpenAL plugin on my EPoX 8RDA+ motherboard (nForce2) as we speak.

*downloads*
..
*unzips*
..
*closes and re-launches foobar2000 0.666*
..
hmm, seems i can't check that 'nVidia Extension available' box or change the renderer from Software.
i'm using the nforce drivers 2.41, which were pulled from the site due to bugs. this is the first problem i've seen though ..

anyway i guess it works. i don't hear anything though, just watch the progress slider tick along :\

i'll try dropping the 2.03 drivers back on and see how it goes.
_
psy.

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #4 –
Quote
hmm, seems i can't check that 'nVidia Extension available' box or change the renderer from Software.
i'm using the nforce drivers 2.41, which were pulled from the site due to bugs. this is the first problem i've seen though ..

Ha ! It seems nVidia doesn't support there own OpenAL extension. You can't check the checker, it's read only and indicates that the found OpenAL dll supports the nVidia extension. But you should get a hardware renderer dll. If you see only the Software renderer no OpenAL32.DLL has been installed from your driver. This sounds odd though because I've seen the DLL myself in the driver package. On my system (Audigy) it only supports a software renderer mode but I've hoped that this isn't the case when running on a nForce chipset with "soundstorm" enabled....

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #5 –
Maybe the extension is specific to SoundStorm boards.

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #6 –
I get two "Software Renders" listed.  Neither have nForce extensions checked.  I'm running an A7N266-c (which is supposed to be one of the best implimentations of the nForce sound, even though its an nForce1).  I'm running the latest drivers.

It plays fine though. 

Quote
Now you should test with 24 bit or 32 bit fixed point samples, it should work with your nForce.


nForce supports 24bit audio ? 

Sorry for the dumb questions, I'm just not sure what the advatages of openAL are for foobar.  All the stuff google found seemed like it was for games.

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #7 –
Quote
I get two "Software Renders" listed.  Neither have nForce extensions checked.  I'm running an A7N266-c (which is supposed to be one of the best implimentations of the nForce sound, even though its an nForce1).  I'm running the latest drivers.

nForce supports 24bit audio ? 

The OpenAL32.dll from the nVidia driver returns "Software" as renderer. It seems that nVidia uses the software wrapper to wrap one hardware device, that means the standard OpenAL32.dll from the driver works with all cards but shows one more device if running on nForce hardware. This device is the "nVidia® nForce™ Audio" device. This device should support the extensions. I don't think that the nForce supports 24 Bit output but maybe 24 or 32 Bit input samples and that's what the extension is all about.

Have a look at the configuration dialog of the OpenAL component. If it says that the first "software" renderer uses a device like "nVidia® nForce™ Audio" it should be hardware accelerated. If this is not the case I will have a look at it and will update my component with the function to let the user choose the device to use. Version 0.5 always uses the so called "Default device", on my Audigy this is the best device because it uses hardware acceleration.

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #8 –


Both software devices are the same, except the second lists "Creative Labs" under vender.  Is there anything else you'd like me to try?

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #9 –
just tried this plugin again, now testing 0.5

once again, 2 software renderers show up.
the vendor for one is Creative Labs Inc., the other shows Standard Implementation.
neither will play with resampler set to 24bit (console shows error message "unsupported bitrate"), but @ 16 bit both play, with only the Creative vendor software renderer creating any audio.

neither let me enable the nVidia extension available box either.

once again, very strange that nVidia don't support their own openAL extensions
_
psy.

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #10 –
Quote
once again, very strange that nVidia don't support their own openAL extensions

I've tracked down the problem with help of a kind nForce user. It's a driver bug of the nForce OpenAL driver, I've contacted nVidia developer relations about this, no answer so far. I even modified their own samples to show them the bug, it's definitly a bug of the OpenAL implementation of the nForce. Hopefully it will be fixed with the next version of their drivers....the nVidia extension support works without problem but the driver has problems creating the hardware accelerated OpenAL device more than once in a process. This has been tested with nForce drivers 2.00 and 2.41.

That means : The nForce chipset is currently incompatible with my OpenAL componenent until nVidia fixes the bug, there is NOTHING I can do, I tried to workaround it but it seems to be impossible, sorry.

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #11 –
Hi! This is a kind nForce user  Too bad though. Maybe we can try to play all those songs using only one Device?

Betatesters with nForce needed for OpenAL com.

Reply #12 –
Quote
Hi! This is a kind nForce user   Too bad though. Maybe we can try to play all those songs using only one Device?

nVidia hasn't answered to my bug report. There seems to be no new nForce driver, so nothing has changed. No updated driver from nVidia (or a workaround for me from NV), no proper OpenAL functionality with nForce hardware.