On-board LAN causing sound "popping"

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 2, 2005, 03:02 AM

I'm a hardcore gamer and I play games whenever possible. The last thing that I would want is for my games to not operate properly. Here's my problem, I've been playing Counterstrike Source and HL-2. On some areas of maps, I could tons of sound "popping". It's VERY annoying and I've tried everything to try and make it go away. I was using my on-board sound which is on my Nforce4 motherboard when I was hearing these "popping" sounds and even when I upgraded to an Audigy 2 ZS sound card, I was still hearing these "popping" noises. So far I've noticed it in games like Counterstrike Source, Half-Life 2, and Call Of Duty whenever I enable the EAX option. Well I read somewhere that the on-board LAN can create this issue so I decided to disable my on-board LAN and what do u know? Allll gone. My question is, I do not really want to buy a separate PCI ethernet card because all my PCI slots all currently in use. Is there a way to fix this problem? Any suggestions?

**dj_stick** · Jan 2, 2005, 06:49 AM

no it will stil lcause the same problem

my guess is that the onboard lan is using the PCI bus, which is taking over needed bandwidth from the soundcard

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 2, 2005, 09:26 AM

Well, it's not listed as a pci device so I don't know how that could be true. Then again, this problem is a total mystery so far...

**dj_stick** · Jan 2, 2005, 09:35 AM

could also be an issue in the game itself, stuttering sound caused by the game waiting for network data

try playing music while transferring several large files (to different locations and from different physical drives if possible)

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 2, 2005, 09:41 AM

By the way, looks as if the problem has not been isolated... I have absolutely no idea how to fix this problem. This problem ONLY occurs mostly in Counterstrike Source on certain maps and whenever I enable EAX in Call Of Duty. It mainly happens on maps with tanks or other various vehicles. I'm at a loss......

**dj_stick** · Jan 2, 2005, 09:42 AM

try what i suggested, and also try enabling eax through media source to see if that is the issue

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 2, 2005, 09:50 AM

I just tried transfering 8 gigs of data from my storage drive to my main drive while listening to music and I did not get any problems. This problem ONLY occurs within Counterstrike source on SOME maps, and in COD. BF Vietnam plays fine with EAX, Far Cry plays fine with EAX, Medal Of Honor:PA plays fine with EAX, and every other game for that matter. It's pretty much an isolated problem... just have no idea how to fix it.

**dj_stick** · Jan 2, 2005, 10:18 AM

counter strike source doesn't use EAX, the source engine doesn't support it, it has its own reverb unit built in… as for COD, do you have any other quake3 engine based games?

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 2, 2005, 11:24 AM

Yes I know that CS:Source does not support EAX. I do have Quake 3 but I never had problems with that game either.

**dj_stick** · Jan 2, 2005, 11:58 AM

so its not an EAX issue exactly…
reduce your graphics settings in each affected game and see if that helps clear up the issue
as for the popping in CS:Source, i have a feeling that is the bug that many people are feeling in HL2 aswell

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 2, 2005, 07:49 PM

Thing is, I'm pretty sure I'm getting above 40 framers per second easilly on both of those games when the issue occurs. DJ Stick, do you have Call Of Duty:UO and an Audigy 2 sound card? Do you have any problems when you enable EAX yourself?

**dj_stick** · Jan 3, 2005, 12:32 AM

i don't have that game, and my Audigy 2 ZS is running the kX drivers, therefore i do not use EAX at all

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 3, 2005, 02:42 AM

That's cool DJ Stick. I found out a way to solve the "popping" problem in CS:Source. Once I launch the game, I must switch between different resolutions. Once I do that, the program dissapears....till I re-open the game that is. Pretty annoying stuff.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jan 3, 2005, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisAdan650

Well, it's not listed as a pci device so I don't know how that could be true. Then again, this problem is a total mystery so far...

Becouse onboard componets still use the PCI bus and system resources....
With a hevey loaded system like that your running far less then optimal..

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisAdan650

That's cool DJ Stick. I found out a way to solve the "popping" problem in CS:Source. Once I launch the game, I must switch between different resolutions. Once I do that, the program dissapears....till I re-open the game that is. Pretty annoying stuff.

Direct X issues? BTW: direct X does sound as well as video even opengl games often use DX sound. Minumizeing and reopening the game make everything reinitalise...

Not much I can reccomend to help but! your PCI latency try this
http://hbr.relaxz.net/files/Tools/LtcyCfg.zip
Attemp to lower the latency of your sound card and see if this helps

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 3, 2005, 05:37 AM

Thanks for the help Neon Cowboy but I've lowered the latency to 32 and it still did not help. It's really weird how I have to switch resolutions in order to fix the problem in CS:Source... any help would be appreciated because it's driving me insane! Call Of Duty is my fav online shooter and it sucks that I can't take advantage of EAX.

ChrisAdan650 · Jan 3, 2005, 06:45 AM

Ok well I just found out that if I keep the default resolution of 800x600, the problem disappears. This kind of sucks because I would like to use 1024x768. I know my system can handle a higher resolution easily because I've enabled 4x aa and 4x af and it runs smooth as silk when I'm running the game at 800x600.....

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jan 3, 2005, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisAdan650

Ok well I just found out that if I keep the default resolution of 800x600, the problem disappears. This kind of sucks because I would like to use 1024x768. I know my system can handle a higher resolution easily because I've enabled 4x aa and 4x af and it runs smooth as silk when I'm running the game at 800x600.....

How about a list of whats in your rig
mobo?
the cards you have installed and in what slots?
(remember PCI slot #1 is @ the top count your way down)

**dj_stick** · Jan 3, 2005, 07:11 AM

another thing make sure that the soundcard isn't sharing an IRQ with another card, it could also be that the game is buggy

Jan 2, 2005, 03:02 AM	#1
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	On-board LAN causing sound "popping" I'm a hardcore gamer and I play games whenever possible. The last thing that I would want is for my games to not operate properly. Here's my problem, I've been playing Counterstrike Source and HL-2. On some areas of maps, I could tons of sound "popping". It's VERY annoying and I've tried everything to try and make it go away. I was using my on-board sound which is on my Nforce4 motherboard when I was hearing these "popping" sounds and even when I upgraded to an Audigy 2 ZS sound card, I was still hearing these "popping" noises. So far I've noticed it in games like Counterstrike Source, Half-Life 2, and Call Of Duty whenever I enable the EAX option. Well I read somewhere that the on-board LAN can create this issue so I decided to disable my on-board LAN and what do u know? Allll gone. My question is, I do not really want to buy a separate PCI ethernet card because all my PCI slots all currently in use. Is there a way to fix this problem? Any suggestions?

Jan 2, 2005, 09:26 AM	Thread Starter #3
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	Well, it's not listed as a pci device so I don't know how that could be true. Then again, this problem is a total mystery so far...

Jan 2, 2005, 09:41 AM	Thread Starter #5
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	By the way, looks as if the problem has not been isolated... I have absolutely no idea how to fix this problem. This problem ONLY occurs mostly in Counterstrike Source on certain maps and whenever I enable EAX in Call Of Duty. It mainly happens on maps with tanks or other various vehicles. I'm at a loss......

Jan 2, 2005, 09:50 AM	Thread Starter #7
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	I just tried transfering 8 gigs of data from my storage drive to my main drive while listening to music and I did not get any problems. This problem ONLY occurs within Counterstrike source on SOME maps, and in COD. BF Vietnam plays fine with EAX, Far Cry plays fine with EAX, Medal Of Honor:PA plays fine with EAX, and every other game for that matter. It's pretty much an isolated problem... just have no idea how to fix it.

Jan 2, 2005, 11:24 AM	Thread Starter #9
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	Yes I know that CS:Source does not support EAX. I do have Quake 3 but I never had problems with that game either.

Jan 2, 2005, 07:49 PM	Thread Starter #11
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	Thing is, I'm pretty sure I'm getting above 40 framers per second easilly on both of those games when the issue occurs. DJ Stick, do you have Call Of Duty:UO and an Audigy 2 sound card? Do you have any problems when you enable EAX yourself?

Jan 3, 2005, 02:42 AM	Thread Starter #13
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	That's cool DJ Stick. I found out a way to solve the "popping" problem in CS:Source. Once I launch the game, I must switch between different resolutions. Once I do that, the program dissapears....till I re-open the game that is. Pretty annoying stuff.

Jan 3, 2005, 05:37 AM	Thread Starter #15
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for the help Neon Cowboy but I've lowered the latency to 32 and it still did not help. It's really weird how I have to switch resolutions in order to fix the problem in CS:Source... any help would be appreciated because it's driving me insane! Call Of Duty is my fav online shooter and it sucks that I can't take advantage of EAX.

Jan 3, 2005, 06:45 AM	Thread Starter #16
ChrisAdan650 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 152 Rep Power: 0	Ok well I just found out that if I keep the default resolution of 800x600, the problem disappears. This kind of sucks because I would like to use 1024x768. I know my system can handle a higher resolution easily because I've enabled 4x aa and 4x af and it runs smooth as silk when I'm running the game at 800x600.....