Discuss the way Mod your Audigy2 to Audigy4 (include hard-mod and soft-mod)

classic_leon · Apr 18, 2005, 05:48 PM

intro:
YouP modded Audigy4 software and drivers to make avalaible on Audigy2 sound card. That proves Audigy2 and Audigy4 sound cards are quite similar. Our friend, APE will give the steps for hard-modding.

Mod:
step1 Difference of DSPs

Both Audigy2 and Audigy4 use EMU10K2. Audigy4 does not have "legendary"
EMU10K3 and has enhanced EMU10K2, which has powerful potential and waits for us to find it out.

step2, difference between hardware

The primary difference is DAC.
DAC is Digital Analog Canverter as we know. Audigy2's DAC is CS4382, which supports 8 channels 24bit/192KHz, and SNR (higher than 100dB).
Audigy4 has 4 pairs of CS4389 to get 8 channels, supports 24bit/192kHz, SNR(120dB). 4 pairs of stereo CS4398 are the biggest difference. So, we're not gonna be able to easily turn Audigy2 series to Audigy4 as turning Audigy2 to Audigy2 ZS.

step3, highlight of Audigy4

words above orange line present CD digital;
words inside orange circle present enable accurate playback.

Accurate playback only comes out with Audigy2 ZS sound card but Audigy2. The reasons are found from hardware structure:

Bouth Audigy2 ZS and Audigy4 have CS8420 as SRC with dual-transistor-oscillators, One of them has the frequency as 24kHz and is used for output of 48KHz audio signal; another one has the frequency as 11.2896kHz and has independent CS8420 for output of 44.1KHz audio signal. This design is good for remedying shortcoming of EMU10KX. Using CS8420 as SRC has no more enhancement with 44.1KHz signal playing.

step 4, thread for hardmodding Audigy2 to Audigy4

The purpose of hardmodding is to change Vendor ID and Device ID in EEPROM of Sound card. As we know, each PCI device has one Vendor ID, one Device ID, and one Subsystem ID. All of them are 4 bit/hex number in that Vendor ID is assigned to vender by PCI SIG. Subsystem ID is used to differentiate different products. Creative's Vector ID is 1102 which will not be altered in any Creative PCI device and sored in ROM. What we do is to flash Device ID, and Subsystem ID in EEPROM (93c46), or change Device ID, and Subsystem ID in the compatible drivers.

we can check PCI sound card information with PCIscope

Assume that we are using Audigy2, EEPROM of Audigy2 has 3 components: EMU10K2 info, Gameport Joystick, and IEEE1394. Let's take a look at EMU10K2 first. SubVendor ID is 1102（Creative Labs. SubDevice ID is 1002（SB 0240 Audigy2）. The only thing we have to change is Device ID.

modifying Device ID with tools, such as UltraEdit-32

We can open files of Audigy2 with UltraEdit-32, then modify the particular Device ID and then save it to finish modding.

About hard mod, you have to solder 93c46 out from your sound card and then use 8139 or 8029 Enthernet card to flash the bios. And we also can use LPT port to flash it.

the position of 93c46 on an Audigy/Audigy2 series sound card

93c46 flashed by using 8029 LAN card

flash it with RTEEPROM.EXE under DOS

flashed by using LPT prot. the Chinese words above vcc on the right mean "3v battery". boot up DOS and flash your 93c46 with 93CXX.exe(flash utility)

solder 93c46 back to sound card

concl:
there are too many ways to turn your Audigy2 to Audigy4...
Only Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro was tried turning to Audigy4 by us (done by AFA and YouP).

classic_leon · Apr 18, 2005, 06:40 PM

Your Audigy2 is able to 100% turn to Audigy4 with hard-modding only.

**dj_stick** · Apr 19, 2005, 01:01 AM

as for digital accurate playback, this is possible on all 10k2 based cards (Audigy 1, 2, 2 ZS and 4) in the hardware. (proved by the kX feature)

classic_leon · Apr 19, 2005, 10:03 AM

Any idea for modding it?

**dj_stick** · Apr 19, 2005, 10:38 AM

its a driver function afaik

davidsk2001 · Apr 20, 2005, 06:08 PM

now if i hardmod my audigy 2 ZS then will sucess to audigy 4??
your step seem abit difficult.. have to solder some more.. that will have risk.
haha.. any way that were good effort.
any other forumer can softmodded it?

**dj_stick** · Apr 21, 2005, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classic_leon

i
Both Audigy2 and Audigy4 use EMU10K2. Audigy4 does not have "legendary"
EMU10K3 and has enhanced EMU10K2, which has powerful potential and waits for us to find it out.

i have to say though - the 10k2 on the Audigy 4 is a newer revision chip than the one on the Audigy 2 zs. This same chip is used on the Audigy 2 Value and afaik, the Audigy 2 ZS Notebook

szapeboy · Aug 5, 2005, 11:15 AM

Hello! I would like to hardmod my audigy 2 sound card to audigy 4. Could you post a modded rom file?

And I also need detailed instructions to flash the eeprom. I have an RTL8139C network card. It is possible to flash the eeprom with it or i have to use a 8029 or 8139 card?

Thanks in advance.

Apr 18, 2005, 05:48 PM	#1
classic_leon HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wu Han, Hu Bei, P.R.China Posts: 1,238 Rep Power: 0	Discuss the way Mod your Audigy2 to Audigy4 (include hard-mod and soft-mod) intro: YouP modded Audigy4 software and drivers to make avalaible on Audigy2 sound card. That proves Audigy2 and Audigy4 sound cards are quite similar. Our friend, APE will give the steps for hard-modding. Mod: step1 Difference of DSPs Both Audigy2 and Audigy4 use EMU10K2. Audigy4 does not have "legendary" EMU10K3 and has enhanced EMU10K2, which has powerful potential and waits for us to find it out. step2, difference between hardware The primary difference is DAC. DAC is Digital Analog Canverter as we know. Audigy2's DAC is CS4382, which supports 8 channels 24bit/192KHz, and SNR (higher than 100dB). Audigy4 has 4 pairs of CS4389 to get 8 channels, supports 24bit/192kHz, SNR(120dB). 4 pairs of stereo CS4398 are the biggest difference. So, we're not gonna be able to easily turn Audigy2 series to Audigy4 as turning Audigy2 to Audigy2 ZS. step3, highlight of Audigy4 words above orange line present CD digital; words inside orange circle present enable accurate playback. Accurate playback only comes out with Audigy2 ZS sound card but Audigy2. The reasons are found from hardware structure: Bouth Audigy2 ZS and Audigy4 have CS8420 as SRC with dual-transistor-oscillators, One of them has the frequency as 24kHz and is used for output of 48KHz audio signal; another one has the frequency as 11.2896kHz and has independent CS8420 for output of 44.1KHz audio signal. This design is good for remedying shortcoming of EMU10KX. Using CS8420 as SRC has no more enhancement with 44.1KHz signal playing. step 4, thread for hardmodding Audigy2 to Audigy4 The purpose of hardmodding is to change Vendor ID and Device ID in EEPROM of Sound card. As we know, each PCI device has one Vendor ID, one Device ID, and one Subsystem ID. All of them are 4 bit/hex number in that Vendor ID is assigned to vender by PCI SIG. Subsystem ID is used to differentiate different products. Creative's Vector ID is 1102 which will not be altered in any Creative PCI device and sored in ROM. What we do is to flash Device ID, and Subsystem ID in EEPROM (93c46), or change Device ID, and Subsystem ID in the compatible drivers. we can check PCI sound card information with PCIscope Assume that we are using Audigy2, EEPROM of Audigy2 has 3 components: EMU10K2 info, Gameport Joystick, and IEEE1394. Let's take a look at EMU10K2 first. SubVendor ID is 1102（Creative Labs. SubDevice ID is 1002（SB 0240 Audigy2）. The only thing we have to change is Device ID. modifying Device ID with tools, such as UltraEdit-32 We can open files of Audigy2 with UltraEdit-32, then modify the particular Device ID and then save it to finish modding. About hard mod, you have to solder 93c46 out from your sound card and then use 8139 or 8029 Enthernet card to flash the bios. And we also can use LPT port to flash it. the position of 93c46 on an Audigy/Audigy2 series sound card 93c46 flashed by using 8029 LAN card flash it with RTEEPROM.EXE under DOS flashed by using LPT prot. the Chinese words above vcc on the right mean "3v battery". boot up DOS and flash your 93c46 with 93CXX.exe(flash utility) solder 93c46 back to sound card concl: there are too many ways to turn your Audigy2 to Audigy4... Only Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro was tried turning to Audigy4 by us (done by AFA and YouP). __________________ Fashion keeps us alive. YouP-PAX Please visit http://www.A-PAX.co.uk to discuss the computer mods. The latest YouP PAX modded drivers are provided on the site. Last edited by classic_leon; Apr 18, 2005 at 06:37 PM.

Apr 18, 2005, 06:40 PM	Thread Starter #2
classic_leon HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wu Han, Hu Bei, P.R.China Posts: 1,238 Rep Power: 0	Your Audigy2 is able to 100% turn to Audigy4 with hard-modding only. __________________ Fashion keeps us alive. YouP-PAX Please visit http://www.A-PAX.co.uk to discuss the computer mods. The latest YouP PAX modded drivers are provided on the site.

Apr 19, 2005, 10:03 AM	Thread Starter #4
classic_leon HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wu Han, Hu Bei, P.R.China Posts: 1,238 Rep Power: 0	Any idea for modding it? __________________ Fashion keeps us alive. YouP-PAX Please visit http://www.A-PAX.co.uk to discuss the computer mods. The latest YouP PAX modded drivers are provided on the site.

Apr 20, 2005, 06:08 PM	#6
davidsk2001 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 17 Rep Power: 0	now if i hardmod my audigy 2 ZS then will sucess to audigy 4?? your step seem abit difficult.. have to solder some more.. that will have risk. haha.. any way that were good effort. any other forumer can softmodded it? __________________ AMD Athlon 64 2800+ MSI K8N NEO Platinum SAPPHIRE 9800PRO 256bit 1G WinTec Value RAM 80G PATA Maxtor Samsung 172X LCD Creative Audigy 2 ZS

Aug 5, 2005, 11:15 AM	#8
szapeboy DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Hello! I would like to hardmod my audigy 2 sound card to audigy 4. Could you post a modded rom file? And I also need detailed instructions to flash the eeprom. I have an RTL8139C network card. It is possible to flash the eeprom with it or i have to use a 8029 or 8139 card? Thanks in advance.