Multiple Cards, Entangled Master Volumes?

Parallax · Dec 21, 2003, 11:20 PM

Setup:

AMD Athlon T-Bird 1.4
1.5 GB RAM
3 hd's
radeon 8500 -- Catalyst driver
SB Live 5.1 P (SB0060 5.1) -- kX Drivers 3534
Audigy (SB0090 10k2) -- kX Drivers 3534
Ensonize AudioPCI (ES1370) -- Creative Drivers
WinXP Pro

My issue is this: I'm using the standard mixer for the ES1370 card (since it's not kX supported), and the kX mixer for the other cards. When I set (in windows) to have wave sound output through the ES1370, the standard mixer and kx mixers work fine. When I set (in windows) to have wave sound output through the SB0060 5.1 Wave 0/1, the master volume for SB0060 and ES1370 become "entangled" and refuse to be set to different levels. Changing one, changes the other. This behavior is unexpected, and I believe it to be a bug -- since the master volumes of each card should be independent from each other.

Any help / work arounds / fixes would be very much appreciated. I haven't tried the new drivers due to the errors others have been having so far. I can do so if there should be enough difference to warrent it.

--Para

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Dec 28, 2003, 02:35 AM

kX Mixer sometimes doesn't operate correctly when switching default audio devices...
(this is a known limitation that will be fixed in the future)

so, after you switch the devices, unload and re-start the kX Mixer
(let me know if this fixes the problem)

/E

Parallax · Dec 28, 2003, 02:46 PM

Yes, unloading and reloading the kX Mixer solves this problem. This behavior is not exhibited by the SB0090 10k2 it seems, only the SB0060 5.1 (as far as I can tell/test).

If I set sound to go through the SB0090, then switch to SB0060, the SB0060 takes on the settings of the SB0090. It seems that there is a bug with the SB0060 driver?

Not like I just can't unload and reload the mixer for now, but does this sound like something that can be fixed in a future release?

Btw, upgraded to 3536 since last post. Haven't had any trouble with any sort of buggy behavior other than this. Though I've had questions concerning the LiveDrive Remote (how to get it to work?) and how to use the OPL GMIDI on the sound cards. (Used to be that I set the MIDI out to "SBLive Software Synth" or "Audigy Software Synth", which is different from "Synth A" and "Synth B").

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Jan 3, 2004, 01:56 AM

>> but does this sound like something that can be fixed in a future release

well... there are certain limitations that cannot be easily solved at the moment...

kX API uses WinMM IDs (0,1,2,...) for accessing mixer controls
and when you change the default device, WinMM IDs do change, too
so, kX Mixer might get a little bit confused

I'll investigate this issue -- but cannot promise it will be solved in the next release (although, I'm sure it -can- be solved)

/E

Dec 21, 2003, 11:20 PM	#1
Parallax DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Multiple Cards, Entangled Master Volumes? Setup: AMD Athlon T-Bird 1.4 1.5 GB RAM 3 hd's radeon 8500 -- Catalyst driver SB Live 5.1 P (SB0060 5.1) -- kX Drivers 3534 Audigy (SB0090 10k2) -- kX Drivers 3534 Ensonize AudioPCI (ES1370) -- Creative Drivers WinXP Pro My issue is this: I'm using the standard mixer for the ES1370 card (since it's not kX supported), and the kX mixer for the other cards. When I set (in windows) to have wave sound output through the ES1370, the standard mixer and kx mixers work fine. When I set (in windows) to have wave sound output through the SB0060 5.1 Wave 0/1, the master volume for SB0060 and ES1370 become "entangled" and refuse to be set to different levels. Changing one, changes the other. This behavior is unexpected, and I believe it to be a bug -- since the master volumes of each card should be independent from each other. Any help / work arounds / fixes would be very much appreciated. I haven't tried the new drivers due to the errors others have been having so far. I can do so if there should be enough difference to warrent it. --Para

Dec 28, 2003, 02:35 AM	#2
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,106 Rep Power: 73	kX Mixer sometimes doesn't operate correctly when switching default audio devices... (this is a known limitation that will be fixed in the future) so, after you switch the devices, unload and re-start the kX Mixer (let me know if this fixes the problem) /E

Dec 28, 2003, 02:46 PM	Thread Starter #3
Parallax DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Yes, unloading and reloading the kX Mixer solves this problem. This behavior is not exhibited by the SB0090 10k2 it seems, only the SB0060 5.1 (as far as I can tell/test). If I set sound to go through the SB0090, then switch to SB0060, the SB0060 takes on the settings of the SB0090. It seems that there is a bug with the SB0060 driver? Not like I just can't unload and reload the mixer for now, but does this sound like something that can be fixed in a future release? Btw, upgraded to 3536 since last post. Haven't had any trouble with any sort of buggy behavior other than this. Though I've had questions concerning the LiveDrive Remote (how to get it to work?) and how to use the OPL GMIDI on the sound cards. (Used to be that I set the MIDI out to "SBLive Software Synth" or "Audigy Software Synth", which is different from "Synth A" and "Synth B").

Jan 3, 2004, 01:56 AM	#4
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,106 Rep Power: 73	>> but does this sound like something that can be fixed in a future release well... there are certain limitations that cannot be easily solved at the moment... kX API uses WinMM IDs (0,1,2,...) for accessing mixer controls and when you change the default device, WinMM IDs do change, too so, kX Mixer might get a little bit confused I'll investigate this issue -- but cannot promise it will be solved in the next release (although, I'm sure it -can- be solved) /E