Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

[MiST3R_FRAG]

Ok, I have an ABIT AN8 Ultra motherboard which comes with a Realtek 7.1 Audio riser card. When I choose the Hardware mode for the game sound vs. software mode (since the Creative mode is obviously not supported) the voices come in really choppy but everything else sounds sweet. I've updated drivers and double checked all the settings but I just cant get this issue solved. Is/Are there any command line options to fix this issue?

Thanks.

Oh, I have 2GB of RAM & Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego Core CPU so it's not a performance "suffering" issue.

[loony]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

compared to my audigy2 zs, the onboard (nvidia something AC97?)sound is complete crap.No depth whatsoever.
i would recommend either buying an audigy 2 or get an Xfi of some description within your budget.

[scott123]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

Creative not supported? My X-Fi works great in hardware or software mode. On the A-97, mine has one and I encountered the same thing. I dont think this sound card works very well in BF2. My guess is when things get heavy the card can't keep up. Maybe there is a fix, but a better card seems like a better option.

[loony]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

he means creative not supported coz he hasnt got a creative.
the difference is when using my onboard, you can hear tanks right accross the other side of the map,its just too much(overload), where as the creative cards almost sound like reality or what you would expect to hear. well worth it IMO.

[abtomat74]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

Happens with my nForce4 mobos onboard sound too, also Realtek.

Just select Software, High and EAX on instead.

[MiST3R_FRAG]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

Yeah, I just don't want to invest into a Sound Blaster card because the optical 7.1 output is sufficient otherwise in every other game. Loony, you're dead on key with what I'm talking about with all the map noises all up in the mix all the time. I just really want to run the game with hardware enabled mode vs. software because it sounds crisper and clearer. I got Realtek to look into the issue so I'll post back their response for those who have future questions.

[socalcaz]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

he means creative not supported coz he hasnt got a creative.
the difference is when using my onboard, you can hear tanks right accross the other side of the map,its just too much(overload), where as the creative cards almost sound like reality or what you would expect to hear. well worth it IMO.

I had this problem as well but only when enabling EAX with the onboard Realtek sound. I assumed it could handle the EAX effects because there are EAX options in the "Sound Effects Manager". I think I am going try out the X-Fi XtremeMusic from Best Buy once they get them in stock. The holiday season really cleared them out.

[matthew200383]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

STFU, I have AC97 and the game sounds perfect, no choopyness, however, dont STFU if u recon the creative's are better lol

[Talus]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

Well, if you're happy with the sound quality of the on-board sounds, then use Software, Medium-High, and EAX.

BUT...you're missing out on a HUGE sound improvement, no-to-mention a HUGE FPS boost if you switch to a dedicated sound card.

An Audigy 2 card should be DIRT cheap right now with the X-Fi cards being out. But I don't usually recommend an older generation model unless money is an issue.

I wholeheartedly recommend anybody to buy the X-Fi XtremeMusic at least.

[MiST3R_FRAG]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

Well, if you're happy with the sound quality of the on-board sounds, then use Software, Medium-High, and EAX.

BUT...you're missing out on a HUGE sound improvement, no-to-mention a HUGE FPS boost if you switch to a dedicated sound card.

An Audigy 2 card should be DIRT cheap right now with the X-Fi cards being out. But I don't usually recommend an older generation model unless money is an issue.

I wholeheartedly recommend anybody to buy the X-Fi XtremeMusic at least.

A huge FPS boost? Really? It's a riser card with the main chipset on the card but I'm sure it still uses some CPU and RAM to operate. I get 60+ FPS on 1024x768 (everything on high except no AA), you think it'll be better?

[JCFast]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

For your all information!

I had a Realtek onboard sound before with this same rig, I kept the sounds on Software High and EAX enabled. Then I bought X-FI XM and put the sound level to Creative X-FI High and the sounds improved alot, like it's a new game. BUT the fps increase was minimal! The onboard sounds aren't so bad anymore with decent system but it's a huge leap thou compared to dedicated cards in quality but not in performance.

So it's not going to double your fps or anything! Maybe a 5-10 fps increase if you don't go too overboard.

[Gunny Highway]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

The list of sound cards that can't use the hardware option is in the readme.txt and one realtek is mentioned Realtek ALC861, but I suspect all Realtek cards aren't compatible with the hardware setting.

Have almost same mobo, and I always used software, until I got the x-fi fatal1ty fps card of course

[MiST3R_FRAG]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

For your all information!

I had a Realtek onboard sound before with this same rig, I kept the sounds on Software High and EAX enabled. Then I bought X-FI XM and put the sound level to Creative X-FI High and the sounds improved alot, like it's a new game. BUT the fps increase was minimal! The onboard sounds aren't so bad anymore with decent system but it's a huge leap thou compared to dedicated cards in quality but not in performance.

So it's not going to double your fps or anything! Maybe a 5-10 fps increase if you don't go too overboard.

That's what I figured, I'm getty pretty nice performance with a crappy 6600 video card (waiting for my 7800GTX...backorder). I've always been a Sound Blaster fan, back when there was just a Sound Blaster, SB16, & AWE32 cards, but the optical out on this card hooked up to my 7.1 receiver sounds awesome, the BF2 folks just need to make a patch already, it's not that complicated. BTW, I don't think my card is really considered to be a "integrated" sound card, it's not a on/off feature in the BIOS and the card is removable.

[evil.rusk]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

I don't see the point in getting an audigy as an upgrade. I mean the sound is great, but it doesn't improve fps at all. The real benefit is with the xfi even if you dont get the one with ram on it.

[MiST3R_FRAG]

Re: Realtek AC'97 Audio w/BF2

OK, so I just said F-it and when to Fry's and picked up a Sound Blaster X-Fi sound card and whoa, what a difference. The FPS has improved quite a bit, especially when there was a lot of explosions, etc. The game runs like butter and it sounds 100 times better too...one of the best $130 upgrades I've done so far! I was thinking of going with the Fatal1ty FPS but I doubt anyone really needs the 64mb onboard memory, especially if you have a decent processor+ram plus I couldn't justify it's near $300 price tag, especially not to my Wife.