W7 drivers - why is everything being dumbed down  

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  1. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #1

    W7 drivers - why is everything being dumbed down


    Hi all

    Whilst I LIKE W7 I find I'm getting more and more disappointed by the latest drivers and program "updates" that "simplify" everything.

    For example

    1) Multi-media --- No composite input in WMC

    2) My TV application which DOES have a composite input -- there's no Video Brightness, Contrast, Hue / colour adjustments -- there WAS in the XP version (Hauppage WinTV) which means now most of the time I can't watch the feed from my Satellite box (sent via a video streamer to the composite input of the TV card) because the picture is far too dark.

    3) Audio -- for example Realtek HD audio -- no equalizer any more - just a horrible set of "canned" presets none of which I like very much.

    Then take some "updates" of old trusted applications like NERO -- used to be easy to burn / author a DVD - ok you needed to go via a menu -- but so what. Now you get the "Smart Center" or stuff like that which makes it almost impossible for you do to anything outside the "canned" options.

    I would have thought that people should need MORE choices these days with computers rather than less.

    Much as I love W7 I'm going back to XP for my multi-media stuff -- I have the drivers I need for XP 64 bit version -- this is STILL faster than W7 BTW but really new hardware probably won't work on it. I'm using this machine now for all my multi-media needs until there's some decent sensible drivers out there on W7.

    For the rest of my apps I'm still using W7 - no problem there and I'm lucky enough to have 2 or 3 older spare machines lying around anyway.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #2

    Maby the drivers have just not been able to be updated yet, My motherboards drivers used to come in 3 sets (chipset/vga, audio, and lan) but now gigabyte only has the chipset/vga for windows 7, everything else works, but im assuming it just will be released later.... I hope...
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,179
       #3

    jimbo45 said:
    Hi all

    Whilst I LIKE W7 I find I'm getting more and more disappointed by the latest drivers and program "updates" that "simplify" everything.

    For example

    1) Multi-media --- No composite input in WMC

    2) My TV application which DOES have a composite input -- there's no Video Brightness, Contrast, Hue / colour adjustments -- there WAS in the XP version (Hauppage WinTV) which means now most of the time I can't watch the feed from my Satellite box (sent via a video streamer to the composite input of the TV card) because the picture is far too dark.

    3) Audio -- for example Realtek HD audio -- no equalizer any more - just a horrible set of "canned" presets none of which I like very much.

    Then take some "updates" of old trusted applications like NERO -- used to be easy to burn / author a DVD - ok you needed to go via a menu -- but so what. Now you get the "Smart Center" or stuff like that which makes it almost impossible for you do to anything outside the "canned" options.

    I would have thought that people should need MORE choices these days with computers rather than less.

    Much as I love W7 I'm going back to XP for my multi-media stuff -- I have the drivers I need for XP 64 bit version -- this is STILL faster than W7 BTW but really new hardware probably won't work on it. I'm using this machine now for all my multi-media needs until there's some decent sensible drivers out there on W7.

    For the rest of my apps I'm still using W7 - no problem there and I'm lucky enough to have 2 or 3 older spare machines lying around anyway.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    We can understand that your very upset with your special problem.
    I do highly recommend:
    You contact ASUS thru their contact us site.

    Being a paying customer might get you some assistance.
    There is always the "Is my stuff Windows 7 Compliant Compatible site, where you can check.... many time the manufacture POSTS info via MS-
    NO WE WILL NOT MAKE UPGRADES THIS IS OLD JUNK. OR WHAT EVER.
    You can goole MS HCL. or also called Hardware Compatibility List.

    noted the ASUS P5QL is listed but not the ASUS PQ5L.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,528
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #4

    There can be a couple reasons for that. One, if a manufacturer wants to geta driver on the Windows disk it has to be bare bones. MS won't put any 150 meg drivers on the DVD

    Secondly, well on a manufacture by manufacturer basis, some may be heading that way which is sad, others are not though, nVidias control panel and nTune software is the exact opposite

    So the trend you see may just be an accidental coincidence of preliminary or default drivers for a new OS or simply an accidental subset of all manufacturers that are going the "easy UI" route...

    W7 itself is guilty of that, but at least underneith everything (and more!) is still there, but you sometimes have to click through the "Stupid User" layer first :/
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 396
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #5

    I can only assume that when Windows 7 is officially out then the big companies will realease more drivers and patches for it.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,573
       #6

    fseal said:
    ...you sometimes have to click through the "Stupid User" layer first :/
    8 layer OSI model. A well-kept secret.

    +1
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #7

    Antman said:
    fseal said:
    ...you sometimes have to click through the "Stupid User" layer first :/
    8 layer OSI model. A well-kept secret.

    +1
    qft

    I have to learn that for a test next week. lol (the 7 layers that is lol)
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 6,305
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #8

    While i'm very happy with the Multimedia experience of Windows 7, I've noticed the same 'simplification' with drivers...

    That is, untill yesterday.....

    Normally I have to download my Intel GFX drivers from www.intel.com but when there was a 17MB update for my driver i thought 'OK, this looks interesting'. I downloaded it to find that it is the fully functioning driver that you would otherwise get from Intel, with full GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) capabilities meaning, no need to download from Intel again

    Now have to wait till they update their 'Realtek' drivers to include the 'Realtek Device Manager'
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1,962
    Windows 7 x64 (Ultimate)
       #9

    @ the OP... I may be wrong here but nothing you mention on your post has to do with drivers but more with software?

    Realtek and No Equalizer, Nero and no options, how is this a driver related problem?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
    Thread Starter
       #10

    AstaLaVista said:
    @ the OP... I may be wrong here but nothing you mention on your post has to do with drivers but more with software?

    Realtek and No Equalizer, Nero and no options, how is this a driver related problem?

    Hi the Realtek HD audio lack of an equalizer IS MOST DEFINITELY a driver problem since the whole audio system is installed with the driver - there isn't a separate "Application" piece which if you had Realtek Audio on your computers hardware (often these are embedded sound chips on Laptop computers) you would know that already.

    OK Nero isn't but it's part of the general point I was trying to make that the more recent fixes / updates give the end user LESS and LESS choice on how to configure the application / driver.

    Standard "Canned" pre-sets aren't always what the user wants.

    Suggestion -- Don't be too "Litigous" -- try and see the POINT of the post rather than reading every individual word like an American Lawyer - these aren't LEGAL forums but technical discussion Forums -- I did actually originally post this topic on the "General Discussions" section but it was moved (not by me).

    Some topics don't always fit EXACTLY into one category or another.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


 
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