New
#1
Sound popping/cracking/interference
Hi there.
First post, but you guys seem to know your stuff! I'm reviving an old computer currently and put Windows 7 64bit on it. I couldn't for the life of me get the onboard sound working (ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe). So I went and bought an uber cheap PCI soundcard, this one in fact Asonic 4 Channel Soundcard C-media 8738 Chipset 3D - PCI | Ebuyer.com. Now I know it looks terrible, but it's only for use in an arcade machine so sound quality really isn't an issue as long is it's acceptable.
I bought the card because there are specific Windows 7 drivers on their website and the reviews states that people had great success getting the card to work in Windows 7, which is pretty great for the price. However, I installed the card last night, first using the Vista drivers that came on the supplied CD, and then uninstalling them and using the specific Windows 7 64bit drivers from the manufacturers website (C-Media). The result however, was the same. This incredible annoying and repeating (around) 1 second loop of popping and scratching. It sounds a bit like interference.
I've checked the speakers themselves, all fine there, so it's definitely to do with the computer. Something that I have noticed that I'm guessing is the culprit, is that if I monitor the levels when there's any playback, the microphone level (or any selected default input device) jumps around in levels. However, even if I mute or remove all input devices such as Mic or line in, it still happens. In fact, even when I mute the speakers output it still happens. Weird, right?
The sound specifically happens when something is done that requires sound output. If I just let the computer sit there with no applications open, then there's no sound or interference at all. The interference sound sound plays over the regular sound output, which is present. It also happens if Windows Media Player is just even open, not playing anything.
I really hope you guys can help me out, it's for an arcade machine project I've got going that's near completion and looking rather good! Thanks!