This is SO wierd. Please help:)

[RavenDIzzle]

Hey all. I just installed Windows 7 Ultimate x64 RTM (<3 my MSDN membership) a couple of days back. Everything has worked fine, with a few quirks (like some additional tweaking needed for apps that have shell extensions), but thats it. I even have games and software that aren't working for other people working beautifully for me (such as Call of duty 2, CS 1.6/Steam), which is great. My ONLY problem now lies in my sound.

So I have 2 sound cards I've tried, and both work fine *for the most part* (and to avoid confusion, i've never had both installed at the same time - that'd just be stupid).

My sound cards:
HT OMEGA STRIKER 7.1
Soundblaster X-Fi XtremeMusic


The issues with each are as follows:

HT OMEGA STRIKER 7.1:
I get sound from it, and it sounds GREAT. Even the software works, but every once and a while (like every 3rd or 4th time I maximize or minimize a Windows, or something to that effect), it "skips". You know that little cut out you get when you're using a CD player with a damaged lense, but the disc itself is fine? Thats what its like. This is the ONLY problem. Here's the kicker: It seems to happen only in iTunes, but not Winamp, but I need iTunes, iPod/Podcast/Store. This was never an issue in Vista 64 (and it still isn't, as I dual boot 7 and Vista).

Soundblaster X-Fi XtremeMusic:
The only problem here is random "popping" noises. It sounds like a blown speaker, but it's not my speakers/headsets. It happens no matter what app I use to play my media. I've tried 2 headsets (My Sennheiser PC-600, and my Creative Fatal1ty Headset), as well was my sound system (Harmon Kardon based receiver system), and they all do it. It does NOT do this in Vista 64. So it is definatly a driver issue.

To answer the inevitable question, YES I have the newest drivers. I've even tried the XP 64/Vista 64 Drivers for each, to no avail.

At this point, I don't care which I get working properly; My ears aren't that sensitive (although i would PREFER the HT OMEGA, simply for the optical out), and as you can see by my specs, my computer is no slouch, so it can't be a hardware or memory problem.

Any input?

 

[RavenDIzzle]

I'll take that as a no

 

[Zidane24]

Sounds like it might be a glitch between iTunes and Windows 7 with your configuration...since we have an apple product trying to work on a slightly released Windows product...file a bug with iTunes and see what they say as I can see no other issue here: for issue 1

Second issue is to wait on the manufactue to fix it for Windows 7...give the manufacture's time I guess

 

[RavenDIzzle]

All I can say is, if not for this, 7 would be flawless for me. Damn my luck. Damn it to hell.

 

[zigzag3143]

All I can say is, if not for this, 7 would be flawless for me. Damn my luck. Damn it to hell.

If I were you I would concentrate on the striker 7.1, creative hasn't figured out there driver in 64 bit yet. I also have sound problem with the same card. sorry I cant help
\
Ken

 

[Antman]

For the X-Fi popping sound - I also had a similar problem. Through device manager, I uninstalled the SB card. Booted. Did not allow Windows to auto-install. Manually re-installed SB driver. Problem gone.

64-bit SB X-Fi Platinum, latest driver

 

[RavenDIzzle]

I sent an email to HT OMEGA about the issue, and they came back with:

1. Possible IRQ sharing issue. 
  Please check Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Device Manager.  And select “Resources by type” on View tab.
  Then you can check “IRQ “ status of Striker. If it shares with another device (especially VGA card), it may the cause of your issue. 
    
  Please check steps below; 
  1) Please remove current driver. Control Panel > Programs&Features > HT OMEGA STRIKER7.1. 
  2) Turn off PC  
  3) Install Striker to another PCI slot. We recommend the PCI slot next to VGA card.
  4) Re-install driver,   
   
OR



  2. Second idea; It looks like sample-rate changing issue. 
  Please activate “line in” of playback and record on Mixer tab


  Sincerely, 
  HT OMEGA – Tech Support

Neither of which worked...but on a sidenote, they replied to me in less than an hour, on a Saturday. I'm impressed.

 

[Adrian]

I sent an email to HT OMEGA about the issue, and they came back with:

What version of ITunes are you using?
Itunes is cpu intensive!
And when playing files cpu usage will climb into the 80-90%
Thats when issues such as app crash, loss of audio, video shake etc.
Let us know.

Thanks

Adrian

 

[RavenDIzzle]

I'm using the absolute latest version of iTunes. 8.2.1.6.

I noticed something weird about my X-FI card as well...its very faint, but I noticed it because i was looking for it lol.

Not only are there popping and crackling, but it slows down at periods...the music I mean. Like when one of those old walkman batteries would be dying. Weird I know...but thats what its like.

I'm thankful that it is just a windows 7 issue (as vista 64 doesn't do this). So I know its not my hardware, its just driver issues.....but damn. Windows 7 is so pretty...and I was so close to having the perfect experience.

 

[RavenDIzzle]

So, here's a twist. My onboard sound (realtek, on a gigabyte mobo), works absolutely delightfully.

Here's my question: Given my specs (as you can see by clicking the "My System Specs" link below my posts, would it really slow my gaming down that much to just use my onboard sound? I can't imagine so...but I thought I'd ask. It's only until creative OR ht omega decides to release a decent driver, which gigabyte has done awesomely.