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Vista Requires "OpenAL" ?

Forum Audio : Audio Technology - Vista Requires "OpenAL" ?

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Bache   02-07-2008 at 09:44:18 AM

I'am interested in buying a New Sound Blaster SC but it says that it requires OpenAL to run as follows:-

"OpenAL is a cross-platform 3D Audio API that unlocks the full potential of Sound Blaster cards and is required if

used with Vista"

Q1) :pt1cable: What the hell is OpenAL?

Q2) :sarcastic: Is it another Add On that needs to be installed in vista before installation of sound card?

Q3) Do all new sound cards require it to run on Vista?

Thanks,

------------------------------ Bache
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strangestranger   02-09-2008 at 06:07:12 PM
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basically, uptil now windows sounds have gone through direct sound which is part of directx. however, they have done away with that and now hardware uses openal which is a open source replacement, developed mainly by creative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenAL

here is the wiki link, sorry not much help, however, you will need openal in anythnig where direct sound was used before.

------------------------------ I'm a git, deal with it.

Antec 1200,PC Power & Cooling 750,Gigabyte DS4-x48,Intel Q9550@3.4 W/Xigmatek S1283,8GB OCZ DDR2 800,ATI 4870X2,X-FI>CA 640C amp>Tannoy R300/Senn 595's
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uncle_ben   02-12-2008 at 05:18:37 PM
- 0 +

Creative and other decent sound cards support OpenAL out of the box. So there is no need to install anything extra. If a game was written to OpenAL, its audio will be fine under Vista.

If a game was not written to OpenAL only to Direct X then this stream can be converted into OpenAL on-the-fly with an add-on software called ALchemy:
http://www.soundblaster.com/alchemy/

The problem is caused by Vista's lack of backwards compatibility with Direct X.
One of the reasons why Vista is such a failure in the marketplace.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to uncle_ben
Bache   02-13-2008 at 10:30:27 AM
- 0 +

uncle_ben wrote :

Creative and other decent sound cards support OpenAL out of the box. So there is no need to install anything extra. If a game was written to OpenAL, its audio will be fine under Vista.

If a game was not written to OpenAL only to Direct X then this stream can be converted into OpenAL on-the-fly with an add-on software called ALchemy:
http://www.soundblaster.com/alchemy/

The problem is caused by Vista's lack of backwards compatibility with Direct X.
One of the reasons why Vista is such a failure in the marketplace.


Thanks, all of question answered plus more :)

------------------------------ Bache
 Reply to Bache
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