Creative Sound Blaster problem in MP4

[fohat.digs]

I recently built a new computer, new rather than incremental upgrade of selected components, for the first time in many years. And I even bought a full new retail disk of Windows 10 to go with it.

I am very happy with it, but there is one problem so far that nags me. (Note that I have run all the updated programs and drivers that I can find.)

I have a Creative Sound Blaster Z card (with a 5.1 Logitech speaker set) and it works great except for certain videos. Playing music from .MP3 and other types of sound files sounds spectacular, but the sound is awful in some/many/most movies in .MP4 format. Also some, but not all, Youtube videos have abominable sound.

This seems to point to some sort of codec issue, but I can't pin it down. I have tried to update anything I can find but to no avail.

Ideas? Thanks!

[noisyturtle]

I took my Soundblaster out of my rig after dealing with nonstop issues after upgrading to Win10. Couldn't take it anymore on a daily biases, just ripped the card out.
Win10 just hates Creative hardware.

[Tactile]

What are you using to play the videos? VLC has quite a few audio options to experiment with.

[Leslieann]

Creative has a LOOOOOONG history of garbage drivers and system issues, great hardware completely let down by software. Maybe it's gotten better since I least dealt with them but somehow I doubt that, their problems were ingrained into their culture.

I agree with Tactile, try VLC if you haven't.
Try a different slot, try older drivers, removed the Creative software altogther and see how it works. If it was me I'd then call tech support and give them a chance. A chance, singular. After that either go after them on social media (that seems to work these days) or just send the damn thing back and buy a Xonar or just onboard sound. Their stuff either works or it doesn't, I have NEVER heard of anyone getting satisfactory help without a massive fight.

[Maledicted]

People still buy Sound blasters? I thought internal sound cards became all but obsolete something like 10 years ago now already. Onboard has sounded pretty freaking good for some time. They say you've got to go to USB DACs now to really have any noticeable difference. I have never even purchased an external DAC though, so what do I know? I do know that my random cheap ASRock board's integrated audio sounds pretty awesome on my Bose companion speakers, not that those are the best of the best either. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[suicidal_orange]

People still buy Sound blasters? I thought internal sound cards became all but obsolete something like 10 years ago now already. Onboard has sounded pretty freaking good for some time.

You're assuming everyone just wants noise out but what about inputs?  A USB DAC has none, onboard has one that's good enough for kids to trash talk in games but for any non-professional recording the internal soundcard is still king.

[noisyturtle]

People still buy Sound blasters? I thought internal sound cards became all but obsolete something like 10 years ago now already. Onboard has sounded pretty freaking good for some time.

You're assuming everyone just wants noise out but what about inputs?  A USB DAC has none, onboard has one that's good enough for kids to trash talk in games but for any non-professional recording the internal soundcard is still king.

got to get that optical sound!

[suicidal_orange]

got to get that optical sound!

It does have a big advantage in avoiding ground loops compared to USB (and power supply noise if your USB DAC is USB powered) but onboard should be capable of sending an accurate digital signal so no need for a soundcard for optical

[tp4tissue]

Optical is necessary for PC audio.  Motherboard density has made inductance isolation impossible.

[suicidal_orange]

Optical is necessary for PC audio.  Motherboard density has made inductance isolation impossible.

Doesn't a battery powered USB DAC avoid this?

[tp4tissue]

Optical is necessary for PC audio.  Motherboard density has made inductance isolation impossible.

Doesn't a battery powered USB DAC avoid this?

some have circuits to specifically do this (very xpensive), buh it's iffy and not guaranteed. also whenever you connect 2 complex devices the behavior is unpredictable.   The DAC may test fine on one pc, but not the next.

[suicidal_orange]

some have circuits to specifically do this (very xpensive), buh it's iffy and not guaranteed. also whenever you connect 2 complex devices the behavior is unpredictable.   The DAC may test fine on one pc, but not the next.

Well that sucks, just ordered a pair of 3.5mm minijack optical to Toslink adaptors to use with a cable I used between a Pentium 4 laptop and MiniDisc recorder back in the day.  Wonder if I'll be able to hear a difference A/Bing just by switching 'soundcard'...


Sorry for derailing your thread fohat, I hope you fixed it.

[fohat.digs]

No, it is certainly a driver/codec issue. The system (5.1 Logitech that I have used for years with a previous Creative card) works perfectly on .MP3 files and sounds great in all channels.

That tells me that there is no hardware problem.

Videos, .MP4, .AVI, Youtube, all of these are horrifically out of whack and unlistenable.

I do some moderately sophisticated but sub-professional sound editing and other tasks such as ripping vinyl and cassettes to digital, that sort of thing. My old sound card is still good but the new motherboard will not accommodate it so I had to get something newer.

When I can contact Creative tomorrow I will see what they say, otherwise I will send it back to Newegg and swap it for something else.


 

[typo]

OP, Download the VP9 codec pack from MS store. If that does not fix it you need some other codec pack. There is a program somewhere that can figure out which codec pack you need. You are correct it is in fact a codec. I have had the same issue many times. If V9, the most likely does not work it will just be a lot of searching Google. All you can do. Don't give up. Since it is the same with any sound card. Sound blaster is not pro quality but it is absolutely fine for home usage. In fact I feel that it is one of the better ones. I am a musician and use pro sound cards and the sound blasters the only real difference is they do not run ASIO. The sound quality is nearly as good as a $6,000 pro card. There is absolutely no reason to replace it. Find the correct codec. Since you will be doing so with any card anyhow. It is windows fault for not including it. Not the card. BTW, if anyone is smart and says aren't I am a coder? Music is a hobby.

[suicidal_orange]

The trouble with video is that the files are containers and the audio and video are separate inside so any given 'avi' could be mp3, aac or ogg audio to name a few.  If you can find some problematic files and extract the type of audio you should be able to isolate which codec(s) are a problem.

For youtube have you tried switching between HD and not (by clicking the cog)?  HD sounds better so it's different.  Not neccesarily a different codec so might not fix it, but worth a go.

Also you could try mplayer which is standalone player with it's own codecs.  Not very user friendly but there are GUIs for linux so maybe windows too, if it works.

[tp4tissue]

Download mpchc,  it uses lav filter,  you can toggle 16bit, 24bit, 32bit processing.  My guess is something is probably wrong with the conversions it's doing.

Check if changing to 48000 helps vs 41000 in windows also..

[Darthbaggins]

Might also want to check Creative's site for the correct drivers, I run the SB Zx in my rig and have had zero issues with it in w10 - I just had to make sure I was using the most current w10 driver from Creative.
https://support.creative.com/Downloads/welcome.aspx

Also another note, alot of the time sound is garbo from the highly compressed .MP4 format and from YT in general due to their high compression rates as well.  More than likely it's the source but double check your drivers and load in VP9 as it could clean it up some.

[fohat.digs]

I talked to Creative and the drivers that they sent did not do it.

It was undoubtedly the drivers and/or codecs because MP3s played perfectly but almost all forms of videos failed.

I returned the card to Newegg for a refund.