"crappy creative hardware"
What Plant did you say you from ?.
I'am to sorry to say but both then have there share of problem., Beside if we don't put a stop Chip maker namelee "Intel & VIA" integrated onboard audio & as other integrated junk both manufacturer will die before long any way because no one will buy it.

The Creative Win2k drivers are totally crap especially with ACPI und SMP
I would buy such a card immediatly if the drivers are good including AC3 through pass or even better AC3 encodet 3D-Sound.

Aureal has ceased all hardware and driver development, and has no intention of reviving anything unless they are purchased. However, to my knowledge they are not in serious negotiations with anyone in that regard. There was some talk of being acquired by ESS, but I haven't heard any more than a whisper.
 
The www.aureal.com site was brought back mostly at the request of investors to keep them in the loop based on the Ch. 11 filings. A lot of people lost a lot of money based on the failure of that corporation. Just be glad you might own a sound card, and not their stock.

Why not just buy stuff that you know will be supported...You don't know Sound Card problems if they hit you guys in the head with a barn....Try using totaly High-End audio hardware and having to call the companies, tell the sales reps to take their hardware and shove it up their Slot-1s...hehe...and to E-mail the GxxDamned Drivers now before I shxt through the phone....Emagic sucks when it come to drivers and tech support....MOTUs rule...
 
I found that just using the aureal vortex was completely support without 3rd party drivers....Hows that for a not bad card....Not great, just not bad...
 
[This message has been edited by leoncatz (edited 18 July 2000).]

creative drivers are crappy, very right
 
i've used these hardware before:
 
CREATIVE SB AWE64 - it took them 1 year to make proper drivers for win98. it crash, froze and sync'd age of empires games + some other games.
CREATIVE BANSHEE - a total failure card that freezes in everything with crappy drivers.. maybe that's because of 3dfx, but it still sucks
CREATIVE SB LIVE - oh yeah, about 3 of my friends had problems with it.. i had to unplug the card then install windows... and in windows.. the sound was aweful with aweful mixers and whatsover. they also experienced freezing and such crap.
 
in conclusion: (and in my opinion) don't buy creative stuff.. ( i mean, aren't there other companies around? )
 
and SHS, no offense man, but experience is experience... and im telling u my story.
 
people have the right to believe it or reject it.
 
------------------
Irwin

Experience you want talk about experience
My frist computer was in 1984 & it was IBM PC'jr weee fast in those day hehe.
I build PC from gound up.
I have run ever Intel chipset 8088 thur P3 & AMD chipset 386 thur Duron soon TB.
I all so have ever x86 OS there is.
I'am all so been beta tester for MS & few other software & I all so due hardware testing for a few manufacturer.
One thing I have found in may min yrs of experience is ALi, SiS, VIA are most uncompatible chipset with some other hardware like sound card so on down line there is on this plant & that don't count for a few AMD CPU.
But thing are changeing for ALi, SiS, VIA & AMD there getting more compatible chipset North & South Brige chipset, Before There driver support was petty bad & it dosen't help win other hardware manufacturer don't take in count of those chipset maker like Ali, SiS, VIA.

It is usually a bad sign when you get flamed by the moderator!

the point is made however that the CL LW3W2K drivers still have major problems under SMP (perhaps ACPI) even on my Intel BX series chipset...
 
At least my bluescreen IRQL crashes stopped with these new drivers...
 
:}

DrSchmoe This was not a flamed by any mean's.
Irwin Point was noted & so was his opinion to & I like very last line.