Right-click any duplicate codecs and choose Remove.Although not quite as essential as they were a few years ago because of the popularity of multimedia players like VLC and MPC-Home Cinema, having the correct codecs installed on your system to play video files is still important if you use player software that doesn’t have them built in, such as Windows Media Player.
Duplicates can sometimes occur when you repeatedly install similar programs or hardware devices, and conflicts between duplicate entries can stop that codec from being used. If the trouble persists, check your audio or video codecs for duplicate entries. Uninstall the application and then reinstall it again from scratch. If a codec goes missing, chances are that the application or its codecs have been damaged or corrupted (or the application was never installed properly in the first place). Right-click the Audio Codecs entry and choose Properties to see the installed codecs (see Figure 3-3 in Chapter 3). To inspect your available codecs, open the System control panel, click the Hardware tab, click the Device Manager button, and expand the “Sound, video, and game controllers” entry. For example, if you install a music player, you’ll likely get MP3 codecs. Today, common codecs are installed along with the operating system, and additional codecs are installed with their corresponding applications. If no EAX support is available in the game software, you will not be able to access EAX features when you play the game.Ĭodecs compress and decompress multimedia data and provide the instructions needed for multimedia players (e.g., InterVideo WinDVD 6 or Windows Media Player) to handle a specific file type, such as MPG, MP3, QuickTime, and so on.
Also, check for game patches or updates that will enable EAX support within the troublesome game. Make sure you enable EAX within the game’s sound options menu (see Figure 4-6). If EAX features work under all but one game, check the game itself (rather than the sound card’s EAX support) for problems.
With EAX 4.0 drivers now available, make sure you use the most recent sound device drivers from your sound card manufacturer, as well as the latest version of DirectX from Microsoft ( ). Unfortunately, only certain sound devices support EAX. EAX can also simulate audio environments, such as theaters or bedrooms, and perform other tasks on sound files.
(Refer to the game manual for details.)Įnvironmental Audio Effects (EAX) bring a wide range of sound effects to a computer’s sound playback, including reverb, 3D surround sound, time scaling (to speed up or slow down playback), and so on. For your game, simply check the Sound tab or sub-menu of the game’s configuration menu. The specs of your sound system will typically tell you if 3D sound is available. For example, a listener can hear gunfire off to the left, footsteps creeping up from behind, or any number of interactive sound effects.Ī3D relies upon a compliant sound device (and drivers), a set of stereo speakers, and a game or other application that can produce 3D sound effects. A3D technology attempts to duplicate these effects through a sound card and only two speakers (rather than the five or more speakers often used with surround-sound systems), by using " positional sound.” Positional sound uses slight differences in sound timing and volume to “trick” the listener into hearing sound relative to their location. In everyday life, you can tell the direction of a sound (front, side, or back) because of slight delays and volume shifts in the sound when it strikes your ears. Aureal 3-Dimensional (A3D) sound technology is based on human hearing. It also covers the most perplexing CD audio problems and player troubles.Īh, this is 3D sound.
This chapter takes you through annoyances ranging from configuration, driver, and setup issues to volume, microphone, and speaker headaches. Sound has enjoyed a rapid evolution, but not without its growing pains.
How often have you dropped in your favorite music CD and rattled the windows with the gentle, tasteful strains of Metallica? How would you enjoy your favorite DVD movie without the thrilling sounds of gunfire or the roar of the ocean? Sound also has a place in business, supporting voice in real-time collaboration, speech-to-text conversion, and VoIP telephone calls. Today, sound hardware goes far beyond the orchestral-quality soundtracks and vibrant noises of popular games. Mostly, it sounded like a flock of sick seagulls trapped inside the chassis-or maybe I just have no ear for music. It seems like only yesterday that my old Intel 286 system belted out tinny, robotic tones on its internal speaker.