X-FI Driver - Delayed...

[kc0eks]

I am not sure where this post should go, if anywhere, but I thought some others may find this interesting.

I had contacted a few people at creative to find out if they were actually working on a driver for linux, one person simply refered me to the opensource site, while another sent me this email:
------------------
Hello,

Regarding X-Fi and Linux

It is my understanding that Creative is making the driver, but due to delays, it is not expected now till 3rd Qtr 2007.
As such, I can not suggest the X-Fi for Linux, until after a driver has been released.

I'm trying to get an official message to post on
http://opensource.creative.com/soundcard.html
--------------------

So there you have it, website says second quarter, this person says third. I really doubt they are doing much, if any work on this.

I bought my X-Fi before I decided to use linux, now its basically worthless :P

[brazen521]

Found a driver that works for the Creative X-fi cards. I can't vouch for the other X-fi cards but I have an X-fi Xtreme Audio and it works fine. The only catch is that the ubuntu volume manager won't work, so you need to use the volume knob on you speakers. Kind of a downer, but at least there's audio, right? If you feel like giving it a shot, go to the site below and post your results on here. It actually detected my card as a sound blaster 7.1 or something like that, but I now have perfect stereo sound. (Don't have 5.1, decided to stick with my klipsch promedia 2.1 setup) Anyway, good luck!

http://www.opensound.com/download.cgi

[kc0eks]

the only problem i had with OSS was that it only supported one app sound at a time. So I didnt like that...but I guess I could actually pay for the full version, but some of the reason i went to linux was the whole free thing...

ALSA gives me crappy sound on any card I try, while OSS sounds good but is limited somewhat.

[jiminycricket]

It wil only be a binary driver, with even more of a hassle than ATI and nVidia's drivers, *if* it even comes out. Very unfortunate since Audigy and Soundblaster Live worked so well with ALSA. The "opensource" in http://opensource.creative.com is way too ironic, considering that.

I'd recommend getting another Linux-supported soundcard or returning it, if possible.

[kc0eks]

It wil only be a binary driver, with even more of a hassle than ATI and nVidia's drivers, *if* it even comes out. Very unfortunate since Audigy and Soundblaster Live worked so well with ALSA. The "opensource" in http://opensource.creative.com is way too ironic, considering that.

I'd recommend getting another Linux-supported soundcard or returning it, if possible.

i had not really thought of it like that...I HATE the whole ATI thing, so much so that I plan on ditching my long time support of ATI...

I did go and buy a cheap creative card that is supported by ALSA but no matter what I do I can not get good audio, and various forum posts on it have not really led to much.

[sidhobbs]

I had the same trouble with X-fi,tried the opensound bit,didn't work on my pc,I have an old ensoniq 128 card,and I suppose that if I want sound I will HAVE to use it,I know the Ensoniq card works,but it seems a shame to have to junk this expensive card,could use 2 cards I suppose,but the back of my PC looks like a bowl of Spaghetti now.Sid from New Zealand

[ferdrg]

A Beta driver por 32-bit is now available here:

http://opensource.creative.com/soundcard.html

[zmjjmz]

Wow.
It was delayed _this_ long?

[macogw]

I thought it was cancelled.

[FuturePilot]

I heard they gave up and just released data sheets to the ALSA people. :confused:

[k99goran]

This is kind of old news. I've had sound on my X-Fi since the release of Hardy Heron.

[macogw]

This is kind of old news. I've had sound on my X-Fi since the release of Hardy Heron.

Lucky. For most X-Fi users, that is *far* from the case. My roommate's desktop only has sound under Windows.