Another X-Fi Beta Driver Released

This download is a beta driver for Creative Sound Blaster® X-Fi™. It is not fully tested. This download provides full OpenAL 1.1 support for gamers. For more details, read the rest of this web release note.

Take note of the following:

* THIS IS AN UNSUPPORTED BETA DRIVER. There is no technical support for this driver.
* We recommend that only experienced users install this driver. Do not install this driver for critical tasks. Users who are looking for stable drivers should wait for the final release.
* This beta driver expires in 120 days from the time of installation. When this happens, users should install the latest Sound Blaster X-Fi driver available.

This download

* Includes Creative Audio Console, which enables you to use the Sound Blaster X-Fi features and functions.
* Does not address all the reported general "crackling" issues, but it does resolve some specific issues with crackling. Investigations with some motherboard manufacturers are ongoing, and we hope to provide a general solution soon.
* Resolves some issues to improve your overall audio experience.

Added Feature:

* Supports OpenAL 1.1

Game Fixes:

For Prey™

* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding

For Quake 4™ (version 1.04)

* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding when the error message "Quake 4 has encountered an error and needs to close" is displayed
* Resolves the issue of mono speaker out in surround sound environments
* Allows you to hear audio from speakers when you select the OpenAL X-Fi option as the audio driver
* Allows audio channels to stream to correct speakers

For Battlefield 2™

* Allows the Ultra-High Audio setting in a multi-player game

For Battlefield 2 (version 1.12)

* Allows you to hear audio from speakers when the X-Fi audio driver option is selected

For Doom 3™ (version 1.3)

* Allows you to hear audio from speakers when EAX 4.0 is enabled
* Resolves the "pop" issue during the Chainsaw attack sound effect sequence
* Removes "hiss" from the front left speaker
* Allows panning
* Plays the Ambient sound effects correctly

For Unreal® Tournament 2004 (version 3369)

* Allows you to hear audio from speakers when running in hardware OpenAL mode (the System Driver check-box is cleared)

For Unreal Tournament 2004 (version 3355)

* Allows reverb in native OpenAL mode
* Allows music to play correctly during gaming in Native OpenAL mode

For Dungeon Siege® (version 1.11)

* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding during benchmarking

Music or Movie Playback Fixes:

* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding when DTS signal is passed through Creative MediaSource™ Player/Organizer
* Removes X-Fi CMSS-3D Speakers distortion when playing DivX stereo content

Recording Fixes:

For ASIO

* Resolves the issue where audio stops when you turn on the inputs in Cubase® LE
* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding when the sample rate changes in Cubase
* Resolves crackling during playback and monitoring at 1 ms
* Resolves the issue where signal is lost when the sample rate changes in Cubase LE or SX3

For Audio Creation Mode

* Removes distortion when recording to a 44.1 kHz multi-channel wave file in Audio Creation Mode with 44.1 kHz master sampling rate
* Removes the pops and crackles during record monitoring and changing sample rates

For Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition

* Resolves the issue where no audio is heard from your speakers occasionally when playing 3D MIDI files
* Resolves the missing instrument issue when playing a MIDI file in all modes

For Cubase LE 1.09

* Resumes normal playback of MIDI tracks when changing sampling rate

Others

* Resolves the "recording process aborted" issue during a 44 kHz multi-channel recording
* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding when recording with Creative MediaSource Player/Organizer
* Resolves SoundFont® issues where notes distort and change pitch during playback and recording

General Fixes

* Allows your computer to quit Suspend mode when enabling "Automatically Enable Headphone Settings" even when headphones are not connected to your computer
* Resolves the issue where no audio is heard when testing the X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone in the Game Mode console
* Resolves the noise issue when your computer quits Standby mode

Fixes for developers:

* Allows effects to be loaded in EAX4.0 mode of your test program (EAX50ShowDSound)
* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding when loading a 2D Sound in your test program (DSound50_OpenAL 1.1)
* Resolves the issue where there is no upmix when switching effects
* Resolves floating point offset issue in OpenAL
* Resolves the issue of the computer not responding while using synchronous start through native OpenAL

Requirements:

* Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition or Windows XP Service Pack 2
* Sound Blaster X-Fi series audio device

Note:

* Creative MediaSource DVD-Audio Player is unavailable for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.

Download the X-Fi Beta Driver v2.09.0001