XP Sound Problems - Try this out

[RVPERTVS]

Stian said:
Zaphod,
Here's something you could try; a way of out finding what codecs are used when playing audio files like mp3 are using a free tool like GSpot:

http://www.headbands.com/gspot/download.html

It's a bit technical but here's a quick walkthrough;

In GSpot, go to the File menu, then Open -> Select an mp3 file (any will do I think), click Render (bottom), then look at Audio Path there and you should get the name of the codec windows uses to play the file.

Also, click on the 'Status' line and then the name of the filter for info on where the offending file is located on your system.

Then go the the windows Start menu -> Run, type 'regsvr32 /u path to codec file' and the codec should be uninstalled.

Hopefully the game will then use your the default, MS-supplied codec for mp3 playback.

Hope this helps you to finally enjoy the game!

Stian

Ok, I haven´t experienced a sinlge crash, just audio hicups (I want to know if my system is using a problematic audio codec or not) I dowunloaded and ran the Gspot v 2.21 with one of the game mp3 sounds and I had this render info:

"Direct Show claims to be able to play the file. The following combination of filters were used:

C/:Program Files/Shrapnel Games/WinSPMBT/Game Data/Sounds/2.mp3 (Audio Source)
MPEG-I Steam Splitter (Audio Pre-Processor)
MPEG Layer-3 Decoder (Audio Decoder)
Default DirectSound Device (Audio Renderer)"

Also there is some more large info (which I can print to a file if someone tells me how)when I click on any of the above mentioned fields. Anyway, the "main" driver appears to be quartz.dll

I just want to know if those audio hicups I´m experiencing are due to a problematic codec or not and want to know if these could be fixed without converting to WAV.

Any help with this will be appreciated, thanks in advance.

[RecruitMonty]

I do have a proper souncard by the way and we are not inept just because we cannot get something that used to work to work properly again.

[RVPERTVS]

Take it easy man¡¡

I´m sure Don didn´t mean it the way you´re putting it

I don´t know how to convert a mp3 file into a wav file and I don´t consider myself inept it´s just I haven´t read the instructions yet, I´m sure after that I will be able to.

But at the same time I don´t consider as geeks people who can, it´s just they have more free time. I guess

[AnzacGuy]

I used the recommended cure of using goldwave to change the MP3 sound files to .wav files for this problem as my new machine is XP pro with on board sound. It wouldn't work at first but I check a preexisting wav file in the folder and noted it was 16bit mono so used that and the problem was fixed. I then tried 16 bit stereo and it goes fine now. I donot note any difference between the stereo and mono quality.

[Mobhack]

You probably will not - I dont think any game sounds are stero (no panning etc). And mono format files should be smaller than stereo.

Cheers
Andy

[Simaril]

Been a while since this problem's been discussed, but even after working through the thread I'm not sure I've done the fix properly. I did use the goldwave conversion to .wav, left the files in the sound folder, and moved the .mp3s to another folder. Now I can play the game, but for some reason it's completely silent. I double checked the .WAVs and they do function properly.

What have I missed?

[DRG]

If you have upgraded the game with all the patches the WAV's should have all been added for you without having to convert.

What version of the game is reported when it loads the main screen??

The likely problem in your case is the Sounds.ini located in the Game Data/Sounds folder is still pointing at the MP3. I don't have all the previous patches loaded in this machine ATM but I seem to recall this was all switched over a patch or two ago because of all the problems people with older systems were having with the MP3's

Don

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Simaril

Been a while since this problem's been discussed, but even after working through the thread I'm not sure I've done the fix properly. I did use the goldwave conversion to .wav, left the files in the sound folder, and moved the .mp3s to another folder. Now I can play the game, but for some reason it's completely silent. I double checked the .WAVs and they do function properly.

What have I missed?

My guess is you haven't changed the sounds.INI to point to the Wavs and not the MP3's .

However, the problem I have with all of this is that the game was converted back to WAV with all the changes done to the sounds.INI with new WAV files quite a number of patches ago so all the manual converting of MP3's is a complete waste of time if all the patches have been installed in order

Don