surround sound support

[Unrik]

Heya PJ64 community,

To get SURROUND sound with PJ64 :

- use schibo audio plugin 1.2, extremly awesome on surround speakers like Gigaworks 750S on Conker's Bad Fur Day (CBFD), Centre Court Tennis or Diddy Kong Racing. Does not work with some games making no sound and/or making the emulation really slow.
When it works for a game, it is far from the best plugin.

- Zilmar audio plugin but the audio accuracy meet many issues.

- The great and best alternative for Realtek HD audio users : Go on Realtek panel and activate a sound environnement like "generic" "room" or another one than suits you. Only activating a sound environment makes surround from audio plugins.
On Windows XP (unlike Windows 7) we get no surround on internet browser also (youtube for exemple), that fix this as well. =)
I advice Azimer's HLE audio or Shunyuan's HLE Audio or Jabo's audio plugin.

After 4 painful days of project 64 configuration, I can tell that 2.1 provide the best emulation with latest GFX plugins. The issues on CBFD are all solved ! (please desactivate the memory caching or the game will crash on PJ64 2.x then it's PERFECT, better than changing CPU core method into interpreter because it slows down a bit the emulation).
About CBFD the [E] and [u] versions does not share the same default rom options.
The [E] rom works as fine as [u] when desactivating "32 Bit Engine".

Actually, the N64 emulation we get thanks to Jabo, Zilmar and plugin builders makes N64 environment totally AMAZING. Thanks to the forum community as well.

Unrik

[shunyuan]

I add XAudio2 upmix support to HleAudio plugin, but I didn't have a sound card that can test it. Does someone want to help me to test it?

[squall_leonhart]

fake surround sound is fake.

[shunyuan]

Originally Posted by Unrik

- The great and best alternative for Realtek HD audio users : Go on Realtek panel and activate a sound environnement like "generic" "room" or another one than suits you. Only activating a sound environment makes surround from audio plugins.
On Windows XP (unlike Windows 7) we get no surround on internet browser also (youtube for exemple), that fix this as well. =)
I advice Azimer's HLE audio or Shunyuan's HLE Audio or Jabo's audio plugin.

SRS Audio Sandbox is a another alternative.

[Unrik]

Thanks suanyuan,
that's one more solution for people using 5.1 Up to 7.1 speakers.

With the sound chipset ALC883 from Realtek, I also have nothing new with the XAUDIO2,
I can't test it properly as well.

With Conker's bad Fur Day exemple, I get different surround environment, sure it is upmix from the Creative Gigaworks 750S to use 5.1 on a 7.1 system.

A real 7.1 does not exists, it is an upmix.

Only few movies have 6.1 channels sound, and not really the best ones.

It is "fake".


I get outstanding sound on CBFD with the schibo plugin making sound coming from dinstinct different channel. For exemple, and not the most beautiful one, sorry for that. xD

I get on the poo BGM ingame, each farting coming from :

- front right
- rear left
- front left
- rear right

The sides only plays the same sound as rear (upmix 5.1 from speaker system).

With the alternative I explained, I get each farting on front sides left to right and center.

I totally agree that it's not the best surround experience possible.
Even on the game launch we read that it's based mp3 sound.

But in this game with schibo and the one who bear this audio plugin, the channels works as independant and the quality is enjoybale enough.

In Ocarina of time with alternatives, the Epona's moving sound plays great too.


People can test all of this without spending too much time.

I hope suanyuan will have some feedback from XAUDIO2.

[shunyuan]

I have tested Donkey Kong64 with XAudio2 upmix (surround) feature with SRS Audio SandBox, although I don't have a 5.1 sound card, but it works.

Here are the steps (if you already have 5.1 sound card or speaker, then you don't need to install SRS Audio Sandbox):

(1) Install SRS Audio SandBox 1.10.2.0, then you will have a new sound device




(2) Setup your speaker for SRS Audio Sandbox (WDM) device to 5.1



(3) Run SRS Audio SandBox, turn it on



(4) Enable HleAudio XAudio2 upmix option



(5) Enable Surround for Donkey Kong 64 in game option menu

That's it.

--------
NOTICE
--------
Some user has UAC problem to start the service after install srs audio sandbox on windows 8,
and causes lag of DirectSound. Take your own risk to install this audio driver.

[p_025]

I'm not completely sure, but I think implementing true surround sound which outputs to 5.1 or 7.1 discrete channels would require HLE audio, something which is extraordinarily hard to implement for very little gain. It would be cool, though.

[donnabrown]

I am not sure but I guess that this question has been already discussed! Hope you received the answer from the team!

[ExtremeDude2]

Nice!

[ExtremeDude2]

Originally Posted by Enlaback

Nice info to share

Nice!