Topic: Re: C-Media USB Driver CM106 CM6206

[MBTex]

We are trying to integrate the StarTech 7.1 Audio Sound Card using the cm6206 Chipset into one of our devices.
 
We use the AVI wrapper provided by microsoft to create our AVI sound file. When using on a XP machine the file plays correctly all signals going to the right channels.
 
When we try doing this on a WIN 7 Machine the channels are mixed and are not sent to the right locations.
 
I am using the only drivers that I can find so far that were created in Oct 2009.
 
Anybody have any suggestions on what I might try to correct this problem
 
Thanks
Mark

[James]

Hello Mark.

Welcome to The LaserBoy Forum!

Try uninstalling that driver completely and just letting Windows 7 find the device and find its own driver. I believe that Windows 7 has a generic USB audio driver that supports 8 channels and works with the C-Media chip.

I hope that helps!

James. 

[MBTex]

Thanks,
 
Tried that but channels still mixing.

[meandean]

Tried that but channels still mixing.

  Tough one, I had a similar experience with my laptop. My machine originally came with Vista64, so I
was using the CMedia driver with no problems. The CM driver didn't work after a Win7 upgrade, so I
uninstalled it (I actually had to re-install it just to uninstall it); I went round and round rebooting
and such, and finally got it to work on one of the three USB ports, but the other two would mix multi-ch down
to stereo.
 
  Since you can't use the CM driver including its control app in Win7, you will need to get VERY familiar
with the sound config options in the Control Panel. I learned a few things:
 
  Windows makes a distinction between one USB port and the other, so the sound card appears as new and distinct
hardware the FIRST time it is plugged into a particular port, allowing you to have different drivers and sound
settings for each port!?!?
 
  My theory is that the CM uninstall leaves behind a little baggage that can cause Win7 to choose the wrong
driver. Life is so much easier on a virgin 7 system...
 
  Even when the proper driver and settings are loaded, you must reboot before multi-ch will work properly.

  How to switch drivers (fasten your seat belt):

       In the Control Panel, select Sound and select USB Device as default
 
         Click Properties
         Under the General tab, click Properties button
         Click Change Settings
         Click Driver tab
         Click Update Driver
         Click Browse my computer for driver software
         Click Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer
         From here, you may have several choices- choose the simplest one: "USB Audio Device"
         Close all windows, and reboot

       Go back into Control Panel/Sound, select the USB device as default
 
         Select Configure
         Select 7.1 channel mode
         Make sure all optional speakers are enabled
         Make sure all speakers are set to the full-range mode

  You may have to repeat this procedure for each USB port that you connect the soundcard to. I finally got all
three ports to work on my machine. Once everything is set up, you shouldn't have to fool with it again.

  One last note: Assuming that you get everything working, set your master volume in the 90-95 range. If you
turn it all the way up, you may get signal saturation.

                                 Good Luck!
 
                                             Dean

[BlinkenLights]

go into the windows 7 sound setup and set up all six channels as full range.

[MBTex]

Will try these and let you know.
 
I also have a new Win7 machine I can try which driver would be best for that.
 
Thanks

[MBTex]

Tried all the above on the original machine and it is still doing the same thing mixing channels.
 
I don't have access to the new Win7 machine until tommorrow. Will try it then.
 
Thanks Again for all the help
 
Mark

[meandean]

 Hi Mark!
 
 A couple questions- is your Win7 machine 32 or 64 bit? Also, are you using the channel config test utility in the Control Panel to verify output for each speaker?

[MBTex]

It is a 32 Bit. I have used the test function to verify speakers and they work when tested this way. I have also used tha test wav file that is on the microsoft site under creating 7.1 Audio and that also works. It is only when I use a the AVI file that was created using the wrapper on the same microsoft page.
 
I have also tried a freeware type wrapper that creates a wav file but that also did not work.
 
Thansk
 

[meandean]

 Hi Mark!
 
 It looks like you got the right driver for multi-ch operation, and that's 90% of the battle. Unfortunately, many apps do not handle multi-ch audio properly. I'm a wave geek, so I don't know much about AVI support. The only thing I could suggest is to google around for an add-on 'codec for 7.1 AVI'
 
 
                                                           Dean

[BlinkenLights]

what app is being used to play the file? is the wrapper a IE thing?

AVI + 7.1 + windows7 + what?

[MBTex]

It is using the latest Windows Media Player to play file.
 
 
Is there a good application to make 7.1 WAV files that I could try.
 
Mark

[meandean]

 Hi Mark!
 
 Some test waves...
 
 
http://laserboy.org/forum/index.php?topic=177.msg2157#msg2157
 
 
                                      Dean

[BlinkenLights]

try spider player.. it uses direct X instead of the new sound system.. should work better

[MBTex]

Will try these and let you know how they work.