emu10kx and related Creative drivers

From: FreeBSD Mailing Lists <lists_at_curacao.billsf.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:52:06 +0200
Anybody have the X-Fi series from Creative working? I've got the Open source
OSS drivers and have removed a few coding errors that work in Stable but
bomb in Current. Still it whacks my SMP machine before it can dump core.

Please note that the CS4382 is a fine chip and as usual Creative re-arranges
the commands on their bridge. To get a feel for their tricks, I put a 
AD1980 (also a very fine chip) in an old Ensonic card. The PCM and the Vol
work, but the bridge is cryptic. Fortunately this one is cracked. (They used
a custom 'pin-for-pin' soundchip with a different command set. The Cirrus 
Logic is freely documented, so it won't be long. I don't understand. The
more platforms the better -- always! 

In the meantime, I soldered up a tiny USB soundcard with a C-Media CM108.
These are good -- better than 'CD quality' for about five bucks. At 50 its
nice to know I can solder that small stuff. It works with FreeBSD, Mac, but 
not Linux. Its said to work with Windows, but probably not with the standard
values of components. (Windows compatibility is largely a hardware issue.)
Watch out about the CM106. It is very flaky. At 3x1x0.5cm, it may be the
smallest soundcard? Get data and samples from <http://www.cmedia.com.tw/>.
This chip is programmable by its pins or a small eeprom. 

If I can't fix this crazy driver, I may give the X-Fi to a gamer and get a
envy24ht, the "audiophile" having four studio quality A/Ds (and four outs).
The sound is very good on FreeBSD -- at the top.

BillSF

 
Received on Thu Jul 26 2007 - 13:29:32 UTC

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