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SoundStorm 2: SoundStorm Strikes Back?
An anonymous reader writes "Phoronix, a popular Linux-based hardware review site, has posted their beliefs on what they feel is the returning of NVIDIA's SoundStorm Technology. Even though sites have said SoundStorm is dead, Phoronix continues to believe otherwise about this long-discussed situation. They contend NVIDIA is currently working on a new generation of APUs for its upcoming Chipsets and they feel one of the audio technologies may be SoundStorm! The article can be read here, but it looks like only time will reveal if new audio features are being brought fourth in the new Chipsets."
The last truly inovative audio chipset was the Aureal au88x0 series, and what happened to them? Creative sucked them up and did nothing with their technology; even their "top end" Audigy 2 doesn't do positional 3D audio.
As far as the consumer is concerned, audio technology is at a plateu and it's good enough for what they're using it for. The only thing that changes in the audio hardware world are the damn hardware programatic interfaces; there are more audio chipsets than modern video cards and NIC's combined.
I love the idea that you can use an extra mic input as a center channel or something.
Does this mean u can place a mic where you sit and it can figure out if you've placed the speakers optimally and/or dynamically adjust the sound outputs from each speaker to make the listening location hear the optimal audio experience (presumably near the mic in most cases)?
One presumes the speakers can emit sounds and the microphone/computer can then figure out what to adjust based on the received sound pattern/interference.
I been looking for a cheap system that does this, and/or a system with a 3D? gui that can show me the optimal speaker placement for my room/apartment (at minimum based on my inputting the apt. size, layout, and obstacles).
in true Roland Piquipaille style. Note the wordy submission, the fact that Hemos accepted it, and the 'click here for more information' link at the end. And Phoronix is a popular Linux site? I've never heard of it.... well, maybe they're trying to be popular by astroturfing.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
There ARE good audio chips available. Sometimes they even make it on to motherboards. Albatron ships a few boards with the sounds-better-than-Creative Via Envy chipset. They even throw in a daughterboard with both types of digital input and output.
Via Envy is the same sound chip on most $50ish sound cards that aren't made by Creative.
If you want computer sound to get better, vote with your wallet and buy something better. Turtle Beach will happily sell you an Envy-based card, or you can get a PCI X-Mystique, which does exactly what Soundstorm used to do.
-- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
I'll provide you with a better forum to search and ask for your goal: http://www.diyaudio.com/ Lots of good stuff there, everything from putting together a decent system for minimal money, to modifying stock equipment with better components.
I can also give you the ultimate crapspeakers. Cheap 5.1 surround that mostly works OK. You know those 5.1 systems at Wal-Mart? Yeah, the ones selling for like $35, which aren't really surround but instead mix out from a stereo signal. I managed to bypass that mixing circuit and directly input the six channels to the volume control IC. It does work on my computer quite well, though it's better if you have Sound Blaster bass redirection, because the satellites are pitifully tinny. I didn't take any pictures when I modded it, but I did buy another one and plan to mod it pretty soon. Really the ultimate in ghetto surround.
They've been saying that for over a year now. I swear they say it just to hope that the soundstorm fan base will quiet down and die off.
I've heard the Nforce3-Nforce5 will have it. I heard it's going to be an add in card. Hell, I've heard it's going to be integrated in the next video card. So far I've seen nothing tangible and I'll be surprised if I do.
It's pretty much a given if you want to compete in the PC audio market you're dealing with Creative whether you like it or not. They were allowed to buyout all of the competition as well as most of the patents. In fact, the company that nV was geting the soundstorm tech from got bought out by Creative. The only reason Nvidia isn't owned by Creative is that they couldn't possibly buy them out, so they'll sue nV until they say "screw the audio market", which apparently nV did.
I still am holding out for a Nvidia soundstorm for athlon64, (my SN41G2 isn't going anywhere soon) but I doubt it will ever take place. At this point, once Nforce5 hits, I'm probably going to be switching to that regardless of what audio is on board.
In Soviet Russia, Trojan exploits YOU!