X-Fi - What are the technical differences between gaming and entertainment mode?

Scorpionic · 04-May-06, 01:59 AM

I haven't been able to find much info on this, was wondering if anyone here knows what exactly they do? Some sites report a minor increase in FPS in games in gaming mode.

Something weird happens in entertainment mode with me, the center speaker output is distorted and "tinny" soundling like an extremely low quality mp3 or something when I use the cmss3d options.

So now I just switched to gaming mode and use the matrix switch on my logitech 5.1 system to upmix a mp3 to all channels.

Man, audio stuff can be so confusing!

godfoot · 04-May-06, 02:03 AM

I have some suspicions, but I am not sure as I do not own an X-Fi nor do I know all the hardware used in it's manufacture.
I can do some research on it though and get back to you.

z0mbi3 · 04-May-06, 03:36 AM

Money shot:

	Gaming	Entertainment	Creation
Video Game Frame-Rate:	YES	NO	NO
Hardware 3D Audio Processing:	YES	NO	OPTIONAL
Environmental Effects:	YES	OPTIONAL	OPTIONAL
High-Resolution Audio Playback:	NO	YES	YES
Audio Enhancement Processing:	NO	YES	OPTIONAL
2-Channel to Multi-Channel Up-Mix:	OPTIONAL	YES	NO
Multi-Channel Audio Recording:	NO	NO	YES
Hardware MIDI Playback:	NO	OPTIONAL	YES
Hardware Effects:	YES	YES	OPTIONAL
Sample-Synchronized Record and Playback:	NO	NO	YES
Low Audio-Streaming Latency:	NO	NO	YES
Bit-Accurate Audio Capable:	NO	OPTIONAL	YES

Quote:


	Gaming mode is optimized for creating a multitude of hardware accelerated voices and processing them to create the best real-time 3D that audio developers can throw at it. With up to 127 3D + EAX voices, extremely complex effects are possible. Under this mode, X-RAM can be used to assist in the storage and playback of audio files.

Shamelessly ripped from here.

Seems that game mode lets you go to town with eax and the x-ram. I saw some benchies and obviously it depends on what's going on hardware wise but you could be looking at 20% performance gain fps wise.

Where are all the x-fi games!!!

The Dragon Reborn · 04-May-06, 08:43 AM

Darn, I want one of those..... but I guess I'll have a big fight on my hands with my wife if I buy
yet ANOTHER piece of hardware.... but it's tempting!!!

TDR

The Captain · 04-May-06, 10:13 AM

Eheheh, what the 'The Man' doesn't know, won't hurt'em.

z0mbi3 · 04-May-06, 10:16 AM

If she has ears that work then she'll know.

Scorpionic · 04-May-06, 01:19 PM

Thanks, Zombi3, thats good info!

Ator · 05-May-06, 04:50 PM

I noticed that with the X-Fi, that in some games EAX won't work when in Entertainment mode. I wish there was a way to have it switch on the fly.

z0mbi3 · 06-May-06, 08:07 AM

another thing ive found is if you're playing css with teamspeak (don't know about other games), if your mic is connected to the flexijack on the front and you change maps it sets back to the rear one. Means you have to alt tabo ut ot set it back to get ts going again.

I should really report it I suppose.

Scorpionic · 12-May-06, 02:01 PM

I have the same problem - I ended up buyin some adaptors from radioshack to use the jack on the back of the card.

Enko · 12-May-06, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ator


	I noticed that with the X-Fi, that in some games EAX won't work when in Entertainment mode. I wish there was a way to have it switch on the fly.

yeah too bad they can't add something in so you can have it automatically switch to a mode when a program starts up. so i can have a list and choose which modes to change to when i start up, say, city of heroes or guild wars and then if i start up a media player it will switch back to entertainment mode and such.

z0mbi3 · 12-May-06, 06:54 PM

Like ATI tray tools can create a shortcut for a game that will load up your OC when you start it. That kind of thing.

Scorpionic · 13-May-06, 03:35 PM

Actually I believe there is a 3rd party app that does just that - saw it on the Creative official forums.

04-May-06, 01:59 AM		#1 (permalink)
Scorpionic Recycl-Hoe-tron	X-Fi - What are the technical differences between gaming and entertainment mode? I haven't been able to find much info on this, was wondering if anyone here knows what exactly they do? Some sites report a minor increase in FPS in games in gaming mode. Something weird happens in entertainment mode with me, the center speaker output is distorted and "tinny" soundling like an extremely low quality mp3 or something when I use the cmss3d options. So now I just switched to gaming mode and use the matrix switch on my logitech 5.1 system to upmix a mp3 to all channels. Man, audio stuff can be so confusing!

06-May-06, 08:07 AM		#9 (permalink)
z0mbi3 Apex Tech Maniac	another thing ive found is if you're playing css with teamspeak (don't know about other games), if your mic is connected to the flexijack on the front and you change maps it sets back to the rear one. Means you have to alt tabo ut ot set it back to get ts going again. I should really report it I suppose. Last edited by z0mbi3; 06-May-06 at 08:13 AM..

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04-May-06, 02:03 AM		#2 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta	I have some suspicions, but I am not sure as I do not own an X-Fi nor do I know all the hardware used in it's manufacture. I can do some research on it though and get back to you.

04-May-06, 08:43 AM		#4 (permalink)
The Dragon Reborn Apex Elite Expert Tech	Darn, I want one of those..... but I guess I'll have a big fight on my hands with my wife if I buy yet ANOTHER piece of hardware.... but it's tempting!!! TDR

04-May-06, 10:13 AM		#5 (permalink)
The Captain Apex Master Tech	Eheheh, what the 'The Man' doesn't know, won't hurt'em.

04-May-06, 10:16 AM		#6 (permalink)
z0mbi3 Apex Tech Maniac	If she has ears that work then she'll know.

04-May-06, 01:19 PM		#7 (permalink)
Scorpionic Recycl-Hoe-tron	Thanks, Zombi3, thats good info!

05-May-06, 04:50 PM		#8 (permalink)
Ator At-Whore	I noticed that with the X-Fi, that in some games EAX won't work when in Entertainment mode. I wish there was a way to have it switch on the fly.

12-May-06, 02:01 PM		#10 (permalink)
Scorpionic Recycl-Hoe-tron	I have the same problem - I ended up buyin some adaptors from radioshack to use the jack on the back of the card.

12-May-06, 06:54 PM		#12 (permalink)
z0mbi3 Apex Tech Maniac	Like ATI tray tools can create a shortcut for a game that will load up your OC when you start it. That kind of thing.

13-May-06, 03:35 PM		#13 (permalink)
Scorpionic Recycl-Hoe-tron	Actually I believe there is a 3rd party app that does just that - saw it on the Creative official forums.