CPU strain from sound channels

[aougli]

How demanding is processing sound channels on the CPU?  As it has become more important to use a low MWF, the strain on the CPU has slightly increased.  Now that we can have up to 64 sound channels, has this imposed a large burden on the CPU?  I know we are advised to turn down graphics settings to ease the CPU's burden; does this also apply to the number of sound channels?  Way back when, on the Pandemic boards, I seem to remember people being advised to turn down the number of additional sound channels from 8 to 2 or none.

I'm using a 1.4ghz Athlon, 768 RAM and Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96 sound card.  As I have selected sound channels processed by hardware, does this mean that the work is done by the sound card rather than the CPU?

thx

[OvermindDL1]

If you notice, you can only choose that many sound buffers if your hardware supports it, if you are in software, you have 8, if you are in hardware or auto (and your sound card has sound buffers), then bz2 chooses the max amount of buffers your sound card supports, ergo, no CPU processing, it is done on the sound card.  Practically every single sound card that comes out nowadays has at least 64 buffers...

[aougli]

Thanks, thats useful to know.  If BZ2 gives you the option of 64 channels, is there any point to setting it to fewer?  Effectively is it a zero cost option (the sound hardware will do it all for free and can't be used for other purposes)?

[Jwk the Hemp Monkey]

i have a sound card, and would love to take the strain of my CPU...but it doesnt seem to want to use it. when i set it on auto or hardware, it always switches to Software.

[Spacecomber]

This is sort of a guess about that problem, but BZ2 audio code was re-written in accordance with DirectX 8.  If your sound card isn't functioning well with BZ2, it may be that the drivers for the card that you are using haven't been updated to work within the DirectX 8 framework.

[wug]

I noticed on my antique Vortex 2 that the hardware setting didn't increase FPS much at all, but the 3D effect sounded "fuller".

Using more channels lowered the FPS in bigger battles, but didn't seem to be a huge hit.  Hard to tell exactly... I never pay enough attention to the FPS count with all the weapons fire.

Quick way to test is to save the game in single player right before a big battle, then reload it using different sound options.  I've been using the Scion attack at start of the "Wormhole" mission to debug/test sound issues.

Hey Jwk, maybe check the battlezone.log file and see what is says about your sound device.

[aougli]

i have a sound card, and would love to take the strain of my CPU...but it doesnt seem to want to use it. when i set it on auto or hardware, it always switches to Software.

That used to happen with mine.  For me, the reason was the hardware wasn't properly installed in Windows.  Solved by the usual poking around and fiddling with drivers and s/w settings.  I doubt it's specifically a BZ2 issue.

[Jwk the Hemp Monkey]

help! i know next-to-nothing about the programing and settings side of my computer. used photoshp since i was 10, but have no idea how it works.