[Openal-devel] OpenAL problems...

[Garin Hiebert]

> When I start it the config of my sound card changes from a 5.1 setup to
> a 2  speaker setup.
> When I change it back to 5.1 after the application is started it works
> fine. I just don't understand why it would change it when I start my
> program.
>
> My sound card (or rather chip) is a C-media chip integrated on my
> mainboard.
>
> I initialize the sound device in OpenAL like this: (which I think is
> correct?)
>
> Device = alcOpenDevice((ALubyte*)"DirectSound3D");

You're initializing OpenAL correctly, and the speaker setup change is
definately not initiated by OpenAL.  (There is a Microsoft API for doing
that, but OpenAL don't make any calls to it.)

This would be a driver issue with the C-media chip.  Chances are, the
driver is seeing the initialization of DS3D and using that as a cue to
switch to 2 speaker mode.  Since OpenAL does look for EAX support, it
could be that it's the query for EAX which is initiating the change,
because the drivers may not support EAX in any other mode (just guessing
on that).

You'll want to grab the latest C-Media drivers and try again -- maybe this
is an issue that they've fixed.  Another thing to look for is some kind of
configuration panel which controls speaker-configuration switching -- it
could be that you can override this behavior.

Garin