[Openal] <native device> and HRTFs

[Daniel PEACOCK]

Hi,

> 1. What soundcard do I need to get <native device> supported? Does
> it have to be a Creative's SB X-Fi? Or are other soundcards adequate,
too?

Native OpenAL devices are available on most high-end Creative X-Fi and
Audigy cards.  Certain nVidia nForce motherboards shipped with a native
OpenAL device too.

> 2. In addition, I need HRTF for my application … so, are there any
> external soundcards (for mobile applications) that support <native
> device> as well as HRTFs? I have seen the SB Audigy 2 NX (http:
> //www.creative.com/products/product.asp?
> category=1&subcategory=205&product=9103) and the SB Live! 24-bit External
(
> http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?
> category=1&subcategory=206&product=10702) which kind of seem to fit
> to my application. Also, in Germany there is the SB Surround 5.1 (
> http://de.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?
> category=1&subcategory=207&product=15912) Card …
>
> Having read this http://opensource.creative.
> com/pipermail/openal/2007-February/010199.html and http:
> //opensource.creative.com/pipermail/openal/2007-February/010261.html
> I would much appreciate if someone could tell me which soundcard
> explicitly supports <native device> as well als HRTFs or at least
> somehow HRTF-functionality.

As you probably saw from those previous threads - there isn't any way to
know which soundcards use HRTF processing.   The SB X-Fi cards do use HRTF
processing - and will probably give you the best results - however they are
only available as PCI cards at this time.

> 3. Is HRTF-functionality == EAX 5.0?

No - they are separate things.   HRTFs can be used by any soundcard that
supports a 3D audio API (e.g DirectSound3D or OpenAL).  EAX 5.0 is an
extension to a 3D API and adds Environmental Audio effects (e.g reverbs,
filters, etc ...)

> 5. Other than that: Is there a possibility to use the HRTF-software-
> algorithms of DS3D (I mean something like: desc.guid3DAlgorithm =
> DS3DALG_HRTF_FULL;) via OpenAL?

The open-source version of the OpenAL wrapper (which is old and out of
date) could probably be modified to use software DS3D buffers with the Full
HRTF processing.  I would try and find a DirectSound3D test application
that uses these HRTFs and listen to the results first though.

Dan