b-Enspirer Control Panel Locks Win 7

Grimspoon

Grimspoon

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
433
Since using Win 7 RC, I've found that the control panel - oxygen HD Audio - for my sound card (Bgears b-Enspirer) locks up Win 7 if I try to open it.

I'm pretty much at a loss as to what to do about it. Bgears has abandoned the card and refuses to release updated drivers / control panel for Windows 7.

I can load the drivers and get basic sound, but without access to the control panel I'm very limited in what I can do with my audio.

The only concrete reference I've found to the problem using Google was found here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/98880-post5.html

...with no follow-up or resolution offered.

I'm hoping maybe someone here will have an idea.


Edit:

The official HT Omega Claro / Claro+ drivers seem to work perfectly with the bEnspirer card in Win 7.

http://www.htomega.com/downloads.html
 
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the card uses a C-Media CMI8788 chip, and iirc is pretty close to "reference" (they didn't screw with it like Asus did basically), so maybe the C-Media drivers will work, you might be using the Windows audio control panel, but it would at least work, might be worth a try
 
The drivers work, I can load the b-Enspirer driver through device manager. If I install and try to load the control panel however, Win 7 locks up.

This means I can't access Dolby Digital Live or DTS Interactive - preventing me from using my surround setup. I'm essentially stuck using stereo even if I set my configuration to 5.1 in Windows Playback devices.

All surround channel audio is coming from my front L/R speakers.
 
Grimspoon said:
The drivers work, I can load the b-Enspirer driver through device manager. If I install and try to load the control panel however, Win 7 locks up.

This means I can't access Dolby Digital Live or DTS Interactive - preventing me from using my surround setup. I'm essentially stuck using stereo even if I set my configuration to 5.1 in Windows Playback devices.

All surround channel audio is coming from my front L/R speakers.
Click to expand...

oh, didn't realize that it wouldn't just give you those features through Windows' panels (I can get most of my Creative board's functionality without installing the control panel/driver wizard thing, figured yours would probably be the same with device drivers)

can you run the driver in compatability mode?

also, if you just plug in whatever you need via analog, it should work (its a last resort kind of option I know, but you'd get 5.1 at least)
 
Ive tried compatibility mode, installing in safe mode, giving admin access, pretty much anything I could think of.

Still freezes Win 7.

Unfortunately, my Logitech Z-680 speakers have to be connected via optical because my analogue out is being used by my headphone amplifier.

As it stands, all I can coax out of my Z-680 pod is stereo. At least I DO have sound for the time being, I'm just hoping someone with more know-how than me can help me out.

If not, I'm probably stuck buying a new soundcard.
 
you can connect via analog then, simply pass the L/R loop out to the front L/R input on your speakers, and the surround and c/sub outs directly to the speakers, switch between 5.1 and stereo as needed (I'm assuming this doesn't crash?), or you could leave it in 5.1 constantly (the front L/R signal shouldn't change, although without access to the control panel theres no way to 100% confirm that it isn't doing something with LFE)

if nothing else, at least you get 5.1 back until a better software solution comes along, or you get new hardware
 
I'm not sure I understand correctly. Are you familiar with Logitech Z-680 speakers at all?

The back of the pod is like this:

logitech-Z680-connectors.jpg


I tried using the L/R loop out from the headphone amp to the "Front" jack on the back of the pod. And using the remaining jacks to the computer as you normally would.

All channels still output from the from the front L/R speakers. Even when set to 5.1 in (Windows).

So using that method I'm still in the same position as I was when I used S/PDIF.
 
yes I know what the connection should look like, with the loop output, and the L/R going PC -> amp in -> loop out -> Z-680 input (doesn't really matter what exists here as long as it can take two channel input)

and the surround and c/sub feeds -> Z-680

in 5.1 mode, with a 5.1 source (like a DVD with your media player decoding to 5.1, or a game in 5.1), you should get 5.1 sound from the 680's (if the headphone amp was at fault, you'd get everything but the front L/R)

in other words, apparently your driver woes are more than just a lack of a control panel, if it won't pass 5.1 via analog either
 
exactly what I meant :) (nice MSpaint skills too :))

if the headphone amp were the problem (for example if its idea of "loop out" wasn't exactly true to source), you'd just have distortion/signal loss on the front L/R

if you still can't get ANY sound into the unit for surrounds (try switching the plugs out with the front L/R, just to be 100% that the speakers aren't damaged (unless you're 100% on this already)), thats probably just yet another issue associated with this card's drivers and Win7 (if it won't pass 5.1 sound via any means)
 
Embarrassingly, that's actually Photoshop... :p

In any case, I tried both side/back surround out to no avail. Windows just isn't sending any surround information to my rear speakers.

I set the pod to 6 Channel Direct, and also tried stereo 2x just in case. Nothing.

It must be a driver issue then as I'm fully confident that my rear speakers do in fact work properly - at least in Vista.

I'm not especially confident that I'll see any proper work around to the problem, but just in case I'll keep an eye on this thread for a bit before I drop the cash on a properly supported CMI 8788 card.


Edit:

On a hunch I decided to try the HT Omega Claro / Claro+ drivers - they installed without a hitch. Full surround confirmed working via S/PDIF.

I guess this pretty much solves the problem! Thanks obobski for taking the time to help me troubleshoot.
 
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