Creative to release PCI express sound card

[Jonny]

Personally, I can't wait!!!

Been waiting for this for a while now.

Link.

[kalniel]

*nods* I saw this. I wonder how they've got around the limitations in PCI-E?

They always said before that they weren't using it becuase of the extra latency compared to PCI.

[shaithis]

I thought they said that they would take a while to release a PCI-E solution due to their current chip design not playing nicely with the PCI-E bus?

[dave87]

As Kalniel said, I think they were having trouble using a simple bridge chip to convert from PCI to PCI-e signalling, which is why it has taken so long to release. Wonder if they overcame all of the technical limitations of that increased latency, or whether PCI soundcards will still be the top dogs..

[Mad-Max]

I wonder to but we will just have to wait to see how it performs compared to XFI PCI and so on

[noTHINGface]

Wonder why they released the PCI-e interface on the low end card and not something like the fatal1ty stupid name XiFi jobby?

[DanceswithUnix]

One of the reasons for PCIe is that the edge connector is smaller, so the PCB can be smaller and therefore cheaper. No doubt they can sell at the same price and pocket the difference

[directhex]

wake me when creative reverse their "no more linux support" policy

[Steve B]

^^ agreed ^^

[j.o.s.h.1408]

This sounds interesting but most modern boards nowadays have a very good built in sound card already.

[Lee H]

Wonder why they released the PCI-e interface on the low end card and not something like the fatal1ty stupid name XiFi jobby?

Something to do with even though PCI-E is high bandwidth it's also high latency. As such the X-fi and the fatal1ty cards are staying PCI as they have lower bandwidth and low latency - just what we need with ASIO driver support.

[Enda]

This sounds interesting but most modern boards nowadays have a very good built in sound card already.

It's much better then it was with Audio HD replacing AC97 standard. But dedicated cards are still less prone to noise, interference and can handle gaming 3D audio such as full EAX better then onboard.

[TooNice]

Umm, if you are going to use good headphones, or, presumably (I don't use those), hi-fi speakers, a decent dedicated sound card is still noticeably better.

That said, has the latency theory has really been proven? The cynical in me thought that Creative could not justify going PCI-E at the time of the X-Fi's release.

If memory serves right, Creative released some lower end PCI sound card before the release of the Live! (their first 'next gen' sound card at the time).

[CrazyMonkey]

Meh just got an X-Fi but i have spare slots so. No problems.
Will help Shuttler's and the like though.

[aidanjt]

wake me when creative reverse their "no more linux support" policy

Yeah, kinda sucks when you pay £80 for a sound card and you're forced to use crappy AC97 audio with an alternate operating system.