[X3] A tool to fix your directshow codecs (sound problems and performance)

[frymaster]

the easiest way to tell if you have system instability problems is to install x3 and see if it's stable

[alejandrox3]

Just reinstalled X3 for the third time and patched it to 1.4.02.

I told it during installation to install the older media files.

Managed to play for 30 mins and got all the way to Elenas Fortune before it crashed once again!!!!!

[CBJ]

I suggest you start a new thread as it is now pretty unlikely that your problem relates to codecs. It is much more likely to be related to one of the standard PC problems, such as heat, power, memory, overclocking, memory timings, hardware acceleration settings, etc.

[Taylorttr225]

When I "Load Graph" with DSHow Viewer I get an error message...

A problem with your configuration prevented a directshow graph from being built
Rendering error detected in rendering SPEEC
If you made some changes go back and undo them
If this is the first run of the program, it apparently detected a major issue

The graph shows up, but it is missing a section for speech. And the problem I am trying to solve is that my speech is all muted.

Help

[CBJ]

Try just updating your game to 1.4.02 instead, and allowing the patch to install the right codecs. If you are getting an error with this tool then there is a good chance that they are broken.

[DragonlordJR78]

First of all the the WMspeech decoder showing up in grey is not a problem as mentioned in the initial topic.

This is normal, the application doesn't know how to interpret the latest media player data. No current tool can raise it's merit, nor should it need to be. If you don't see it in the list at all, well that does point to a problem.

I'm familiar with this ASF ACM HANDLER issue.
Please download & "reinstall" Media Player 10 and let me know if that fixes it.

hmmm.... i find this strange.. i have tried evry possibility u have put forward but i still have this same problem with the ASF ACM and windows media source filter

i have reinstalled X3
i have updated to latest patch 1.4.03
i have reinstalled WMP10
i have used this dll codec repair tool

but still i have these attached to X3 not knowing what to do

anyway.. ill list them here just incase

COMDLG32.DLL
APPHELP.DLL
MSCTF.DLL
WMPASF.DLL
MPR.DLL 1)
DXMASF.DLL
URLMON.DLL 1)
WININET.DLL 1)
DRMCLIEN.DLL
STRMDLL.DLL
WSOCK32.DLL 1)
TAPI32.DLL 1)
RTUTILS.DLL
DNSAPI.DLL
WINRNR.DLL
RASADHLP.DLL 1)

1) new "reds" since reinstall of X3

im starting to get quite frustrated since i have done evrything u said in 1st post

[MadBoris]

Well, lets slow down for just a second and take a step back.
The files attaching to X3 can happen from hundreds of programs, that people load on their computers.

What is the actual issue you are having in the game?

What operating system?

[DragonlordJR78]

well... i guess i got a little rushed ahead when i first read all the 21 pages of posts & tried to apply some fixes.. but seemed to get worse

EDIT: ooh.. forgot to post my "problem" wich is the same as the headline of this topic... the sound is missing on the first 8 seconds of the computer voice evrywhere... stations, space jumps, autopilot etc..


heres my stats

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 2.66GHz
Memory: 768MB RAM
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

Card name: RADEON 9600 SERIES
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI RADEON 9600 Series AGP (0x4150)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4150&SUBSYS_200E17AF&REV_00
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Description: Realtek AC97 Audio
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5630 (English)

well thats all relevant info i guess... im not verry technicly inclined so i dont know how to post an image or link to my dxdiag file

and i havent had any problems untill i installed the latest patch before the reinstallation... of evrything...

[MadBoris]

Try reinstalling the patch and allow it to reinstall codecs, even if it tells you they are older. let me know.

[DragonlordJR78]

cool...

although i purged all realtek audio drivers with driver cleaner and reinstalled it & after reinstalled the game & patch...

DSV is as clean as a whistle

only have left is..

COMDLG32.DLL
MSCTF.DLL

after i attach it

evrything else works perfectly although my save games are all corrupt now :'( *sob*

only one small graphics glitch with my HUD but thats propably due to windows mode and a problem for the graphics department

there is no way to save the save files, is there?

[MadBoris]

Good to hear you fixed it.

As to the save files maybe someone else can help you out.
usually the problem with save files is that you are trying to use them in an older version, so make sure you are fully patched up.

[DragonlordJR78]

I have to thank you MadBoris

you have made a quite exelent troubleshooting guide despite it got the oposite effect on my computer

i wish i had your technical knowhow and troubleshooting tanasity or there would be quite a few upset, disgrunted, anoyed, angry, furious, mad up to balistic X3 players out there complaining

[Reece]

Hmm. I cannot get the MPEG Video/Audio (news/briefing videos) to work right in game. They work visually, but all I hear is high pitched squabble coming from my speakers. Everything else works fine.

I used DShow Viewer to find any "reds". All my defaults are fine, and match the 'cheat sheet'. I did find a couple "reds" when using "Attach to X3". Turns out the Splitter being used was a Window Blinds splitter... lol! Anyhow, uninstalled that and it disappeared. Now the only 'red' I find when using "Attach to X3" is the Common Windows DLL thing, which you said in your main post that it would disappear. So, no idea why it did not.

When I used DShow Viewer to check my files I find 5 errors (older files). Here are the problems I have:
****
XP SP2: Microsoft Help and DRM Store Netscape Plugin

DirectX 9.0c: Microsoft DirectInput Mapper Framework, Game Controllers Default Sheets, Microsoft DirectInput Mapper (Joystick stuff?)
****
I tried to reinstall DirectX 9.0c, but once I hit "next" or "install" it just immediately says it's installed and ready, which I know is bull.

If I tell DShow Viewer to play a loop of the briefings it works properly. But in game it is horrid. Any ideas on what the problem is?

I have 1.4.03 of X3.

And as always, I have the latest drivers/bios for all my hardware.

[CBJ]

I know you say you have up-to-date drivers, and that you have a sound card rather than on-board sound, but see this FAQ entry. The common factor of the Asus motherboard may well be relevant.

[MadBoris]

So just out of curiosity, when you right click on the graph in the "source and description" column, specifically clicking Play on MPEG - video and audio streams...
Does that sound correct with the movie briefing?

If it does 'not' sound correct then there is a deeper problem because the mpeg playback is using the exact codecs seen in the live graph. The problem then isn't purely a codec priority issue but something more.

If the sound is good, then it it is something more along the lines of a codec being used while in the X3 engine or possibly soemthing else.
Let me know.

Your attach to X3 findings now show you should not have any codec issues though. As to the file checker, I would not be concerned about those few files they normally show up.

[ausfatcat]

I have the sound problem followed your sticky thread completely

First problem was ASF ACM HANDLER

fixed by mediaplayer 10 reinstall

after that direct show was spot on

then when using attach to x3


I get 2 errors

comdlg32.dll
aaphelp.dll

looked though entire thread (took an hour and change).

But no one has the same prob

specs
athlon XP 2800
ATI 9600
version 1.4@@# (latest one anyway)


are these vital to run the game properly and how do you fix this?


thanks

[MadBoris]

They are not errors, just libraries listed for your information attaching to the x3 process.
Both of those are very commonly used libraries (infact one is called comdlg for common dialog) - so you are done.

Now you just make sure you are using the latest patches for the game and you shouldn't have any codec issues with X3.

[ausfatcat]

thanks madboris great game so far

[Reece]

I know you say you have up-to-date drivers, and that you have a sound card rather than on-board sound, but see this FAQ entry. The common factor of the Asus motherboard may well be relevant.

Sorry I've been busy lately and away from X3 a while. Anyhow, I'm trying to download the latest audio chipset drivers from Asus now, although my internet is extremely slow since it is a shared network. Anyways, this is quite interesting because I think my onboard sound is actually disabled through the bios. So I wonder how/why it could still affect things. But, that's the life of computers right?

Anyways, once I get the latest onboard sound driver downloaded I'll try to install it and see if it makes any difference.

@ MadBoris

Thanks for your reply also. When doing the test all the audio/video is fine. It's ONLY within X3 itself that there is any problem. And this is scrictly pertaining to the briefing videos ONLY. No other sound gives me a single problem. *shrugs* Never had these issues with X3 in the past (last time I installed months ago), but that was before a system upgrade too. Never had this kind of issue with any game really though...

Except back in the DOS days where you had to make a boot disk for every game you wanted to play so sound and memory would work right! lol Enlight/Egosoft make a great game, but they seem to leave lots of bugs intact.

[XBoni]

If its any help to anyone, I tried with Asus onboard sound (A7N8X Deluxe), and the game worked and was playable although the sound was of a poor quality. I got the following 'artifacts'.

a). Samples reset to the beginning after a second or two, usualy when a new sample was introduced.e.g. "We have scanned your ship and didnt find ..... We have scanned your ship and didnt find any illegal goods'.

b). Sample sticking when in high load situations, (repeating the same note over and over). A good example would be when calling up the load or save game requester.

Both these seemed indicitve of problems in the game sound code. In the first case a), the code hasnt waited for the sample to get into the sound memory (not patient enough with buffering).
In the second case the process or routine for updating the sound isnt being called regularly enough during some high-load times.

I also had movie playback problems.

I would add that my onboard sound has worked fine in many many other games.

Fitting an SB Audigy card removed the above problems with the exception of the movie playback.

Hope thats of some help to someone.