Sound Blaster ZXR no sound through Optical output

jds63 said:

No Problem !

I have been using computers for a long time and have learned a lot about them and how to fix issues and a lot of it came from doing research, reading and coming to these forums.

Never used Reddit before so i can't really speak on it. Told someone before here this Forum like EightForum, SevenForum and VistaForum before that, this is always a good place to get help, help others and learn and nobody is ever nasty some maybe opinionated, but that's it.

All i am waiting for is a solution to this issues once i get one or someone else gets one it will help all who reads it.

Well since Reddit is the place where most reports of that issue have came up, and that Creative have their own subReddit there, that would be a good place to hang out, as it's more centralized. On r/SoundBlasterOfficial.

You're really nice to talk to. And yes, there may be disagreements and frictions going on in Online forums between users. But official support service individuals should be held to a higher standard than the average user out there.

Again there's 2 sides to it. His own behavior, which is on his shoulders, and the way issues reported to him are handled. This is on the company's (Creative) shoulders, not his. In this particular case, he gave a bad vibe on both fronts.

To most he is cordial, but, he doesn't send a positive message when addressing this issue by minimizing it. For what is of his own behavior, it's him that let himself slip because I'm the one who's the most active there about this particular issue, and my patience started to fade, so I used sarcasm and criticism towards the company. In a polite way mind you.

That is probably what ticked his nerves, and made him write in a subtly condescending way to me. Again, I don't take it personally, but that doesn't increase my love for Creative at all. I started with an Audigy 2 Value, then went with an Xfi Xtreme Music years later, then a Sound Blaster Z Gaming.

I also bought a 140$ Creative gaming headset, the SoundBlasterX H7T, which works fine so far. BUT, it'll be the last time I buy any of their product from now on, and the representative of Creative on Reddit helped contribute to it, along with the issue itself, and how long it takes to be resolved.

So even if it gets resolved later down the line, that headset was the last Creative product I will ever buy. I will post here in the future if there is any update on the matter to notify you, in case you wouldn't be aware of it. Have a nice day.

Your Welcome ! Thanks for all you have told me on the Creative issues you have found out so far and the knowledge you passed along to me appreciate it.

Hard to find good support these days on these expensive products we purchase and feel should have better coverage.

Still feel as of now my Sound Blaster ZXR should still be one of the better cards around even these days not looking to purchase another one as of yet had it for number of years never gave me an issue till now.

Don't be a stranger to the forum come and visit read posts here use your knowledge to help others and if you need help with anything.

jds63 said:

Your Welcome ! Thanks for all you have told me on the Creative issues you have found out so far and the knowledge you passed along to me appreciate it.

Hard to find good support these days on these expensive products we purchase and feel should have better coverage.

Still feel as of now my Sound Blaster ZXR should still be one of the better cards around even these days not looking to purchase another one as of yet had it for number of years never gave me an issue till now.

Don't be a stranger to the forum come and visit read posts here use your knowledge to help others and if you need help with anything.

Yeah on the hardware side, it's pretty solid. Their top of the line is the AE-5. With some fancy RGB effects. But supposedly it also sounds better than the SBZ. But you know what's ironic? It doesn't support DTSC/DDL. So that could explain why Creative aren't too much in a hurry to fix DTSC/DDL related issues.

Source: PHT Electronics Gadgets Blog: Difference between the Sound BlasterX AE-5 and the Sound Blaster Z series

When they're talking about up-mix, I'm pretty sure they're talking about Virtual Surround techniques like I explained earlier. Like Dolby Pro Logic or DTS NEO:6. Which are far from ideal. So the AE-5 might be good if you have a PC Speakers set to connect 3.5m cables to to have uncompressed Surround, but not for an Optical setup with an A/V Receiver.

Again, in your own case, I suggest you use 3.5m since you have the luxury to do so, even if Optical seems more convenient, it isn't in the case DTSC/DDL are not functioning.

Thanks for your kind words. Let's hope we talk again about good news this time.

Hi jds63, I recently upgraded to Windows 10 Pro 64bit and encountered exactly the problem you described with my Soundblaster Z. I got the exact same error message in the Cinematic tab, after which it reset itself to the "No encoder" item.

I had set the privacy option for the microphone so it was off limits for my whole device. Yesterday I changed that to allow the microphone for the device, and for all desktop apps. (But, only desktop apps.) And, lo and behold, switching to the digital encoder options just worked! Later, I turned the microphone off for the device again, and the problem with the optical output resumed.

I really hope that solves your troubles also.

As it seems, the Creative Audio Service wants permanent access to your microphone, and putting it off limits makes it bitter and sad. I'm not sure I like it permanently listening in, but at least I got my optical output back on.

Best regards, and good luck with your Soundblaster ZXR.

Hasslmaster said:

Hi jds63, I recently upgraded to Windows 10 Pro 64bit and encountered exactly the problem you described with my Soundblaster Z. I got the exact same error message in the Cinematic tab, after which it reset itself to the "No encoder" item.

I had set the privacy option for the microphone so it was off limits for my whole device. Yesterday I changed that to allow the microphone for the device, and for all desktop apps. (But, only desktop apps.) And, lo and behold, switching to the digital encoder options just worked! Later, I turned the microphone off for the device again, and the problem with the optical output resumed.

I really hope that solves your troubles also.

As it seems, the Creative Audio Service wants permanent access to your microphone, and putting it off limits makes it bitter and sad. I'm not sure I like it permanently listening in, but at least I got my optical output back on.

Best regards, and good luck with your Soundblaster ZXR.

Hi Hasslmaster, Thanks it worked for me too !! Not sure why it does work by switching this access for Microphone in Windows 10.
Wouldn't worry about it unless you use a microphone (have one hooked up) for now. Use of resources maybe a concern. Now i will need to figure out why this is.
Thanks again would of never thought of this.

Yes, this has been discovered for a couple of months now on Reddit. Sorry I didn't update this thread. Change to MS' audio layer once again. Nothing can be done about it. As of now, it will always be this way, coming from Creative themselves.

Unless MS changes something again in future updates. Let's hope not. I prefer the microphone service being accessed by the Creative app, than have to deal with more issues and headaches again.

NickEclipse said:

Yes, this has been discovered for a couple of months now on Reddit. Sorry I didn't update this thread. Change to MS' audio layer once again. Nothing can be done about it. As of now, it will always be this way, coming from Creative themselves.

Unless MS changes something again in future updates. Let's hope not. I prefer the microphone service being accessed by the Creative app, than have to deal with more issues and headaches again.

Did not know this until it was posted by other member that there was a resolve. Also a Creative Driver software update in September that supposedly fixed issues with audio but for me only the resolve mentioned by Hasslmaster works for my issue.

I don't really like the idea of this resolve to have access to the Microphone to work, prefer a different resolve myself.

Thanks !!

NickEclipse said:

Even if claimed in the latest drivers that it fixes the Encoders issue, it really doesn't by any stretch. You'll still have to allow mic access. These drivers do jack. That goes for me, and Ryan from Creative himself confirmed that you MUST have the privacy settings as such in order for the Encoders to work before leaving the company this month. There really is NO other resolve for this. Microphone general and app access MUST be granted for the Encoders to work.

These drivers are so useless, that not only do you still have to allow microphone access, some are STILL reporting issues with the Encoders, AND have their channels all mixed-up. Even with the latest drivers, AND the microphone access allowed. Fortunately, I'm fine on my side. It seems to be with newer chipsets, especially AMD ones, that these issues persist. And Creative aren't doing anything about it.

Just make sure you un-plug or turn-off your mics when not using them (something that should be done in any scenario anyway, and that goes for the cams also, because other nefarious software could still be accessing them without your knowledge), and you'll be fine. If you scroll down the microphone privacy window, you'll see it tells you it is the Creative Audio Service using it, nothing else. If they really want to spy on you, like Alexa or something, they already are, and they certainly wouldn't tell you.

If anything, this new feature is nifty, as it tells you exactly what is accessing the microphone privacy layer when clicking the microphone icon in the taskbar, and scrolling down. Also tells you the number of apps accessing it at any given time by just scrolling over it.

As an extra precaution mesure, you can still disable the microphone in the Windows audio panel under the recording tab, and everything will work fine (except your mic if you have one of course). Shows it really doesn't access your mic, it is Creative Audio Service accessing the new audio privacy layer in order for the Encoders to work. DON'T disable the "What U Hear" device though, as it is needed for the Encoders to work. That is the reason why the Creative Audio Service needs access permissions granted.

Has to do with the Encoders using a loop in the Windows audio layer or something. It always been as such, it's just that the new Windows 1903 update introduced this privacy layer blocking access to apps that might need it, unless you're giving permission. So again, it really isn't your microphone that is being accessed, it is the privacy layer, that's all.

Before it's introduction, my guess is, it was always "ON" anyway. It just now gives you the option to force OFF any access to your microphone audio layer, that was always needed my the Creative Audio Service, even before. Hope my explanation is detailed enough. Be well.

Thanks you for your explanation to this issue much appreciated and for others who will read this too !!

disabling the microphone doesnt make it want to use the exlusive cinematic mode that enables all the audio settings and configurations that the drivers and control panel is already supposed to do for the audio card anyway?

have someone tried disconnecting the microphone connection of a headset from the audio card either sbz or sbzxr to see if that is the problem of the loss of audio for the cinematic option?

i disabled the microphone in the audio settings in windows and it wouldnt enhance the audio quality of the audio card for the audio of any music or audio, no extra bass enhancements or even surround or the equalizer wouldnt work, enabled it and everything worked again.