Extremely loud and sudden audio static:

[thewumpus]

I'm just starting to play and enjoy this game after owning it for a while and have been experiencing this intermittent issue that occurs randomly when basically using the interface. Clicking on buttons, scrolling through pages of the recognition manual, it always happens as soon as I click something..but it's entirely random when it occurs. I can still hear the sounds and music of the game but barely as the continuous burst of loud static overpowers everything and never goes away unless I restart the game.

I've reinstalled my SB Live audio drivers and don't have a single issue with audio in any other of the countless games I've played. I've experienced this problem both before and after patch 1.3. I've found a few posts about it on the official forums and this forum, but no solution has been posted to my knowledge. I've tweaked the in game audio settings, disabled dynamic and 3D positional sounds..nothing helps. It's driving me crazy as the game is no fun without audio at all. Can anyone help? Thanks!

[SteamWake]

Your not dragging bottom by any chance are you ?

[mookiemookie]

I'm just starting to play and enjoy this game after owning it for a while and have been experiencing this intermittent issue that occurs randomly when basically using the interface. Clicking on buttons, scrolling through pages of the recognition manual, it always happens as soon as I click something..but it's entirely random when it occurs. I can still hear the sounds and music of the game but barely as the continuous burst of loud static overpowers everything and never goes away unless I restart the game.

I've reinstalled my SB Live audio drivers and don't have a single issue with audio in any other of the countless games I've played. I've experienced this problem both before and after patch 1.3. I've found a few posts about it on the official forums and this forum, but no solution has been posted to my knowledge. I've tweaked the in game audio settings, disabled dynamic and 3D positional sounds..nothing helps. It's driving me crazy as the game is no fun without audio at all. Can anyone help? Thanks!
I had the same issue occur with other games on my SB Live card. I'm afraid I can't give you a solution, but I've had it happen.
Your not dragging bottom by any chance are you ?
No, if what's happening to him is the same thing that's happened to me, there's no mistaking this for a game sound effect. It's a very LOUD scratching noise....kind of like the sound when you have a TV plugged in but have no signal, only snow.

[thewumpus]

Nope not dragging. It's very definitely not normal..it nearly blows my eardrums when it happens with my headphones on. Yes I've had the same sound occur before with other games (about twice total over the past 4 years), but normally when I'm trying to do something it doesn't expect, like Alt+Tab or similar. This is very definitely happening as a result of clicking on things in the interface in SHIV, and I never had this happen with SHIII. It will occur usually within 5 to 10 minutes of playing a mission or the campaign. Uninstalling and reinstalling SHIV hasn't helped either. Others have experienced the same exact problem, but no solution yet. Arg. Thanks anyway though.

[SteamWake]

When you installed or re-installed the new drivers did you remove the previous version first ?

Also it might be a long shot by check to see if the card is fully seated in its slot. Might even want to try re-seat it.

Lastley you might want to check the Sound Blaster technical forums for similar problems / fixes.

[d@rk51d3]

Your not dragging bottom by any chance are you ?

:huh:

That would be worms.:rotfl:

But, on a serious note, I had this issue with SH3, and always at the beginning of a patrol.

You'd get: "Not So Long Ago..."...........SCREEEEEEEEEECH!!!!!!

Drove me insane, and eventually disappeared, and still don't know why to this day.:shifty:

[THE_MASK]

AUDIGY = nothing but trouble . The only drivers that work for me are the original ones that came with the card . The ones from the audigy site dont work for me . Also disable the stupid startup splash screen thingy .
Check this out also http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=119080

[dogshu]

I have a solution for SB Live users who aren't running 64-bit Vista: Instead of using the creative.com or stock windows drivers, use the kx project's drivers:
http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?skip=1

This has completely solved the problem for me, as well as problems with several other games. As an added bonus the control panel is superior to creative's.

The reason it won't work under 64-bit Vista is that they are not signed drivers.

This may also work with other Creative cards besides the SB Live, check the kxproject's website. I have only tried it with an SB Live under XP. I have read that the stable version works under 32-bit Vista.

[Reaves]

Audigy 2 here and I think I know the noise you mean. I've only had it once in an unpatched version. If it is the same noise it is inherrited from SH3, yet you said you have no problems in SH3...

I'm pretty sure it had something to do with mine fields but as I haven't heard it since patch I can't remember, the last time I looked around on this problem was back in SH3 days....

[Packerfan]

thewumpus, I had a similar problem that popped up a few weeks back. Often times when clicking the interface (and almost always when firing off a fish, it seemed :x ) I would get the most horrible sounding screeching, hissing, staticy (is that even a word???) sounds that it would make me jump half out of my chair. Sometimes it would continue for several minutes, stop, and then come back later on. I tried reinstalling SH4 and 1.3 and the Xi-Fi drivers and it didn't work. Games like BF2 and STALKER had no issues. My PC was due for a fresh XP image so that's what I ended doing and I've had no issues since. I'm afraid to try and sound mods now which sucks because I really like some of them.

Good luck with the problem. Please post if you find a definitive solution.

[maerean_m]

It happened to me, only once, and only after 1.3. It scared the sh*t out of me (you can imagine a 200W (http://www.imgmagazine.com/images/z2200_001_large.jpg) speaker system yelling like that).

I'm running a Creative Sound Blaster Live with original drivers on XP SP2 and it never happened before, with any software or games. http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/106.gif

[nattydread]

I get it too, SB Live X-Gamer. It started happening from the very beginning with the original release and still happens(even after a re-format). I only get it when I have severly damaged a ship.

It is the loudest and closest thing to a video game scratching the blackboard Ive ever heard. It hurts like crap and scares the hell out of you when it starts up.

Though this doesnt prevent it, it seems tinkersing with some sound settings off and on may stop it only after it starts.

Let us know if those 3rd party drivers work

[d@rk51d3]

I found that by hitting "esc", going out to the menu, and then resuming the game, would ususlly fix the problem about 90% of the time.

....Usually too late to prevent waking up the house at 3:00 am.:oops:

..........Or busting your eardrums if you're using headphones.:dead:

.................Or soiling yourself in the process.:88)

[RDDR]

I have had the same problem as well with SHIV.
Like the other poster I remember this also happened with SHIII,but for some reason this is no longer the case.A huge band of static happens without any warning.
I have marked the KX site for downloading the drivers later today.
As long as this installation is a No Brainer to install I'll do it for sure.
I hate followeing long and involved instructions.
Thanks