P2B-D and Microsoft Digital Sound System Problems

[kirk_ma...@my-dejanews.com]

Has anyone been sucessful in installing and using the Microsoft Digital Sound
System (DSS-80) on an ASUS P2B-D based system. My DSS-80 installed OK but is
unstable and fails to be usable for any length of time. The equalizer
software disappears whenever you change any of the settings and the samples
that come with it work for about 20 seconds and then all sound stops. The
sound system no longer works after that until you re-install the drivers.
BTW, sounds great while it works!

I am suspicious of the USB port on the P2B-D and have seen emails and
postings floating around that there are problems with the ports on these
motherboard but nothing official or definitive. One email mentioned an
incorrect resister on the motherboard on some versions. Does anybody have
more info on the status of USB ports on these boards? Any known problems
acknowledged by ASUS?

Kirk

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[jna...@my-dejanews.com]

To all of you who are having problems with Microsoft Digital Sound System 80
you are not alone out there. I have encountered several people with problems
ranging from system lockup at boot up, system freeze, DSS80 program crash,
etc when using the unit on USB port. According to Microsoft tech site
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q191/7/06.asp the problems
require motherboards manufacturer BIOS update!!! I guess many owners of DSS80
will have to patiently wait until the finger pointing routine run its course.
Maybe at the end of it there will be a solution. However, I have a sneaky
hunch that this will be a case where the consumer is going to get the short
end of the stick. The product will be discontinued and replaced by something
new (maybe DSS2000) and we will be the proud ginea pig owners of a half baked
product. If ASUS or any other motherboard manufacturer affected by this
problem/conflict is listening, please let us know what is being done to solve
it. Or if the solution is in one of the BIOS patches already posted. Or if
Microsoft is wrong in their assumption. Or does anyone know of a motherboard
that works with DSS80 (if you have no problems I should not expect you to be
reading this).

[legend...@my-dejanews.com]

I have found a fix to all of the USB problems with the DSS80 speakers. I
have an Abit BH6, PCI net card, Diamond MX300, and a Riva TNT. I talked to
microsoft and they said the problem was with the drivers for PCI-Steering and
such. They were being overloaded by the sheer volume of info going through
the PCI bus...which the USB is on. They did not know a fix, but I did.
Disable all playback through the speakers. Go into Controlpanel/multimedia/
and deselect everything that smacks of the DSS80. Also go into the "devices"
tab, go through all the audio devices and disable all mention of USB DSS80.
This works perfectly. My system used to crash continuously...now that I am
running strictly through my sound card everything works perfectly...so what
if I dont get TRUE digital audio...at least it works. I do have the USB
cable still connected though, if I didn't I would get a feedback sound.
Also, Microsoft said that the upgrade patch would be availible with Service
Pack 1 for 98. So, looks like we will have to fork out some bux.

Shawn Pierce
pier...@tc.umn.edu

In article <7dr953$1s3$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

kirk_ma...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> Has anyone been sucessful in installing and using the Microsoft Digital Sound
> System (DSS-80) on an ASUS P2B-D based system. My DSS-80 installed OK but is
> unstable and fails to be usable for any length of time. The equalizer
> software disappears whenever you change any of the settings and the samples
> that come with it work for about 20 seconds and then all sound stops. The
> sound system no longer works after that until you re-install the drivers.
> BTW, sounds great while it works!
>
> I am suspicious of the USB port on the P2B-D and have seen emails and
> postings floating around that there are problems with the ports on these
> motherboard but nothing official or definitive. One email mentioned an
> incorrect resister on the motherboard on some versions. Does anybody have
> more info on the status of USB ports on these boards? Any known problems
> acknowledged by ASUS?
>
> Kirk
>

[legend...@my-dejanews.com]

I have found a fix to all of the USB problems with the DSS80 speakers. I
have an Abit BH6, PCI net card, Diamond MX300, and a Riva TNT. I talked to
microsoft and they said the problem was with the drivers for PCI-Steering and
such. They were being overloaded by the sheer volume of info going through
the PCI bus...which the USB is on. They did not know a fix, but I did.
Disable all playback through the speakers. Go into Controlpanel/multimedia/
and deselect everything that smacks of the DSS80. Also go into the "devices"
tab, go through all the audio devices and disable all mention of USB DSS80.
This works perfectly. My system used to crash continuously...now that I am
running strictly through my sound card everything works perfectly...so what
if I dont get TRUE digital audio...at least it works. I do have the USB
cable still connected though, if I didn't I would get a feedback sound.
Also, Microsoft said that the upgrade patch would be availible with Service
Pack 1 for 98. So, looks like we will have to fork out some bux.

In article <7dr953$1s3$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

[legend...@my-dejanews.com]

I have found a fix to all of the USB problems with the DSS80 speakers. I
have an Abit BH6, PCI net card, Diamond MX300, and a Riva TNT. I talked to
microsoft and they said the problem was with the drivers for PCI-Steering and
such. They were being overloaded by the sheer volume of info going through
the PCI bus...which the USB is on. They did not know a fix, but I did.
Disable all playback through the speakers. Go into Controlpanel/multimedia/
and deselect everything that smacks of the DSS80. Also go into the "devices"
tab, go through all the audio devices and disable all mention of USB DSS80.
This works perfectly. My system used to crash continuously...now that I am
running strictly through my sound card everything works perfectly...so what
if I dont get TRUE digital audio...at least it works. I do have the USB
cable still connected though, if I didn't I would get a feedback sound.
Also, Microsoft said that the upgrade patch would be availible with Service
Pack 1 for 98. So, looks like we will have to fork out some bux.

In article <7e79he$6pu$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

jna...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> To all of you who are having problems with Microsoft Digital Sound System 80
> you are not alone out there. I have encountered several people with problems
> ranging from system lockup at boot up, system freeze, DSS80 program crash,
> etc when using the unit on USB port. According to Microsoft tech site
> http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q191/7/06.asp the problems
> require motherboards manufacturer BIOS update!!! I guess many owners of DSS80
> will have to patiently wait until the finger pointing routine run its course.
> Maybe at the end of it there will be a solution. However, I have a sneaky
> hunch that this will be a case where the consumer is going to get the short
> end of the stick. The product will be discontinued and replaced by something
> new (maybe DSS2000) and we will be the proud ginea pig owners of a half baked
> product. If ASUS or any other motherboard manufacturer affected by this
> problem/conflict is listening, please let us know what is being done to solve
> it. Or if the solution is in one of the BIOS patches already posted. Or if
> Microsoft is wrong in their assumption. Or does anyone know of a motherboard
> that works with DSS80 (if you have no problems I should not expect you to be
> reading this).
>

[Bruce Chastain]

<legend...@my-dejanews.com> wrote in message
news:7eiuvs$sb8$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com...

My system used to crash continuously...now that I am
> running strictly through my sound card everything works perfectly...so
what
> if I dont get TRUE digital audio...at least it works.

Hey, you might be able to answer a question about the MS DSS80 speakers I've
had. They come with a multiband Equalizer. When the speakers are in analog
mode only, does the Equalizer still work?

I've read that the Equalization might be 100% software and working on the
digital signal only, and if so, that would mean the Equalizer isn't working
for you with your analog setup.

Is that accurate?

Thanks,
Bruce.

[larr...@aol.com]

I bought the microsoft digital sound system 80 because of the rebate,, its a
very good price, and i have been using the speakers to amplify my portable cd
player via line out port.. The question i have is that the subwoofer is
always humming and it gets very HOT. Its like it never stops going. i was
wondering if anyone else had this happen or if i should send mine back.

[Brayton]

That's odd? My system goes to sleep (Yellow light on right speaker)
after about 20 seconds of silence. No humming, and no heat build-up in the
subwoofer box at all. Might want to have it exchanged.

Bra...@Yahoo.Com

larr...@aol.com wrote in message <7er2hh$5m6$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...