KT7AGuy wrote on 2025-01-14, 17:50:

Is there any sort of utility to determine the EAX capabilities, if any, of a sound card?

You can try the ALCapsViewer which can be downloaded from here. I think this may need OpenAL compatible drivers though, so if your sound card doesn't support that, the test might not work.

Alternatively, download the Star Wars: Empire at War demo from here. Install it, start the game and and go to Options > Audio. This game can utilize EAX 1, 2, 3 and 4. If an EAX version is supported by your sound hardware, it should be selectable and usable from this menu.

KT7AGuy wrote on 2025-01-14, 17:50:

Is there any sort of utility to determine the EAX capabilities, if any, of a sound card? There were various integrated and other non-Creative (uncreative?) sound cards that featured EAX and EAX 2 capabilities. Is there any way to know for sure which ones support EAX and which ones do not?

I have an Asus Eee 1000HA netbook with "Realtek High Definition Audio". I know some other Realtek onboard sound cards had EAX support. How can I tell if this one supports EAX too? For example, my ABIT IP35 Pro has Realtek ALC888 onboard audio that supposedly supports up to EAX 2.0.

Thanks

Rightmark 3D Sound is a smaller download than Empire at War and it can show EAX capabilities both for Directsound and OpenAL.
https://audio.rightmark.org/products/rm3ds.shtml

EAX 1-3 was more or less fully supported under DirectSound3D, so you got that automatically with non-Sound Blaster cards and that's why so many of them support EAX with the Windows 98-XP games. 4 and 5 were exclusive to Creative Labs and some third-party cards that licensed.

RetroGamer4Ever wrote on 2025-01-14, 21:13:

EAX 1-3 was more or less fully supported under DirectSound3D, so you got that automatically with non-Sound Blaster cards and that's why so many of them support EAX with the Windows 98-XP games. 4 and 5 were exclusive to Creative Labs and some third-party cards that licensed.

Slight correction. It was EAX 1 and 2 that Creative allowed other manufacturers to use by opening up the relevant documentation.

As for EAX 3, 4 and 5 those were limited to Creative products, and could not be used by other companies.

Thank you all for your replies, suggestions, and recommendations.

I used RightMark 3D Sound to check my laptop's "Realtek High Definition Audio" for EAX. It failed. No EAX support whatsoever.

It is unfortunate that Creative Labs no longer sells MB3, because I would have gladly paid for that rather than spend the next few days rebuilding this netbook with Win7.

Seriously, it's just strange that there's no EAX emulation for WinXP after all this time. I'm now forced to install Win7 instead just so I can get some EAX compatibility.

Thanks again to everybody who replied.

KT7AGuy wrote on 2025-01-20, 19:07:

Thank you all for your replies, suggestions, and recommendations. […]
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Thank you all for your replies, suggestions, and recommendations.

I used RightMark 3D Sound to check my laptop's "Realtek High Definition Audio" for EAX. It failed. No EAX support whatsoever.

It is unfortunate that Creative Labs no longer sells MB3, because I would have gladly paid for that rather than spend the next few days rebuilding this netbook with Win7.

Seriously, it's just strange that there's no EAX emulation for WinXP after all this time. I'm now forced to install Win7 instead just so I can get some EAX compatibility.

Thanks again to everybody who replied.

It's strange since Realtek integrated HD audio usually supports hardware 3D acceleration and EAX 1/2 under WinXP even in case of laptops.
At least EAX is supported in case of my Thinkpad T430 despite the fact that the integrated Realtek does not support multi-channel audio and even Stereo Mix is completely missing.

It turns out that my Eee 1000HA does indeed have EAX and EAX 2 support. This problem was user-error on my end. It is also good news because I was really not looking forward to installing Win7 on this old clunker. I just use it as a travel laptop so that I won't cry if it should be damaged, lost, stolen, etc. I really just want the EAX support so I can enjoy old games while I wait in airports, train stations, etc.

Here's what I was doing wrong: RDP
When you use RDP, the sound drivers change to accommodate your remote connection. So, checking RightMark 3D Sound while using RDP was causing it to indicate a lack of EAX support. When I check RightMark 3D Sound while not using RDP, it shows that EAX and EAX 2 are supported.

(I think it is safe to assume that the Eee 1000H also has EAX and EAX 2 Support.)

Thanks again to everybody who replied.