Disabling the music

[Kriegsspieler]

I would like to know why I cannot run a streaming radio player (like Real Networks) behind the game. If I've gone to the setup screen of HOI and clicked the box to disable music, it still turns out that I cannot run my Real player along with the game. Is this because in some part of the game's startup routine it thinks that it still needs the audio drivers? I presume the same would pertain to all the Paradox games -- right?

Thanks for the help.

 

[jpd]

Well, I you only disable the music, then HoI will still claim a wav sound channel (or channels) from your sound subsystem.

It depends on your soundcard/drivers if it supports multiple channels. If it does, like an Audigy, then there should be remaining channels available for apps like WinAmp to play in the background.

However, the sound driver is not required to support this. It is optional.

Jan Peter

 

[Kriegsspieler]

Well, I you only disable the music, then HoI will still claim a wav sound channel (or channels) from your sound subsystem.

It depends on your soundcard/drivers if it supports multiple channels. If it does, like an Audigy, then there should be remaining channels available for apps like WinAmp to play in the background.

However, the sound driver is not required to support this. It is optional.

Jan Peter

This helps me understand what's going on, so thanks. But your last comment about the sound driver being optional left me confused. By "this" were you refering to HOI? Is there a way to prevent the game from making any claims on the driver?

 

[jpd]

I'm afraid not, although I haven't tried what happens when you also disable the sounds effects.

Regarding the sound driver. It's up to the vendor (and this largely depends on hardware capabilities as well) how many concurrent sound channels are supported.

Each application reserves sound channels for whatever purpose it needs them. If the driver supports more that an application needs and the driver implements concurrent access from different applications, then you can use a different appliction to provide your background music.

I have two systems right now, one with an SB Live! and my main PC has an SB Audigy II. I have successfully used the Internet Explorer to play a web radio in the background when playing a Paradox game on either of them.

If your hardware and/or driver software doesn't support it, then you are out of luck. It's not a requirement of DirectX or the 'Designed for Windows' logo to support sound by different applications concurrently.

Jan Peter

 

[Castellon]

Have you tried starting the radio application first?

 

[Kriegsspieler]

Dear JPD and Castellon --
I've tried to run the radio player first & HOI seems to cut over it, so parallel play doesn't seem possible with this software.
Too bad for me.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Castellon]

I know people have run mp3 players in the background while playing, so it must be either your card or the way the radio station player operates.