AtomicPlayer: Support for Sound Devices

Drivers

The driver is the software that translates instructions from software (such as AtomicPlayer and other audio players) to the underlying sound hardware. If your driver is malfunctioning, playback will be affected or prevented.

With WASAPI (the newest Windows audio technology), older drivers may not be fully debugged or equipped for the format, so up-to-date drivers are particularly important for AtomicPlayer because it relies exclusively on WASAPI.

Here are some instructions for ensuring your drivers are up to date.

Identifying Current Drivers and Obtaining Updates

Problems such as output stalling, difficulty in selecting the correct, working input source or having the full range of input sources available, usually mean your sound device has faulty, outdated or inappropriate drivers. If this occurs it is important that the drivers are updated. The drivers must be specific to the particular model of your computer or sound device, and are usually produced by the sound device or motherboard manufacturer. On a 64-bit operating system, the drivers of the sound device must be 64-bit.

Updating the Driver

To update the sound card driver, follow the steps for your operating system:

Windows 7

Windows Update

You can check Windows Update to see if it has found updated drivers for your sound card, especially if you recently installed a new one. Then, you can install the updated drivers.

1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.
2. In the left pane, click Check for updates.
3. If there are any available updates, click the links to see more information about each update. Windows Update tells you if an update is important, recommended, or optional. Each type of update might include drivers - take a look at each of these to see if your sound device is included in the offered updates.
4. On the Select the updates you want to install page, look for updates for your sound device, and select the check box for the driver that you want to install, and then click OK.
5. On the Windows Update page, click Install updates. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
6. Windows Update will tell you if the updates were successfully installed.

Note: Some updates require you to restart your computer.

Download Drivers Directly

It's easiest to let Windows install device drivers automatically. But if Windows can't find a driver for your device, and the device didn't come with driver software, go to the Windows 7 Compatibility Center website, which lists thousands of devices, and has direct links to driver downloads. Also, you can look for a driver on the device manufacturer's website. Driver updates are often available in the support section of such sites.

Link to Windows 7 Compatability Center for Sound Hardware

Once you find the updated driver, follow the installation instructions on the website. Most drivers are self-installing: after you download them, you usually just double-click the file to begin the installation, and then the driver installs itself on your computer.

Some devices have drivers that you need to install yourself. If you download a driver that isn't self-installing, follow these steps. (You must be logged on as an administrator)

1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, and then, under System, clicking Device Manager. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. In the list of hardware categories, find the device that you want to update, and then double-click the device name.
3. Click the Driver tab, click Update Driver, and then follow the instructions. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Windows Vista

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
2. Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
3. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
4. Click Sound, video, and game controllers to expand.
5. Under Sound, video, and game controllers, double-click the entry for your sound card, and then click the Driver tab. (Note: If a Driver tab is not present, the entry that you clicked under Sound, video, and game controllers may not be the correct entry for your sound card. Try clicking any additional entries listed under Sound, video, and game controllers.)
6. Click Update Driver Software.
7. Follow the Update Driver Software Wizard to update the sound card driver.