Fix for iTunes and Stuttering Audio Upon Opening Other Programs
This is a fix for those that have the problem of iTunes 7 working fine alone, but when opening another program such as a game, etc., iTunes 7 begins to stutter and crackle. This fix assumes that otherwise, the program works correctly (gapless, and other issues are not a problem, no blue screens of death, etc.)
First off my machine:
Dell XPS 3.4 ghz Pentium Dual Core
2 Gig RAM
Creative SB X-Fi audio card, latest drivers installed
Observed problem:
Running iTunes 7, audio sounded fine, but opening another program such as UT2004 (first person shooter game) caused iTunes 7 to stutter and crackle.
This was not an issue in iTunes 6.05. I had to upgrade as I just purchased the new Nano.
As an aside, I have another sound card on my computer, an older Layla Echo 24 professional soundcard, drivers are about 3 years old. When selecting this card, this problem does not occur.
The Fix:
Close iTunes 7
Upgrade your sound card drivers (just to eliminate that as an issue)
Upgrade to latest Microsoft direct X version:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=2DA43D38-DB71-4C1B-BC6A -9B6652CD92A3&displaylang=en
Start
Run
Type: dxdiag
Click "sound 1" or similarly named tab
Slide bar to "basic acceleration" (mine was at full, and basic is two clicks to the left)
Exit
Restart iTunes 7, and startup music
Open game, or other program
Your music in iTunes 7 should now be stutter/crackle free
This may not work for everybody, but it worked for me so I thought I would pass this along.
Good luck!
(resisting urge to type some snarky remark to Apple that somehow their programmers are indeed as human as Microsoft programmers)...oops...sorry about that.
Dell XPS Windows XP Creative SB X-FI Audio Card
Dell XPS Windows XP