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Monster Media 1993 #2
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1993-07-18
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PMMIXER V2.0 - a mixer tool for the SoundBlaster Pro under OS/2 2.1 MMPM/2
==========================================================================
*** BETA RELEASE--USE AT YOUR OWN RISK ***
ATTENTION: This program works alongside MMPM/2 but is not yet MMPM/2-
aware! Strange things may happen when other programs use the
official MMPM/2 interface at the same time as this mixer.
CHANGES FROM VERSION V1.x
-------------------------
PMMIXER V1.x was written for Michael Fulbright's SBOS2.SYS drivers. These
have been superseded by IBM's MMPM/2 architecture. This V2.0 PMMIXER
is not yet fully compatible with MMPM/2, but uses direct hardware access
to the Sound Blaster Pro instead. It works well, but is not nice.
Since I now had to use the SB's hardware myself, I discovered a missing
button in V1.x as well (the Stereo switch) that sometimes caused faulty
filter settings in V1.x. This is now finally over.
What is PMMIXER?
----------------
PMMIXER is a PM program to access the internal mixer on the SoundBlaster Pro.
It displays the look-alike of a normal mixing console, with sliders and
pushbuttons to control the SoundBlaster Pro's mixer manually.
What do I need to run PMMIXER?
------------------------------
Naturally, you need a SoundBlaster Pro sound card. Again, be warned
that OS/2 does not like this card to work on IRQ channel 7, because this IRQ
is reserved for the LPT1 device. Put the SoundBlaster Pro on IRQ 5 or so.
Since this is a beta version, there's no provision for SoundBlasters on
other addresses than 0x220. Normally, there's no reason to set the card
to another address, so it will probably work right away. IRQ and DMA
is not used at all.
How do I run PMMIXER?
---------------------
To run PMMIXER just type 'START PMMIXER' at an OS/2 prompt, or double click
on the file object for PMMIXER.EXE. You can also shadow the PMMIXER file
object into a folder of your choice, to easily get to it, or create a real
Program Object.
How do I work with PMMIXER?
---------------------------
The program is pretty much self explanatory. The sliders control the volume
levels for the various inputs and outputs of the SB Pro. The radio buttons
control the recording source and whether or not certain filters are
enabled. Play around while producing some music (e.g. by running TRACKER)
and you'll figure out how it all works.
In the System Menu of the mixer (the little black-and-white mixer icon in the
top-left corner of the window) I've added an About box choice that displays
some information about version number and such (and waistes a few CPU cycles
on you) plus a small Help choice that currently gives some beta information.
PMMIXER should not interfere with other programs that use the AMPMIX device or
access the SoundBlaster directly. It will not, however, update itself as soon
as the SoundBlaster settings are changed. The update will come as soon as you
re-activate the mixer, e.g. by clicking on it.
What are the known bugs?
------------------------
The mixer is somewhat boneheaded in accepting the SoundBlaster's settings
at startup. It will copy the sliders, but not the controls. This is something
stupid in my code but not severe enough to delay the release of the beta.
You might have to press some buttons before the sound is what you want.
I did my best to code the PMMIXER display-independently. On my 1024*768*256
screen it looks pretty neat. It might be that on other lower or higher
resolution screens some graphics are screwed up. If so, please notify me,
so that I can change the program appropriately.
Will please someone who has attached a CD-ROM driver to the internal SB Pro
CD connector try out the CD sliders? I suspect this connector to not support
separate left and right level settings.
Who else gets credit?
---------------------
First, David Nichols (davidn@cs.tamu.edu) who wrote what is now version 1.0
of PMMIXER. He did 80% of the job. I replaced the scroll bar controls with
OS/2 2.x's new slider controls, added the About and Help boxes, converted
the thing to use direct hardware access, and re-vamped the interface.
Since this was my first encounter with OS/2 PM programming, many thanks to
David for implicitly teaching me how to do things.
Second, Michael Fulbright (msf@as.arizona.edu) for providing us OS/2 fanatics
with a good SoundBlaster driver and some useful documentation on it.
Unfortunately for his ego, IBM decided not to buy his drivers.
Third, some people at IBM for giving birth to OS/2 2.x which is by far the
nicest operating system for Intel-based computers that I've encountered
so far.
Are the sources available?
--------------------------
Of course they are. Just mail me (hoppie@kub.nl) and you'll get them.
Since this is a beta release, code still is under development.
What about MMPM/2?
------------------
I would *love* to re-write this program to correctly control the Sound
Blaster Pro through MMPM/2. If anyone can send me information about how
to do this, I would be most grateful. I need specific information about
the AMPMIXER device in connection with the SoundBlaster Pro.
DISCLAIMER
----------
I (and probably David and Michael as well) take no responsibility whatsoever
about the correct functioning of this program. It is provided for free
to everyone who happens to like it and will cost $100 for others.
Having said this, I might try to adjust the program if someone kindly points
me to a flaw or an improvement.
July 16, 1993
Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers (hoppie@kub.nl)
Infolab, Tilburg University, The Netherlands