SPEA Hotline Information =========================================================================== Trouble Shooting Guide ........................................... media fx SPEA V7 series Release 0795.7 =========================================================================== Dear user, the following text contains hints, tricks and solutions for common problems and requests. Many of them came from other users in the field. Weīd like to thank them for their contribution. IMPORTANT NOTE Please check also the references to driver updates and to system-configuration in the respective helpfile (A). Yours sincerely the Support-Team of SPEA SOFTWARE AG V7-media fx configuration =========================================================================== Questions !.Answers --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problems with Soundblaster configuration? !.E6.E13 (board, sound-emulation not found / not recognized) !.E14 Which CD-ROM drives are supported? !.E1 Message: "Timeout waiting for acknowledge" !.E22 Message: "...string too long..." !.E14 Is it possible to edit / exchange the sounds (Samples, Sounds, Instrumente) of the wavetable? !.E2 Is it possible to address own samples with a MIDI-keyboard? !.E3 The software "Super JAM Jr." is missing? !.E4 Can the PC-keyboard be used as a replacement for a MIDI-keyboard (e.g. with Recording Session) to input notes or melodies? !.E5 Distortions during recording/replay of WAV-files? Interruptions in the sound of games? !.E6.E13 (e.g. interrupted or hoarse sound) !.E19.E20 You canīt start programs in Windows? You get messages like "Error in Applicationprogram..." or "Error in KRNL386.EXE..."? !.E7 No output of audio-signals via V7-media fx with a Mitsumi CD-ROM drive connected to the V7-media fx? !.E8 Pin configuration of the audio connectors. !.E8 Using the program Recording Session the sounds of the V7-media fx cannot be addressed with a MIDI-keyboard? !.E9.10 No music when using the program SuperJam Jr. ? !.E11 Are there drivers for the V7-media fx for OS/2, Unix, Linux ... ? !.E12 Are there manuals in languages other than English for the programs Recording Session, Superjam Jr., Monologue for Windows and Voyetra Multimedia Sound Software or full versions (updates) in other languages? !.E15 Can I configure the Mitsumi FX001D CD-ROM drive as a double-speed drive? !.E16 Is there humming in the hifi-system or in the active-boxes that are connected to the V7-media fx? !.E17 Can I print music from the program "Recording Session"? !.E18 In Windows: Replay of *.wav files works, replay of *.mid doesnīt! !.E21 V7-media fx configuration =========================================================================== Answers --------------------------------------------------------------------------- E1 The V7-media fx supports the following CD-ROM drives: Panasonic/Matsushita CR-523 (single speed) " " CR-563 (double speed) Mitsumi CRMC, LU005S, FX-001D Sony CDU 31a Important: The jumpersetting on the V7-media fx for the I/O-addresses must be the same as the setting of the I/O-address for the CD-ROM-driver in the CONFIG.SYS. E2 The sounds on the V7-media fx are layed down in ROM. You can neither exchange nor modify them. E3 The hardware doesnīt allow that. E4 Your V7-media fx comes from an ESCOM-shop! ESCOM sells the V7-media fx for a lower price, but with less software than normal. ESCOM offers an additional package of software for the V7-media fx, which contains MediaBlitz, a Multimedia software and Super JAM Jr., a program to make music. E5 With Recording Session you can only enter musical notes with the mouse, not with the PC-keyboard. E6 Try to use the standard VGA-driver for Windows and see if the error persists. If the distortions are gone, you probably have a conflict in the configuration of DMA-channels and -buffers that also affects the graphics card. In that case find the lines amem=xx in the blocks [SNDSCAPE.DRV] and [AAPIPKB2.DRV] in the SYSTEM.INI and increase the value of amem=xx (DMA-buffersize in KB) in steps of 2KB (2, 4, 8, .. 16KB). Find also the line DMAbuffersize=xx in the block [386Enh] and try with 16, 32, 64 (KB). Remember: You must save SYSTEM.INI and restart Windows for your modifications to be effective. E7 Open the Control Panel, select in the module Multimedia-Drivers the item Setup and decrease the DMAbuffersize in the drivermodule "SOUNDSCAPE DVB AD-1848 Wave, Aux". Keep in mind the bad effects that a very small DMAbuffersize might have! (see E6) E8 On some V7-media fx the socket for the audio-input from Mitsumi has been rotated 180 degrees. Please send us a fax with your address, we will send you an adaptor! But first please check: The jumpersetting on the V7-media fx for the I/O-addresses must be the same as the setting of the I/O-address for the CD-ROM-driver in the CONFIG.SYS. __________________________________ | media fx Pin | m=ground ()=pin may be not| Sony l m m r | Channel: available. | Mitsumi (m)l m r | r=right (no bug!) | Matsushita r m l m | l=left --------------------------------- |____||____________| E9 Acvtivate "MIDI Thru" in "Options" of Recording Session. E10 Check the MIDI-cables with other MIDI-devices and/or try other cables. Check also if the cables are plugged correctly - labeling of MIDI IN / MIDI OUT is sometimes misleading. If you are not sure, just swap the IN and the OUT cable. You wonīt cause any damage. E11 Set "USE MIDI-Mapper" to ON. You find this setting in the pulldown menu "Options" - "Global" in SuperJam jr. E12 These operating systems are not supported. Please wait until February for an OS/2 driver. E13 Make sure the installation is correct; if the problem persists try another slot or another PC. Check the connections of headsets, speakers, CD-ROM. Maybe there are corroded plugs/sockets/switches. Make sure there are no conflicts in the PC regarding I/O adresses, DMA channels or IRQs. If there are conflicts, fix them. PCI System Bios: Set option "CPU to PCI byte merge" or "CPU to PCI burst write" on "Disabled" ; switch off the hardware cache. E14 Install the actual driver version Rel. >=0395 ! Make shure to use the certain release for your fx serial number! Increase the DOS Environment (SHELL=.../E:1024) - see CONFIG.SYS. Note: The V7-media fx is compatible to Soundblaster and FM by emulation. The board contains no Soundblaster and no OPL Chip! The sound-programming of some software (mostly games) needs the Soundblaster-hardware or references BIOS-functions of the Soundblaster. If the emulations of Soundblaster or FM are not completely or not at all supported, problems will occur as a logical consequence. A possible solution is to try Soundblaster Pro in the setup of the game. E15 The manual of the V7-Media fx is available in German. The other programs that come with your V7-media fx are licenced original software with manuals in English only. Updates of these programs to a full version canīt be obtained from SPEA. We recommend the following companies to buy sound software and accessories from: M3C Systemtechnik GmbH - Berlin - Tel. 030-7856066 Magic Music - Bretzfeld-Schwabbach - Tel. 07946-7768 E16 You can install the CD-ROM drive with the original drivers from Mitsumi as follows: Entries in the CONFIG:SYS: DEVICE=C:\MEDIAFX\SSCD.SYS PORT=330 NUM=8 *) DEVICE=C:\TREIBER\MTMCDAS.SYS /D:SSCD_000 /P:338 /A:1 **) Entry in the AUTOEXEC.BAT: C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:SSCD_000 /M:64 /E /V /L:n ***) *) PORT= I/O address of the media fx **) P: I/O address + 8 ***) n=drive e.g. /L:E, The CD-ROM drive will be drive E: E17 If the humming only occurs with an external amplifier (hifi or active speakers) it is caused by a ground loop. Either connect your PC to a wall-socket that belongs to a circuit (-> different fuse) other than the circuit of the amplifierīs wall-socket, or turn the plug of the amplifierīs power-cord in the socket. Distortions of unidentifiable origins can be caused by an old-fashioned electrical installation without separate PE. Check also the power supply of the active speakers or the MIDI-keyboard. E18 The delivered version of Recording Session is a demo-version. You can order a complete version called "Studio" (for approx. DM 250) from M3C in Berlin (Tel. 030-7856066). "Studio" allows to print notes. E19 Some mainboards perform a byteswap in the 16bit part of the ISA-bus. This can cause strong distortions in recording / replaying of waveforms and sometimes even cause the program to stall. Solution: Install the V7-media fx in an 8bit slot. If your mainboard has no 8bit-slot you can cover the 16bit part of the V7-media fx connector with Scotch-tape. the V7-media fx will react as if it were in an 8bit-slot. The performance will not be affected. E20 Possibly a solution: Swap the IRQs. E.g. swap base-IRQ 2 and Soundblaster-IRQ 7 to base-IRQ 7 and Soundblaster-IRQ2 E21 Deinstall the V7-media fx and redo the installation: Delete the directory C:\MEDIAFX, the files MIDIMAP.CFG, AAPIPKB2.DRV and TAPIPKB2.DRV and all entries in the SYSTEM.INI that hint at SNDSCAPE, AAPIP and TAPIP as well as the blocks [SNDSCAPE.DRV] and [AAPIPKB2.DRV]. Then install the V7-media fx again. E22 This error message indicates a conflict in the configuration of the V7-media fx. Make sure that the jumpersetting on the board corresponds with the addresses set in SSINIT. Correct discrepancies if necessary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -100795-tv